5 Reasons New Jerseyans Prefer Toyotas

If you live in New Jersey, you've probably seen a lot of Toyotas. You might even think there's just one big NJ Toyota dealer that we all shop at. So why the love affair between NJ and Toyota? Here are five reasons:

• For the commute – New Jersey is a state of commuters. It would be hard to find anywhere on the East Coast that has so many people living so far from where they work. And for most of us, a long commute translates to a lot of money wasted on gas. Toyota has a well-earned reputation as one of the leaders when it comes to fuel economy, and the numbers on their individual models bears that out. Driving a Toyota can mean big savings.

• The price – Did someone mention savings? Of course we're still on that topic – this is New Jersey! We spend enough on our cost of living as it is. Buying a car is always a tough balance between spending more to get quality, and not overspending. Toyota lands right on the line, delivering extremely high value vehicles that look and run great without overcharging. Toyota is affordable, but not flimsy.

• Safety features – If you've ever been in a New Jersey rush hour, you know that things get dicey. We're a state full of assertive people who don't mind laying on the horn . . . or other colorful forms of communication. Unfortunately, that also means Jersey has a high rate of fender benders, and that's why safety features matter to us. Toyota gets top marks on safety and has developed many new features that went on to become standard across the industry. It's a great brand for those of us who want to brave the turnpike.

• Long-term durability – The thing about New Jersey is that we're a tough people. If Jack Frost wants to send us three feet of snow, we're going to grit our teeth and bear it. Unfortunately, not all of our vehicles are as determined as we are. With winters like Jersey has, you need a car that can stand up to the elements and keep running for years. That's exactly what Toyota is known for.

• The size! – This isn't Texas. We like a big car or truck as much as the next person, but we have limits. While not all of us are driving into New York City five days a week, it's hard to live in Jersey without routinely heading into one of the big cities. That means parallel parking and that's why we like cars that make the best use of their size, instead of boats.

So, does that mean everyone should run out to their NJ Toyota dealer? Maybe not, but judging from any NJ parking lot, many of them already have.