Toyota & Lexus Dominate '06 IntelliChoice.com 'Best Overall Value of the Year' Awards

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Toyota and Lexus Dominate 2006 IntelliChoice.com 'Best Overall Value of the
Year' Awards

02/09/2006 Chicago
February 9, 2006 – Chicago - Toyota Motor Sales, USA, led the way yesterday in the 2006 IntelliChoice.com "Best Overall Value of the Year" Awards announced at the Chicago Auto Show. The awards recognize cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans that deliver lower cost of ownership than competitive vehicles in their respective classes.

This year, IntelliChoice.com identified 29 winning models by segment and class, plus eight overall category winners, of which Toyota and Lexus models won in five overall categories:
• Prius, Best Car Value Under $23,000
• Lexus LS 430, Best Car Value Over $23,000
• Highlander Hybrid 2WD, Best SUV Value Over $28,000
• Tundra Regular Cab 2WD, Best Truck Value Under $26,000
• Tundra Double Cab 4WD, Best Truck Value Over $26,000

"We are honored to be recognized by IntelliChoice with these awards. Our top priority has always been to provide quality products and a satisfying ownership experience" said Jim Press, Toyota Motor Sales president and COO. "The breadth of our product offerings and a sensational dealer organization enable us to keep that goal at the forefront."

In addition, 12 Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles were named Best Overall Value in their respective model segments:
• Prius, Midsize Car under $21,000
• Avalon, Large Car
• Lexus LS 430, Luxury Car
• Scion xB, Small Wagon
• RAV4, Compact SUV under $21,000
• Highlander Hybrid 2WD, Intermediate SUV over $29,000
• Sequoia, Full-Size SUV under $36,000
• Land Cruiser, Full-Size SUV over $36,000
• Tacoma Regular Cab, Compact Pickup 2WD
• Tacoma Regular Cab, Compact Pickup 4WD
• Tundra Regular Cab, Full-Size Pickup ½ Ton 2WD
• Tundra Double Cab SR5, Full-Size Pickup ½ Ton 4WD

According to IntelliChoice, it's not the purchase price that matters when trying to find the best values, but rather how much the vehicle will cost a consumer during the length of ownership.

Founded in 1986, PRIMEDIA's IntelliChoice is the first and leading company that develops and distributes consumer automobile ownership data, ratings of vehicles based on their consumer value and Certified Pre-Owned Program analysis. IntelliChoice's value calculation accounts for the price of a vehicle and the accumulated costs of depreciation, maintenance, repairs, fuel, fees, financing and insurance. The value measurement analyzes data compiled on more than 1,700 car, truck and SUV models and projects what these costs will be for the upcoming five-year ownership cycle.

ABOUT TOYOTA
Toyota established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates eight manufacturing plants here, with two more under construction. There are more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sell more than 2 million vehicles a year. Toyota has a direct U.S. investment of more than $13 billion and employs more than 31,000 people.