Thirty-five brand new 2017 Toyota Lifeguard vehicles were unveiled in Mission Beach to kick off the Memorial Day weekend.
A variety of vehicles including SUVs and pick-up trucks such as Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner and Sequoia, are featured in the 2017 lineup, according to a representative for Toyota Dealers.
On Friday, Toyota and the City of San Diego celebrated the announcement of their renewed partnership, said the representative. The fuel-efficient 2017 RAV4 Hybrid equipped with the new standard Toyota Safety Sense package is the newest addition, allowing lifeguards to drive 34 miles per gallon.
The vehicles are “off-road capable and extremely durable, built to withstand rough sand and marine environments,” said the representative. The safety package helps keep the lifeguards behind the wheel and surrounding pedestrians safer than ever.
As part of the multi-year partnership, Toyota has agreed to maintain and service the 35 cars in the fleet, said the representative. That saves the City of San Diego tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance and service fees.
Since 2011, the partnership has helped the city’s efforts to promote beach safety. Besides the fleet vehicle donations, Toyota has also sponsored the lifeguards’ Water Safety Days program, according to the representative.
