You’ve probably heard the term lowrider before, but at your St Louis Toyota dealer we know that not everyone is familiar with just what it means. They can be pretty hip vehicles if they are what interests you, and they are often pretty spiced up with accessories and aftermarket parts and paint jobs. So, just what is a lowrider, anyhow?

Your Toyota dealer can tell you that, in a nutshell, a lowrider is a vehicle that has had its suspension system modified so that it drives as low to the ground as possible. Quite often the suspension is now regulated with hydraulics so that the car’s ground height can be raised up or lowered down whenever the driver feels like it. Many of the original lowriders were classic vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s that were already pretty close to the ground.

Over the years, your St Louis MO Toyota dealer has learned, lowriders began to take on a different look. Smaller pickup trucks became more common, and the suspension system in these trucks was modified as well. Geared to drive very close to the ground, these vehicles are often driven slowly and are meant to make a show. Indeed, with fancy paint jobs, custom interiors, and powerful aftermarket stereo systems and speakers, these lowriders are a way for the people who own them to show off their vehicles and accessories.

While your Toyota dealer knows that not everyone is in the market for a lowrider, we still think that they are an important part of automotive history and culture. Besides, with flashy paint jobs and custom accessories, these vehicles can be pretty cool to look at. So, pay attention to the St Louis roads, and you may see a few lowriders as you drive. Even if they aren’t your style, they are still worth a second look.

When you drive your hybrid Toyota throughout St Louis and Ballwin, you probably become quite accustomed to the way it handles. From driving and coasting to parking, you’ve come to love its smooth ride and powerful engine. Sometimes, however, it’s the simple things that can be the most difficult. If you’ve ever had worries about backing your car into another vehicle or even into an object on the side of the road, here’s some new technology coming your way in the near future.

Have you heard of reverse cameras? Basically, these devices are cameras that show a view from the back of your hybrid Toyota. Instead of looking backwards, you can see them on a screen in front of you. With this view, you can see how close you are to other cars, if you’ve given them enough space, and also if you are close to hitting them. Another great benefit is that you may be able to see if there are objects or even people behind your car. Sadly, children are injured and even killed when people accidentally back over them, so cameras like these could really be a lifesaver.

Another great option is a system that beeps as you approach anything behind your vehicle as you are backing up. As your hybrid Toyota moves, the sensors activate, beeping as you get closer. The beeps accelerate the closer you are, and finally stop beeping in favor of a solid noise when you are too close to the object, vehicle, or person behind your vehicle. It’s not as sophisticated as a video system, but it is very useful for letting you know if you could be about to back into something.

These devices for your hybrid Toyota are innovations you’ll be seeing soon. They won’t take the place of careful driving, but they can certainly help you to avoid fender benders as well as possible tragedies.