Japan scores big this year with two entries among the top three positions in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). After falling last year amidst major quality problems, Toyota’s Lexus (+2%) and the Toyota (+4%) brand itself glide into first place at 87, matched by GM’s Cadillac (+1%).
According to ACSI, it seems Toyota’s fall from grace in the minds of consumers was just a small blip in a long history of customer satisfaction. Toyota has consistently ranked among the top-scoring automotive brands during the sixteen years data has been collected.
Overall, the auto industry ACSI score improved by 1.2% to 83.
About ACSI
The American Customer Satisfaction Index is a national economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the United States. Data from interviews with approximately 70,000 customers annually are used as inputs into an econometric model to measure satisfaction with more than 225 companies in 47 industries and 10 economic sectors, as well as more than 130 federal government programs, agencies, and websites. Results are released on a monthly basis with all measures reported using a 0-100 scale. ACSI data have proven to be strongly related to a number of essential indicators of micro and macroeconomic performance. For example, firms with higher levels of customer satisfaction tend to have higher earnings and stock returns relative to competitors. Stock portfolios based on companies that show strong performance in ACSI deliver excess returns in up markets as well as down markets. And, at the macro level, customer satisfaction has been shown to be predictive of both consumer spending and gross domestic product growth.
The Index was founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and is produced by ACSI LLC.
Ready for your next Toyota or Scion? Visit Milton Ruben Toyota on Washington Road in Augusta, GA, or check out our inventory online at www.DriveBaby.com.
2012 Scion Release Series 7.0
Tony Sutphin , Sales Consultant at Milton Ruben Superstore in Augusta, GA, talks about some of the features of the 2012 Scion Release Series 7.0.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y5AnxjNFoY&w=560&h=345]
Ready for your next Scion or Toyota vehicle? Check out our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com.
In a move to share the cost of developing new technology, Ford and Toyota are joining forces to develop a gas-electric hybrid system for light trucks and sport-utility vehicles. The move is in response to the latest U.S. fuel-economy targets set by the Obama administration.
Both companies already have hybrid systems that power front-wheel-drive passenger cars such as the Ford Fusion and the Toyota Prius, the top-selling hybrid in the U.S. The companies would work together to co-develop a hybrid powertrain system for larger, rear-wheel-drive vehicles such as big pickup trucks and SUVs.
The Obama administration’s new fuel-economy requirements call for auto makers to produce a fleet of vehicles that averages 54.5 miles a gallon by 2025, from the current level of 27.6 miles a gallon. Under the administration’s plan, auto makers that offer hybrid pickup trucks can earn credits that make it easier for them to reach the higher target.
Toyota research and development chief Takeshi Uchiyamada stated,”The [Environmental Protection Agency] requirements are a big challenge for us auto makers. American society can’t do without trucks and SUVs. This collaboration we are forming with Ford is not only about lowering carbon dioxide but making trucks and SUVs more affordable for the customer.”
Cost and depth of the co-development, such as how many engineers from each company will be assigned to work on development, has yet to be determined. This is the first time the pair agreed to collaborate on product development.
Ready for your next Toyota or Scion? Check out our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com, or visit Milton Ruben Toyota on Washington Road in Augusta, GA.
2012 Scion iQ: World’s Smallest Four-Seater Car
Meeting the needs of a new trendsetting generation of urban drivers, the iQ succeeds at taking big ideas and concentrating them into a small package. Made possible by intelligent and functional packaging, the iQ is a small car that offers the functionality and comfort that drivers expect from a car twice its size.
Intelligent Design
– “3+1” offset seating arrangement allows one adult to sit behind the front passenger and a child or small package behind the driver
– Fits into virtually any urban parking scenario
– Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV-II) and achieves an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy rating of 37 miles per gallon, comparable to similar vehicles of its size
– 11 standard airbags, including the world’s first rear window airbag
– Standard AM/FM/CD/HD/USB 160-watt maximum output Pioneer™ audio system and Bluetooth connectivity
The 2012 Scion iQ will begin arriving at dealerships soon. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2012 iQ is $15,265.
Ready for your next Scion or Toyota? Check out our inventory online at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com, or visit Milton Ruben Toyota in person on Washington Road in Augusta, GA.
Best Gas Mileage: New Toyota Prius to Get 107mpg
In a move expected to challenge the Chevy Volt, Toyota is about to introduce a new 107mpg plug-in hybrid version of the Toyota Prius at the auto show in Frankfurt, Germany next month.
Toyota says the car will be the cleanest and most technically advanced Prius built to date, featuring a newly designed, compact lithium-ion battery that enables the plug-in Prius to achieve a remarkably low fuel consumption rating of 2.2 liters per 100 kilometers (107 miles per gallon U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 49 grams per kilometer.
The Prius plug-in hybrid will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2012, and unlike the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, the Prius plug-in will likely have a price tag that’s below $30,000. The Prius plug-in is expected to sell for $3,000 to $5,000 more than the standard Prius, which starts at $23,520.
Want to see the new Prius plug-in when it arrives? Contact Milton Ruben Toyota at 706.868.5454 and let us know you want to be informed when the new Prius is on its way. Or check out all of our Prius models at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com.
Toyota Reveals 2012 Camry
Toyota reinvented America’s best-selling sedan this year, unveiling the product of their efforts on Augusta 23rd.
Although identical as far as dimensions to the outgoing Camry, Toyota has substantially upgraded the car’s interior, exterior and available hybrid powertrain. Four trim levels will be available with up to three different engines.
Catch a glimpse of the 2012 Camry here:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SggOH3geAHw&w=560&h=345]
Ready for your 2012 Camry? Call Milton Ruben Toyota at 706.868.5454, and we’ll let you know when to expect them to arrive. Check out our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com.
Milton Ruben Toyota Renovation Update
Hi friends,
Catch a glimpse of the latest progress on renovations here at Milton Ruben Toyota. We are well on our way to a completely remodeled facility, with an expected completion date of December 2011.
Many thanks to Kuhlke Construction Company for helping us move forward!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s6naSwOxSs&w=560&h=345]
Milton Ruben Toyota is fully operational; look for the temporary trailer next to Milton Ruben Preowned and Milton Ruben Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram building for all of your sales and leasing needs. Our inventory is always available online at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com.
Do you know just how American your car is?
Cars.com recently released their American-Made Index (AMI), a ranking that recognizes cars built in the US consisting of at least 75% of American-made parts.
The 2011 Toyota Camry – consisting of more than 80% American-made parts – was ranked number one, outperforming the biggest American automotive brands. Assembled in Georgetown, KY and Lafayette, IN, it takes the top spot for the second year in a row.
Toyota’s large Tundra pickup, built in San Antonio, TX, and the Sienna van, from a factory in Princeton, IN, also made the top-ten list.
While people consider full-size pickup trucks quintessentially American, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and MC Sierra missed the list this year. The F-150 is assembled in the U.S., but its proportion of domestic parts fell to 55%. In previous years it had a domestic parts content of around 80%.
The Silverado and Sierra also used to be on the list regularly, but now their production is split between factories in the U.S. and Mexico. The latest models have only about 65% of their content from the U.S.
Cars.com’s American-Made Index rates vehicles built and bought in the United States. Factors include sales, origin of parts and whether the car is assembled in the U.S.
Cars.com disqualifies models with a domestic parts content rating below 75%, models built exclusively outside the U.S. or models soon to be discontinued without a U.S.-built successor.
Ready for your next Toyota car, truck, SUV or van? Check out our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com, or visit Milton Ruben Toyota in person on Washington Road in Augusta, GA.
Toyota News Release from http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases:
NEW YORK, NY, July 22, 2011 — Toyota was named among the 40 Best Companies for Diversity by Black Enterprise. The annual list, included in the July 2011 issue of the magazine, recognizes 40 companies that have demonstrated significant representation of African Americans and other ethnic minorities in areas including supplier diversity, senior management, board of directors and total employment. Toyota was recognized for its achievements in the area of supplier diversity.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Toyota has been included among the Best Companies for Diversity. The list is compiled based on the results of a comprehensive survey of the top 1,000 publicly traded companies in the United States, as well as global companies with significant U.S. operations.
“At Toyota, diversity and inclusion have always been among our top priorities, and we are honored to be recognized by Black Enterprise,” said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president and chief diversity officer at Toyota Motor North America. “We believe constant growth towards a more inclusive environment is imperative not only in developing and retaining a talented workforce, but in fostering a corporate environment that mirrors the communities in which we do business. As we remain committed to continuously improving, we will work closely with our senior managers and Diversity Advisory Board to enhance our efforts even further.”
In 2001 Toyota launched its 21st Century Diversity Strategy, which set tangible diversity targets in areas including employment, procurement and dealer development. Working closely with its external Diversity Advisory Board, a seven-member board chaired by former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, Toyota has made strong progress, including more than doubling its annual spending with diverse suppliers. In addition, people of color now represent nearly 30 percent of Toyota’s employment.
The Best Companies for Diversity is just one of Toyota’s latest recognitions for its efforts in diversity and inclusion. Other honors include:
Inclusion among DiversityInc.’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity for five years
Inclusion in the Human Rights Campaign “Best Places to Work Corporate Equality Index” for the past four years
Induction into the Billion Dollar Roundtable, in recognition of over $1 billion in annual spending with certified ethnic and women-owned suppliers
“Corporation of the Year” award from the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
“Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award” from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
“The companies selected for distinction in this list not only demonstrated a commitment to diversity, but viewed it as a business imperative,” said Black Enterprise Careers & Lifestyle Editorial Director Sonia Alleyne. “The strength of Toyota’s network of minority suppliers enables the company to be even more competitive on a global scale.”
Ready for your next Toyota or Scion? Visit our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com, or visit us in person on Washington Road in Augusta, GA!
The 2012 Toyota Camry: What Consumers Can Expect
The debut of the new 2012 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid is just around the corner, and given the restrained nature of the unveiling, conversations are focused on what consumers can expect.
As is usually the case when Toyota introduces a new model, the 2012 Camry won’t be dramatically changed from the car it replaces. With the recent addition of a new 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed transmission, the 2012 Camry will likely have revised styling and an altered interior.
The new Camry will also get Entune, a collection of popular mobile applications and data services integrated with select Toyota vehicles. Entune includes three years of complimentary access to apps and services delivered via most smartphones and some feature phones. Once the phone is connected to the vehicle using Bluetooth wireless technology or a USB cable, Entune’s features are operated using the vehicle’s controls or, for some services, by voice recognition. Entune is scheduled to have mobile apps for Bing, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable, and Pandora. Entune’s data services include fuel guide, sports scores, stocks, traffic and weather.
Early this week, Toyota said the new Camry will be officially unveiled August 23 in a series of four simultaneous reveals around the United States. The unveiling will be made at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan, as well as New York, Los Angeles and Georgetown, Kentucky, home of the Camry manufacturing plant.
The 2012 Camry will go on sale later this fall, and prices are expected to be in line with the previous generation. The hybrid version will also be unveiled on the 23rd.
Ready for your next Toyota Camry? Check out our online inventory at www.MiltonRubenToyota.com, or visit Milton Ruben Toyota in person on Washington Road in Augusta, GA!
Connect with us
Recent Blog Entries
- Make Your Tacoma Even Tougher With These Modifications
- New Owner’s Clinic Launches at Milton Ruben Toyota
- Putt Away Your Trade Sales Event at Milton Ruben Toyota
- Get Ready for the Master’s at Milton Ruben Toyota with our Putting Competition!
- How to WIN A PRIUS at Milton Ruben Toyota! (with Recycling Perks of Augusta, GA)