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My Toyota Journey: From Corolla to Highlander and Beyond

Automotive

My Toyota Journey

From Corolla to Highlander and Beyond

5
Cars Owned
2035
Keep Until
2026
Next Purchase
4
Future Fleet Size

Lately, I've found myself becoming quite the Toyota fanboy. My experience with the 2011 Toyota Corolla, followed by the 2015 Camry and 2016 Highlander, has really impressed me. These cars have offered a perfect mix of reliability, performance, and value. However, my experience with Lexus, specifically the 2007 IS250, wasn't as smooth. I had some issues with the car, but I'm chalking that up to the challenges of Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and Direct Injection engines.

Table of Contents

① Keeping the Fleet
② Hybrid & Turbo Watch
③ Next Car: Lexus RX350
④ Full Specs

Section I

Keeping the Camry Until 2035

I've decided to hold onto the Camry for it 20th year, which will be in 2035. Part of this decision is due to the skyrocketing prices of new cars, but it also comes from my desire to wait for the new turbo and hybrid powertrain to mature.

The Camry and Highlander have served me well, and I want to see if Toyota's latest tech can live up to that legacy.

Section II

Watching the Hybrid & Turbo Tech Mature

The Hybrid Max T24A-FTS

Take the Hybrid Max with the new T24A-FTS setup, for example. I'm certainly impressed with the 0-60 times and performance, but I'm cautious and want to see if this new technology can match the reliability I've come to expect from my Toyota vehicles. It's a welcome sign Toyota is keeping both port & direct injectors as a nod to the problems they faced in purely direct injection motors.

Toyota typically spends 2–3 years improving on new technologies after launch — as seen in the move from 6-speed to 8-speed automatic transmissions. The same patience applies here.

I want to make sure that these new hybrid and turbocharged engines prove themselves over time before I make a leap into something new.

Section III

Next Step: A New Car in 2026

Looking ahead, I've decided to switch to a Lexus RX350 F-Sport in 2026.  The Camry will continue to be my daily driver, while the RX350 will serve as my long drive & road trips.  Longer term, I'm still wanting to consider a Mercedes-Benz GLE450 possibly in 2028-2030 to add to my collection.

Mercedes-Benz GLE450

I'm noticing MB's are getting better and I'm hoping by the 3rd or 4th year of the new 450 it should work out any issues.  I'm preferring to keep it simple and stick to existing gas engines before accepting hybrids.

The mild hybrid approach appeals for exactly the same reason as waiting on Toyota's turbo/hybrid tech — let the early adopters surface the issues before committing.

LEXUS IS 500

For fun, I'm thinking of a V8 and considering the 2022-2025 IS 500.  It might be the last of the naturally aspirated V8's available from Lexus/Toyota and by 2030 should be available in decent condition for a reasonable price.  This would be more of a weekend fun car as I'll have the Camry, RX350 and GLE 450 so I'll have a full garage of choices.


Section IV

Full Specs

Car Engine HP / Torque Trans. 0–60 MPG Wheelbase
2011 Corolla LE 1.8L I4 2ZR-FE 132 hp / 128 lb-ft 4-spd auto 9.8 s 26 / 34 102.4 in
2007 Lexus IS250 2.5L V6 4GR-FSE, RWD 204 hp / 185 lb-ft 6-spd auto 7.4 s 24 / 32 107.5 in
2015 Camry XLE 2.5L I4 2AR-FE 178 hp / 170 lb-ft 6-spd auto 7.9 s 25 / 35 109.3 in
2016 Highlander LE 3.5L V6 2GR-FE 270 hp / 248 lb-ft 6-spd auto 6.9 s 19 / 25 109.8 in
2016 Lexus RX350 F Sport 3.5L V6 2GR-FKS, AWD 295 hp / 267 lb-ft 8-spd auto 7.0 s 19 / 26 109.8 in

Section V

Future Fleet

Specification 2025 Lexus IS 500 F Sport 2028 Mercedes-Benz GLE450
Planned purchase Target: 2030 RWD Performance Target: 2028  Long-Haul SUV
Powertrain
Engine5.0L V8 2UR-GSE, NA
Naturally aspirated — proven reliability		3.0L I6 Turbo + 48V MHEV
EQ Boost 4MATIC AWD
HP / System472 hp @ 7,100 RPM362 hp
Torque395 lb-ft @ 4,800 RPM369 lb-ft
Transmission8-speed Automatic9G-Tronic 9-speed
DrivetrainRWD
Pure sport intent		4MATIC+ AWD
All-weather capable
Performance
0–60 mph~4.5 s~5.5 s
Top Speed168 mph (limited)130 mph (limited)
Efficiency
City / Hwy MPG16 / 24 mpg21 / 26 mpg
Dimensions
Wheelbase107.5 in117.9 in
Curb Weight~3,957 lbs~4,740 lbs
Role in Fleet
PurposeWeekend driver & track day
V8 successor to IS250 — doing it right this time		Long road trips + family hauler
Waiting for 3rd–4th model year maturity

5 cars across 14 years — keeping the Camry to 2035–2036, then adding a GLE450 to the fleet and maybe an IS500 for fun.

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