Toyota NewsAll News
The Japanese car company Toyota is known for being one of the largest car companies in the world. Although here in North America, they’re stereotyped as being boring, family friendly cars. Toyota made a huge splash by bringing the Prius Hybrid vehicle to the consumer market. The Prius has quickly become an instantly recognizable vehicle that reached celebrity status. Toyota now has a few Hybrids available, and seem to be leading the way for alternate, green fuel.
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Violence In Mexico Sparks Demand For Discrete Armored Cars
Armored cars are an expensive proposition, nearly always costing well above $100,000, and for this reason, they’re rarely anything but luxury sedans or SUVs. The problem with this phenomenon is that the places where armored cars are really needed, discretion is often better than driving an ostentatious bling-mobile. Texas Armoring, one of the leading armored…
Ford and Honda Top J.D. Power’s 2010 Customer Retention Study
Automakers know how important customer loyalty is to the success of their companies. That’s why the good ones concentrate not only on making a safe and reliable vehicle, but one that’s fun to drive as well, and then back it up with great service. And J.D. Power is on top of which automakers are doing…
Honda Fit, Mazda2 Headline New B-Spec Road Racing Series
The Honda Fit and Mazda 2 will headline a new racing class, known as B-Spec, that’s been designed as a new showroom stock racing series. The rule set is expected to be finalized within the next 60 days, and both the SCCA and NASA sanctioning bodies have expressed interested in adopting the class. Using OEM…
2011 Toyota Sienna Recalled for Brake Issues, But Not What You Think
Toyota has just announced a recall for it’s new ‘Swagger Wagon’ Sienna minivan for an issue related to the braking system. Unrelated to any past brake recalls the recall involves the parking brake bracket that could become damaged by repeated use of the foot-actuated parking brake pedal. Toyota warns that damage to the bracket could…
Toyota Number One With Car Shoppers
Despite a year filled with recalls and bad press, Toyota‘s reputation appears to be mostly untarnished, as is evidenced by Kelly Blue Book announcing the Japanese automaker’s cars are the most considered by new car shoppers. Toyota has just re-established itself atop the most recent Kelly Blue Book (KBB) Market Intelligence Brand Watch study for…
Toyota Announces Pricing For 2011 Corolla And Matrix
Toyota announced pricing for their updated 2011 Corolla and Matrix, with a base Corolla starting at $15,600. A base model Matrix will retail for $18,545, with both base trims coming equipped with a 5-speed manual. The Corolla base trim with an automatic will retail for $16,400 while the mid-level LE will cost $17,300 while the…
Toyota Sues ‘Old GM’ Over Closure of NUMMI Plant
Now, Toyota is apparently suing the remnants of the ‘old’ GM (known as Motors Liquidation Company) for breach of contract, claiming $73 million in damages, namely to cover research and development costs, before GM pulled out of NUMMI last year.
Honda Cuts Insight Base Price By $1,600
Honda is cutting the base price of its slow-selling Insight hybrid by $1,600, and offering a base model that retails for $18,950, putting it $4,610 below the cheapest Toyota Prius. Honda achieved the price cut by removing features like Bluetooth connectivity and a GPS navigation system, while using cheaper seat fabric and a two speaker…
Toyota FT-86/FR-S Platform to Underpin Next Lexus IS
Toyota’s FT-86/FR-S sports car is set to arrive in 2012, with a sedan version to follow. While past rumors have suggested the FR-S (as it’s believed to be called in production form) will spawn a compact sports sedan, R0ad & Track reports that this four-door FR-S will in fact be the next Lexus IS. The…
Toyota Recalls 650,000 Prius Models to Replace Coolant Pump
Toyota has announced it will recall 650,000 Prius models to replace the water pump. Technically, this is not actually a recall as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) isn’t involved and it is not deemed to be a safety issue. Toyota will, however, contact owners of affected cars (dating from the 2004 to 2007…
Chevy Silverado Tops in New 5-Star Truck Crash Tests, Ram Lags Behind
The results of the crash tests are awarded ‘stars’ based on the ‘level’ of injury risk related to a defined average from those individual front, side and roll-over tests – five stars being the best above average, one star being the worst.
Hyundai Overtakes Toyota in Europe as Top Asian Automaker
Thanks to a slight bump in sales and continued struggles by Toyota, Hyundai is now the number one Asian automaker in Europe by volume. So far this year Hyundai (including Kia) has seen a four percent rise in units moved, while Toyota (including luxury brand Lexus) has seen its sales drop drastically by 17 percent….
Toyota Confirms iQ Will Get Electric Version
Toyota‘s iQ microcar will get a fully electric version in 2011, the Japanese automaker has confirmed. The iQ will come as part of a plan to launch 11 hybrid or electric vehicles by 2012, including a hybrid version of the Yaris hatchback, a plug-in version of the Prius Hybrid and a Prius-based minivan. In a…
Toyota Planning Turbocharging, Direct Injection Across Lineup
The recent switch to “down-sizing” technologies like turbocharging and direct-injection have allowed automakers like Chevy, Ford and Hyundai to leap past Toyota in the fuel economy race in recent years. During that time Toyota’s focus has been on hybridizing its lineup of vehicles, a move that does allow for more significant fuel economy gains, but…
LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV; 35 Test Models Being Built With 2012 Target for Retail Sales [Video]
Toyota‘s collaboration with American electric car maker Tesla Motors has been described by many as a publicity stunt, but Toyota’s announcement to build 35 test models with plans for a full production model in 2012 is silencing doubters. Debuting at the LA Auto Show, the RAV4 EV Demonstration Vehicle looks like an Acura RDX thanks…
LA 2010: Toyota Corolla Debuts With Refreshed Face
Toyota‘s venerable Corolla gets a mild refresh for 2011, and the updated compact will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Toyota claims it enlisted the help of stylists in Turin, Italy, and the result is still somehow Toyota-like in the front, with the back end looking pretty good for a Corolla. Engine choices remain…
Toyota Offering Prius 10th Anniversary Edition in the UK
With 10 years of overwhelming sales success in the U.K. for the Prius, Toyota has announced a limited edition Prius exclusive to the U.K. And before you roll your eyes at the idea of a limited edition Prius, Toyota has managed to make it a tad bit more sporty and none of its accessories mess…
Official: Travis Pastrana And Michael Waltrip To Tackle NASCAR
After discovering that Travis Pastrana had left Subaru and the world of rallying, the ex-rally driver has confirmed his intentions to dive into NASCAR, with a Toyota-backed entry into the NASCAR Nationwide Series in collaboration with Michael Waltrip. The plan is to enter 7 races in 2011, with an additional 20 in 2012. Pastrana will…
2011 Kia Sedona Updated With New Styling, Engine
Kia‘s Sedona minivan, an often ignored but solid bargain in the minivan segment, gets a new grille for 2011, along with an upgraded powertrain. The Sedona’s new V6 puts out 271 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque with power being put down through a 6 speed manual transmission. This gives the Sedona a 27 horsepower…
Generation Y Buying Toyota, Honda and Ford Cars
Generation Y has come of age and are now setting their sights on what new car to buy. And according to research firm AutoPacific, younger car buyers are choosing vehicles made by Toyota, Honda and Ford. Also among the top 5 brands are Chevrolet and Nissan. Making their way onto the 2010 Gen Y (people…
Toyota Teases RAV4 EV Ahead Of Los Angeles Auto Show Debut
The next product from Tesla is not the long awaited Model S sedan, but something far more plebian – a Toyota RAV4 using a Tesla derived battery pack and electric propulsion system. Toyota just released this teaser photo the RAV4 EV, but don’t hold your breath for too long. It’s hard to imagine this car…
Toyota Prius Retains Fuel Economy Crown
Despite a slew of new hybrids joining the market this past year, the Toyota Prius retains the top spot as the most fuel efficient vehicle in the U.S. There is a catch, however, with no electric vehicles (like the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt) being included in this year’s round of testing – yet. With…
Toyota Honors Test Driver Hiromu Naruse Who Died Testing the LFA [video]
If given the choice, a lot of people say they’d prefer dying doing what they love. That is exactly the fate that befell Toyota test drive Hiromu Naruse this past June, when he crashed testing the Lexus LFA supercar. Toyota has just released a short video tribute to Naruse, who is credited for having inspired…
SEMA 2010: Best In Show, Part 3
For all you lovers of body on frame chassis and four wheel drive, we bring you our favorite trucks of the 2010 SEMA Show. If you prefer big motors, Made In America and think that lifting a truck is better than slamming a sport compact, check out the gallery below for all sorts of pickup-bed…
