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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
3
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 GLE450e possibly in 2028-2030 to add to my collection. 

Mercedes-Benz GLE450e

I'm noticing MB's are getting better and I'm hoping by the 3rd or 4th year of the new 450e electric model it should work out any issues. I'm really interested in the electric-only mode for short city drives and having the option to use conventional gas for longer trips.

The plug-in 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.

Section IV

Full Specs

Car Engine HP / Torque Trans. 0–60 MPG Wheelbase
2016 Highlander LE 3.5L V6 2GR-FE 270 hp / 248 lb-ft 6-spd auto 6.9 s 19 / 25 109.8 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
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     

5 cars across 14 years — keeping the Camry to 2035–2036, then adding a GLE450e to the fleet.

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