Toyota replacing pickups and SUVs with Camrys

It’s not only American carmakers seeing dwindling sales of pickup truck and SUV models. Industry leader Toyota is also seeing its inventories pile up and has responded by cutting production at its Princeton plant in Indiana. Inside sources have now revealed that Toyota could use the under-utilized capacity to build more Camry sedans, the third top selling vehicle in the U.S. last month behind the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

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Already GM and Ford has announced drastic cuts to their SUV and pickup truck production and Honda, too, has revealed plans to shift production of its top selling Civic to under- utilized plants in the U.S., which normally build heavy SUVs and pickups.Source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/sedans/toyota-replacing-pickups-and-suvs-with-camrys/

I think that this is good idea, something that has been mentioned before in other threads. It would be much more easily accomplished by Toyota and Honda, which have flexible manufacturing lines that do not require costly and time-consuming changes to the assembly line in order to shift from production of one vehicle to another vehicle; and Toyota and Honda actually have high-demand cars that they can move to offset low-demand trucks and SUVs.

Perhaps with some creative shifting of vehicle lines, Toyota could increase production of the Corolla and Camry, and start producing the (next-generation) Prius in North America.

Toyota needs to make a hybrid more affordable. Very few people can afford a $25,000 Prius.

I bet if they put that technology in an existing body that's in mass production (Yaris or Corolla) then they can make a hybrid car cheaper.

Plug in hybrids FTW. I only drive 30 miles roundtrip daily and a plug in hybrid would be perfect.

Toyota needs to make a hybrid more affordable. Very few people can afford a $25,000 Prius.

I bet if they put that technology in an existing body that's in mass production (Yaris or Corolla) then they can make a hybrid car cheaper.

Plug in hybrids FTW. I only drive 30 miles roundtrip daily and a plug in hybrid would be perfect.

What about the Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid? Both cars are in mass production (after all, you can't beat the North American Camry for mass production), yet their hybrid models are not that cheap. I don't think it is the mass-production body (after all, the Prius body is mass produced also) that makes hybrid model price high, it is the high cost of the hybrid system components, especially the battery.

I agree with you about plug-in hybrids, but they will likely be expensive because the batteries required to provide that range is new technology (read, expensive technology), unless their cost is somehow subsidized, such as with tax breaks.

Toyota needs to make a hybrid more affordable. Very few people can afford a $25,000 Prius.

I bet if they put that technology in an existing body that's in mass production (Yaris or Corolla) then they can make a hybrid car cheaper.

Plug in hybrids FTW. I only drive 30 miles roundtrip daily and a plug in hybrid would be perfect.

$25k is pretty reasonable o_O

people always want things cheap
well some things no matter what cant be cheap
the hybrid system used in these cars is not cheap at all
if anything im surprised they are as cheap as they are.


a yaris is base price like 11k maybe add on the hybrid system and your looking close to maybe 16k-20k if lucky


wait a year or two
when toyota releases its new prius line
you will see prius trims in several levels from yaris small to camry big

$25k is pretty reasonable o_O

people always want things cheap
well some things no matter what cant be cheap
the hybrid system used in these cars is not cheap at all
if anything im surprised they are as cheap as they are.


a yaris is base price like 11k maybe add on the hybrid system and your looking close to maybe 16k-20k if lucky


wait a year or two
when toyota releases its new prius line
you will see prius trims in several levels from yaris small to camry big

It's cwayne :D

Toyota needs to make a hybrid more affordable. Very few people can afford a $25,000 Prius.

I bet if they put that technology in an existing body that's in mass production (Yaris or Corolla) then they can make a hybrid car cheaper.

Plug in hybrids FTW. I only drive 30 miles roundtrip daily and a plug in hybrid would be perfect.

Hmm? It starts at $20k though :confused:. Same as a Corolla XRS :lol:

Yeah I agree. Bring in the PHEV!!

What about the Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid?
Exactly my point with the Camry. A Camry Hybrid can be bought for about $2,000 - $3,000 more than the Prius. The Prius is a much smaller car, smaller motor, less materials than the Camry hybrid yet it only costs a couple of grand less than the Camry?

I bet if Toyota put the hybrid technology in a Corolla, a Corolla hybrid can be sold for not a dime over $20,000. A Yaris hybrid would also be much less.

Making a unit body isn't cheap. It requires an entire assemblyline just for the Prius' body. They can just produce more corolla bodies and mount them on Prius powertrain.

As for the Highlander hybrid... that's idiotic. An SUV hybrid is a foolish idea. Wow, pay $10,000 more so you can get an extra 1mpg :lol:

$25k is pretty reasonable o_O

people always want things cheap
You're right, that's why the Celica was rotting on dealer showrooms in its last year when the Scion tC came out.

Who would buy an $18,000 Celica with crank windows, manual locks, steelies with wheel covers, drum rear brakes with no ABS?

The tCs were drowning with standard features that were options on many cars and it sold for around $16,500.

The low prices of the Scion line up help them sell faster than they could make them.

Well Honda is going to start selling a cheaper Civic hybrid early 2009. They're shooting for $18,000 - $19,000 and at that price they'd be sold out for the entire year guaranteed.

Exactly my point with the Camry. A Camry Hybrid can be bought for about $2,000 - $3,000 more than the Prius. The Prius is a much smaller car, smaller motor, less materials than the Camry hybrid yet it only costs a couple of grand less than the Camry?

I have not tried to price the Camry Hybrid nor the Prius, so I will not discuss that. But I will respond regarding the Prius being a much smaller car. It may look like a small car, but its wheelbase is longer than the Corolla's wheelbase, and almost as long as the previous-gen Camry's wheelbase, so that it is quite roomy inside. And regarding the (much) smaller engine: the Prius has always been a niche vehicle aimed at buyers who want maximum fuel economy, whereas the Camry is more of a mainline car, aimed at buyers who want better fuel economy than a regular Camry, but do not want to feel that they had to give up everything that they are used to in the best-selling car in America.

I bet if Toyota put the hybrid technology in a Corolla, a Corolla hybrid can be sold for not a dime over $20,000. A Yaris hybrid would also be much less.

Again, I will not argue the price, since I am not aware of Corolla prices in the USA, but I think that you may be underestimating the cost of the hybrid system.

Making a unit body isn't cheap. It requires an entire assemblyline just for the Prius' body. They can just produce more corolla bodies and mount them on Prius powertrain.

No, making a unit body is not cheap, but both the Corolla and the Prius have unit bodies, so I do not understand your argument that the Prius' body will be that much more expensive than the Corolla's body. And, with Toyota's flexible manufacturing expertise, assembling the Prius would not require its own, dedicated assembly line. In fact, there are rumours that Toyota is considering assembling the Prius at NUMMI, which already assembles such diverse vehicles as the Corolla/Vibe (both share the same platform, so assembling them on the same line is something even the Domestic 3 can do) and the body-on-frame Tacoma pickup truck. If Toyota can assemble a car and a truck on the same line, they could easily add the car-based Prius.

As for the Highlander hybrid... that's idiotic. An SUV hybrid is a foolish idea. Wow, pay $10,000 more so you can get an extra 1mpg :lol:

I don't think that the price difference between the regular Highlander and the Highlander Hybrid is that much; the hybrid system used on the Highlander Hybrid is not that much different from the systems used in the Prius or the Camry Hybrid. Yes there may be the extra electric motor driving the rear wheels, but that is merely to give the Highlander 4-wheel drive, without having to add a centre differential and driveshaft out to the back wheels. If the cost of the HiHy is much greater than the regular Highlander, as you say, are you looking at comparably-equipped vehicles? Even if the cost is that much greater, I am sure it is a marketing gimmick to make buyers of the HiHy think they are buying something really special (and it seems to be working, since they seem to be running low on the HiHy in Canada).

Finally, I think that drivers of the HiHy can and do much better than 1 mpg difference. Driving a hybrid vehicle of any model requires a certain driving style, but if the HiHy drivers cannot get better fuel consumption, they are probably not driving it in a fashion that will return the minimum fuel consumption.

You're right, that's why the Celica was rotting on dealer showrooms in its last year when the Scion tC came out.

Who would buy an $18,000 Celica with crank windows, manual locks, steelies with wheel covers, drum rear brakes with no ABS?

The tCs were drowning with standard features that were options on many cars and it sold for around $16,500.

The low prices of the Scion line up help them sell faster than they could make them.

Well Honda is going to start selling a cheaper Civic hybrid early 2009. They're shooting for $18,000 - $19,000 and at that price they'd be sold out for the entire year guaranteed.



Hummm, unless the Celica you're talking about is a used one, they were discontinued in 05 or that was the last model year for the Celica, ECHO and MR2 Spyder. Which were pretty much fruits of the "Genesis" project for the 2000's that didn't attract too many younger buyers. Okay, maybe the Celica and MR2 but sales withered away. Of course like you said Scion didn't help that but I think sales were going down anyway prior.

SO technically the tC replaces the Celica, at least in principle of course better equipped as all Scion's are mono-spec. Eventhough Scion is obviously Toyota it goes back to that badge thing. So they labeled it differently to attract people who otherwise wouldn't think of Toyota as their car but more so their mom's or dad's car.

I agree, the Celica and MR2 were pricey OVERALL compared to the competition and what you got with them. No doubt they are great run abouts and sports car like.

Hummm, unless the Celica you're talking about is a used one, they were discontinued in 05 or that was the last model year for the Celica,
2005 was the last year model of the Celica as 2005 was the first year for the Scion tC, so they were in direct competition with one another for that year. It wasn't much of a competition tho since tCs were sold as soon as they were driven off the car carrier so they didn't have much of a chance do sit side by side.

That was the time when my wife bought her Solara. I saw the 2005 Celica sitting so lonely on the showroom with $1,000 marked down from the msrp. 3 months later, I went to the dealership to buy oil filters and it was still there only $1,500 off. Still, that was too much money from a stripped down car.

The last generation Celica was one of the best-handling FWD cars ever built.

Shame Toyota had discontinued it just when they got the performance formula right in favor of sales numbers. :disappoin

the celica is the best handling fwd created
very good for AutoX
but the thing that killed it was its lack of power
not to mention Toyota doesnt have the best aftermarket suport.

Compared to the competition the Celica was underpowered and overpriced.
Dont get my Wrong the GTs is pretty quick and fun but the alternatives to getting a GTs to another more stronger car the GT was close to the faster cars price range with the GTs just being far to overpriced.

the celica is the best handling fwd created
very good for AutoX
but the thing that killed it was its lack of power
not to mention Toyota doesnt have the best aftermarket suport.

Compared to the competition the Celica was underpowered and overpriced.
Dont get my Wrong the GTs is pretty quick and fun but the alternatives to getting a GTs to another more stronger car the GT was close to the faster cars price range with the GTs just being far to overpriced.


So it came down to poor product planning and placement. Obviously not entirely but maybe they underestimated the U.S.'s price sensitive market also like you said its a very competitive segment.:thumbup:

Shame Toyota had discontinued it just when they got the performance formula right in favor of sales numbers. :disappoin
Ridiculous high prices was what killed the Celica GTS. $24,000 for a GTS :lol::lol:

The RSX-S was a bit cheaper but was far better.

Then the Action Package (aka riceboy edition) came out and shot the price up to $27,000. I nearly fell down laughing in the showroom.

the celica is the best handling fwd created
Wrong. The king of FWD is
http://www.sfondideldesktop.com/images-cars/acura/integra-type-R/acura-integra-type-R-0001/acura-integra-type-R-0001.jpg


Dont get my Wrong the GTs is pretty quick and fun but the alternatives to getting a GTs to another more stronger car the GT was close to the faster cars price range with the GTs just being far to overpriced.
The GT was slow, it had the Corolla's gutless engine. For the price of a GT, you can get a tC, VW Golf and base RSX.

stock for stock the gts and the type R where a drivers race
evenly matched
even if the type r had more power is was a little hevier
after mods went in type r won hands down in POWER
but still not in HANDLING
celica beats the pants of the TypeR in Auto Cross


but back on topic
For what you get in the Prius 25k is cheap
what do the competitors offer hum?

Look at GM's hybrids not even close
theirs are even more overpriced
Hondas Hybrid doesnt even come close to what the prius offers. technology wise and it starts 1,100 more than the prius base for base

now sum it all up
celica died because of its overprised comparison to its competitors
Prius WINS becouse its cheap compare to its competitiors
next gen will be slightly cheaper and more pwerfull due to better technology


so why you say its to expensive
get a yaris o_O gtfo

Prius is a brand new market car
and Toyota Currently dominates
Its so far ahead of competition right now
any attempts to go against the prius will result in prius still winning

Like i said wait a year or two when toyota releases the new prius line which is promising smaller version medium and large versions of the prius more trims to fit the price range of its consumers