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Everyone who drives a vehicle puts a premium on safety. At Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, we’re no different. We pride ourselves on offering safe, reliable Toyota vehicles for our northern Illinois customers to drive. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that, for the third year in a row, the Toyota brand has topped the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) annual list of safety awards. Seven Toyota vehicles won IIHS awards in 2017, with five receiving its highest award, the Top Safety Pick+, the most of any manufacturer. We’re proud to offer these 2017 Toyota Top Safety Pick+ winners on our lot: Toyota Prius (built after August 2016), Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius v, and Toyota RAV4, as well as the 2017 Toyota Top Safety Pick winners: Toyota Yaris iA and Toyota Avalon.   Our focus at Classic Toyota remains on the safety and peace of mind of our loyal customers. We are proud to carry safe and reliable Toyota vehicles that are recognized and rewarded 2017 Top Safety Pick+ awards. This year’s 2017 award winners had to meet tougher criteria from the IIHS than previous years. For example, the IIHS recognized Toyota as a Top Safety Pick+ for redesigning its Toyota Corolla sedan to better protect occupants in a small overlap crash and in preventing front crashes. In another designation, we were pleased to see that the Toyota Prius was recognized with a safety award for its improved headlights. Since about half of all traffic deaths happen either at dawn or dusk, the IIHS adopted more stringent standards for headlights and our Toyota Prius made the adjustment.   To receive a Top Safety Pick Award, Toyota vehicles were required to achieve good ratings in five crashworthiness tests, have an available front crash prevention system and have quality headlights. Top Safety Pick+ award winners must also have a superior- or advanced-rated front crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities. We are pleased that Toyota brand vehicles are ranked so high and garnered so many safety awards. If you would like to take any of our safe Toyota vehicles for a test drive, stop by Classic Toyota in Waukegan, IL today!

You might be scratching your head around this time of year wondering what type of gift to give your Toyota brand enthusiast, but our sales staff at Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, has some great ideas for you.   For the golfer on your list, a Nike Dri-FIT golf polo will surely be appreciated. While you’re out on the course, this subtly embossed geometric graphic black polo helps to keep the golfer dry using Dri-FIT moisture management technology. And, on the right sleeve, is the distinguished Toyota logo.   Looking for that custom-made one-of-a-kind gift for a Toyota 4Runner owner? This diecast keychain with a beautiful glossy red1985 Toyota 4Runner truck attached is the perfect gift. It has the fine detail that any Toyota owner would appreciate.   Who can resist opening a gift of Toyota socks on Christmas morning? These brightly colored cotton dress socks cleverly include the Toyota logo and symbol among the all-over dot design.   Your Toyota enthusiast will be pleased with this men’s hooded sweatshirt letting the world know “It’s a Toyota Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand.” They are perfect for cold weather in Illinois using 90/10 cotton/polyester and featuring a kangaroo pocket and stretch ribbed cuffs and waist.   For that busy Toyota Rav4 mom who is driving her family around, a cargo net will be very useful. This genuine Toyota accessory will allow her to hold and organize lots of toys, sports equipment, and groceries in the trunk of her Toyota Rav4. It’s quick and easy to attach and remove and its envelope-style netting accommodates a wide variety of shapes and size.   If your Toyota owner spends a lot of time in their car, perhaps a gift certificate to satellite radio would be appreciated. Sirius XM Radio offers a number of packages for hundreds of commercial-free radio stations.   And of course, we are sure they'd be happy with a new or pre-owned Toyota vehicle as well. Stop by our dealership today. We’d like to take the opportunity to thank you for your business and help you choose the perfect Toyota gift for your loved one.

Our sales force at Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, is pleased to let our valued customers know that there’s no reason to wait until Black Friday to get an amazing deal from Toyota. Depending on your driving needs and budget, we are offering special savings, customer cash, lease bonus cash, and 0% APR during the entire month of November on a number of our most popular vehicles. We invite you to visit our Waukegan, IL dealership and start your holiday shopping early for you and your family.   One of our most popular vehicles is the 2017 Toyota Camry sedan at Classic Toyota, which is being offered at 0% APR financing for 72 months plus $1,000 bonus cash back. The Toyota Camry is the perfect vehicle to easily navigate through busy holiday shopping.   Smart shoppers know to bring in their existing car for a trade-in value before purchasing a new Toyota vehicle. Our special Black Friday pricing offers up to 120% of the Kelley Blue Book trade-in value for fair condition of your existing vehicle, 0% APR for up to 72 months, and up to $2,000 bonus cash.   The 2017 Toyota RAV4 is a well-liked crossover for Illinois families that are making shopping trips during the busy holidays or visits to relatives for family meals. We are offering three different special Black Friday deals: you can finance the Toyota RAV 4 at 0% APR for 60 months; you can lease the 2017 Toyota RAV4 for $260 for 36 months with no money down, or you can lease the 2017 Toyota RAV4 for $179 per month for 36 months with $2,699 at signing. Additionally, the Black Friday deal calls for $1,000 cash back.   If you’re traveling to the ski slopes or ice hockey games this winter, the 2016 Toyota Highlander is the perfect SUV for cold-weather driving. This spacious and upscale midsize SUV is being offered with Black Friday incentives at a zero-percent financing deal for five years.   Stop by Classic Toyota today to speak with our knowledgeable finance staff about all of our current specials, then go for a test drive. We can't wait to see you!

Waukegan, IL certainly knows how to honor its veterans. In early November for Veterans Day, Waukegan holds its annual parade and ceremony through the city’s streets in downtown Waukegan followed by a free luncheon for veterans and active military. The city’s local cemetery holds a guided tour of veterans dating back from the War of 1812 buried in its grounds. Even a local brewery releases a new craft beer honoring the Navy and Marines. Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL is no different. To honor their service and sacrifice, we celebrate Veterans Day in early November and continue to salute the service of our military throughout the entire year with a special discount from Toyota.   Depending on your choice, either a vehicle purchase or lease, the Toyota military rebate program offers a $500 military discount and 1.9% APR financing through Toyota Motor Credit on all new Toyota vehicle and all Toyota vehicles. The military rebate program is available to U.S. military personnel both active-duty and inactive reserve, household members of eligible U.S. military personnel including Gold Star families, U.S. military retirees (within 1 year of retirement), and U.S. military veterans (within 1 year of discharge).   Current and retired military members are invited to provide verifiable proof of military status or active service at the time of purchase/lease in order to redeem the military rebate program. This may include showing a leave and earning statement, military ID card or a DD form 214, certificate of release or discharge from active duty.   A wide array of new Toyota vehicles is available in our showroom. For those in the military that are seeking increased fuel efficiency, our dedicated sales force can demonstrate our Toyota hybrid models such as the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, 2016 Toyota Prius or 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid. If you are looking for a great family vehicle, then see what the 2016 Toyota Sienna or 2016 Toyota Highlander have to offer.   Please visit the Classic Toyota website for our latest offers including a tool to calculate your fuel savings or your monthly payment. We look forward to meeting our military veterans and current service members to help them find a new vehicle and get your well-deserved incentive.

The 2016-2017 Illinois hunting season has begun and Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, has a variety of vehicles to help hunters bring home their game. While the Illinois woods offers a variety of standard game animals, including deer, turkey, rabbit, quail, and cock pheasants, the new vehicle inventory at Classic Toyota features the power, mobility, and extra special features for hunters on its Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks. Toyota has engineered its line of trucks for the outdoorsman in mind with rugged features for hunting and fishing adventures in the Illinois wilderness. Of prime importance is having a strong, dependable vehicle. The 2017 Toyota Tundra on the lot at Classic Toyota offers staggered, outboard-mounted shocks, a heavy-duty TripleTech frame with integrated towing hitch receiver, a trailer hitch that utilizes 12 high-strength bolts integrated into the frame, and an i-FORCE 5.7L V8 engine to help hunters tow over 10,500 lbs. Hunters heap additional praise on the Toyota Tacoma as a reliable and effective truck for hunting and fishing with stylish features and robust off-road capabilities yet small enough to easily navigate country trails. The 2017 Toyota Tacoma SR pickup truck is built with an efficient V6 engine to tow up to 6,800 pounds. For hunters who have game and other cargo on the roof or are towing and need help to determine when it’s safe to change lanes, Classic Toyota is pleased that its Toyota Tundra is the first full-size pickup to offer Blind Spot Monitor (BSM). When the BSM detects a vehicle, the truck illuminates a warning indicator on the appropriate outside mirror to alert the driver to the presence of another vehicle. Before you purchase your Illinois hunting permit registration and purchase, please visit Classic Toyota on 515 N. Green Bay Road in Waukegan and see how its Toyota pickup trucks can make your hunting experience more enjoyable.

Do you know how deep a commitment Toyota has for the environment? Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, is proud of its parent company’s role as the leading auto manufacturer with more than two million Toyota hybrid vehicles on U.S. roads. The Toyota brand continues to build cars and trucks that are at the forefront of environmental engineering.   That’s why Classic Toyota is looking forward to adding a new Toyota vehicle to its lot in late 2016 called the Toyota Prius Prime, a hybrid that has style, is fun to drive, and has excellent efficiency. What makes this hybrid different? The Toyota Prius Prime offers a new, sleek silhouette with a completely unique front and rear design. The advanced Quad-LED projector headlights, LED taillights and signals help light the night in a most dramatic and efficient fashion. The aerodynamically formed rear glass and hatch represents another leap forward. The carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer construction is a Toyota first and results in a lightweight, easy-to-lift hatch.   What else sets the Toyota Prius Prime apart? This hybrid helps to maximize your mpg and features a large battery capacity that provides an increased EV Mode driving range for short neighborhood drives.   Toyota has designed the new Toyota Prius Prime with a combined passion for performance and love for the planet. Drivers have a choice between driving in EV mode while commuting to work or hybrid mode for longer extended drives. Let’s look at its impressive numbers: Toyota Prius Prime has a manufacturer's projected EPA-estimated total driving range of 640 miles. EV Mode driving helps maximize your mileage with a manufacturer's projected EPA-estimated 133 MPG and a manufacturer's projected EPA-estimated 25 miles of EV Mode driving.   We invite you to visit our Waukegan, IL dealership later this fall and be one of the first to test drive this new Toyota Prius Prime hybrid vehicle!

Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, wants to remind its valued Toyota customers that October is Fall Car Care Month. This Illinois dealership feels that fall is the ideal time to give your new Toyota car some extra attention before the harsh winter weather sets in. Tires: On icy and snow-covered roads, your car’s tires make the difference between keeping a firm grip on the road or sliding into danger. Now that the temperature has dropped, check your tire pressure regularly. Cold temperatures can cause tires to lose air pressure. If you need new tires, Classic Toyota has a tire saving event (buy three tires and the fourth costs only a dollar). Battery: If your Toyota Camry or Toyota Highlander is hard to start and has dim headlights when the engine is turned off, your battery is getting weak and should be replaced with a new Toyota TrueStart battery. It’s especially important to have a strong battery in winter to quickly start your car on cold mornings. Wipers: During the winter, your windshield wipers are more important than ever. Getting a new set of wipers at Classic Toyota will ensure you always have a clear view of upcoming traffic and drivers. Scrape ice off your wipers before you run them. Fluids: It’s a good idea to take a look at your Toyota car’s fluids for winter driving. These include antifreeze, motor oil, brake and battery cleaner, transmission and brake fluid. Check under the hood to ensure that your windshield washer reservoir is filled. If it’s time for an oil change, ask your Classic Toyota technicians whether they recommend a winter-weight oil for your vehicle. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment at our Illinois Toyota dealership, call us. Our service technicians would be happy to help get your car prepared. We can't wait to hear from you!

It should be a tourist destination for all Americans this fall, including those in the Waukegan, IL area. The newest museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), which just opened its doors to the public, in part, from backing by the Toyota brand. Customers of Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, can drive their families in their new Toyota vehicles to Washington, D.C. in less than 12 hours or 745 miles to get a better understanding of the African American experience. Waukegan, IL visitors will be able to visit the new museum’s five floors and see its display of more than 36,000 precious artifacts of African American history and culture that convey a compelling story of determination, faith, resilience and achievement. The imposing 400,000 sq. ft. museum on the National Mall sits next to the White House, other Smithsonian museums, and monuments and memorials to Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington. Visitors can see the trumpet once owned by Louis Armstrong and a guitar and case owned by James Brown, a costume hat worn by Diana Ross as Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues, and the sheet music from Johnny B. Goode written by Chuck Berry. The automaker has underwritten a special ‘Century in the Making: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture’ exhibition, which records the major milestones over the last 100 years that led to the museum’s creation, beginning with a 1916 letter from the National Memorial Association to then-President Woodrow Wilson. The Toyota brand is proud to be a founding donor and grand opening sponsor in preserving these priceless artifacts. This new museum will become a lasting landmark of the rich history of the African American experience for generations.

Nearly 17,000 students from kindergarten to high school are back in school at the Waukegan, IL school district. More than 21 schools are spread across this large, urban district, enticing kids to after-school programs, football games, fundraisers, fine arts and music programs, and a variety of other events. Like the school district’s motto of putting kids first, Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, wants to help drivers stay safe in and around school zones. School buses: It’s best to be extra cautious and drive slowly near or around Waukegan’s school bus fleet. When the red lights start to flash, remember to stop on both sides of the road and do not move until the lights have stopped flashing. Stop: Learn to make a complete stop in your Toyota vehicles and drive within the school zone speed limits of 15 to 25 mph in and around Waukegan. Children are inclined to be unpredictable as they walk to and from school. As a driver, it’s your duty to stop for them. Toyota Safety Sense offers a pedestrian detection function to alert drivers to students in front of their Toyota vehicle. Be alert:  With 17,000 students in the Waukegan school district, drivers need to be especially vigilant at all times of the day. Use your rearview camera on the 2016 Toyota Camry to check for students as you back out of your driveway or leave your parking garage as well as your blind-spot monitoring and front and rear parking sensors. Inspect your vehicle: Now is a good time to have your Toyota vehicle inspected to ensure that your lights, brakes, tires, and other car parts are working properly. Classic Toyota has an easy online system to set up a quick vehicle inspection.   Come in and visit this Illinois dealership to see why the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety chose 12 Toyota vehicles as its “Top Safety Picks” in 2015. Classic Toyota wants this year to be the safest on record in the Waukegan, IL community.

No matter if it's Child Passenger Safety Week or any other time of the year, parents and caregivers set a priority that children need to be protected when riding in a vehicle. Classic Toyota in Waukegan, IL is proud of its parent company for taking the lead in this important area and creating Buckle Up for Life, a national injury prevention program for families, along with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Since its creation in 2004, Buckle Up for Life has reached thousands of parents and families with critical passenger safety information through partnerships with leading children’s hospitals, community organizations, local governments, schools and non-profit organizations to teach parents and children about the proper use of car seats and seat belts and to provide free car seats to families in need. Organizations that offered the program observed a marked improvement in members’ auto safety behaviors.   Our Waukegan Toyota dealership, in conjunction with Buckle Up For Life, would like to present the five top tips for car seat safety: Purchase a new car seat. While it’s great to save some money on a used seat, the plastic can degrade over time. Plus, car seats for Toyota brands have expiration dates. They can be found on a sticker affixed to the seat. Check how snug the seat fits the child. Once the child is buckled in, do a quick test. Pinch the car seat strap near the child’s shoulders. If there’s a pinch of fabric, tighten the strap until it’s snug. Next, tug the car seat from side to side and front to back to see if it moves an inch in any direction. If it does, tighten it. Brand is not an issue. No matter the price or extra features, all car seats sold in the U.S. meet the same federal safety standards. Keep in mind children shorter than 4’9” need booster seats. Ask for help. Parents and caregivers might get frustrated with car safety seats. There are many expert resources for additional tips and advice including videos on BuckleUpForLife.org. Of course, if you have any additional questions, you're always welcome to contact us at Classic Toyota. We would be more than happy to speak with you!

With the recent transition in August of the Scion brand to Toyota, there’s been a lot of questions among current car buyers. Classic Toyota, a leading Toyota dealership in Waukegan, IL, wants to provide answers about this important transition. When Toyota established the Scion brand in 2003, its main purpose was a testing ground to see how Toyota could develop new products, innovate the car buying process and overall, bring new customers to the Toyota family. Toyota proved successful by making younger consumers more aware of the Toyota brand (including its reputation for quality, reliability and value) and became a stronger company because of that. With the transition complete, a few cars are getting updated names along with the Toyota badge: FR-S will become the 86, Scion iM becomes the Corolla iM, and the iA becomes a Yaris iA. The Scion tC finished production in August as the Scion tC and the future Toyota C-HR will come fresh to dealers like Classic Toyota. The Scion xB was discontinued this past December. As of this month, all 2017 Toyota models are being issued as Toyotas and no longer will carry Scion models. One of Toyota’s top priorities is to support all Scion customers throughout the transition. Customers with auto loans through Toyota Financial Services will stay the same except the Scion name will no longer be on your bill. The Scion Service Boost, warranties, and Certified Pre-Owned warranty and service agreements will continue to be honored, and Scion owners will continue to get the best service. Scion service part numbers will continue to crossover with pre-existing Toyota part numbers so there will always be a consistent supply of parts at Toyota service departments. One difference is that Pure Process Plus won’t be offered at Toyota dealers since it is Scion-specific.

The new 2017 Toyota Camry Artificial intelligence is all the buzz in the automotive world. It is set to become an essential element in the self-driving car of the future. Classic Toyota in Waukegan, IL, shares the excitement and delight of what this on-going research will bring to the driving community. Our Toyota dealership is proud of its parent’s commitment to AI research and its effect on the manufacturing of new automobiles. more Recently, the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) committed $22 million investment to begin research collaborations focused on autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics projects with the University of Michigan (U-M). The collaboration between TRI and U-M’s research faculty and students will work to develop new intelligent technologies that will help drivers travel more safely, securely, and efficiently. Under the agreement, TRI will provide an initial $22 million over four years for research collaborations with the U-M faculty in the areas of enhanced driving safety, partner robotics and indoor mobility, autonomous driving, and student learning and diversity. The collaboration is an effort to leverage robotics to improve quality of life with the goal of enhancing the safety and efficiency of moving people and goods. The U-M labs push the envelope of what robots can sense and understand about the world, and TRI provides an opportunity to apply these discoveries to real-world products such as its new car lines, including the 2017 Toyota Camry. The challenges that TRI faces with autonomous cars will leverage the U-M labs' research into complex behaviors, like merging and understanding the intention of other vehicles from their actions. Both U-M and TRI are eager to work together. For decades, U-M has provided a steady stream of ideas and people to fuel the broad ecosystem of automotive R&D facilities in this region and beyond. U-M looks forward to working more closely with the Toyota brand to spur a new era of innovation that will have worldwide impact.