Back in June I took a trip out to California to visit the Toyota Campus in Torrence. As a part of the Toyota Women's Influencer Network, Toyota gave us a chance to test drive a few cars.
I went in planning on test driving some SUVs and some minivans. Yes, sort of because I am a mom, but also because I am currently in the market for a new family vehicle.
Unfortunately, due to time restraints and only about 15 cars for about 45 people I ended up driving a few Toyotas that not at all what I was looking for.
On the upside, it was really fun!
The first car I test drove was a Toyota Tacoma. It was red and pretty. I thought it handled really well for a little pick up truck, but the only other pickup truck I have ever driven is my husband's work truck and since I am not insured on that vehicle the most I have driven it is that one time I needed to move it out of the driveway and into the street. The Tacoma was better than that.
The second car I test drove was the Toyota Camry.
The Camry was lovely. If I were looking to buy a sedan I would definitely consider it. I was very comfortable and it handled well and it was pretty.
It was red and shiny like this one. I can't find the camera I took my pictures on. You will have to cut me some slack. We are renovating and I have far fewer walls than normal. Crap. I hope I didn't put my camera in storage. That can't be good for it.
The last car I test drove was my favorite. It was the Toyota Advance Fuel Cell Hybrid vehicle.
Picture Stolen from my friend Glennia Campbell from The Silent "I'
I KNOW! It is even fancier than it sounds. It drove amazingly well for a two year old prototype. My friends and I joked about taking it off course and going out for cupcakes but we decided that even if we knew our way around Torrence (which we didn't) we would probably be in trouble if we ran out of fuel. We didn't know where the closest fuel cell filling station station is. I don't even know if there is such a thing as a fuel cell filling station.
I am really glad we didn't take it rouge, as it turned out to be a one of a kind prototype and probably worth over $1 million. I can't speak for my fellow passengers, but I wasn't paying attention when I signed the release form and didn't have $1 million to pay them back if we had to ditch the car on the side of the road and hike back to Toyota.
Plus, I doubt the Clever Girls would have let me hang around if I stole and abandoned a car from one of their clients.
I suppose I could have also served some jail time and that would have sucked,
But it was all cool. I didn't steal a thing and I had a cupcake when I got back home.
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I am working with the Clever Girls Collective and Toyota on this campaign. Toyota paid for my trip to their campus, but these words and stories are my own.
