Toyota prices yo-yo

TOYOTA has elected to drop the prices for most of its imported vehicles, led by the popular Yaris light car, Corolla small sedan, Kluger medium SUV and Tarago people-mover.

Customers for the latter are in for the biggest bonanza, with savings between $2160 and $2770.

Curiously, while the price of the locally manufactured Camry remains unaltered, its Aurion V6 cousin that’s also made in Melbourne is now $500 more expensive unless you’re talking about the top-line Presara – which remains the same.

The Corolla hatch, meanwhile, had its own fiscal readjustment to go with a facelift and specification improvement in December. The price for the mid-range MY10 Conquest and Levin ZR hatches fell by $1000 while the Levin SX and Ascent ascended by just $190 and $250 respectively. Sedans will follow suit when they undergo their own nip and tuck soon.

“The new prices take into account the increased specification and the impact of the tariff reduction on passenger cars that applies from January 1,” Toyota said at the time.

Relegated to second place in the baby sales race last year by the older and cheaper Hyundai Getz, the Yaris range is now between $650 and $840 more attractive to its demographic.

Some of Toyota’s commercials have also seen price movements – and not all have headed southwards.

The RAV4 range is up (between $300 and $500), the LandCruiser 70 buyer is now $600 poorer than previously, and the LandCruiser 200 is $1000 further away, but the Kluger has slid down to the tune of $500).

Finally the fare to enter into a HiAce Commuter Bus is also $500 higher.

The remaining Toyotas – HiLux, Prius, Avensis, Coaster and Prado, still cost the same as they did before January 1.

2010 Toyota range pricing:
Aurion	+$500 (Presara no change)
Camry	No change
Corolla Hatch	No change
Corolla Sedan Ascent	-$350
Corolla Sedan Conquest	-$1000
Corolla Sedan Ultima	-$1300
Prius	No change
Yaris YR & YRS Hatch	-$650
Yaris YRX Hatch	-$800
Yaris YRS Sedan	-$690
Yaris YRX Sedan	-$850
Avensis	No change
Coaster	No change
HiAce	No change
HiAce Commuter Bus	+$500
HiLux	No change
Kluger	-$500
LandCruiser 70	+$600
LandCruiser 200	+$1000
Prado	No change
RAV4	+$500 (CV, CV6 +$300)
Tarago 4cyl. GLi	-$2260
Tarago 4cyl. GLX	-$2160
Tarago V6 GLi	-$2160
Tarago V6 GLX	-$2160
Tarago V6 Ultima	-$2770