Toyota is doing better.  This we do know.  Thanks to a rigorous public relations campaign that earlier in the year flooded the airways with pro-Toyota sentiment when news was bleak, and more importantly, a bold incentives program, including zero percent financing and subsidized leases on many of their popular vehicles, North American sales in April were reportedly up as much as 30%.  But despite the positive vibes and strong sales numbers, there are still some bumps for the Japanese giant.

One disturbing trend of late, as seen on the newcars.com website, is that the “Days on Lot” figures (average number of days a model sits on the dealer’s lot before it is sold) for a 2010 Camry have gone from 44 in February to 64 in March to 88 in April.  Remember this is only for the 2010 Camry and not all new and used cars.  NJ dealers can at least breathe a sigh of relief there.

But so now compare those lot numbers of the 2010 Camry to the 2010 Accord, which had a 57 in February, 55 in March, and 52 in April.  Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.  It’s a small sample to be sure, but a trend to take note of, even for those folks in New Jersey, your typical Newark used Toyota Dealer.  It could mean a perception gap is opening between the two stalwarts of the large sedan class.

Still, despite the lot numbers, the good news for everyone, yes, even the Newark used Toyota Dealer, is that the newcars.com website still believes that a 2010 Camry edges out a 2010 Accord slightly overall, posting better numbers for fuel economy (Camry – 19-22 city and 28-33 highway v. Accord – 17-22 and 25-31) and lower base model 5-year ownership costs (Camry – $33,194 v. Accord – $34,718).  Both cars are similar in power (Inline-4 or V-6) and both vehicles have a five passenger seating capacity.  The Accord does have a little more passenger room, but for storage the Camry has a slight edge with 15 cubic feet v. 14.

It’s a close fight to be sure.  It’s like NJ used cars dealers trying to get a competitive edge in the market, taking whatever is there, and the Camry v. Accord, even in Toyota’s recovering, if not still semi-battered state, is a heavyweight bout of large sedans that most folks are still willing to shell out their money for.

Toyota is taking sustainable mobility one step further with the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV), an eco-upgraded derivative of the Prius Hybrid. Despite the Prius Hybrid’s fuel efficiency, ultra-low emissions, and high gas mileage endured by a gasoline-electric motor, Toyota discovered a way to  go even ‘greener’ while enhancing performance.

Used cars NJ dealers feel that drivers are most drawn to the Prius Hybrid’s environmentally conscious allure. While the vehicle leaves less of a carbon footprint on the environment when operating in electric-only mode, it requires gasoline to charge the battery that powers the electric motor. The PHV will also draw electrical power from a battery, but will enable drivers to plug in the vehicle to charge the battery with electricity. The PHV’s ability to supplement gasoline with electricity is a greener alternative which enables the same electric-only mode.

For the residents of Newark, used Toyota dealers say that the Prius Hybrid’s better gas mileage for city driving compared to highway driving is another contributing factor to its success. The Prius PHV is also ideal for city driving as it allows the vehicle to operate in all-electric mode more frequently and therefore conserves fuel. The PHV is capable of functioning in electric-only mode for greater distances and higher speeds than the Prius Hybrid. The vehicle can fully charge in three hours and can cover a distance of 13 miles reaching speeds up to 60 mph.

The PHV’s lithium-ion battery is the pivotal role in the vehicle’s greener distinction and enhanced performance. The battery consists of three battery packs which will supplement each other to expand the vehicle’s electric-only power. The PHV will extract electrical power from one main battery pack until the supply has been exhausted, at which time the vehicle will obtain the electrical power from a secondary battery pack.

With the intent to illustrate what a greener Prius means for sustainable mobility, Toyota has initiated a Prius PHV demonstration program which will extend 150 vehicles to various institutions across the U.S. The goal of the program is to determine how the plug-in conforms to every day activities, to establish if the plug-in presents any obstacles, and to inform potential consumers of what such a technology entails based on first hand experience.

The price of the greener Prius has not yet been released, but Newark used Toyota dealers anticipate a cost in the $27,000 – $34,000 range once the PHV hits markets in 2012.

Boy, that was confusing. Autoblog recently reported that Toyota would be giving the Camry a facelift because a patent had been filed in which new pictures of the vehicle were included. Yes, the Camry just saw some minor changes in their 2010 design, but according to this report, the automobile would get even more cosmetic changes as early as 2012.

The problem, of course, is that the report ended up being wrong.

It was an interesting bit of news, especially considering the fact that Camry is the country’s best-selling vehicle by quite a lot (even with all the public relations problems Toyota has had in recent months). But, as happens in the world of press releases and blogs and rumors, this one ended up being bunk.

Had it been true, however, we would’ve seen a more toned-down Camry, not like the more decorated Camrys you’d get now from a Newark used Toyota dealer. It’s got a more whitebread look, less angular with more pronounced tail lights that use LED strips. The pictures draw up traces of a throwback look, certainly less striking than what’s currently on the market and a little more like the used cars NJ dealerships typically offer in the Camry ilk.

But things went wrong when it turned out that it wasn’t a Camry that was pictured in the filed patent, but the Australian-market Toyota Aurion. The confusion probably comes from the fact that the Aurion is—surprise!—a derivative of the Camry. Still, that doesn’t rule out the possibility that some minor changes could be in store for future models of America’s best-selling car. Some have speculated that the reason this Aurion was filed with the U.S. Patent Office was because Toyota could be planning on using the automobile’s fascias as an inexpensive change for the 2011 or 2012 Camry.

Maybe this car needed to see some changes, and maybe it didn’t, but at the end of the day we’ve had to sort though a whole mess of confusion over this filed patent try to figure what it has to do with Toyota’s future plans. Right now, it’s still a bit of a mystery, but we’ve got more hints now than we did a few weeks ago. It was confusing, but we’re starting to get it all straightened out. Will the Camry get a dramatic facelift in a couple years? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Since 2006, Twitter has become a way of life, and is one of the most popular social websites in the world.  Everyone from normal people, to celebrities, to important executives have a twitter account that allows them to “tweet” what is currently happening in their life.  Even businesses have their own Twitter accounts, and the popular car manufacturer Toyota, is staying ahead of the game by creating their own Twitter account.

According to the LA Times, this move is to help get some positive publicity back in light of the recent recall disaster.  Several of the latest posts include, “5 Reasons to Buy a Toyota” and “Toyota rolls out 0% financing incentive plan.”  Toyota is hoping that drivers will respond, especially those looking for new cars at Newark Toyota Dealers.

I for one, believe this to be a brilliant tactical move for Toyota.  Firstly, as the LA Times said, Toyota is in need of a shot in the arm in publicity to help boost public opinion of the company.  In a recent interview with the LA Times, web strategist Jeremiah Owyang said: “In the social sphere, it’s often best to be proactive during a crisis, to let the market know you’re listening, and centralize the discussion around your brand, giving the brand more opportunity to guide the conversation…Yet don’t be fooled, on the social sphere the illusion of power is quickly dispelled, as everyone can have a say.”

Secondly, Twitter is an invaluable promotional tool that gets over four billion Tweets per quarter.  To put that in ball park terms, if one person goes to Twitter every time they Tweet, then Twitter gets four billion visits per quarter, which translates roughly into 43,835,616 visits per day.  If Toyota can gain any kind of percentage of that amount of traffic in sales, then they can hope to increase their business dramatically.

The timing of this move is also perfect, as used cars from New Jersey will be a popular item,  as well as new cars from Newark Toyota Dealers, because with the spring will come a need to by new cars to cruise around in the great weather, and with their new Twitter account, Toyota is sure to take advantage of the situation.

Toyota’s efforts to reconcile the recent recall debacle have been rather impersonal, coming in the form of future customer incentive programs like two years of free maintenance, offering zero-percent financing and low-priced leases to customers who buy or lease several of the recalled vehicles, but up until recently there has been no direct apology addressing their PR nightmare.

President and COO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A, Jim Lentz recently apologized to Toyota customers via a YouTube video. “I want to sincerely apologize to Toyota owners, I know that our recalls have caused many of you concern and for that I am truly sorry, Toyota has always prided itself on building high quality durable cars that customers can depend on and I know that we’ve let you down.” The apology helps address concerns of anyone who purchased a Toyota from a Newark used Toyota dealer.

Lentz continues to express an understanding of the customers concerns offering extended hours at dealerships while some will remain open 24 hours a day. Lentz goes on to claim that they are re-doubling their efforts to ensure that this does not happen again. He doesn’t further define what “re-doubling their efforts” means, but you can tell from Lentz’s awkwardly “genuine” facial expressions Toyota does truly seem apologetic to the fact that they tarnished their wholesome image.

Used cars NJ dealerships, are probably wincing at the whole 24 hour promise, but Toyota does seem insistent on making up for their lack of dependence.

As social media and marketing tools like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter become more prominent in today’s business practices, the YouTube apology is not deemed any less effective or personal than that of a television advertisement. With commercial skippers like DVR and Tivo becoming more popular now than ever and websites like HULU, a YouTube video has just as much potential if not more to be seen on the internet than if aired on public or cable television. So far over 60,000 people have viewed the apology on YouTube.

Toyota has done a great job of accepting responsibility, empathizing with the customers and explaining to them what’s going to happen next and how they plan on making everything right again. With natural disasters plaguing the nightly news and Toyotas continuous clean-up campaign, Toyota hopes that their massive recall will become less and less newsworthy.

As Nascar fans await the 2010 Nascar Sprint All-Star Race, Toyota owners may be interested in the event for the Toyota Racing’s Sponsafy Your Ride Contest. Toyota is giving Toyota owners and Nascar fans the opportunity to design their own car. Sales representatives at the Newark new Toyota dealer encouraged their customers to explore their creative side and design their own Toyota before the March 15th deadline.

The winner of the Toyota Racing’s Sponsafy Your Ride Contest will get to ride shotgun in their personalized vehicle as they circle the track at the 2010 Nascar Sprint All-Star Race before the event begins. What more can Nascar fans dream for? I’m sure upon hearing about this opportunity they immediately envisioned themselves in the passenger side of their creation, as thousands of spectators watch them circle the track with their favorite driver. Those wishing to find out more about Toyota’s involvement should visit the Newark new Toyota dealer where new and used cars in New Jersey can be found.

Whether you’re shopping for used cars in New Jersey or are a Nascar fan waiting for the event in North Carolina, anyone living in the United States aged 13 or older was eligible to submit an entry. Those who were not eligible to enter were employees of Toyota, those affiliated with the company or promotion, or relatives of the aforementioned individuals. Interested individuals can visit www.sponsafier.com or www.toyotaracing.com soon to see the winning entry.

Upon reviewing the website, I must say this was a very exciting opportunity for Nascar fans and Toyota owners alike. After the unfortunate recalls earlier this year, Toyota is doing their best to win back the hearts of both their customers and prospective Toyota owners. Those who are less creative are urged to vote for their favorite design between now and April 1. The ten entrants with the most votes will be chosen as finalists, whose entries will be posted for public vote online for a second round. Finally, between April 1 and April 16 qualified judges will review and judge the ten finalists based on criteria such as originality, feasibility, creativity, number of votes, and ability to inspire consumers. More details can be found on www.sponsafier.com/rules for those who wish to view all the entries and vote for the one that most appeals to them. Nevertheless, I know I will be very interested to see what car lovers and Nascar fans around the United States have in store for officials at Toyota to review.

By now, news of the Toyota recall is no secret. The company said it had already identified the cause of the problem and corrected it on cars built since January. Of course, if you feel your car may have one of these problems, take it into our Toyota Service Center. Our trained service agents will expertly test the quality of your Newark Toyota brakes to make sure they’re up to speed. And while you’re there, be sure to check out our selection of new and used Toyota models we have in stock at Hudson Toyota.

For the sticking accelerator pedal recall, Toyota will install a stainless steel reinforcement bar into the pedal assembly, which will assure that it returns into place. For the floor mat recall, Toyota has asked owners to remove their mats and plans to reconfigure the accelerator pedal so that it cannot get caught on the floor mats. On Camry, ES 350 and Avalon, Toyota will reshape the floor beneath the pedals. Toyota will also install a brake override system on the affected Camry,  and Avalon.

But the unglamorous headlines haven’t stopped people from loving their Toyotas. In fact, many have praised Toyota for their reaction to the issue, and expressed their faith in the quality of the cars they still have every intention of buying. Says one customer: “I love the way my Prius integrates into my life — it recognizes me when I approach, answers my phone, plays my iPod… it’s a great car.”

Curt McAllister, Product News Manager at Toyota, says that its owners are passionate about their vehicles. And statistics show that Toyota and Lexus remain the world’s most defect-free cars. Toyota’s strong reputation of over three decades of quality simply can’t be beat, even if Detroit is hoping the recall means loyal customers will trade in for a Big Three model. But if you look at whose cars are the most reliable — whether 20 years ago, 10 years ago, or today — Toyota consistently comes out on top.

So to those loyal Toyota customers and fans out there, stop by our new and used cars NJ Toyota dealer to support decades of quality, reliability, customer service, and trust. Toyota really is too strong to be forgotten.

The staff at your Toyota NJ dealer is thrilled to hear that Kelly Blue Book chose Toyota cars as the Best Brand for Resale Value.   This is also true for all the great used Toyota Hoboken cars on lots right now!

In fact, several Toyota models topped the list for best resale value in their respective categories.  Let’s take a look:

• Mid-Size Pick-Up:         Toyota Tacoma
• Hybrid/Alt. Fuel Car:  Toyota Prius
• Mid-Size Utility Vehicle:  Toyota Highlander

Let’s take a look at what some of the category toppers offer……The Toyota Tacoma has been on the market for about 10 years.  It has been known for it’s reliability and durability.  Two factors that truck shoppers consider very important!  This Toyota NJ truck is available in two engine options:  a 2.7L, 4 cylinder engine, or a V6 that is 4.0L.  The V6 is recommended if a driver will do a lot of towing and hauling with his or her truck!

The Toyota Prius has become a pretty popular hybrid car for those looking to help the environment!  The Prius was introduced back in 1997 and is now on it’s 3rd generation model.  Gas mileage wise, it gets 50 miles, resulting in the most fuel efficient car on lots right now in the US!  Also, this new generation Toyota is said to drive well, especially the option that has the 17 inch wheels.  The Prius has an updated 134hp, 1.8L engine.  It can be test driven at your used cars NJ store!

Lastly, the Highlander topped the list of resale value for the mid-size utility vehicle.  It is a relatively affordable mid-size SUV that has gotten high marks in areas such as Performance and Interior.  In fact, my aunt owns one and she loves it!  The 2010 model remains pretty much the same as the 2009 one, which means if your used Toyota Hoboken dealership has any 2009 new models, they may give you a great deal to make room for the newest 2010 models!!  Many people who own one like the cargo space and roomy feel like a van, but definitely a much classier drive than an “old school” full size van.

Head to your used cars NJ store now to check out any of these great models!

Apparently it is easy being green if you’re a Prius. Toyota Motor Sales recently announced that is plans to involve ten Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHV) in the Xcel Energy SmartGridCity project in Boulder, Colorado.  Being a Newark used Toyota dealer customer, I was excited to learn of Toyota’s further commitment to the green movement.

The Prius vehicles placed in the project will be the focus of a research project being coordinated by the University of Colorado at Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI). This institute is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Although these Prius models are part of a demonstration fleet which will arrive in the U.S. in 2010 and are not yet available for purchase, “green” Prius models are available from of new and used cars NJ dealers.

One of the aspects I see as an improvement with the Prius PHV is it ability to reach highway speeds in electric only mode. Although the maximum electric only range will be only about 12 miles, the PHV is geared to revert to “hybrid mode” and operate like a regular Prius after electric use has been depleted. This is a step in the right direction for the green vehicle industry as so many of us are wary of purchasing a vehicle that can’t reach highway speeds while conserving energy.

The SmartGridCity project will be used to compile data on vehicle performance and charging patterns, consumer behavior and preferences and electric utility and customer interaction. The location in Boulder offers the added benefits of studying high altitude and cold weather effects on Toyota’s first generation lithium-ion battery. Those conducting the project believe it will offer new solutions for energy conservation and reduce dependence on foreign oil. So, whether you need a Newark Toyota oil change or a change to a vehicle less oil-dependent, keep the Toyota Prius and its future PHV models in mind.

This collaborative SmartGridCity program is the first fully functioning smart grid-enabled city in the world. The purpose of the project is to increase grid reliability and garner energy use information. The most fascinating thing about this project is that participating customers can use remote control to manage in-home energy devices. I hope this technology really moves quickly so we can all live in a Jetsons world. I can’t wait to push a button to turn up my heat before I get out of bed and cook my dinner on the way home, never mind charging my car right beside my cell phone.

For Toyota, being renowned as the most affordable, reliable, safety-advanced automaker must be a tough job. Although maintaining this title definitely puts the pressure on, Toyota continues to deliver.

One model in which they’ve mastered in driver appeal, safety and design is the Corolla. Being one of their best sellers, Toyota decided to give drivers what they want for the 2010 model: a revamped design available in five unique trim levels and state-of-the-art safety features.

The first available trim level for the 2010 Toyota NJ Corolla is the standard base model, followed by the S, LE, XLE and XRS. All but the XRS come equipped with 5-speed manual transmission and a standard 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine that achieves 132 hp and 128 lb/ft of torque. The Corolla’s fuel economy levels out at 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway, keeping in line with or above the sedan’s competitors.

The sportier XRS trim delivers a 2.4-liter DOHC dual-VVT-i 4-cylinder engine, providing 158 hp and 162 lb/ft of torque. This model, stacked with 17” wheels (while the standard comes with 15”), is also designed to produce sharper steering and more responsive handling.

There are several unique upgrades that shoppers encounter when visiting each trim level. Jumping from the base model to the S, you’ll find sport seats, extra speakers, underbody spoilers and 16” steel wheels. Upgrading from the S trim to the LE, you gain power windows and locks, and body-colored exterior mirrors. Additions from the LE to XLE include an ungraded stereo, keyless entry, a sliding center armrest and wood-grain trim. Finally, the XRS will give you the bigger engine, sport-tuned suspension and steering, a rear deck spoiler, cruise control and chrome interior trim.

Some general physical changes the 2010 Corolla has undergone include an altered driver seat that can be adjusted to accommodate taller drivers, a digital odometer and shift indicator, a pollen filter in the air conditioning and a flatter backseat floor that increases comfort for middle passengers. Can’t forget to mention the greater trunk space, and slightly larger side-view mirrors proven to better visibility.

Visit your local Newark new Toyota dealer, Hudson Toyota, to test drive the 2010 Corolla or browse their great selection of new and used cars NJ.