japanese cars
Honda Targets 30 Percent CO2 Reduction by 2020
As a part of the company’s latest environmental report, Honda has committed to an ambitious 30 percent CO2 emissions reduction strategy by 2020. This bold new objective follows a similar goal laid out in 2006 wherein Honda targeted a 10 percent emissions reduction in its vehicles, motorcycles and power equipment by 2010 – compared to…
Honda Beat Successor Rumored With Dual-Clutch Transmission
Beat it, just Beat it! Honda is looking to revive its adorable, legendary (adoregendary?) kei-class convertible, the Lilliputian Beat, this time with motorcycle technology. The last Beat was built from 1991 to 1996 and featured a 650cc engine in the middle, three cylinders, 63 horsepower, rear-wheel drive, and a name that endlessly amuses Westerners. The…
Honda Accord Nears One Million Mile Mark
Joe of Norway, Maine has hit a new record in his 1990 Honda Accord: he’s about to reach over one million miles in it over the past 15 years. Enough to send him into orbit around the moon, twice. That averages to 14,000 miles every three months—usually what people drive in a year. His odometer…
Nissan Leaf NISMO RC Electrifies Le Mans [Video]
One of the most hallowed racetracks in the world recently got an electric shave, and not just from a weedwhacker. The Nissan Leaf NISMO RC, which debuted at the New York Auto Show a few months prior, finally got a thrashing around the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was quiet, yet not entirely unexciting. Nissan’s Chief…
Toyota Repossesses Murdered Mother’s Camry, Gives It Back Later
24-year old Aaron Knudsen, sadly, has a lot to deal with right now. His mother was murdered by her estranged boyfriend in May, and between dealing with investigators and grieving over the loss of a family member, he also had to deal with outstanding payments on her mother’s 2005 Toyota Camry. Police investigators had impounded the…
Lexus LS460 Touring Edition Launched, Priced From $73,000
Japanese luxury car brand Lexus seems to be taking note of what its German rivals are able to do successfully, that is selling models with appearance packages for what would otherwise be boring luxury sedans. So now Lexus has taken the LS460 sedan, which is an incredible luxury sedan, but lacks visual character, and added…
Nissan Lafesta Highway STAR Is A Rebadged Mazda5
Car companies are no strangers when it comes to collaborating on a vehicle and selling it in different markets. Case in point, what we call the Mitsubishi Outlander, in France is sold as the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroen C-crosser. Typically, such collaborations start from the very beginning, but that is not the case with…
Prius PHEV to Gain Driver-Selectable EV Only Mode, Full Regenerative Braking
When Toyota‘s Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle finally makes it to market next year it will come with two new features that weren’t on the prototype we first drove last October. The first of the tech additions will be a driver-selectable EV mode, while the second will be a full regenerative braking system. Allow us to…
Sebastian Vettel Edition Infiniti IPL G37 Coupe on its Way [video]
Infiniti’s Performance Line (IPL) seems to be a little bit underwhelming right now, but it looks like the luxury car manufacturer is continuing to push forward to prove their IPL G37 Coupe can be a total blast to drive. By teaming up with Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull’s Formula One defending champion, Infiniti is planning to…
Mazda CX-5 Diesel Makes Over 300 Lb-Ft of Torque; But Will We Get it?
Mazda has confirmed the Minagi-inspired CX-5 will be sold in North America and execs have also revealed that in the future the company will sell a diesel-powered model on our shores. Are these two announcements one in the same? We’ll have to wait and see. Regardless of what package it comes in, details of Mazda’s…
Mazda Recalls Nearly 500,000 Mazda3 Models
Mazda has announced a recall for its Mazda3 model, which is also sold under the name Axela in Japan. The recall affects 494,500 units globally with roughly 157,700 in North America. The recall surrounds an electronic problem that could prevent the windshield wipers from working. Affected vehicles include those between the 2008 and 2010 model…
Scion Flash Mob Invades Montreal During Canadian Grand Prix [Video]
The Scion brand is still in its infancy in Canada and as with all things, getting the word out can be tough. If you’re in the marketing business, the perfect situation would be a captive and receptive audience; and one you can reach for very few dollars spent. With that in mind, Scion Canada’s marketing…
Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid Might Be Coming To America
Suzuki cars might not be the strongest selling product in North America, but that might just change if and when they introduce the Swift PHEV. This Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is planned to go into production in 2013 for the Japanese market, and rumors suggest it will be on sale in North America also,…
Mugen CR-Z Makes Video Debut
With the first photos of the Mugen-tuned CR-Z hitting the net a few weeks ago, the European division of the famed Honda tuner has now released a short video profiling the concept car. While it doesn’t have the K24 many a Honda fanboy had been begging for, its powerplant might just be better, with a…
Subaru Impreza Hits Hay Bale, Flips at Lapping Day [Video]
If you believe the saying that any publicity is good publicity, then the Canadian Sport Compact Series should be thrilled about this video. Then again, maybe not. Taken during a lapping day at Toronto Motorsports Park (formerly Cayuga) just North of Buffalo, the driver of a Subaru Impreza RS runs wide heading onto the front…
Nissan Testing Roadside Assistance Charger Vehicle for EVs in Japan
In Nissan‘s continuing effort to relieve range anxiety, the automaker has now announced a joint project with the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) to test out a roadside assistance vehicle capable of recharging electric vehicles. “As EVs gain wider consumer acceptance, it is important to create a roadside assistance system that can help motorists driving EVs…
Suzuki WagonR Is Japan’s Best Selling Car In May
In North America, Suzuki does very well as a motorcycle brand, but when it comes to cars, hardly anybody buys them. Many believe, that if Suzuki one day decides to abandon selling cars on this continent, no one will miss it. In Japan however, it is a different story. Suzuki cars are still very popular…
Mazda CX-5 Due Out Next Year
Mazda‘s new CX-5 crossover will arrive at dealers next year, expanding the brand’s crossover range to three models. With a spate of auto shows between now and then, the brand’s smallest ‘ute could debut at any venue from Frankfurt in September all the way to the New York Auto Show the following March. The car…
Mazda to End U.S. Car Production in 2013
Mazda will cut ties with Ford and cease production of vehicles in the U.S. around 2013, relying instead on its manufacturing facilities in Japan and Mexico. The automaker is reportedly looking to end its joint venture with Ford Motor Co., as it looks to make major changes in its production system. Currently both Mazda and…
Top 10 Selling Cars in May: Honda and Toyota Absent from List
The May auto industry sales numbers are in and things continue to look down for Honda and Toyota. Both brands saw big drops in their May sales, with Honda down 23 percent and Toyota down 33 percent. While the earthquake and tsunami are to blame for supply issues, it’s hard to ignore the fact that…
Subaru FT-86 Variant Won’t Get a Turbo: Report
Subaru’s version of the Toyota FT-86 front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports coupe will finally debut at this December’s Tokyo Auto Show. Toyota will sell its version as a Scion in the U.S. As for the Subaru model, well, according to the latest reports, there won’t be a powerful, turbocharged STI version. Subaru has planned to produce…
Lexus LFA Rumors Point to Even Higher Performance Version
Those that have been fortunate enough to witness the Lexus LFA’s brilliance first hand know just how potent and magnificent of a machine it is. Even though some will debate whether or not it’s worth the price tag, we’re pretty confident owners are more than satisfied with their purchase. Be that as it may, Lexus…
FT-86 Rumored to Wear ‘Celica’ Badge
Perhaps the fact that there’s more interest in the car’s name than what’s under the hood is a sign that the Toyota FT-86 will be a bigger hit with hard-parkers than track fanatics. According to an unsubstantiated report by the notoriously rumor-filled AutoCar, the FT-86 could wear the ‘Celica’ badge when it makes in to…
Toyota Prius Recalled for Power Steering Issue
Toyota has announced a recall on its first generation Prius models for an issue with the power steering system. The recall affects 52,000 Prius vehicles from the 2001 to 2003 model year sold in the U.S. In total 106,000 Prius models are included in the safety bulletin globally. According to a statement released by Toyota,…
