*VIDEOS added -TOYOTA New Technology is Amazing ! 2012 Vehicles

[Caveoftreasures]

(video added 3/7/2012)

I went and had a good look last week, and again today at the new 2012 range of brand new TOYOTA passenger vehicles.

WOW, what a nice batch of well presented and thought out cars. What I was most looking at was the brand new June released 2012 Hybrid cars. The Camry and Aurion Hybrid vehicles, as well as the latest Prius V -7 seater sports wagons. WOW.
The petrol figures for all of these cars was absolutely AMAZING to say the least. With the carbon tax and petrol set to rise etc, it really pays to fully investigate these new technologys, and it doesnt pay to own a standard petrol car anymore at all.

With the Camry Hybrid sitting on around 6 litres per 100 kilometres, and the Prius V seven seater sitting on only 4.4 litres per 100 klms, they are winners for sure. And around town driving is all battery. It recharges as it drives when the petrol motor kicks in.  Ever driven a car at 80 kilometres per hour which is grunty and there is no motor noise at all, amazing. And acceleration on battery is as fast if not faster than on petrol. This technology for 2012 is space age 4 sure. Very very impressed and I am a huge car guy.

My wife drives a Camry, which is the previous shape/model and it has been absolutely bullet proof since day 1. It is great on fuel relatively speaking being a large car, but we have worked out we would EASILY save around $60 a week if we changed to the Hybrid models. The new Camry Atara is a beautiful car, and they are doing great deals. BUT its the Prius V seven seater Sports Wagon which I am looking closely at.
It is nothing like the older Prius models with all new technology accross the board. It has a 8 year warranty on the new huge Lithium Batery etc, and my dealer offers a extended 220,000 kilometre warranty with everything but the battery getting 5 years, and battery 8 years.

To show how good these cars are, the Gold Coasts largest Taxi company is changing over around 3,000 vehicles to the new Hybrid Toyota technology. Talk about grunty and dead quiet, no noise at all in the battery mode. The range the car has on battery ios much larger, everything is just amazing, and u have to drive the 2 x models to fully appreciate what the latest and greatest in car technology offers.

Pricing for the Hybrid version is only apx $4,000 more than a normal car, which means it takes only apx 1 x year to re-coup your additional costs then it is half price running costs for petrol for ever after.

Beautiful to sit in and beautiful to drive. Anyway, i just thought i would share my experiences with you, and the finance rates are like 3percent which is insanely cheap. For business ofcourse, a 4 year lease with a 50 percent balloon means a very low payment, and the payment is only apx 30 percent more than what you would save in normal fuel running costs, which means, the additional cost to switch over to this new 2012 technology is relatively inexpensive.

As they say, there is nothing like the smell of a brand new car, except maybe, the smell of a brand new woman.lol

Thanks for reading guys. !    

   

[Homepin]

I have a close affilliation with Cairns Taxis and they have been the test fleet for Toyota for Prius for a few years now.

The Taxi owners report fantastic economy BUT only if you ditch the car when it gets to 150K as the repair bills skyrocket after that milage - batteries, gearboxes, control units all costing THOUSANDS to repair.

Also EVERY driver I have spoken to says they are cramped and CRAP to drive.

Have a prang and you are off the road for about 4 times that of a 'normal' car mainly because nobody knows how to piece humpty together again.

These cars are far from being 'green' or planet friendly - the batteries and other issues make them far worse than a Falcon at the end of the day.

If you buy one get rid of it at 100K or less.

I agree 100% with Jeremy - Prius are SHIT cars! They LOOK shit, drive shit and cost MORE to run (at the end of the day) than an 'ordinary' car and they certainly ARE NOT green (what a great con job by Toyota though).

[Caveoftreasures]

I think after the investigating I have done, alot of those things mentioned may have been for the previous models and technology etc.

Unless someone has closely looked at the big changes for the latest models which have only been out for a few weeks, I find alot of that criticism hard to accept.

4.4 litres per 100 klms is far greener than everything else on the road, and a Falcon runs at a 10 or 12 litre cycle, which is 3 times the fuel burn.

I found the 2012 model wagon and the hybrid camry a beautiful drive, and I have driven the latest falcons, commodores, hondas etc etc etc.  The figures after close examination definately stack up, and the fixed servicing costs from Toyota, up to 220,000 lkms are mostly $165 each, with only the minority at around $320.

I think the 2012 June release cars are alot different to the previous models from my investigating. Also, the 7 seater Prius V runs the new Lithium battery which has the 8 yr warranty, so it will never cost me a cent, and Io would be replacing the car before 220,000 klms anyway. It wont cost me a cent for 5 yrs, 220,000 or a battery ever.
Dont forget taxis dont have the same warranty for a family car.

[Homepin]

Just because it uses less fuel doen't make it green. It is the overall cost of making it etc etc etc.

At the end of the day the costs are much higher than you might imagine.

Like I said, I am involved with Taxis and they have the advantage of acelerated testing as they will do in a year what a family car does in five.

I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole knowing what I know.

About 10% of the Cairns fleet are Prius and Camrys less than six months old and are no better and no different to the others.

Don't be conned by sharp talking salesmen would be my advice.

[Prince]

I had the pleasure of driving the latest Honda Insight for a week. I was very impressed with the ride and more importantly, the HUGE clearance space from entering the front doors. Sussed out the battery pack in the boot - not that big. If Honda made these cars with ALL aluminium body & frame and retailed for $30k, then perhaps the wife's CRV would go.

[Retropin]

When its running on battery alone... what is it that has charged the battery? Is it charged when driving on fuel or by another means?

[Caveoftreasures]

I have actually been talking at length with a friend who is a Engineer at head office Toyota. I have known him for years and he put me onto Toyotas 6 or 7 years ago. I dont deal with salesmen when I buy new cars, i only ever deal with the Dealership Principal if possible, or dealership Salesmanager at best if I feel comfortable enough. Most people at toyota dealerships are extremely professional. If you have walked into one recently, i am sure most people would feel that way.

My Engineer mate was the one who explained all the differences to me about the new 2012 model compared to the previous models. The newer technology just released is the best in the world and Toyota leads that technology with Honda in 2nd place.

The last Prius models have well n truly been superceeded. I have actually driven the old model, and compared it to the latest model, massive difference in feel n performance/build etc. I think if anyone was to drive the latest offerings from Toyota they would be very impressed. Saving a good 4 grand a year over a 5 year period adds up to a 20 grand saving. Fixed servicing costs take care of the rest.
After doing my homework, I feel Toyota has some very attractive propositions. Paying $1.50 a litre will soon go to $1.70 plus, and it is believed will rise to around $2.00 a litre within the next 5 years at the latest. Pray Labor Govt doesnt get in again or it will be fuel cost doomsday.lol  So a car that ticks all the boxes and is a seven seater that does 4.4 litres per 100 is a excellent choice for my family I believe.
Anyway, everyone will have a different opinion, but wasting money on fuel is something I am well n truly past.

I think most people would be impressed with the 2012 range if you are a Toyota fan. Anyone who has a spare 30 mins, my advice is to Pop in and check out whats just been released. Some very nice vehicles for reasonable pricing. Doesnt hurt to take a peak anyway.

Gav,
the motor charges battery when petrol motor is running, and it also charges some other way when moving but its a bit technical. I didnt quite understand all of my friends Toyota speak, but his high reccommendation which he doesnt give lightly was good enough to get me to a dealership. The car can run on std 91 ethanol, or 95 RON or 98 Premium etc.
If u are chock o block with 7 people and luggage, they reccommend premium, but you dont have to, and the car can tow a decent weight as well. Check out Toyota website, worth a quick peak. Just note internet pricing is apx 20percent over the std dealer realistic pricing.

[Olivia_jason]

i have four falcons, none are green lol and all modified, if it aint chewing juice im not interested in it. there is a point where you have to draw the line between sensibility and living life. worrying about how much petrol my car chews isnt one of those things that will make me loose sleep.
cavy when you sell a few pins mate, go out and buy that v8 you always wanted. and drive the shit out of it man and enjoy it. lol
you know you want too and you probably deserve too. lol  . a Prius will never give you the satisfaction of a v8. forget what hybrid is best Cavey instead What fuel guzzling v8 do you want???  

wack a solar panel or two on your roof if you worry about al lthis sort of thing, and
Ill plant a tree in my backyard so you dont feel so bad about the environment when driving your new v8 mate lol
DO IT you only live once man 

[Homepin]

One other point about these pieces of rubbish - if you run out of petrol the car stops!

Never mind that the batteries might be fully charged and could take you possibly 30~40km - this idiotic design says "no petrol = STOP"

What is that all abut?

Sorry Cavey but they have a LONG way to go before they are practical or green.

Currently they are still a big experiment.

[ajlaird]

I recently purchased a new light car to replace a Toyota Yaris that suffered uneconomical to repair hail damage on Christmas day.

The new Prius C caught my eye, but I couldn't comfortably slide in behind the wheel. For some reason there was not enough adjustment on the steering wheel to allow this.

Ended up tossing up between the Toyota Yaris sedan and the Hyundai Accent sedan and went with the Accent for better features on the standard model.

Yesterday it carried 5 people around 500km on less than a tank of petrol ($45).

[Caveoftreasures]

The exercise was to try n find a 7 seater vehicle which didnt chew the gas. The current Toyota stuff is the only stuff on the market that can achieve this. Toyota has been developing Prius technology for apx 8 yrs now so they have got the latest generation right for sure and are world leaders/developers in this field.

I used to have a brand new WRX STi and at the same time a Ford 5.4 litre GT and have had 351 1978 Ford Cobras (with blue stripes) and the cars were very fun, with the motto of "theres nothing like a V8" in my head every second I drove them.

BUT the issue is nowdays, u speed, you pay bigtime in tickets $$, u speed too much, u lose ya licence, you speed a bit too much with a HSV or something else next to you, having a little bit of a drag on the beautifully large QLD tollways, and u get your car taken off you and it gets sold at the police/govt auctions, plus loss of licence for 2 years etc. Thats why I gave up the V8's. Its impossible not to thrash them cause you just want to hear that motor sing perfection.lol

I didnt think I would ever buy a hybrid car, but times are changing.lol

[Retropin]

Im yet to be convinced on them.
reason they have not been popular so far is that energy in didnt equate to energy out and so it cost more to charge than it did to drive.

A 7 seater that runs on a battery?? Thats some friggin battery!
I cant see how its done without some hidden energy input from somewhere...

Even the solar panels on the house roof... ad says HUUUGE 3KW solar system for only $1995.00 BEFORE July 1 as then Gov Tarriffs apply... my wife saw this and sxaid WOW!! 3KW! lets get it... i then point out that the electric fry pan pulls 2.4KW... the Induction one we want pulls 3KW!!...So thats the fry pan sorted... what about the rest of the house?

[Caveoftreasures]

just modern technology Gav.  some clever engineers at toyota inventing all this stuff.  it was great to drive.

[Homepin]

just modern technology Gav.  some clever engineers at toyota inventing all this stuff.  it was great to drive.

Sorry - it isn't, it's just marketing 'spin'.

Like I said, I am involved with these things on the 'coal face' and it ain't pretty I can assure you.

[Retropin]

just modern technology Gav.  some clever engineers at toyota inventing all this stuff.  it was great to drive.

Yeh... im always skeptical and i know for a fact that there is no such thing as a free lunch....... Combustion engine works because the energy in happened thousands of years ago when forests decayed etc and it all turned to oil and so it gives the illusion of great power out for not much put in.
Id like to know more about the battery as some of the energy in is from running the car, same as a basic lead/acid system we have.. but it only stores enough power to turn the engine over to get it started.
Theres another energy input from somewhere... and its this somewhere that needs to be verified before we can applaud a green car.
So far Green = Money. I cant see that equation changing