Toyota: 19 New Models in 2012

Toyota had a rough year in 2011. Safety investigations and natural disasters presented challenge after challenge and wounded the company’s supply chain, sales figures and brand image. It's a new year, and it sounds like Toyota plans to stay busy.

The automaker is planning to launch 19 new vehicles in 2012 across its Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands, according to the Detroit Free Press. Executives detailed the plans to dealers last weekend at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.

Recall Alert: 2011 Toyota RAV4

Toyota is recalling 427 Toyota RAV4s from the 2011 model year because of a defect involving the side curtain airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles, which were manufactured from Nov. 24 through Dec. 19, 2011, do not use the correct propellant that helps to initiate the expansion of the airbag. As a result, one or both side curtain airbags might not deploy in an accident, increasing the risk of injury.

Toyota will start notifying owners in March, and dealerships will replace one or each of the side curtain airbags, if necessary, free of charge. Owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Toyota's U.S. Production Returns to 100%

Toyota confirmed that production at its North American plants has returned to normal this week. The news comes after nearly five months of slowed production due to limited supplies from the automaker’s Japanese part suppliers. Toyota’s 13 North American plants make the company’s best-sellers in the U.S., including the Camry, RAV4, Corolla, Highlander and Sienna. In all, nearly 70% of the cars Toyota sells in the U.S. are made in North America.

The recovery is ahead of schedule; Toyota originally stated that it didn’t expect to get everything up and running again until November or December at the latest.

The company will now focus on replenishing dealer inventories with overtime and Saturday shifts at some plants. Toyota expects there to be a 15% increase in its supply in the last three months of 2011.

The company also says that construction work on its 14th North American assembly plant, a Corolla factory in Mississippi, is almost complete. Production will begin there in October, employing 2,000 workers. 

Is the Toyota RAV4 Really That Bad?

Recently, Cars.com hosted the $29,000 SUV Shootout, and the Toyota RAV4 finished last. Then a few weeks ago, we got a 2011 Toyota RAV4 Sport, and all I can say after testing it is perhaps the Shootout was unfair to Toyota's cute-ute.

For detailed opinion of the RAV4, you can read my expert review here.

If you line up the RAV4 with a bunch of other small SUVs that have been redesigned more recently, the Toyota will suffer because it looks frumpy. It hasn’t been significantly updated in several years. But when you live with the car for several days, you start to notice attributes that are more important than a pretty dashboard or stylish exterior.

For starters, there’s the mileage.

Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 was the first compact car-based crossover offered in the U.S., debuting in 1994, according to MotorWeek. Three generations later, the RAV4 remains a popular player in this now-crowded segment. Highlights include a comfortable ride, fuel efficiency and utility, according to Cars.com editor Bill Jackson. Still, this 6-year-old model is beginning to feel dated.

2011 Toyota RAV4 Review

Recall Alert: 2007-08 Toyota RAV4, 2008 Highlander

Toyota Motors is voluntarily recalling 308,000 crossovers over a potential defect with the airbag sensor system. Affected models include certain 2007 and 2008 RAV4s and 2008 Highlander and Highlander Hybrids.

In the affected vehicles, the roll-sensing and side-collision detection systems have a defect that, if both should malfunction, can cause the side curtain airbags and seat belt pretension to activate inadvertently.

Owners of the affected vehicles will receive a letter from Toyota advising them of the recall. Toyota dealerships will replace the roll-sensing sensor assembly at no charge.

Concerned owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331 for more info.

Toyota Rebounds Past its Recall Woes

A year ago, amidst the backdrop of recalls, stop sales and sensational headlines, the Toyota brand reported a sales decline of 10.3%. That’s worse than the company’s overall performance, which also includes Scion and Lexus sales.

This year, the opposite is true. Toyota has bounced back with a 48.5% sales gain while Lexus dragged down the company’s performance to a 41.8% gain. We detailed some of Lexus’ problems earlier today.

But what fueled Toyota’s sales?

Toyota Recalls 2 Million More Cars for Pedal Issues

Toyota announced today that it would begin a new round of voluntary recalls covering nearly 2 million more vehicles for various issues surrounding pedal entrapment. The recall includes popular models like the Toyota Highlander and RAV4. This brings Toyota's total number of recalls since 2009 to nearly 15 million vehicles.

The move comes after a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA concluded there was no electronic malfunction leading to unintended acceleration. These recalls address either the same floormat interference issue of past recalls or two new modifications of floormats, carpet and connectors.
 
Three models — totaling 1.4 million vehicles — are being added to the November 2009 recall for pedal entrapment.

NHTSA Gives 2011 Acura MDX 5-Star Crash Rating

The 2011 Acura MDX received an overall rating of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new crash-test rating system, the safety agency announced today.

The MDX’s overall composite score is composed of a four-star frontal, four-star rollover and a perfect five-star rating for the combined side pole and barrier tests. The side barrier test is an area where other vehicles have shown weakness with the safety agency’s new testing format. The side pole test simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

How Good Are Toyotathon's Deals?

After checking out multiple dealership regions, Toyotathon is a good opportunity overall if you’re looking for a 2011 model year vehicle or if you’re trying to lease.

The recently redesigned 2011 Highlander already has a $500 cash-back deal and an attractive lease rate of $319 per month. In fact, all of Toyota’s lease rates – the automaker has traditionally leaned harder on this option – are excellent.

All the lease deals ask for less than $2,000 due at signing, so you’d pay a lot less upfront compared with some competitors, especially for Toyota’s pickup, minivan and crossovers. In some regions, such as Southern California, there’s a “$0 Down Payment, $0 Security Deposit, $0 Due at Signing, $0 1st Month's Payment” regional deal for folks who lease.

If you’re financing, most models offer 0% to 2.9% for 60 months.

With nearly 60% of Toyota’s inventory now 2011 model years, most remaining 2010s have lost their incentives. The outgoing 2010 Corolla gets $1,000 to $1,250 cash back on it; remember that the model was refreshed for the 2011 model year. The redesigned 2011 Avalon and Sienna both have $1,000 cash-back deals, too.

Most of the deals below expire Jan. 3.