The 2019 RAV4: Why You Should Buy an SUV Instead of a Sports Car

At Mount Airy Toyota, our sales team works hard to find discounts, coupons, promotions, and rebates whenever possible. That said, there are outside factors that can affect pricing. When we see an opportunity for our customers to save money, we make it a priority to pass that along. Right now, the oil market is creating one of those rare moments that make this an especially good time to buy. If you’ve been thinking about purchasing a vehicle and wondering whether to wait, the current market is sending a clear signal: waiting could cost you more, both upfront and over time. What does the Oil Market and the Strait of Hormuz have to do with your next vehicle purchase, and why should you care? More than most people realize. When that shipping lane slows down, fuel prices go up quickly. What follows is less obvious but more important. Even if everything reopened today, the effects would not disappear. Higher fuel and transportation costs are already working their way through the system, and that process usually takes three to six months to fully show up in the price of parts, goods, and vehicles. By the time it reaches the showroom, those increases are already built in. That is how this kind of economy works. It moves slowly, but once it starts, it is difficult to reverse. No matter how you feel about the reasons behind it, the outcome is the same. Costs rise, and they tend to stay elevated longer than expected. Here is the part most people miss. There is a window before the broader market reacts, before inventory tightens, before pricing fully adjusts. That window is where the advantage is. Most buyers will not connect the dots until months from now, when prices are already higher and options are more limited. If you are paying attention, this is your chance to move ahead of that curve. Locking in the vehicle you want now, especially one that helps manage fuel costs over time, is not about urgency. It is about seeing what is coming before it becomes obvious to everyone else and making a decision while you still have the upper hand. The Hidden Cost: Tariffs Add to the Pressure Fuel is only part of the story. Economists and automotive suppliers estimate tariffs could add around $3,000 per vehicle on average. That increase does not show up as a single line item. It builds gradually through: Higher material costs More expensive components Increased transportation expenses By the time vehicles arrive on the lot, those costs are already reflected in pricing. Why This Matters in Mount Airy and Surrounding Areas In Mount Airy and across northwest North Carolina and nearby Virginia communities, driving is part of daily life. Whether it is commuting, running errands, or traveling between towns, fuel is a constant expense. When fuel prices rise, it does not just affect what you pay at the pump. It increases the total cost of owning and operating your vehicle month after month. That is why timing your purchase and choosing the right vehicle matters more than most people think. The Smart Move: Buy Before Prices Rise and Drive Something Efficient Buying now gives you an opportunity to: Avoid incoming price increases tied to tariffs and fuel costs Lock in current inventory pricing Take advantage of today’s incentives before they change But timing alone is not enough. What you choose to drive matters just as much. A fuel-efficient vehicle helps protect you from rising costs long after the purchase is made. Best Toyota Options for Fuel Savings Right Now For drivers in the Mount Airy area looking to stay ahead of both pricing and fuel costs, Toyota offers some of the strongest options available: Toyota Camry Hybrid – Comfortable, proven, and delivers excellent real-world MPG Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – One of the most practical and efficient SUVs on the road today Toyota Corolla – Affordable, reliable, and consistently fuel-efficient Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid – A smart crossover choice with strong everyday savings These vehicles are not just good on gas. They help reduce your total cost of ownership over time. Market changes like rising fuel costs and tariffs do not hit all at once, but once they begin, they tend to stay in motion.  Mount Airy drivers may find that rising fuel costs and tariffs could mean higher car prices soon. Buying now and choosing fuel efficiency is a smart move. Waiting may feel like the safer move, but in this environment it can mean: Paying more for the same vehicle later Facing higher fuel costs month after month Having fewer options to choose from If you are in Mount Airy or the surrounding North Carolina and Virginia area, now is the time to take a closer look at what is available while today’s pricing is still in place.

Summer’s calling—and your Toyota is ready to answer. Toss the kids in the back (muddy shoes, sticky fingers, and all), crank up the tunes, and hit the road with confidence. Whether you’re reeling in a big one, chasing sunsets with your favorite co-pilot, or tackling an off-road beast-mode weekend, Toyota’s got the gear to make every mile more fun, functional, and unforgettable. From kid-proof mats to rooftop racks to tailgate setups that’ll make your campsite the envy of the trail, these accessories are built to level up your ride and protect your investment—all without breaking the bank. Tundra Truck Bed Built for hauling big summer fun. From ATVs to lumber for that deck project, the Tundra’s bed is a workhorse with adventure style. Tacoma Fridge Cold drinks and fresh food wherever you go. This portable fridge plugs in seamlessly and fits perfectly in your truck bed or cabin. Tundra Overland Rack Designed for the serious explorer. This rack supports heavy gear and rooftop tents, making it essential for multi-day trips deep into nature. Corolla Cargo Tray From beach bags to hiking boots, this custom-fit tray keeps your trunk clean and organized while protecting the carpet from dirt and moisture. Corolla Cargo Net From sporting equipment to camping gear, this strong netting keeps your items organized and secured. Tacoma Bed Rack with Molle Panel Maximize storage and utility. The MOLLE panel allows you to strap in gear, tools, and recovery equipment—perfect for trail runs and rugged adventures. Land Cruiser Roof Rack Built to haul your serious adventure gear—from rooftop tents to jerry cans. A must-have for overlanding, road-tripping, and family expeditions. Tundra Bed Tent Pop-up camping made easy. This custom-fit tent transforms your truck bed into a cozy retreat for stargazing, beach camping, or festival weekends. 4Runner Door Scuff Protectors Shield your doors from dings, mud, and scratches with these durable scuff protectors—ideal for off-road excursions and messy summer fun with kids or pets. 4Runner Roof Rack Cross Bar Load up your kayak, paddleboard, or cargo box. These cross bars are a must-have for transporting gear on summer road trips and weekend adventures. 4Runner Rock Rail Protect your 4Runner’s underbody while adding rugged style. These rock rails are essential for rocky terrain, backcountry adventures, and serious off-road climbing. 4Runner Roof Rack Cross Bar Load up your kayak, paddleboard, or cargo box. These cross bars are a must-have for transporting gear on summer road trips and weekend adventures. 4Runner Roof Rack Cross Bar Load up your kayak, paddleboard, or cargo box. These cross bars are a must-have for transporting gear on summer road trips and weekend adventures. Tacoma Bed Cargo Divider Keep your gear from sliding around. Organize tools, groceries, or beach gear in your Tacoma’s bed with this handy, adjustable divider Camry All Weather Mats Summer’s mess is no match for these durable mats. Sand, mud, and spilled drinks stay contained, keeping your Camry’s interior pristine. Tundra Bed Cleat Lock down your summer load. These adjustable cleats make it easy to secure cargo—whether it’s kayaks, coolers, or camping gear. Tundra Bed Extender Bring the big toys. This extender adds space for bikes, boards, or building supplies, making your Tundra more versatile for summer hauling. Corolla Universal Tablet Holder Road trip sanity saver. Keeps kids entertained on long drives with a secure mount for movies, games, or navigation on the go. Tacoma Alloy Wheels Summer roads deserve summer style. These strong, lightweight wheels are perfect for off-road looks with everyday performance. Corolla Mudguards Protect your paint from mud and debris during summer storms or gravel road trips. These guards keep your Corolla clean and stylish. Corolla Apex Wheels Add flair to your summer drive. These performance wheels don’t just look great—they also enhance handling for a more responsive ride. Toyota Camping Accessories From LED lanterns to folding tables, Toyota's camping accessories complete your outdoor setup. They're lightweight, durable, and tailor-made for vehicle-based adventures. Land Cruiser Awning Shade wherever you roam. Attach it in seconds to enjoy cool cover at the trailhead, beach, or remote campsite. Pelican Cooler Legendary ice retention meets rugged durability. This cooler keeps drinks and snacks fresh for days—ideal for long road trips or boat days. Your Mount Airy Toyota Service Center can purchase any accessory on your behalf and then install it on your Toyota Vehicle. Give us a call at (336) 786 – 2118 for details

2024 Toyota Tundra 2024 is a huge year for Toyota vehicles, especially the all-new Tundra. The 2024 Toyota Tundra comes fitted with a new suspension, plenty of updated technology, a tougher and sportier design, and more available packages. But one upgrade that all our truck enthusiasts here at Mount Airy Toyota are talking about is the 2024 Tundra’s two new powertrain options–a twin-turbo V6 engine and a hybrid twin-turbo V6 engine. Twin-Turbo V6: can tow up to 12,000 pounds and comes paired with a 10-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission; sequential shift mode; uphill/downhill shift logic; and TOW/HAUL driving modes. Hybrid Twin-Turbo V6: generates 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft. of torque; also comes paired with a 10-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission; sequential shift mode; uphill/downhill shift logic; and TOW/HAUL driving modes. Truck drivers shopping for a full-size pickup usually have a specific reason for such a vehicle. These types of trucks are not only for the casual truck driver. They are made to work well under serious conditions and to produce time and again. Full-size trucks can pull and haul just about anything to anywhere–imagine pulling a boat or camper from Charlotte to Mount Airy; would you trust a simple pickup for this? In the world of full-size pickup trucks, there are a select few with histories of continued durability and power. Among these, the 2024 Toyota Tundra has already proven itself as the top contender. This year, the 2024 Toyota Tundra is better than it has ever been. 2024 Toyota Sequoia The 2024 Toyota Sequoia is the latest in Toyota’s lineup to come in a TRD Pro edition. This exclusive trim level comes with tons of upgrades, but one exclusive to the Sequoia TRD Pro package is the new Terra paint color. This terra cotta/orange chocolate color is quite striking and at Mount Airy Toyota, we already have staff naming the new Terra color their favorite. The Toyota TRD Pro edition focuses mostly on off-roading and sport driving features, all of which do plenty to produce a more comfortable and exciting ride. Some upgrades to the 2024 Sequoia TRD Pro are new shocks, exhausts, and a more powerful drivetrain. Other features of the TRD Pro package include: Black over-fenders, LED lighting, and TRD Pro badges 17-inch or 18-inch matte black or alloy wheels with all-terrain tires TRD-tuned suspension and FOX high-performance shocks TRD simulated leather upholstery, TRD Pro all-weather floor liners, and heated front seats Multi-terrain monitor with front, rear, and side camera views, panoramic view monitor, and Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver-assistance features Skid plate, TRD roof rack, power rear liftgate, rear privacy glass, and power tilt/slide moonroof One other aspect of the 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro we like is the “Heritage Grille.” Where you usually see the traditional Toyota logo centered in the upper front grille, with the TRD Pro upgrade, the grille gets a textured surface with the Toyota nameplate running across the top. There’s not only one style of this grille, but it can also come in different shapes and shades, and it is the easiest way to make your new Sequoia look unique. New Toyota Highlander The Toyota Highlander, one of the car company’s most prominent family vehicles, comes with a few changes for 2024, but nothing too drastic (if it ain’t broke…). This year, Toyota has decided to discontinue the entry-level L trim, and it has added a hands-free power liftgate that comes in the mid-level trims. For the 2024 Highlander hybrid model, Toyota has swapped the previous Bronze edition for a new and improved Nightshade Edition. The 2024 Highlander Hybrid Nightshade Edition comes with tons of stylistic changes, the most obvious, a blacked-out grille, mirror caps, wheels, and rear badging. Nightshade is available on the Highlander Hybrid LE and XLE trim levels. It’s certainly one of the sleekest-looking vehicles on Mount Airy Toyota’s lot! This added layer of style to the new Highlander provides captivating elements for both the exterior and interior–the black seats with silver accents on the interior really make the inside pop. Here are a few more new features of the 2024 Highlander Nightshade: Stylish 18-inch black wheels and accents Available on the LE or XLE editions along with a choice of front- or all-wheel-drive Either a hybrid or turbo-charged 4-cylinder Up to 36 combined miles per gallon Hands-free power Liftgate now standard on all XLE (gas, hybrid, nightshade) and XSE (Gas) editions Audio Multimedia System with a 12.3-inch touchscreen comes standard The Highlander's size makes it one of the most sought-after crossover SUVs on the market. One thing Mount Airy Toyota customers like best about the Highlander is that it's not too big that it gets in the way, and it's not too small so that it can’t stow, pull, or haul as a sport utility vehicle should. On the road, it conserves gas, maintains an incredibly quiet ride, and its many compartments and excess space allow for premium stowage. 2024 Toyota 4Runner This year, Toyota has made major upgrades to the 2024 4Runner, most notably in terms of safety. 4Runners have always scored high in the safety department, but the newest iteration of the famed SUV is the most impressive yet. The all-new 4Runner has what Toyota calls, “Safety Sense,” a suite of safety systems designed to not only keep you safe during an accident but also to keep accidents from happening altogether. The 2024 4Runner’s safety ratings soar with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking (in case your foot can’t make it to the brake pedal in time), lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and pedestrian pre-collision. There is also lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Our technicians at Mount Airy Toyota were most impressed with the 4Runner’s Pre-Collision System. Though the inner workings of this system are complex, using it couldn’t be easier. To help you avoid an accident, the Pre-Collision System uses advanced road-monitoring technologies to “see” the road ahead of you. Then it alerts you, the driver, in three phases: Phase 1–Alert. Once the system detects something (a vehicle, pedestrian, animal, etc.) in the direct path of the car, an audio and/or visual forward-collision warning will be triggered. This is simply to let you know there is something up ahead. Phase 2–Brake Assist. Once an object has been detected and an alert to the driver has been made, brake assist is applied to help the driver begin to slow the car. Phase 3–Automatic Braking. If the driver does not respond to phases 1-2, the 4Runner will use the Pre-Collision System to deploy automatic braking. The Toyota 4Runner has quickly, in terms of years, created a Wrangler-like cult following, and with such a bevy of features and performance levels, it isn’t difficult to see why. 2024 Toyota Prius Motortrend’s “car of the year,” the 2024 Toyota Prius is the new gold standard in hybrids. The 2024 Prius model is longer, lower, and wider and has updated headlights and taillights, giving it a sleek yet substantial look, one much sportier than ever before. Though the new exterior look might be the most obvious difference of the new Prius, the most notable update is the 2.0-liter hybrid engine. Both the hybrid engine and the electric motors seamlessly work together to provide an incredibly smooth ride. While driving the 2024 Prius, the electric motors will run, but the 2.0-liter hybrid engine will take over when the charge runs low. There’s also a larger, more energized battery that offers 52 miles per gallon and up to a 44-mile range when driving all-electric. This means you can drive from Matthews to Huntersville and back without having to use the hybrid engine at all. Hybrid and electric vehicles are being made at a rate higher than ever, and it’s no surprise, seeing how much money and energy is saved by those who choose to drive a car that you can plug in. At the top of the hybrid car list for 2024 is the all-new Toyota Prius. With its cool new exterior, and with a bit more pep in its step, the Prius is this year’s hottest energy-saving vehicle on the road. 2024 Toyota Sienna One important aspect of the 2024 Toyota Sienna minivan, one setting it apart from all others in its class, is that every Sienna model now comes as hybrid. Since there has been so much success with hybrid vehicles–especially Toyota hybrids–they figured why not? It’s doubtful anyone will disagree with them on this, especially since Toyota has also expanded its hybrid warranty. Now, any Sienna model from 2020 forward will receive a 10-year battery warranty from first use or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. Going from an 8-year warranty or 100,000 miles to this is a bold move, and a sign of confidence in the power, performance, and longevity of Toyota’s hybrid battery. Another aspect of the 2024 Sienna that sets it apart from its predecessors is its new XSE Premium Package, one that provides increased levels of luxury and comfort. Here is what’s included in the all-new XSE trim level: Quality SofTex synthetic leather seats that can handle heavy-duty traffic Second-row captain’s chairs which provide more room to move around and easier access to the back row (the back row seats fold, giving even more room) Premium audio and a 9-inch touchscreen Four-zone climate control so everyone from front to back in the Sienna is happy Illuminated remote entry so you can lock and unlock, even start and stop your car even when you are in the dark Other features include, six USB ports, the Driver Easy Speak feature, and the Rear Seat Reminder feature, so whether you and your family are driving the hills of the Blue Ridge Parkway, or if you find yourself caught in traffic on US 74 in Charlotte, comfort levels should remain the same. The XSE Premium Package, a top-of-the-line hybrid battery, and all-wheel drive (an optional upgrade) turn the 2024 Toyota Sienna minivan into more of a luxury SUV–but without the hefty price tag.