Just about to purchase 2008 TCH and I read that the 2009 is coming out in mid January..Whats that all about? My new car will be a year old in one month! Should I wait? What are the differences besides the price going up $150??? ANYONE KNOW???????????????HELP

Where did you read that dubious information?

"When you get to the fork in the road, take it." --Yogi Berra

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12...yaris-also-up/

scroll down... before Related Healdines where it reads 2009 arrives jan 21, 2008...
I know its unbelieveable!

Toyota Press release! Just Found!

http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases...T2007113017569

Interesting. Not much more news out there. I'd be torn too.

"When you get to the fork in the road, take it." --Yogi Berra

It's marketing.
Everyone wants to buy the newest or the hottest, so they push up date of the release of the new model year without making any changes.
It's no different from women's dress manufacturers who play with the sizes (so a lady who is a 6 can fit into a 4) to make her feel good about the line.

Looks like a way to justify the price increase. Worth the extra money if it's labeled a 2009. But it sure is silly to have a 2009 in January 2008!

The auto manufacturers created the idea of an annual car model to help sell cars. Microsoft did that with Windows 98, ME and 2000. It reminds you that your product is getting older and time to replace. I imagine that many people decide to replace their car when it is "X" number of years old, instead of after "X" miles.
IMHO, it is an extraordinarily successful marketing tactic (although I don't have any evidence to prove it).

Hmmm...2009 models available in a month...I guess the 2008 model I just bought in Dec. 2007 is already outdated and I can take a bigger value depreciation now that the '09's are just around the corner?!? WTF?

A next model year being available in the previous year @ January seems a bit ridonkulous IMHO. This seems like a fine way to muck up used car values in about 3 years. And I thought my 1999.5 SVT Ford Contour was a model year black sheep...!!

[...sneaking off to go re-etch my VIN number to Model Year 2011 as an homage to this silliness and as recommended by Nigel Tufnel (because mine goes to 11, so it's one better, eh?) !!!!]

Sounds like a chance for a deal. Now you can go to the dealer and say you need another $2000 off because the 2008 is last years obsolete left overs. The 2009 model will be hard to get, because they are only making 100 of them before switching to the 2010 model .

Two climate control systems, one inside and the other at the tailpipe.

2007 Camry Hybrid (in service June 2006)
FE: 6.77L/100km (34.8 mpg) over 37750km (23450mi)
75% city - Ave trip 20 min - 2 Winters

Just out of curiosity, when did the 2008's come out?

Seems like it was an awfully short year!

Dang