Although it already offers a number of cross/utility vehicles in the U.S. market, Toyota Motor Corp. may be adding more, as consumers continue to shift away from truck-based SUVs to more fuel-fficient, car-based versions.
“The trend (toward CUVs) will continue,” Jim Press, president-Toyota Motor North America, tells Ward’s in an interview. “We are evaluating a number of opportunities for (CUVs) but are not ready to discuss any specific segment.”
Press stops short of confirming a rumored Lexus-badged variant of Toyota’s popular RAV4 small CUV, whose production will be shifting from Japan to a new plant in Woodstock, Ont., Canada, in 2008. Toyota already builds the Lexus RX 350 CUV at another Canadian plant, in the nearby city of Cambridge, Ont.
A recent report had Toyota discontinuing its Camry coupe model, the Solara, in favor of a Toyota-badged CUV, to be built on the Camry line in Georgetown, KY.
More photos in our auto show photo galleries...
Auto Show photo galleries!!!! Click here
Read Article