japanese cars
Mazda3 to Dethrone Holden Commodore as Australia’s Best Selling Car
With only about three weeks until 2012, the Australian car market could end 2011 with a new best-selling sedan for the first time in 15 years. Although the Holden Commodore has been Australia’s favorite and a sales leader since 1997, Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries revealed that the Mazda3 has currently sold 301 more…
Nissan Recalls Nearly Every Juke Sold For Door Lock, Turbocharger Defects
Nissan is recalling 118,000 Juke crossovers world wide due to a pair of defects that could pose problems for owners. Nissan says that the door locks could freeze in cold-weather, presenting an annoying problem for owners in cold climates. In addition, a boost pressure sensor on the turbocharger may malfunction, causing a check engine light…
2013 Scion FR-S: First Impressions
If you’re at all interested in the Scion FR-S/Toyota GT 86/Subaru BRZ then you’ve probably already read several reviews of some version of the car. Scion arranged for AutoGuide and a dozen other outlets to spend some solid time behind the wheel at Sodegaura Forest Raceway just an hour outside Tokyo, Japan. It wasn’t just…
Driving the Future of Honda
Ahead of the recent Tokyo Motor Show, Honda invited a group of journalists out to its Twin Ring Motegi race track facility for an information download on its future engines and transmissions, as well as a chance to get behind the wheel of some of the new products. Unfortunately, seat time was too minimal for…
Car and Driver Announces The 10Best Cars of 2012
Car and Driver’s annual 10Best Cars awards are back and while other publications focus on the best new cars of the year, what makes Car And Driver’s 10Best unique is its consideration of all vehicles that are currently on sale. The rules of the 10Best list state that winners from the previous year get an…
Subaru BRZ Turbocharging Rumors Surface
Sources from Subaru of America revealed of a turbo in development for the Subaru BRZ’s 2.0-liter flat-four FA20 engine. Compact in size, FA20’s square 86x86mm bore and stroke plus a trick D4S port and direct injection system allow the engine to produce 197-hp and 151 lb.-ft. of torque. No word on the turbo’s engine output,…
Honda Collection Hall Tour: Inside the Honda Museum
It’s every Honda fanboy’s dream and last week during a technical seminar and product presentation we were treated to a look inside the Honda Museum. Located at the Twin Ring Motegi race track, the Honda Collection Hall is an historical walk-through of the automaker’s street and race cars, as well as its even longer history…
Honda To Increase Exports From North American Plants
In order to counter currency and geographical volatility, Honda announced the use of North American assembly facilities to produce vehicles for export. After experiencing earthquake, tsunami, and yen fluctuation, many Japanese automakers are discussing methods of minimizing the export output of domestic assembly plants and increasing product assembly overseas. Honda CEO Takanobu Ito tells Automotive…
2011 Tokyo Motor Show Concept Cars Video
If there’s one thing you can count on from the Tokyo Motor Show, it’s wild and wacky concept cars – and lots of them. This year’s event didn’t disappoint either. Among the list of very cool concepts are cars like the Honda EV-Ster electric roadster, a NISMO-tuned Nissan Juke, the near-production and beautiful Mazda Takeri,…
Nissan Juke NISMO Concept Video – First Look: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
It might not be the GT-R powered Juke R, but Nissan‘s Juke NISMO Concept is a strong indication that the Japanese automaker is planning a higher-performance version of the sport cross. From styling components, to handling upgrades and power adders, the NISMO-tuned Juke takes the sub-compact crossover’s fun level to the next level. GALLERY: Nissan…
Top 10 Cars of the Tokyo Motor Show
The only non-Japanese car to make our Top 10 cars list of the Tokyo Motor Show, the Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept was also one of the few true surprises. While a show car, it makes use of an all-new VW platform, an impressive AWD plug-in hybrid system, while also taking a look at the future…
Mitsubishi PX-MiEV II Moves Hybrid Crossover Closer to Production: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV II is, as the name suggests, the second in a line of concepts previewing a future hybrid crossover by the brand. Looking significantly more production ready than the last version, the crossover concept gets a plug-in hybrid system with an electric motor at the rear wheels…
Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept Video – First Look: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
A stylish look at the future of Subaru’s hybrid tech, the Advanced Tourer Concept is one of several Tokyo Motor Show debuts for the Japanese automaker. A wild looking wagon, it’s powered by a turbocharged direct-injection 4-cylinder boxer engine mated to an in-house hybrid drivetrain, working with Subaru’s all-wheel drive system. GALLERY: Subaru Advanced Tourer…
Suzuki Concept Cars are Cuter than Hello Kitty: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
There’s the Honda N-Box and the Daihatsu Pico, but nothing at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show can compare to the extreme levels of cuteness on display at the Suzuki booth. In total, Suzuki has presented three new concept cars, ranging from near-production to downright absurd. In the latter category is the Q Concept (above), which…
Nissan Leaf NISMO is an Electric Tuner Car: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
While Honda and Toyota have been messing around with electric car concepts for quite some time now, Nissan has been selling the Leaf EV for a whole year now. Aiming to display its expertise in electric vehicles, the company’s Tokyo Motor Show display included a slew of emissions free models, ranging from the PIVO 3…
Mitsubishi Mirage Looks Like 3-Cylinders of Mediocrity: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Mitsubishi has officially unveiled its new global small car, which is expected to help expand the brand’s lineup in North America. Bringing back the Mirage badge this sub-compact offering is just 146-inches in length, or roughly a foot shorter than the Honda Fit. Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the display car features a 1.0-liter…
Toyota Previews Future Electric, Fuel Cell Models [Video]: 2011 Tokyo Auto Show
Sharing Toyota‘s stage with the production Prius Plug-in Hybrid at the Tokyo Motor Show are two eco-conscious concept cars that give a clear hint as the the automaker’s future green car plans. The FT-EV III Concept is a near production electric city car, that will go on sale next year (branded as a Scion in…
Nissan Juke Vs. Datsun 510 Duke It Out In The Dirt [Video]
The automotive world is filled with comparison tests, but these usually are held between two or more cars that are currently on sale. What Inside Line did was pit an old Datsun 510 versus a new Nissan Juke. You might think that the Juke would have an unfair advantage, but the 510 they brought out…
Honda Civic’s U.S. Failure Is CEO’s Responsibility
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito stepped up and assumed responsibility for the Honda Civic’s miserable start in the United States, telling Automotive News that “The ultimate responsibility rests with me.” The Civic was left off the Consumer Reports list of recommended vehicles, a rarity for any Honda product. Cheap interior materials were blamed, and many reviewers reported…
Toyota Aiming For 1 Million Hybrid Sales By 2015
The head of Toyota‘s Prius program thinks that Toyota will be able to sell as many as 1 million hybrids anually by 2015. Satoshi Ogiso, who was responsible for developing the original Prius, said that hybrids could sell as many as 2 million units by 2020. Toyota Hybrid sales topped out at 690,000 in 2010,…
Subaru BRZ Video – First Look: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
The sister car to Toyota’s GT 86 sports coupe, the Subaru BRZ and its sibling were both unveiled today at the Tokyo Motor Show. Sharing the same underpinnings and with nearly identical bodywork and interiors, both cars come powered by the same direct-injection 4-cylinder boxer engine delivering around 200-hp. GALLERY: Subaru BRZ GALLERY: Subaru BRZ…
Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept Previews Subie’s First Hybrid: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Overwhelming proof that wagons, and for that matter hybrids, can in fact be cool, is the Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept. Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show today, the car is powered by the next evolution of Subaru’s hybrid powertrain that is expected to arrive in a production model in 2013. A followup to the Hybrid…
Toyota Prius c Revealed with Over 50 MPG Rating: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
Unveiled as the Aqua at the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota will soon offer this small hybrid in North America as the fourth member of the Prius family of vehicles. Billed as the Prius c for the U.S. this Yaris-based machine is powered by a 1.5-liter Hybrid Synergy Drive engine which Toyota claims will achieve as…
Honda Electric SH-AWD to be Paired with Hybrid V6, 7-Speed Dual Clutch
Known for its technology innovations, Honda’s R&D efforts have been somewhat lackluster as of late. The Japanese automaker appears to have turned a corner, however, announcing a long list of new engines and technologies. Easily the most revolutionary is an electric SH-AWD system that will be paired with a new V6 hybrid powertrain and 7-speed…
