Toyota is making fast moves, and the company will additionally invest in the U.S. market. Whatsoever, the Japanese automaker will move the production of its two very popular models. First is Toyota Tacoma, which will be moved to Mexico. The second one is Toyota Sequoia that will shift to the plant in San Antonio.
The current factory in Texas will continue to produce the Tundra model, and the plant in Indiana continues with Highlander and Sienna vehicles. Of course, this is good news for people in Mexico and San Antonio. We still don’t know how many people will get a job there, but it is a significant investment, whatsoever.
Third-Gen Toyota Tacoma
Toyota invested $13 billion in the last five years in its U.S. operations. Retooling plants and moving the factories are a huge expenditure, but Tacoma is currently one of the best-selling vehicles in North America. Clearly, Japanese manufacturer thinks that moving Tacoma’s production in Mexico is a good investment. The first reason is the plant in Texas, that will build full-size body-on-frame SUVs and pickup trucks.
This plant is working to its full potential, and Tacoma is mostly responsible for that. For that reason, this pickup truck will be moved to Mexico. The third-gen Tacoma is getting a mid-cycle refreshment for 2020. In 2021, Toyota should introduce more significant changes. That includes the new grille, headlights, and numerous interior refinements.
What About Toyota Sequoia?
Last Friday, Toyota announced that its Sequoia SUV will start with the productions in San Antonio by 2022. The full-size SUV is based on a Tundra pickup truck, that could also see the production elsewhere. The Japanese manufacturer has a plan to locate its vehicle assembly based on the common underpinnings.
Currently, Sequoia is produced in Indiana or more precisely in Princeton. The move will happen before 2022, and we are hoping to see the new-generation model. Sequoia comes with a tradition, and this SUV is present since 2000. Toyota sold over 10,000 models in the United States last year.
Long Term Plans
Clearly, Toyota is making huge moves and is getting ready for the future. Asia is an important market, but the focus is on the United States, where the SUVs and pickup trucks are the best-selling models. It is a long term plan, and the company clearly wants to invest in its own capability. This investment won’t come cheap, but it will surely pay off in the future. We can expect a new type of vehicle from Toyota.
As you know, all-electric models are the present and the future, alongside with the hybrid models. For that reason, Toyota is surely working on a new model that will run on all-electric power. No doubt, the Japanese automaker is ready for the next chapter and the future is here.
