Toyota
LA 2010: Toyota Corolla Debuts With Refreshed Face
1
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 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 2
Our second installment of the Best In Show series profiles the cars that made SEMA what it is – sport compacts. Yes, some of these cars push the boundaries of taste, but others are fairly creative and actually enhance the looks of the stock car. The dominant cars this year seemed to be the Mitsubishi…
SEMA 2010: NASCAR Edition Camry Trades Mundane for Muscle… and Mullets
Toyota products have often been criticized for being a bit too tame, lacking in enthusiasm while operating more like appliances. In an effort to distract from that reality, Toyota and the RK Collection have built a custom NASCAR edition Camry that does more than just look the part. Powered by a massive 358 ci TRD…
SEMA 2010: Toyota Prius C&A Custom Concept Gets Full Carbon Fiber Body
It may look a little a lot over the top, but beneath all that wild bodywork the C&A Custom Concept Toyota Prius is actually pretty cool. That may be hard to believe, but what if we told you almost the entire body of the car (excluding the doors) was crafted of light weight carbon fiber….
SEMA 2010: Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon Has Family Appeal, Vegas Style
Looking like a luxurious RV inside and a pimp Vegas stretched limo outside, Toyota couldn’t have picked a more perfect venue than the annual SEMA Show to unveil its Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme. The stretched Sienna takes Toyota’s new ‘Swagger Wagon’ to the extreme, after their viral music video of the stock van garnered over…
SEMA 2010: Toyota Yaris GT-S Club Racer Already a Proven Winner
With plenty of other blinged out rides at the 2010 SEMA Show, Toyota‘s Yaris GT-S Club Racer is a refreshing change of pace. There’s no big stereo system in the trunk, and it doesn’t make 500-hp. Instead, it’s a purpose built track car that’s not only ready to do battle in SCCA competition, but has…
NASCAR Edition Toyota Camry Revealed Ahead of SEMA With 680-HP V8
Building off of their success in NASCAR, Toyota has announced the RK Collection Camry NASCAR Edition show car, which will make its debut at SEMA next week. The special edition Camry is actually a two-door coupe and was developed by RK Collection, assisting Toyota Racing Development (TRD) realize the full potential of the Camry into…
Honda To Unveil Plug-In Hybrid, EV Concept At Los Angeles Auto Show
Despite pioneering the technology behind hydrogen fuel cells, Honda is lagging far behind arch-rival Toyota in the hybrid and electric vehicle segment. With the Toyota commanding over 70% of hybrid market share, and Honda’s Civic, Accord and Insight hybrid models all falling flat, the big H must do something quickly to avoid losing the segment…
Honda, Toyota Top Latest Reliabilty Study; Domestics Improve, European Brands Faulter
Consumer Reports has released its latest reliability study and while little has changed in respect to the industry-leading Asian brands, domestic automakers are catching up. Toyota and Honda each recorded the highest scores in five vehicle segments in the 2010 Annual Auto Survey, while General Motors posted considerable improvements while Ford is ranked best among…
Toyota SEMA Display to Include NASCAR Edition Camry, Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme
Toyota has just announced its list of eight show cars for the annual SEMA Expo, including everything from a custom Prius, to a NASCAR edition Camry, to several modified trucks and even a Sienna Swagger Wagon. Along with the vehicles, Toyota will have on hand NASCAR driver David Reutimann, NHRA Top Fuel driver Antron Brown,…
LA Auto Show Design Challenge Showcases 1,000 Pound Concepts
It’s amazing to see what a design team can do when they don’t have their arms tied by accountants. For the 2010 LA Auto Show‘s annual Design Challenge, automakers were invited to create a vehicle that is good for the environment, attractive and exciting to drive, but it also much be safe, seat four and…
Toyota To Repair “Shredding” Belts On 2010 Corolla, Matrix
Toyota is recalling 10,750 Corolla and Matrix models due to fault accessory belts, which drive the air conditioner, alternator and water pump. The defect is only present in models with the 1.8L four-cylinder which were assembled in North America between February and March of 2010. The belt is at risk of deteriorating, which could lead…
2012 Toyota Yaris/Vitz Revealed With More Dynamic Design, Increased Size
The Toyota Yaris is an excellent point A to point B vehicle, with excellent fuel economy and an attractive price. Plus, it’s a Toyota, so it’s reliable. That being said, the reasons to consider buying a Yaris have never included its looks. Toyota appears to be ready to change that, with new photos from a…
Prius MPV to Debut at Detroit Auto Show
Toyota seems to be catching on to this whole social media thing. Last week the automaker teased us with the Prius MPV on its Facebook page and now the folks in the PR department have used Twitter to announce that the second Prius model will debut at the Detroit Auto Show this January. The vehicle…
Risks Associated With Unintended Acceleration Minimal Says Panel of Experts
Feel free to let out a huge sigh of relief – a panel of experts investigating the causes of sudden acceleration heard on Monday that the risks of driving a recalled Toyota are minimal. Paul Fischbeck, a professor of social and decision sciences and engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, told the National…
Toyota/Tesla RAV4 EV Will Cost Toyota $60 Million
Toyota‘s initial investment of $50 million in its partnership with Tesla will also cost the company another $60 million in development costs needed to bring its RAV4 EV to market. The $60 million is, according to SEC filings, for services rendered by Tesla, and any future components will require additional funds. Tesla took over Toyota’s…
2012 Toyota Yaris/Vitz Revealed in Leaked Dealer Brochure
Thanks to a few scans of an internal Toyota dealer brochure, we have our first look at what the 2012 Yaris will look like. Toyota is planning a new Yaris model in a bid to keep up with the likes of the Honda Fit and an onslaught of new subcompact products from Chevy, Ford and…
Honda Retains ‘Greenest Automaker’ Title from Union of Concerned Scientists
Honda makes being green look easy. That’s why they are holding on to the “Greenest Automaker” title from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), making this their fifth year running. Honda squeaked ahead of Toyota and Hyundai (both tied for second), beating the two by just one point. “It was a photo finish, but Honda…
