TOYOTA CANADA - With 18 new and refreshed models being rolled out between the start of 2012 and mid-2013, Toyota, Scion and Lexus are generating plenty of "Waku Doki" in the Lower Mainland these days.
Waku Doki – the Japanese expression for "heart pumping, adrenaline racing" – is the umbrella theme of the Toyota booth at this year's Vancouver International Auto Show, which runs April 3-8 at BC Place Stadium.
Building on the spirit of innovation and excitement, Scion has a major presence at the auto show, highlighted by the Vancouver debut of the all-new 2013 Scion FR-S. The FR-S is the definition of the perfect daily driver and weekend warrior, a light, nimble and sleek sports car that offers a pure driving experience, both on the road and at the track. Its 2-plus-2 seating configuration with a fold-flat cargo area is large enough to transport a full set of race tires for a fun day at the track. The FR-S comes straight from the heart of Toyota, reflecting the essence of Waku Doki. It arrives just in time for the summer driving season, and comes in at an MSRP of $25,990.
Also on display, is Toyota's exciting and fast-growing array of small cars and environmentally-friendly hybrids, the types of vehicles that have particular appeal to BC drivers.
"Toyota is a big player in small cars. The compact and subcompact segments together account for 40 per cent of our sales," said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director, Toyota Canada Inc. "We are determined to maintain this leadership, and plan to offer 10 different small car models in our Toyota and Scion showrooms this spring."
The all-new Prius c, which was introduced to Canada last week, is already making its mark at Toyota, holding one quarter of the Toyota brand's subcompact sales.
The Prius c offers unmatched fuel efficiency of 3.7 L/100 km, making it Canada's most fuel-efficient vehicle without a plug. And with an MSRP of $20,950, it's also the lowest-priced hybrid in Canada.
Beatty also noted that Toyota and Lexus hybrid sales accounted for 60 per cent of the overall hybrid market last year.
"We're moving to deliver a hybrid for everyone, and hybrids to mainstream," he said. "We're very proud that in the first quarter of 2012, almost 40 per cent of our mid-size car sales in Canada were hybrids, led by the Camry Hybrid, and one in five of our Lexus sales is a hybrid."
The Toyota exhibit is on Level One.