Toyota says a new dawn is coming. I’m in. Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Oct. 19 , 2023 I know, it is not much... This morning, Toyota released a teaser image of the all-new 2025 Toyota Camry. The all-new 9th gen 2025 should improve upon the current 8th gen, 2024 Camry Hybrid's LE trim at 51/53/52 mpg city/highway/combined and SE/XLE/XSE trims offering up a 44/47/46 mpg city/highway/combined rating. I am going to walk out on a limb and say 54 mpg for an LE and 48 to 50 mpg for the higher trims with larger wheels. Let us hope not too large. Like the 5th gen Prius, expect the Hybrid to arrive with a vastly upgraded electric motors providing as much as 300 combined HP vs the current 8th gens 208 HP. Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5+ will surely move to the even more refined TSS 3.0. Outside of that, who knows? I suspect we may see the full exterior with interior details released at this years LA Auto Show Press days beginning on Nov. 16th. Wayne
Hi All: More on the next-generation 2025 Toyota Camry will be released soon as its debut is on November 14th. Stay tuned. Wayne
Hopefully the teaser isn't for the Crown SUV they're promising for 11/14. I think the market is ready for a Camry hybrid with available eAWD, widely available in LE trim selling at MSRP and devoid of $2995 "Protection Packages" and $400 worth of "nitrogen" in the tires. Toyota is dying a slow death in North America, and it's death due to starvation. Their market share is down about 16% year over year. It appears to be intentional. They make more profit per unit in other areas of the world, so they don't build too many vehicles for the US or Canada anymore. There is a two year waiting list for a Sienna minivan. The result? Kia Carnival sales have almost tripled - year over year - in the month of October. People who need a car don't want to wait two years. They need a car now. They buy elsewhere. Honda decided a few months ago to stop the silly "shortage" nonsense and start building cars. Sales exploded and now they're off the deathwatch list. I see a lot of new CRV and Accord hybrids when I'm out on the roads around here. Not too many new Toyotas. Dealers are stocked mostly with used cars they bought from auction. I feel bad for the dealer employees who thought they had a career representing the top-rated best-selling products on the market, only to have the manufacturer cut their new inventory to a trickle. This quarter, the market is on the brink of collapse due to interest rates making payments unaffordable for families, and floorplan costs unaffordable for dealers. One out of six car loan applicants are being turned down. Buyers are more upside down than ever, some with $10k of negative equity, and they're not able to roll it into a loan because banks are no longer writing notes with a loan to value much over 100%. So we're seeing more voluntary repossessions as people don't want to pay a $60k loan on car that's now worth $30k. Perhaps Toyota is positioning itself to have fresh inventory headed to dealers after the crash, waiting out the implosion as dealers fold under the weight of floorplan obligations, and the aged inventory goes to auction with flatspot tires, rusty rotors, chewed up wiring harnesses and flat batteries. And if they do finally start building product, let's hope it's a bunch of Corolla HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, Camry HEV, RAV4 HEV and Prime, and a few Grand Highlanders. These are the most wanted models. But I doubt they are the most profitable, so I guess we will see if Toyota listens more to their customers or to their accountants.
Yes, and I just read that a hybrid Carnival is coming. Further competition for the Sienna even if supply improves.
With the next update, within CY2024, the Carnival hybrid will be here. The Carnival rides on the same platform as the Telluride/Palisade/SantaFe/Sorento, so it will have the hybrid powertrain lifted out of the Sorento. In that shell, I believe it's EPA 39/35 in FWD form, with Sienna at 36/36 in FWD configuration. Even losing 1 or 2mpg due to minivan weight/shape penalty, the Carnival should be close enough to the fuel economy estimates of the Sienna to make it a competitive entry.
I went past two Tesla stores the other day. I saw something I'd never before seen there: invemtory. They have cars ( and Model Y's ) for sale , NOW. My local Toyota dealer has acres and acres qnd qcres of asphalt , but not so many cars.
It seems the sellable vehicles dealers have are mostly pickup trucks. I was asked to help someone from my church locate a basic AWD station wagon - oops - crossover -in the range of 20k to 30k. Her mom needs a car and will be paying cash. I told them right away that the real number is more like 30, because "20" is what the Chevy Spark sold for and they stopped building it because there wasn't enough profit in it. I sent them The List last night with their options. Missing from the list - Ford, Jeep and Toyota. Nothing under $30k or close enough to 30 to sneak in. Corolla Cross is listed in magazines and websites as "from 23610" but the cheapest Corolla Cross within 100 miles of us is $30769 - and that's before dealer markups. The closest two units are both listed as "sale pending". One less Toyota on America's highways. There's no reason to sell a little TNGA "Corolla Country Squire" for $31k + $5k to $7k Dealer Screw Fee + tax when you can buy a car about the same size from a half dozen other brands for $25k to $27k.
I remember my dad's Ford Country Squire. It had real genuine fake wood on the sides and vinyl bench seats
On oldcarbrochures.org, I enjoy reading the way they describe the petroleum wood over the years. "The look of rich burled walnut". "Note the rich wood textured trim along the sides that never needs varnish and will not chip or splinter". Uh huh. It goes along with the sumptuous and rich Matelasse fabrics. Yeah. That and a standard 232 six and three on the tree. Ah the good old days when you could get a pimpmobile with a 90hp straight 6 and a stick. Just what I need to go rollin' down the strip, with the ladies gettin' all fogged up and woozy over the tasteful (!) elk-grain paisley vinyl roof and optional whitewall tires and full wheel covers! Jumping ahead 55 years to today's market, there are about half as many automakers and far fewer options that are in reach of the middle class buyer. They are designed and priced to be leased in three year increments.
Hi All: With little fanfare, the all-new 2025 Toyota Camry is closing in on its retail release this Spring/Summer. The PR/Comms team did provide a "5 things to know" release. You know they do not have much to show when they highlight the headlamp design, but I am following closely regardless. The 2025 Camry from the floor of the Chicago Auto Show last week. When it comes to America's best-selling sedans, the Camry is most known for its long-term reliability. With its standard styling, the Camry continues to take current and future customers on their daily errands with no fuss, no muss. In other words, when you push the Start button, it starts every time. 2025 Toyota Camry - 5 Things to Know Road to Carbon Neutrality - Toyota is committed to reducing carbon emissions as part of a carbon-neutral future. And the next-generation 2025 Camry fits perfectly into the company’s ongoing sustainability efforts and product lineup. The new sedan is an exclusively hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). Standard models will be outfitted with the fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS 5), which offers a more controllable and engaging driving experience. It also provides drivers the ability to reach their destinations in an eco-conscious fashion. Leading the Charge - The 2025 Camry guarantees an excellent driving experience. The vehicle will be the first-ever Toyota sedan that’s powered by a pairing of its best in the world 2.5L I4 engine to the fifth generation THS 5 hybrid system. This groundbreaking combination has a standard 225 net combined hp on Front Wheel Drive (FWD) models - up 17 hp from the current generations 208 hp, and 232 hp on Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive (AWD) equipped models. The sport trims have a specific sport-tuned suspension. So, when drivers get behind the wheel, they’ll take a smooth ride with agile handling that makes the journey more enjoyable. New Moves - For the first time ever on a Camry Hybrid, Toyota’s Electronic On-Demand AWD will be available on all trims. To help drivers reach their destinations the AWD system provides additional traction when needed. The Camry is designed to help navigate snowy or icy roads as well as uneven surfaces. The AWD system’s capability comes from a dedicated rear electric drive motor generator that automatically supplies power to the rear wheels when needed. Shining Bright in the USA - The 2025 Camry was designed by CALTY Design Research studio teams in Newport Beach, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The sedan possesses an even more athletic look. For those who like an aggressive exterior, the SE and XSE provides eye catching styling with a sleek roofline and a defined body. They also feature racing-inspired functional aspects including aerodynamic air ducts, front side canards, and a rear diffuser. Up front, the distinctive hammerhead face adds a fresh clean look that looks pretty good. I do wish they had diminished the grill openings prominence to a more aero and cleaner look of the latest offerings from competitors but who am I to dissect design. The goal for the Camry engineering team at Toyota's NA R&D in Michigan was to also perfect the hammerhead design, which pushes the lamps toward the corner of the vehicle and defines the Camry’s eye-catching front face. They accomplished that with a lot of skill, effort, and extra hours of nighttime testing on Michigan roads. Safety - The all-new model will include standard Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) which warns you when a vehicle approaches your blind spot. When backing out of a space, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) detects vehicles approaching from either side and notifies you using the sideview mirror indicators and the Toyota Audio Multimedia screen. In addition, the new Camry will come standard with Toyota's latest Safety Sense 3.0, which is a suite of active safety features. From looking out for pedestrians while turning corners to detecting speed limit and warning signs, these technologies are designed to help keep drivers and pedestrians safer. As a huge fan of the brands safety culture and its strive to produce not just efficient but always safer vehicles, TSS 3.0 really is the real deal in terms of automatic accident avoidance. The new 2025 Toyota Camry is a testament to Toyota’s continuous improvement culture. With the more powerful, all-hybrid drivetrain and TSS 3.0, these are the type of upgrades and additions that make the Camry a best seller decade after decade. Wayne
