Nowadays, we all expect a lot from our vehicles, especially when it comes to infotainment. We want to be able to book a dinner reservation and get directions to the restaurant, all while on-the-go. Well here at Hudson Toyota, Staten Island drivers will soon have much better access to such infotainment because Toyota and Microsoft have teamed up and will be bringing cloud computing into our vehicles!

Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation’s president, talked about the partnership by saying:

“Together, utilizing Windows Azure and Microsoft’s vast information infrastructure, we will boost the value of automobiles by making them ‘information terminals,’ moving beyond today’s GPS navigation and wireless safety communications, while at the same time enhancing driver and traffic safety.”

Some of you may be wondering just what “cloud computing” is. No, it’s not computers floating in the clouds, as the picture attached to this post may suggest. Instead, it is a system that eliminates the need for hardware and software by allowing a device to remotely access a network. In our vehicles, it will allow a whole new level of digital connectivity from the road! Toyota drivers will gain better access to streaming music, telecommunications information, GPS, and energy management on the go, without having to have excessive hardware and software inside the vehicle.

Here at your favorite Jersey City new car dealer, we are hoping to see this cloud technology in our vehicles by early next year. It will likely be placed in our new line of electric and plug-in hybrids such as the new RAV4 EV or the upcoming plug-in hybrid Prius.

As consumers continue to demand more, we will continue to innovate and accommodate. We are proud to be industry leaders in all arenas – whether that be with our green vehicles or our infotainment solutions. To learn more, stop in and talk to the friendly folks here at Hudson Toyota. We are happy to keep you up to date on Toyota news and to also help you find your next vehicle! Whether you shopping new or used, car or SUV, we can help and we look forward to seeing you soon!

As part of a Japanese automotive family, last month’s earthquake and tsunami hit us particularly hard here at your local Staten Island used Toyota dealer. Since our company was so closely affected, we didn’t hesitate to begin participating in relief efforts. In fact, Toyota as a whole stepped up to help in a really big way – to date, total contributions have come to over $8.6 million!

Donations are still rolling in, and are coming from a variety of sources. Our corporate offices at Toyota Motor Corporation have donated nearly $3.75 million to support the relief efforts, while the Toyota Industries Corporation contributed $1.2 million. Toyota’s North American associates and team members, dealers, suppliers, business partners and friends have also participated, giving more than $3.68 million to the cause in Japan.

Even though the earthquake and tsunami occurred over a month ago, everyone at Toyota knows that the work is not done! We are continuing to raise money to support relief efforts and are even taking donations through April 18. If you would like to help, the time to do so is now! There are several ways you can go about contributing:

• The “Hope for Japan” website was launched to enable our friends to contribute to the Red Cross relief efforts through monetary donations or even by sharing a personal message of hope. So far the site has received more than $7,800 in donations and countless messages of hope. To read these messages, write your own message, or make a pledge, be sure to visit the website - www.toyota.com/supportforjapan.
• Hudson Toyota associates, suppliers, business partners and friends can also make donations
  through this website.

While we are incredibly proud of how much has been given so far, we also know that there’s no such thing as too much. The people and communities in Japan still need assistance! Help us help our Toyota family members by donating to the American Red Cross’ relief efforts in Japan!

To learn more, come see us at Hudson Toyota. Staten Island drivers will also find a great selection of new and used vehicles here. No matter what you’re looking for, you can find it at Hudson Toyota so stop in today!

One of my favorite parts of auto shows is the concept cars that automakers put up on display. While not all of these concepts come to fruition on the market, it still leaves me with a sense of hope that they might! This year in Geneva, Toyota presented their latest concept – the FT 86 II. Here at Hudson Toyota we are very excited about this concept and we feel it has the potential to come to market and stand out as our affordable halo car!

The FT 86 II which first appeared in 2009 comes from the collaboration between Toyota and Subaru. For this year, Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada says “With the FT-86 concept, I wanted to pass on the same feeling of joyful driving which embodied the Corolla Levin AE86 model.” Here’s a quick peek at the latest concept:

LOOKS – while the FT 86 II concept pays homage to the original, it features even more dynamic looks and accenting. Its design language is called “Functional Beauty” and you’ll notice this through its sleek coupe styling and detailed body sculpting. Other changes include an aggressive shark-like fascia, dual-outlet exhaust, a rear splitter, large alloy wheels, and rear spoiler.

POWER – power comes from a free-revving 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine. The FT-86’s powerful engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and comes standard with rear wheel drive. The power source features compact dimensions, light weight, and a low center of gravity. Your favorite Staten Island Toyota parts leader will tell you that this lightweight construction allows the vehicle to use a smaller and more fuel-efficient engine to maximize performance, while also enhancing handling dynamics.

FEATURES – the FT 86 II is an entirely driver-oriented concept designed to capture the joy of driving. It does so through its looks, instant responses to driver inputs, and overall precisions. Other features it boasts are LED string-lights and more aggressive styling cues.

To learn more about this exciting concept from Toyota, Staten Island drivers can head into Hudson Toyota! We have a friendly and accommodating sales staff waiting to be of assistance to you. Come see us soon!

Every year, J.D. Power and Associates conducts research to assist consumers in the search for their next vehicle. One topic they always research is reliability and they recently released the results from their 2011 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) on 2008 models. This particular study is especially important because reliable vehicles are a top priority for consumers. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) has reason to be proud of the results because several of our models, including five used Toyota vehicles, from 2008 topped their segments!

Winners for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion can be seen in the following chart. With seven vehicles topping their respective segments, TMS had more winners than any other brand!

*The used Toyota Tundra full-size pickup, which was pictured with this post, topped its segment for the sixth year in a row!

In addition to these seven winners, ten other Toyota, Scion and Lexus models ranked in the top three of their segment! From Toyota, there was the Yaris sub-compact, the Toyota Matrix cross-over utility vehicle, the Toyota RAV4 compact SUV, the Toyota Solara midsize coupe, and the Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV. From Scion and Lexus there were the Scion tC sports coupe, the Lexus GS luxury sport, the LS luxury sedan, the GX 470 luxury utility vehicle, and the Lexus ES 350 entry luxury sedan.

“Vehicle owners have spoken in the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study and once again Toyota is the full-line manufacturer with the most awards.  TMS continues to be a mark of consistency in this all-important study as Lexus has now scored among the top three nameplates in every year of eligibility and Toyota has been in the top five among non-luxury manufacturers since 1990. … Of the numerous independent studies conducted each year, the J.D. Power VDS is one Toyota feels is among the most important as it reflects real-world, long-term vehicle quality and dependability.  More than ever, consumers are considering durability as a key component in their vehicle purchase decision and these awards are one more key indicator that Toyota continues to take the lead.”

- Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc, in response to this year’s awards

To learn more about any of these reliable models from Toyota, Staten Island drivers can come to their favorite local dealership, Hudson Toyota! We hope to see you here soon!

For more than a decade, Toyota lovers have wondered what to call two or more Prius vehicles. This year Toyota decided it was time to settle the debate once and for all! At the Detroit Auto Show in January, the automaker launched a campaign, “Prius Goes Plural,” to let the people determine the plural of Prius. There were five choices available: Prius, Priuses, Prium, Prii and Prien. One month and over 1.8 million votes later, they announced the winner! The people have spoken and the plural of Prius is Prii!

The results can be seen in the graph below, as well as on Dictionary.com, which has changed their listing to reflect the new plural.

“Community has always been a big part of the Prius brand, so it was only fitting that we invite the online communities to participate in the plural discussion. … The people have spoken—Prii will be the accepted term used to describe multiple Prius vehicles going forward.”

- Colin Morisako, advertising manager for Toyota

The “Prius Goes Plural” campaign coincided with the world premiere of the Toyota Prius family of vehicles. Each of these Prii maintain the Prius’ core values of high fuel economy, low emissions, proven gas-electric hybrid technology and environmental stewardship. The Prius family of vehicles includes the following:

3rd generation Prius – currently available at Hudson Toyota; Staten Island drivers have always loved the original Prius and whether you choose the new or used Toyota Prius, it will always be a great option!

Prius V – arriving in the Summer 2011; the Prius V is our most versatile option! It features Prius’ platform and Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, a compact exterior, and a spacious interior.

Prius C Concept – coming early 2012; the Prius C is our “city-centric” option and it’s a great value for drivers looking to save on gas.

Prius Plug-in hybrid – available early 2012; one of the first of its kind, the Prius PHV will run on electricity alone for 13 miles at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour! Beyond that distance, it will revert to its normal Prius hybrid mode.

Now that you know what the plural of Prius is, we hope you’ll stop in and see our great collection of Prii. We have both new and used Toyota Prius vehicles for you to choose from and we know you’ll love the selection. Come talk to our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff and find out how you can drive away in your Prius today!

Automakers in the US are facing the reality that Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are changing. Change is always difficult but since our CAFE standards were in one place for twenty years the increase seems especially significant. Some automakers are resistant to these increases, but not Toyota!

Jim Colon, vice president for product communications at Toyota, talked about the changes and said “Whatever goal [the Obama administration] establishes, Toyota will be prepared to meet. … If it’s 62 miles a gallon, we’ll be able to achieve that.” Speaking recently at the Washington auto show, Colon went on to say that the new rules “excite” Toyota since the company is already going in that direction.

So how is Toyota preparing for the rising standards? Here’s a look at some of the future technologies Toyota has planned for 2012:

• An all-new Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) – this vehicle promises 13-14 miles of pure-electric driving thanks to a larger battery.
• All-electric RAV4-corssover SUV – this electric vehicle is making a comeback thanks to Toyota’s partnership with Tesla (an electric-vehicle manufacturer and distributor). The original model was in production from 1997 to 2003, had a range of 100 miles, and reached speeds of up to 78 mph.
• Subcompact EV – this upcoming vehicle will set the stage for an all-electric subcompact car in 2012. It is Toyota’s long-term vision to introduce such a short range vehicle for the metropolis and urban transportation.

*Each of these upcoming plug-in vehicles will use lithium ion batteries.

At Toyota, part of our goal for the future is to be able to reduce the costs of hybrids while still producing them in high volumes. We are not deterred by higher fuel-efficiency standards, but instead we are encouraging the process! We will continue to adhere to our proven cost-effective high mpg strategies. Most importantly, we will remain committed to producing friendly, accessible, and affordable vehicles.

At Hudson Toyota, Staten Island drivers will always find fuel efficient vehicles. Stop in and find out how you can make one yours today! In addition to providing high quality vehicles, we are proud to be a leading Toyota Service Center and can take care of all of your automotive needs. Come see us soon!

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted a ten-month, exhaustive, and thorough investigation into the potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles. They rigorously inspected nine vehicles, examined 280,000 lines of software codes, and subjected the vehicles to electro-magnetic radiation. The result: they found no flaws in Toyota’s electronic systems! Let me say that again – no flaws!

LaHood reviewed the findings saying: “We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota’s electronics systems, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas.”

Toyota is clearly pleased with these results! Steve St. Angelo, Toyota’s Chief Quality Officer for North America, said:

“Toyota welcomes the findings of NASA and NHTSA regarding our Electronic Throttle Control System with intelligence (ETCS-i) and we appreciate the thoroughness of their review.  We believe this rigorous scientific analysis by some of America’s foremost engineers should further reinforce confidence in the safety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles.  We hope this important study will help put to rest unsupported speculation about Toyota’s ETCS-i, which is well-designed and well-tested to ensure that a real world, un-commanded acceleration of the vehicle cannot occur. We will continue to develop and equip Toyota and Lexus vehicles with industry-leading safety technologies, including many based on breakthroughs in sophisticated electronics systems.”

Here at Hudson Toyota, we would also like to note the following about our vehicles with ETCS-i:

• Electronic throttle control systems are a well-established standard across the automobile industry and Toyota’s ETCS-i has performed reliably in more than 40 million cars and trucks sold worldwide.
• This system provides great benefits to consumers and has made possible significant safety advances such as vehicle stability control and traction control.
• These enhancements, along with Toyota’s Smart Stop Technology braking system, are now standard on all the new Toyota vehicles.

To hear more details from the NHTSA and NASA study, stop into Hudson Toyota. Staten Island driving safety is a top priority to us and we are committed to always providing the safest vehicles. Find out more about our safety features by visiting us today!

If you’re like me, you need a vehicle that can keep up with your busy lifestyle. There’s no vehicle that’s better suited for this role than the Sienna minivan. With the 2011 Sienna from Toyota, Staten Island drivers will find that they can do so much more than they could with any other vehicle! Here are just a few (of the many) things you can do with your 2011 Toyota Sienna:

1. Carpool – It’s Tuesday night, soccer practice starts in an hour, how are your kids and their friends getting there? With the Sienna you can offer to pick up all the neighbors and you’ll be everyone’s favorite Mom!
2. Road trip – Nothing says family-fun like loading into the 2011 Toyota Sienna and heading across the country! Good news parents, the Sienna has plenty of rear-seat entertainment features like the TV screen to the right to keep your kids occupied for miles on end!
3. Remodeling projects – You’ve always wanted to remodel your bathroom, so what are you waiting for? With the Sienna, you have plenty of room for all the new appliances and hardware you need to give yourself the bathroom you want and deserve!
4. Groceries – Every mom’s favorite activity! Okay, maybe not a favorite activity. But, I have good news for you – you can look and feel good while running your errands thanks to the Sienna!
5. Move your kids to college – The day that all parents dread! Where in the world did the last 18 years go?
6. Take your dogs for a ride – Every dog loves to cruise around town and they will especially love it when they can do it in the Sienna.
7. Take a nap – After all these errands, you need a break! Thanks to the Sienna’s lounge seating, you can do just that! Check out this commercial to see how:

The best thing about the Sienna minivan is that you can do all of these activities without spending a lot of money! In fact, it’s one of the top family vehicles available for less than $30,000! Its base price is just $24,460 and it is available to you at Hudson Toyota! Staten Island drivers can trust our local dealership for all of their automotive needs – we have a showroom full of the latest vehicles, we have a reliable Toyota Service Center, and we have a friendly sales staff waiting to meet you! Stop in to discover how we can serve you and your family today!

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) is a trusted source for vehicle information and data who frequently conducts Market Intelligence Brand Watch studies. In their most recent market study of the third quarter of 2010, KBB found Toyota to be the most-considered automobile brand overall, regardless of segment. To determine these rankings, new-car shoppers ranked durability and reliability, fuel efficiency, driving comfort, driving performance and safety respectively as the top five importance factors while shopping for their next new vehicle. Of the 37 brands that were examined, Toyota held 25% of customer’s consideration. Here’s a look at how the numbers fell:

This is not the first time that Toyota held the title of most considered brand overall, regardless of segment. From the first quarter of 2007 through the third quarter of 2009 Toyota was atop the list. Everyone here at Hudson Toyota agrees that it feels good to be back on top!

In addition to being the brand with the most consideration regardless of segment, Toyota was named the most-considered brand in the non-luxury sedan/coupe/hatchback and non-luxury SUV/CUV segments. Consideration of Toyota trucks also considerably rebounded this quarter.

While you do your last minute holiday shopping this season, join your fellow automotive shoppers who consider Toyota more than any other brand! Stop into your local Toyota dealership where our friendly sales staff can help you find the perfect last minute gift for a loved one or for yourself. For a 2010 Toyota, NJ shoppers can’t go wrong at Hudson Toyota! Whether you’re looking for a brand new Toyota Prius or a used Toyota 4Runner, here at Hudson Toyota we have just the vehicle for you and we will make sure you drive away in the car of your dreams!