japanese cars
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…
Honda Accord Hybrid Under Investigation for Braking Issues, ‘Unintended Acceleration’
The Honda Accord Hybrid is now the focus of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over possible faulty brakes and ‘unintended acceleration.’ NHTSA is currently looking into a crash involving a 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid, where the driver reports the brakes failed to work and the vehicle accelerated on its own,…
Mitsubishi Plug-In Hybrid SUV in the Works; Next-Gen EVO Also Slated to go Hybrid
After unveiling the U.S.-spec i-MiEV production car at the LA Auto Show last week, Mitsubishi has confirmed the electrification of its vehicles won’t end there. Next up is the Outlander SUV, which is set to get a plug-in hybrid powertrain when it launches in 2012. According to Mitsubishi electric vehicle manager Yoshikazu Nakamura, the next-gen…
Nissan Leaf Gets Official 99 MPG EPA Rating
The EPA has just released its fuel economy figures for the first mass-production electric car and the Nissan Leaf gets a very impressive 99-mpg. Better yet, that’s 99-mpg on average, with a 106-mpg city rating and 92-mpg listing for highway cruising. That number is well ahead of the former industry leader, the Toyota Prius, with…
Honda Planning Mid-Engine AWD Hybrid Sports Car as Successor to NSX
Honda is currently working to bring to market a new sports car that will serve as a successor to the famed NSX. According to a new report Honda never gave up on its plans for an NSX, but rather put a hold on development during the economic downturn. The next NSX won’t be at all…
LA 2010: 2012 Nissan GT-R; 530-HP and 0-60 in Under 3.0 Seconds [Video]
Rarely, if ever, does a mid-cycle refresh get the attention that it has with the new 2012 Nissan GT-R. But there’s a very good reason the GT-R is making headlines half way through its production cycle. A lot is new about this updated version of Nissan’s Porsche killer, and what’s most important might be the…
LA 2010: 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid Debuts With 360 Horsepower
Infiniti brought out their new M35h, a hybrid version of the M sedan, packing a big V6 motor and the ability to hit 40 mpg on the highway. With 360 horsepower and a 7-speed automatic transmission, the M35h can get up to highway speed quickly, and can even cruise as fast as 62 mph on…
LA 2010: 2012 Mazda5 Gets New Look, Larger Engine
After the car first broke cover in Euro-spec form at the Geneva Auto Show, Mazda has finally rolled out the second-generation of its Mazda5 model at the LA Auto Show. The car’s clever packaging has yet to catch on, which is surprising when it delivers as much space as a mid-size crossover and comes with…
LA 2010: Scion xB RS 8.0 is Boxy and Beautiful
Every auto show brings a Scion debut of some sort, and while we don’t always get to see a new tC or some wild concept, you can count on something from Toyota’s youth brand. Debuting at the LA Auto Show is the latest special edition of the popular xB model. Dubbed the xB Release Series…
LA 2010: Mazda Shinari Concept Puts Aston Martin Rapide to Shame
It’s been several months since Mazda first announced its new Shinari concept, but the car has finally made its world premiere at the LA Auto Show. Looking even more stunning in person, the Shinari shows just how capable Mazda’s design team is. In fact, there’s enough talent over at Mazda that we’d politely request they…
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: Honda Fit EV Electric Vehicle Concept Revealed: Heading to Production in 2012 [Video]
Honda has revealed its new electric vehicle concept at the LA Auto Show as an EV version of the Fit sub-compact. Classified as a concept for now, Honda will send the small electric city car into production for 2012. Later this year, Honda will begin testing the Fit EV Electric Vehicle Concept in a pilot…
LA 2010: Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Is Strange, May Cost $46,000 [Video]
In an industry filled with me-too entries and uniform designs, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is a bold, unique product that is sure to find a home in the driveway of exactly nobody. Sorry, it’s true. We hate to punish anyone for taking a risk – hell, we love to see big gambles succeed, just like…
LA 2010: Nissan Ellure Concept Previews Future Sedans [Video]
The press release for Nissan‘s Ellure concept invokes the name of the sacred Datsun 510, but while the 510 was a diminutive, boxy sports sedan, the Ellure is swoopy and muscular, like a futuristic Maxima. With a front end supposedly inspired by the formal coat worn by Samurai, Nissan asserts that the Ellure makes no…
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…
LA 2010: xB Release Series 8.0 Continues Scion’s Special Edition Trend
Scion may just have established itself as the only automaker on the planet with more special edition models than Bentley. Debuting today at the LA Auto Show, Scion has announced its eighth Release Series xB model. The Scion xB RS 8.0 comes with a four-piece bodykit designed by Kenstyle that adds some more aggression to…
Honda Stopping Sales Of Civic In Japan
In a move that would be unthinkable to most North American consumers, Honda will stop selling its ubiquitous Civic in Japan due to non-existant demand for the iconic compact. Japanese have been gravitating towards hybrids, ultra-compact cars and small minivans for some time now, leaving little room for the venerable Civic sedan, an extremely popular…
Subaru to Unveil Impreza Concept at LA Auto Show
Little has been said about Subaru in the lead-up to the LA Auto Show, with the Japanese automaker keeping tight-lipped about future product plans. Now we’ve received a teaser image of what Subaru calls the Concept in Motion (CIM). While Subaru is working on a new coupe with Toyota (the FT-86/ FR-S / Toyobaru), several…
Lexus IS-F May Join Australian V8 Supercars Racing Series
With Toyota not involved in Formula 1 any more, the company is looking for ways to promote itself in racing, while using the experience to improve its road cars. Rumors of Lexus joining the DTM series in Europe never came to fruition – which makes sense as Lexus is promoting itself as a “green” brand…
Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Revealed Ahead of LA Auto Show Debut
Nissan continues to push forward with its no-holds-barred approach to automotive design, unveiling a new two-door convertible version of its Murano SUV. Named the Murano CrossCabriolet, this bizarre new model follows on the heels of the launch of the tiny Juke crossover – criticized for its styling, but praised for its impressive engineering package. Believe…
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…
Nissan To Recall 605,000 Vehicles For Steering, Battery Issues
Nissan is set to recall 605,000 vehicles over defects with the steering system and vehicle batteries. The recall will comprise of 303,000 Frontiers, 283,000 Xterras and 18,500 Sentras from the year 2000 to the year 2010. The affected vehicles reside in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, with 85 percent of the cars…
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…
Scion Racing Celebrates Dominating World Challenge Season With Video Racap
When you think of Scion and racing, chances are you think of trends like Drifting and Time Attack. It may surprise you to learn, however, that over the year Scion has been involved in good old fashioned road racing too. The two car DG-Spec team competed all year in the SCCA’s World Challenge Touring Car…
