(TORONTO) — Toyota Canada and Home Hardware Stores Limited announced a new multi-year business relationship today, making Toyota the official vehicle of Home Hardware and Home Hardware the official home improvement retailer of Toyota. As a result of this new relationship, the companies both known for their quality, value and customer service levels will work together on marketing promotions in stores, at trade shows and in promotional materials.

Canadians will start to see cross-marketing promotions in Home Hardware stores, trade shows and in promotional materials at both the retail and commercial levels. Toyota vehicles will be on display at Home Hardware’s Tough as Nails contractor shows to introduce Home’s commercial customers to Toyota’s line-up of ready-for-work trucks.

“As we enter 2009, and our two companies prepare to celebrate 45 years of business in Canada, we’re pleased to work with Home Hardware to showcase Toyota vehicles to hard-working Canadians,” noted Stephen Beatty, Managing Director of Toyota Canada Inc. “In neighbourhoods from coast to coast, Toyota dealers and Home Hardware dealers are very active in their communities and we intend to build on these thousands of local relationships to bring our brands to more Canadians.”

“Canadians look to Home Hardware and Toyota for quality, value and superior customer service,” said Jack Baillie, Director of Marketing, Home Hardware Stores Limited. “It’s only natural for these two brands with common values to collaborate and we look forward to working together to explore new opportunities through our networks and dedication to corporate social responsibility, such as our shared commitment to Special Olympics Canada.”

About Home Hardware Home Hardware Stores Limited is Canada’s largest independent hardware, lumber and building materials and furniture retailer with more than 1,000 stores across Canada, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners. Dealers have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products and the company has annual retail sales of $4.8 billion. The cooperative was founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware dealers.

About Toyota Canada Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus cars, SUVs and trucks, and Toyota industrial equipment. TCI’s head office is in Scarborough, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver. TCI supports more than 300 Toyota, Lexus and Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers in Canada with services that include training, marketing and environmental and customer satisfaction initiatives. Toyota’s Canadian operations include automotive assembly plants in Cambridge, ON (Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, Lexus RX 350) and Woodstock, ON (Toyota RAV4), which together employ more than 5,700 Canadians.

As a leader in environmental initiatives, Toyota Canada Inc.’s (TCI) efforts extend beyond eco-friendly automotive technology, with six hybrid models currently available in the Canadian Toyota and Lexus line up, to eco-action programs. Striving to make things better – at home, at work and in our communities, TCI’s continued involvement includes the following activities:

* Community program donations: TCI has announced a donation to support the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). TCI will present the TRCA with a cheque for $7,500 towards the protection, enhancement and regeneration of natural watershed resources across the greater Toronto area.

* Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds program: A nationwide eco-action initiative, the Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds program brings teachers, students, and community members together to transform school grounds across Canada into green and creative outdoor learning environments. On June 17, with funding from the program, students from Brampton’s Conestoga Public School helped green the Old Britannia Schoolhouse in Mississauga by planting sweet corn in the new vegetable garden.

* Hybrid technology education: With gas prices on the rise, consumers are curious about how hybrids work and the environmental benefits of owning such a vehicle. Taking Toyota and Lexus hybrids out of the showroom and out into communities helps people better understand the vehicle. Most recently, Canadians got interactive with TCI hybrids at eco-trade shows like Montreal’s Salon national de l’environnement (June 13-15) and the “Earth Tones” event at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre (June 5-15). Look for the Toyota Hybrid Tour, a travelling tour featuring interactive displays and ride and drives that went across Canada last summer, to make stops at Ontario shopping centres this summer.

And the winner is… none other than the 2009 Toyota Corolla, built at Toyota’s assembly plant in Cambridge, Ontario. Outperforming 12 other compact vehicles, the Corolla has taken top honours in the 2008 CanadianDriver 50-litre Challenge^TM, travelling 1,017 kilometres on a single tank of fuel.

The vehicles – all compact cars with fuel tanks of at least 50 litres and starting price tags under $20,000 – were driven on the exact same highway routes in a convoy to see how far they would go before running out of gas. The distance travelled by the Corolla translated to an amazing fuel consumption rating of 4.9 litres per 100 km.

“Toyota has been improving the Corolla’s fuel economy for more than 40 years, and we’re pleased to offer Canadian drivers such a fuel efficient choice given the rising price of gas,” noted Stephen Beatty, Managing Director at Toyota Canada Inc.

“Even though the fully redesigned 2009 Corolla is more powerful and larger, Toyota incorporated a number of features and design elements to maintain its fuel-friendly reputation. The CanadianDriver 50-litre Challenge^TM win shows that Canadians can enjoy the benefits of Toyota’s innovative engineering whether they’re driving across town or across the country.”

The 2009 Corolla owes its fuel-sipping ways to multiple technologies, including:

* Electric Power Steering, which is lighter and uses less fuel than traditional, hydraulic steering assist systems;
* A Positive Temperature Coefficient heater system, which helps accelerate cabin – and engine – warm up time on cold days;
* A redesigned floor panel which reduces vibration, noise and vehicle weight;
* A rigid body structure that reduces road noise and vibration, enhanced with ultra-high-strength steel that’s 40 per cent lighter than the steel traditionally used in vehicle design.

More information on the CanadianDriver 50-litre Challenge^TM can be found online.

With the introduction of a fuel-friendly and powerful 4-cylinder model this coming winter, the 2009 Toyota Highlander becomes even more flexible and versatile. Canadians can now look forward to greater savings at the gas pump while enjoying unparalleled performance and segment leading utility in a mid-size crossover.

“With the 2009 Highlander, we are anticipating the needs of Canadians who face rising fuel prices,” explained Warren Orton, Director, Toyota Canada Inc. “So, starting this winter, Toyota introduces a new 4-cylinder model that will offer outstanding fuel efficiency without sacrificing power and amenities that Canadian drivers expect in a mid-size crossover vehicle.”

The 2.7 litre 4-cylinder engine delivers outstanding fuel efficiency plus an impressive 187 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 RPM. The 4-cylinder model is mated to an all-new six-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission with intelligence (ECT-i) to deliver V6-like performance. It remains crossover-capable with a remarkable towing capacity of 1,588 kg (3,500 lbs). Moreover, with great options available, such as a power driver seat, rear air conditioning, roof rack, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more, Canadians have even more reason to look to fuel efficient choices that meet their needs.

One of those choices is the 2009 Toyota Highlander 4WD V6, currently on sale across Canada. The Toyota Highlander 4WD V6 comes in three powerful and versatile grades, including base, Sport and Limited, and features even more convenient standard equipment, such as: 3.5″ LCD display with back-up camera, a power rear door with jam protection, flip-up rear glass hatch, eight-way power driver’s seat, premium cloth seat surfaces, in-dash six-disc CD changer, and fog lamps. The Highlander 4WD V6 may also be ordered with a newly available Leather Package, which adds leather seats, heated driver and front passenger seats, and an Automatic Headlamp System.

Members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) descended on Niagara-On-The-Lake for a week of kicking the tires and putting the latest offerings from the auto industry through their paces – and when the dust cleared, the 2009 Toyota Corolla was declared a category winner, Best New Small Car Under $18,000, in the 2009 Canadian Car of the Year awards.

AJAC crowned the Toyota Corolla CE with automatic transmission and “B Package” trim level as the Best New Small Car Under $18,000. With a suggested retail price of $17,740, this Canadian-built Corolla seats five in comfort and style, and boasts incredible fuel efficiency, with a fuel consumption rating of just 6.6L/100km (combined city/highway). Toyota Corolla is built at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada facilities in Cambridge, Ontario, and Canadian input was an integral part of the design of the 2009 model.

cleaner. efficient. powerful. *

Environmentally friendly. Fuel efficient to the last drop. And designed with power and performance in mind. Toyota’s latest generation hybrid vehicles offer the most desirable features of both a gasoline engine and an electric motor system. They don’t just raise the bar… they carry it to heights few thought possible. The ever-expanding Toyota hybrid fleet: allowing us all to breathe more easily.

How Hybrids Work

Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive is a full hybrid because it can operate in three distinct modes–gas only, electric motor only, or a combination of the two. It doesn’t have to be plugged in–ever.

Benefits of Hybrid Technology

Fewer emissions and pollutants*… More kilometres on less fuel… power and performance second to none… and a ride with the quiet smoothness of a luxury vehicle.

The Future of Hybrids

Hybrids are here to stay with the technology being integrated into more and more of the Toyota line up. At present, that includes the Prius, Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Special Olympics Canada offers a year-round program of sports training and competition, thus contributing to the physical, social and psychological development of those with an intellectual disability. This multi-sport organization is structured into regional, provincial, national and international groups, with regular competition at all levels.

Special Olympics Canada provides sport training and competitive opportunities to over 31,000 athletes supported by over 13,000 certified volunteer coaches.

In 1991, Toyota Canada made a long term commitment to the Special Olympics. Currently, Toyota financial support is applied to an insurance policy for athletes and coaches, and covers the cost of medals and awards at all provincial level competitions in Canada. Toyota Canada has also served as the official supplier of vehicles for several Special Olympics World Games.

But our commitment is not simply a donation. The way Toyota participates in the Special Olympics is essentially one team helping another team… a relationship that allows Toyota Canada to share the financial commitment equally with our dealers, while permitting the dealers to participate locally. Plus, it encourages individual members of the Toyota organization to become involved.

Special Olympics Canada offers sport training and competitive opportunities in 14 official sports. Corresponding with Canada’s diverse population and geography, Special Olympics Canada’s official sports range from soccer and rhythmic gymnastics in the summer, to snowshoeing and curling in the winter.

Special Olympics Canada National Games are held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games with World Games being held in the following year to the National Games. The next National Games will be the 2008 National Winter Games which will be hosted in Quebec City, Quebec in February of 2008.

Special Olympics Canada will send a team of 83 athletes, 22 coaches and 12 mission staff to the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, October 2-11, 2007. Special Olympics Canada has a structured National Team Program to ensure that the Team Canada athletes are prepared for competition on the world stage.

Toyota Canada is proud to be a national sponsor of the Special Olympics and looks forward to active participation in the 2008 National Winter Games in Quebec City.

Stepping Forward to Meet Tomorrow’s Challenges

Toyota has a long history of concern for the environment, and actively seeks ways to meet the growing transportation needs of society in ways that are less harmful to our Earth. To do that, we consistently examine our products, business strategies, and daily operations carefully, and set goals for environmental improvement. It’s all part of Toyota’s Earth Charter and 2010 Global Vision, a commitment to the environment and to the communities where we do business. And it’s also part of Toyota’s efforts at continuous improvement-from reducing the use of resources and energy in our manufacturing processes to making sure we give something back to the people of the Earth.

Make things better. A philosophy of continuous improvement. Small steps added together to make a big difference. At work. At home. In the community. Even in the world at large. Make things better is what we all strive for. At Toyota, it’s how we approach everything we do. Seeking ways to make things better. In our products. In our services. In the lives of our customers. This section of toyota.ca is designed for the people of Canada and the people of Toyota who work continuously to make things better. A better vehicle. A better society. A better world.

ARLINGTON, VA – Seventy-two vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2009. This is more than double the number of 2008 recipients and more than 3 times the number of 2007 winners. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to have electronic stability control (ESC), which research shows significantly reduces crash risk.

For the first time ever, winners represent every class of vehicle the Institute tests except microcars. Most car, minivan, and SUV models, midsize convertibles, and small and large pickups are eligible. Ford and its subsidiary Volvo have 16 winners, including the Ford F-150 large pickup. Thirteen winners are from Honda and its Acura division. The Honda Fit with optional ESC is the first minicar to earn TOP SAFETY PICK.

Honda, Acura, and Subaru, which picked up 4 awards, are standouts for 2009 because they have at least 1 TOP SAFETY PICK in every vehicle class in which they compete.

“Consumers are the biggest winners,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “No matter what kind of vehicle buyers may be considering, now they can walk into just about any dealership and find one that affords the best overall protection in serious crashes.”

Front and side impacts are the most common kinds of fatal crashes, killing about three-quarters of the 28,896 passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2007. Rear-end crashes usually aren’t fatal, but they result in a large proportion of crash injuries. Neck sprain or strain is the most commonly reported injury in two thirds of insurance claims for injuries in all kinds of crashes.

Automakers improve protection: TOP SAFETY PICK provides an incentive for manufacturers to offer safer vehicle designs that go far beyond basic federal standards.

“In order to win, automakers have beefed up the side structures of vehicles and added side airbags to do a better job of protecting people in serious side crashes,” Lund says. “They’re rapidly adding ESC to prevent crashes, and they’re designing seats and head restraints that do a better job of protecting against whiplash.”

The changes are evident in the safety equipment that is increasingly standard. For the 2009 model year, 84 percent of passenger cars, 99 percent of SUVs, and 23 percent of pickups have standard side airbags with head protection. The same is true for ESC. It’s standard on 74 percent of passenger cars, 99 percent of SUVs, and 37 percent of pickups.

Crash avoidance is required: The Institute began the TOP SAFETY PICK program in 2006, initially giving out 2 tiers of awards. Gold winners scored good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection. Silver winners had good ratings in front and side tests and acceptable ratings in rear evaluations.

For 2007, the Institute raised the bar to win by requiring good rear impact results and ESC as either standard or optional equipment. ESC helps drivers maintain control of their vehicles in the worst situation – loss of control at high speed – by engaging automatically when it senses vehicle instability and helping to bring a vehicle back in the intended line of travel. ESC lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half, and it lowers the risk of a fatal rollover crash by as much as 70 percent.

Rear, side performance still lags: Crash tests have driven major improvements in the designs of all kinds and sizes of passenger vehicles. The Institute began conducting frontal tests for consumer information in 1995. Side tests were added in 2003 and rear tests in 2004. Most vehicles earn good ratings based on the frontal crash test, but significant differences remain among vehicles’ performance in side and rear tests.

Twenty-six models fall short of earning TOP SAFETY PICK because of inadequate head restraint designs. The Smart Fortwo, the only microcar in the US market, missed because of its head restraints. The same goes for Toyota’s hybrid Prius, which performed well in the Institute’s front and side crash tests but came up short for rear crash protection.

Chrysler is the only major automaker lacking a single TOP SAFETY PICK. It could have picked up 5 awards if the head restraints were better in the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, the Sebring convertible, and the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.

A 2008 Institute analysis of insurance claims found that, all other factors being the same, drivers of vehicles with seat/head restraint combinations rated good in Institute evaluations were 15 percent less likely to sustain neck injuries in rear-end crashes than drivers of vehicles with poor head restraints.

Eleven vehicles missed the mark because they didn’t earn a good rating for occupant protection in side crashes. Many of these vehicles are smaller cars whose size puts them at a disadvantage in the challenging test compared with larger, heavier vehicles.

Still, the sheer number of this year’s winners indicates that automakers have made huge strides to improve crash protection to achieve TOP SAFETY PICK designation,” Lund says. “For years Toyota had more also-rans than winners. For 2009 this automaker has come on strong by updating seats and head restraints in the Avalon, Corolla, FJ Cruiser, and RAV4 to earn good ratings. Volkswagen has done the same with the Eos, Jetta, Passat, and Rabbit.”

Winners include 8 large cars, 13 midsize cars, 6 small cars, 1 minicar, 3 midsize convertibles, and 3 minivans. Among SUVs, 19 are midsize, 10 are small, and 5 are large. The 2008 Toyota Tundra was the first large pickup to earn TOP SAFETY PICK. For 2009, the Tundra is joined by the Ford F-150 and the Honda Ridgeline. The Toyota Tacoma is the only small pickup winner.

Each year the Institute offers to test TOP SAFETY PICK candidates early in the model year. The policy is for manufacturers to reimburse the Institute for the cost of vehicles if the tests aren’t part of the group’s regular schedule. TOP SAFETY PICK is presented by vehicle size because size and weight are closely related, and both influence how well occupants will be protected in serious crashes. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better protection in crashes than smaller, lighter ones.

“Just because small cars are TOP SAFETY PICKs doesn’t make them as crashworthy as larger vehicles,” Lund says. “Rather, it’s all the more important to choose a small car that rates highly for safety because you give up the protection of size and weight.”

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute’s frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two instrumented SID-IIs dummies, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle’s structural performance during the impact.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a two-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry – the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can’t be positioned to protect many people.

ALL 72 WINNERS

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma

ALSO-RANS
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 TOP SAFETY PICK winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS,IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn AURA
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna