Toyota Corolla 2009 News

It's the global showroom champion each year and is the all-time record holder, overtaking the Model T Ford and Volkswagen Beetle which had held the title before Brand T's equivalent of the Big Mac.But there is one car which makes the Corolla look like an underachiever. It's a car called the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, which has been around now for 30 years. The plastic children's runabout sells at a crazy rate, driving into 457,000 homes in 2008 alone.That result easily trumped the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord which are America's favourite full-sized cars, and this year the Cozy Coupe is selling at nearly double the regular rate as people re-discover its charm.It helps that the Coupe has been given a car company-style facelift for the anniversary, with a new smiley face, a parent-controlled push handle, opening fuel filler and a high seat back with cabin storage.The Cozy Coupe is now even available in Australia and, priced from $129.99 at major retailers, is likely to be one of the four-wheel stars of 2008.

Despite new entrants coming into the market, the preference for hybrid vehicles has fallen 74 per cent among private buyers this year, according to the latest VFACTS industry figures on fuel and buyer

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

It’s not the one at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, but the one played out under lights at dealerships across the country for almost every day of the year.When the sales top one million vehicles it has to be rated as a good year, even though there were plenty of tests, trials and tribulations on the way to the second-best result in motoring history.The eventual mark was 1,012,164, although that will not be matched in 2009 despite the excitement generated by the newcomers at this year’s Melbourne show.All forecasters are predicting a 10-15 per cent slide in new-car demand, as the global economic meltdown and rising unemployment take the edge off consumer confidence, with a likely result in the 850,000-900,000 range.But there is no questioning the million-car run through 2008, which followed a record in 2007, as Toyota stormed to its sixth straight year as sales leader while the Holden Commodore was Australia’s favourite car for the 13th consecutive year.“This is positive news for the Australian automotive industry,” says the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce’s Murray Collins.“There is little doubt that 2008 was a challenging year, so to achieve one million new vehicle sales is a very good effort.”There were plenty of highlights last year, as Maserati claimed “fastest growing car company” rights, Audi had another boom year, and Mazda, Subaru and Volkswagen also improved their results among the top-10 runners.But Holden and Ford went backwards again, as their big Aussie sixes suffered the worst results on record thanks to fuel prices.Mitsubishi, Nissan and Honda were also down from the highs of 2007. Their combined results were actually beaten by Toyota, which topped the charts with 238,983 sales — and also exported more than 100,000 Melbourne-made Camry and Aurion sedans.Brand T is almost certain to be No.1 again in 2009, thanks to its momentum and GM Holden’s decision to concentrate on profits ahead of outright showroom volume.“The next 12 months are expected to be tough for all concerned,” Collins says.“But the industry is looking ahead with confidence after receiving significant support towards the end of 2008.”The $6.2 billion New Car Plan showed the Rudd Government was committed to a sustainable automotive industry. And the Special Purpose Vehicle — the $2 billion floorplan rescue package — was a timely breakthrough by Treasurer Wayne Swan to end the dealer finance crisis.”The story of Australia’s new-car showrooms in 2008 was a win for buyers, as big dollar deals on everything from a $29,990 Holden Commodore to a $9990 Hyundai Getz helped prevent a total meltdown.Big stocks mean the analysts were predicting continued deals through to this month to clear ‘08 vehicles, followed by the arrival of the major newcomers of ‘09.But there will be a penalty, with prices rising off the back of the slide in the Australian dollar through the second half of last year. Greats ‘08 TOP MODELSHolden Commodore 51,093Toyota Corolla 47,901Toyota HiLux 42,956Mazda3 33,755Ford Falcon 31,936Toyota Yaris 26,097Toyota Camry 23,067Mitsubishi Lancer 19,688Toyota Aurion 19,562Nissan Navara 18,574TOP BRANDSToyota 238,983Holden 130,338Ford 104,715Mazda 79,826Mitsubishi 60,692Nissan 59,214Honda 52,571Hyundai 45,409Subaru 38,492Volkswagen 29,875 The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show... 

It is believed to be the first time the brand has grabbed number one sales spot for a month.

...by the withdrawal of the last official factory team in the series and top-name drivers Neal Bates and Simon Evans.Toyota withdrew its support from rallying yesterday as it ended all involvement in Australia motorsport as part of a move to cut non- essential costs from its troubled local sales operation.It followed Ford and GM Holden in slashing its spending on motorsport but took it to the next level, trumping its rivals' multi-million dollar cuts on their V8 Supercar programs with a total withdrawal.The decision ends 20 years in the Australian Rally Championship, the speedway support of national champion Brooke Tatnell, a blossoming program in drag racing and even support of the youth-focussed Australian drift championship.The biggest casualty is Neal Bates, who has won three national rally titles for the company and provided the cars to give Simon Evans two more."I'm devastated by it. I only got the news last night," Bates said yesterday."I'm sad but I feel privileged to have had the success we have had in all sorts of cars, from the original Celica through to the latest Corolla we designed and built at our base in Canberra. The worst thing is that people are going to lose their jobs and this is like a family."Bates and his co-driver Coral Taylor still plan to compete in the opening event of this year's ARC, Rally Tasmania next month, as well as the team's home event in Canberra. He is also hopeful of finding buyers for Corolla rally cars."I want to keep doing but I don't plan to send myself broke." We've already had a few possibilities come along today, but there is an enormous difference between a possibility and a signed deal," Bates said.Evans' plans are unknown for the moment, although he has rallied before in Subaru cars and has had offers to compete in the China Rally Championship with his co-driving wife Sue. 

Ford and Holden are both committed to new compact contenders, the Focus from Ford and a yet-to-be-named small car from Holden, but Toyota has ruled out any move to make the Corolla downunder.The car will not fit on to the current production line at Altona which is set up for the Camry and V6 Aurion and Toyota Australia does not believe it can make enough money on a Corolla-sized car despite the commitment of its local rivals."We have no (Corolla) plan at this time," says the president of Toyota Australia, Max Yasuda."We do have a plan to produce a hybrid at Altona. I think Camry hybrid is a good car to compete with small cars in terms of fuel efficiency.And, of course, for the family it is better and a roomier car.But Toyota Australia is looking to spread its local production, and open new market sectors, as Ford and Holden plan with smaller stablemates for the existing Commodore, Falcon and Territory.It has looked several times at local production of the Kluger people mover, which shares its mechanical base with the Camry, as a way to smooth the model cycles of its existing cars and build a stronger supplier base in Australia."We do have some plan under study to introduce something different from the sedan, but we have not yet reached any consensus or decision," Yasuda admits."It is still at a primitive study phase. I want to have something different. But it would be using the same platform."Could it be the Kluger?"Maybe. Maybe. But, as I said, it is still at a very primitive phase of study," Yasuda says.Committing to a third model — Toyota does not regard the 2010 Camry hybrid as a separate model — would have to increase both local and export sales, as the change would mean massive investment at Altona on a second paint shop."The market trend right now is not really exciting to talk about incremental volume," Yasuda says.He is now planning to a status-quo result from 2009, with Middle East exports holding firm and a tickle later in the year for the Camry and Aurion to renew customer interest."We hope to be about the same level as last year, which is over 100,000 exports to the middle East. Middle East is less impacted , but . . . they are expecting some downturn this year."We are planning a minor change, a facelift, in the third quarter of this year so it should stimulate some demand. It is a big minor change."And also we introduce the hybrid in the early part of next year, 2010. That should also have an impact on our volume."Yasuda is committed to hold prices on the locally-made Toyotas despite rises on imports which have already begun following a major currency slide in the second half of last year."The locally manufactured cars, we do not raise the price. We hope to keep our prices as reasonable as possible. But a 40 per cent change in exhange rates from a few months ago is a huge impact."But another year as Australia's best selling brand, with sales better than the combined results for Ford and Holden, has Toyota tracking well and on track for another year as market leader."It is very challenging, but we do make some profit," Yasuda says."If we can keep the market share we will be number one, for sure, in 2009."