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July 1, 2009

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars in June 2009 Were....

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Today is officially the start of July and with that comes the sales numbers for the month of June. While we wait for all the official numbers, here are the top ten best-selling vehicles last month:

* Ford F-Series: 35,915
* Toyota Camry: 26,394
* Chevy Silverado: 24,766
* Honda Accord: 23,995
* Honda Civic: 20,954
* Toyota Corolla: 19,935
* Ford Fusion: 18,561
* Nissan Altima: 16,350
* Ford Escape: 15,385
* Chevy Impala: 14,931

Of course the Ford F-Series continues to dominate the list. Ford as a whole also had the most top models with the F-Series, Fusion and Escape all making the list. Missing from the list is the recently redesigned Dodge Ram.

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June 29, 2009

GM Ends NUMMI Partnership with Toyota After 25 Years of Production

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GM has announced plans to end its 25 year New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota.

The plant currently produces the Pontiac Vibe and has produced other GM vehicles such as the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm in the past. Production of the Vibe will end at the plant in August. GM and Toyota could not come to an agreement on a product plan that made sense for both parties.

It's not known what this announcement will mean for the Fremont, CA plant that also produces the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma.

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June 22, 2009

Lexus Leads 2009 JD Power Initial Quality Study

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J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) with Lexus taking the lead this year with only 84 problems per 100 vehicles.

This year's top five nameplates were Lexus followed by Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai and Honda. Hyundai managed to move up to the number 4 spot from 13th position in 2008 and Cadillac moved up from the 10th spot in 2008.

Suzuki managed to have the most gains this year moving up to the 9th spot from the 32nd spot last year.

The study also claims that domestic automakers improved their quality by 10 percent compared to 2008, which is higher than the 8 percent industry average.

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June 11, 2009

Toyota Has No Plans to Restart Camry Solara Production

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Last summer Toyota decided to kill the slow-selling Camry Solara Coupe, but continued production of the drop-top version. Production of the drop-top Solara stopped in December, but Toyota had hoped to restart production.

"I think there was some hope that eventually during the spring/summer months the market would bear a need," says TEMA spokesman Rick Hesterberg. "We kept the tooling, just waiting to see, but that never came to fruition."

It was originally planned that the Solara Convertible would remain in production for another two years since Toyota did not have any other convertibles in its lineup. Apparently there were also some buyers that still desired the car.

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May 15, 2009

Toyota Receives 75,000 Orders for the 2010 Prius

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Toyota has received 75,000 orders for the all-new Prius according to the Nikkei business daily, which means its going to be a fierce battle between the new Prius and the Honda Insight.

The Honda Insight was launched in Japan in February and in three months Honda has sold almost 20,000 units, which has surpassed Honda's initial goals. The Insight was also Japan's best-selling vehicle last month.

The new Prius will be on sale here later this month with a starting price of $21,750 including destination fees.

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May 13, 2009

Toyota Cuts Annual Production to Lowest Level in 7 Years

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Toyota has announced that the automaker will cut production this year by 28 percent to its lowest level in seven years.

Slow sales mean that Toyota will produce 6.68 million vehicles in 2009, down from 9.24 million in 2008.

"We expect the severe conditions to continue this year," said Toyota spokeswoman Ryoko Nishinohara.

Toyota also expects the fiscal year ending in March 2010 to be its worst year ever, forecasting a net loss of $5.7 billion (550 billion yen). In contrast in the fiscal year ending in March 2008, Toyota had a record profit of 1.72 trillion yen.

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April 24, 2009

Lexus Announces the Pricing for the 2010 Lexus RX450h and the IS Convertible

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Lexus has announced the pricing for the 2010 Lexus RX450h and Lexus IS250C and IS350C.

The RX450h hybrid starts at $41,660 for the FWD model and the AWD starts at $43,250. The RX 450h is powered by a 3.5L Atkinson V6 engine mated to a hybrid system that puts out a total 295 horsepower. The FWD model achieves 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway while the AWD achieves 30 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway.

The convertible version of the IS is powered by the same 204-hp 2.5L V6 and 306-hp 3.5L V6 as the sedan. It features a three-panel roof that opens in 20 seconds. The IS250C starts at $38,490 with the six-speed manual, the IS250C with the six-speed automatic transmission starts at $39,660 and the IS350C starts at $43,940.

The IS250C and IS350C will be available in late May and the RX450h will be available in mid-summer.

Continue reading "Lexus Announces the Pricing for the 2010 Lexus RX450h and the IS Convertible" »

April 22, 2009

2010 Toyota Prius Starts at $21,000

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Toyota has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius that will hit showrooms late next month.

The third-generation Prius starts at $21,000 and will be offered in five trim levels.

The 2010 Prius is powered by a 1.8L Atkinson-cycle, four cylinder engine that puts out 98 horsepower. Combined with the electric motor, the new Prius puts out a combined 134 horsepower, which is 24 more than the old model. Fuel economy ratings are 51 city/ 48 highway and 50 mpg combined.

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April 17, 2009

Ford Surpasses Honda In Initial Quality and Ties Toyota

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Ford has released a new study today that claims that the automaker's initial quality is better than Honda and that it is now in a tie with Toyota.

According to the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) survey conducted quarterly for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Ford is now statistically tied with Toyota at the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality.

The survey measured two things, the number of things gone wrong and customer satisfaction with vehicle quality over the first three months of ownership.

Ford's initial quality has improved five percent over last year.

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April 13, 2009

IIHS Tests Subcompacts Against Midsize Sedans and the Results Are Not Great

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The IIHS has released the crash test results involving three subcompact/ minicars into a midsize sedan from the same automaker and the results are not pretty.

Normally crash test results involve a vehicle crashing into a deformable barrier, which most of the time is not accurate in the real world. Most crashes involve two vehicles crashing into each other. In these three tests the IIHS chose pairs of vehicles from Daimler, Honda and Toyota due to their subcompact models earning good frontal crashworthiness ratings. The Honda Fit, Smart Fortwo and Toyota Yaris all earned good ratings in the Institute's offset test into a deformable barrier, but all three performed poorly in the frontal collisions with midsize cars.

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Toyota A-BAT Concept to Remain a Concept...At Least for Now

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Toyota unveiled the A-BAT Concept last year and according to sources it had been given the green light, but thanks to the current state of the auto industry, plans have been put on hold.

The Advanced Breakthrough Aero Truck "A-BAT" featured a unibody platform and hybrid powertrain in a small compact pickup truck. The concept also featured a cab forward design to maximize rear cargo space.

“We have a lot of top priorities right now, and A-BAT isn’t one of them,” Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales USA vice president and general manager, said at the New York auto show. “The market has changed dramatically over the last 12 months. We always keep reprioritizing – under good economic or recessionary times – what our planning is. [For now], it’s on the shelf.”

One of the main factors for the reason to put the model on hold probably has to do with the decline in new truck sales.

Continue reading "Toyota A-BAT Concept to Remain a Concept...At Least for Now" »

April 2, 2009

Toyota Reportedly Cutting the Price of the Prius to Compete with the Insight in Japan...US Next?

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Toyota is reportedly cutting the price of the new Prius in Japan to be more competitive with its newest competitor the Honda Insight.

According to reports, Toyota has told its dealerships that Prius would be set at 2.05 million yen, which translates to about $20,750 U.S. In the U.S. the Honda Insight starts at $20,450, but the Prius has more room and better fuel economy, but a fully-loaded Prius goes for over $30K. Additionally Toyota is going to keep selling the current generation Prius alongside the new generation in Japan. The outgoing Prius starts even lower at 1.89 million yen ($19,130 US).

U.S. pricing for the Prius has yet to be announced, but if Toyota lowers the price here as well the hybrid wars could get even more crazy.

Continue reading "Toyota Reportedly Cutting the Price of the Prius to Compete with the Insight in Japan...US Next?" »

April 1, 2009

What Were the Top 10 Best-Selling Vehicles in March 2009?

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Of course March sales were down last month compared to March 2008 with GM down 45 percent. For the most part most of the major automakers posted a better month than February, but the sales were still dismal.

Here's the list of the top ten best-selling vehicles last month. Of course most of the same models are listed:

-Ford F-Series: 32,728
-Toyota Camry: 25,783
-Chevy Silverado: 23,508
-Honda Accord: 22,722
-Toyota Corolla: 22,257
-Honda Civic: 20,645
-Nissan Altima: 19,521
-Dodge Ram: 19,328
-Chevy Malibu: 14,772
-Honda CR-V: 12,959

Continue reading "What Were the Top 10 Best-Selling Vehicles in March 2009?" »

March 25, 2009

Toyota's New Low-Cost Hybrid Will be Based off the Yaris

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After weeks of speculation about a new low-cost Toyota hybrid, it's finally been confirmed that Toyota is indeed working on a new cheaper hybrid that will fit in below the Prius.

The new hybrid is going to use the same Hybrid Synergy drivetrain as the new Prius installed in the Yaris platform. This is obviously an answer to the Honda Insight that is cheaper than the Prius. Honda is also planning a hybrid Fit, so the new Yaris-based hybrid would also go head to head with that vehicle.

Toyota's new cheaper hybrid could be on the market by 2011 at the earliest.

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March 24, 2009

IIHS Announces New Roof Strength Tests...Small SUVs are Tested First

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test.

More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans.

In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.

Only 4 of the small SUVs earned the top rating of good: VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot. the VW Tiguan had the strongest roof out of all the SUVs tested. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Mitsubishi Outlander are rated acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia Sportage received a poor rating.

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March 23, 2009

Upcoming Toyota RWD Coupe to Revive Celica Name?

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The latest reports claim that Toyota and Subaru's on/off again jointly developed sports car is back on. According to L'Automobile Toyota is going to revive the Celica name for the Toyota version of the coupe.

L'Automobile claims that Thierry Dombreval, Toyota's VP of sales and marketing in France released the details on the name of the new coupe. No other source has released any details, so we'll have to wait and see if Toyota is actually going to revive the Celica.

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March 18, 2009

Toyota Developing a Prius Coupe Dubbed the MR2 to Compete with the Honda CR-Z?

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According to Auto Express the once loved MR2 is making a comeback, but not as the small mid-engined roadster like the last generation. Instead Toyota is going to apply the MR2 name to a new performance hybrid that would be similar to the upcoming Honda CR-Z.

The small coupe would feature rear-wheel-drive, a paddleshift gearbox and a specially developed version of the Prius’s hybrid powertrain.

Toyota executive vice president Masatami Takimoto recently told Auto Express: “We are aware of the fondness with which the MR2 is held in the UK and Europe, and are developing a small hybrid sports car.

“We have set a tough price point (expected to be around £20,000), as it will be easier to sell if it is affordable. It has to be fun to drive, too, which means the hybrid set-up must be different to the Prius’s, with greater responsiveness.”

It's also rumored that the revived MR2 hybrid will draw styling cues from the Toyota FT-HS sports car concept.

Continue reading "Toyota Developing a Prius Coupe Dubbed the MR2 to Compete with the Honda CR-Z?" »

Scion to Unveil a Micro-Subcompact in New York

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After much speculation, Scion has officially announced the introduction of a micro-subcompact concept car at the 2009 New York International Auto Show.

The concept is supposed to represent a new segment for the brand and is largely expected to be a Scion badged version of the Toyota iQ. It's also expected that the production version will be dubbed the Scion tD.

Stay tuned...

Continue reading "Scion to Unveil a Micro-Subcompact in New York" »

March 16, 2009

Toyota's Residual Values are Dropping Faster than its Competitors

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For years Toyota and Honda have been able to boast that their vehicles retain their value longer than their many of their competitors due to their higher perceived quality, but times are changing.

At the end of 2008 a three-year old Toyota was worth 46.5% of its value compared to 50.5% two years earlier. Critics are suggesting that the reason Toyota's residuals are dropping is due to a growing awareness of quality issues. Large SUV and truck values have been hit very hard across the industry and Toyota is no exception with values dropping from over 60% to 45.4%. Tundra residual values have managed to drop from 59.5% a year ago to 40.1%. Tundra residual values are still higher than the Silverado and F-150 at 39.8% and 32.2% respectively.

The main issue for automakers is that residual values are tied to lease rates. Monthly payments for leased vehicles are largely based on their expected residual value. When a vehicle loses more of its value than expected, the automaker has to eat that loss.

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March 3, 2009

2010 Toyota Prius Officially Rated with a 50MPG Combined Rating

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The EPA has officially rated the 2010 Toyota Prius at 50 mpg combined fuel-economy rating.

According to Toyota the all-new Prius offers more power, room, performance and better mileage. The 2010 Prius is powered by a 1.8L 4-cylinder that puts out 98 hp. Combined with the electric motor, the Prius puts out a total of 134 horsepower, which is 24 more than the last generation.

For the first time the Prius offers three different driving modes. EV Mode allows driving on the battery alone for up to a mile. Power Mode increases throttle sensitivity, giving the Prius a slightly sportier feel. Eco Mode helps drivers achieve better gas mileage.

The 2010 Prius will be on sale next month.

Stay tuned for the pricing.

Continue reading "2010 Toyota Prius Officially Rated with a 50MPG Combined Rating" »

February 27, 2009

Geneva 09' Preview: Toyota iQ with 99 HP Headed to the Show

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Toyota unveiled the iQ last year with an impressive 65.7 mpg, 55 mpg in the US. But a not so impressive 67 horsepower. So Toyota is bringing a more powerful version to the Geneva Motor Show next week.

The more powerful iQ will be powered by a 99 horsepower 1.3L VVTi engine with 58.9 mpg (49 in the US) when mated to the six-speed manual transmission. When the engine is mated to the Multidrive automatic transmission it gets 55.4 mpg (46 mpg in the states).

The more powerful iQ will be on sale in Europe this July.

Continue reading "Geneva 09' Preview: Toyota iQ with 99 HP Headed to the Show" »

February 26, 2009

Subaru-Toyota RWD Coupe Put on Hold

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Subaru and Toyota have reportedly been working on a pair of small RWD compact coupes that were going to be released by the end of 2011. Now it looks like the project has been put on indefinite hold due to the economy.

The 2+2 compact coupe was expected to use a version of the Subaru Impreza's platform, including the horizontally opposed boxer engine and transmission. The Subaru and Toyota versions would have had different exterior designs.

Continue reading "Subaru-Toyota RWD Coupe Put on Hold" »

February 23, 2009

Toyota HC-CV Unveiled at the Melbourne Auto Show

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Toyota has unveiled the HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) at the 2009 Melbourne Motor Show.

Next year Toyota Australia is going to begin local production of the Camry Hybrid and to publicize it, Toyota has created the HC-CV for the show. The concept is basically the 2010 Camry Hybrid wish a modified front fascia, new wheels, decals and new leather seats with a wave-like graphic reminiscent of the Hybrid Synergy Drive logo.

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February 15, 2009

2010 Toyota Camry Starts at $20,115

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Toyota unveiled a slightly revised 2010 Toyota Camry at the Detroit Auto Show last month and now the pricing for the best-selling car in the U.S. has been announced. The 2010 Toyota Camry starts at $20,115, which includes a handling fee of $720.

The 2010 Camry gets a new front fascia, which includes a new bumper, grille and lower intakes. The base 4-cylinder is now a 2.5L that puts out 169 horsepower in the standard, LE and XLE grades. The 4-cylinder SE puts out 179 horsepower.

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February 3, 2009

GM Sales Plunge 49 Percent, Ford 40 and Toyota 32 Percent

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The sales numbers from last month have been released and they are not good. Nearly every major automaker was down in January compared to January 08'.

Chrysler lead the pact with a 55 percent drop last month. GM's sales were off by 49 percent and Ford declined 40 percent.

Japan's major automakers didn't escape the dismal auto sales with Toyota being down 32 percent, Nissan's sales were down 30 and Honda's were off by 28 percent.

The news wasn't bad for everyone though with Subaru posting an 8 percent increase, its second month in the row of sales increases. Hyundai also posted a 14 percent sales increase. Hyundai attributed its sales improvement to its new program which will take a owner's car back if they lose their job in the first 12 months of ownership.

"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns — fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said in a statement.

Continue reading "GM Sales Plunge 49 Percent, Ford 40 and Toyota 32 Percent" »

February 2, 2009

Plug-In Toyota Prius Will Average 65 MPG in 2010

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Toyota unveiled the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius at the Detroit Auto Show last month. Initially the new Prius will only be offered with the current nickel-metal hydride batteries, but sometime in 2010 a plug-in Prius will be introduced.

According to Bill Reinert, Toyota Motor Sales USA’s national alternative-fuel vehicle manager, the Prius plug-in hybrid has been averaging 65 mpg in combined gas and electic mode testing.

“That is real-world driving,” Reinert told Automotive News. “I ask my guys to drive them as you drive your normal Prius.”

The non plug-in hybrid 2010 Prius gets an estimated combined 50 mpg.

Continue reading "Plug-In Toyota Prius Will Average 65 MPG in 2010" »

January 23, 2009

Toyota May Sell the Current Prius and the Next-Gen Side-by-Side in Japan

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Toyota officially unveiled the all-new 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month. Japan’s Nikkei is now claiming that Toyota is going to keep the current Prius in production even when the next-gen is launched later this year.

The main reason for possibly keeping the current Prius alive is because Honda also unveiled their new hybrid, the Insight and its going to start at a lower price point than even the current Prius. The next-gen Prius is expected to go up in price and if Toyota were to continue producing the current Prius, the automaker could remain competitive. Toyota plans gutting the interior of the current Prius to make it even cheaper.

Toyota's press office in Tokyo refused to respond to the Nikkei story. "We don't comment on future models."

Continue reading "Toyota May Sell the Current Prius and the Next-Gen Side-by-Side in Japan" »

January 16, 2009

Toyota to Cut More North American Production

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Toyota has announced plans to further cut its production in order to bring its inventory levels under control. The automaker wants to reduce its current inventory by half.

“This is a tough environment, and it may continue for a while,” said Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America.

Toyota's Jim Lentz recently told the Automotive News that inventory levels should be in line with demand by May.

Toyota announced plans earlier this month to idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March due to the declining U.S. demand.

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January 13, 2009

Toyota Set to Launch 10 New Hybrid Models by 2010

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Toyota, not to be outdone by Honda unveiled the third-generation Prius and Lexus' first dedicated hybrid the HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this week.

During the unveiling of the 2010 Prius, Toyota provided more details about its current hybrid plans. Toyota plans on selling 1 million hybrids per year sometime in 2010. In order to reach its lofty goal, Toyota is planning on introducing 10 new hybrid models by 2010. Two of them are the new Prius and HS 250h.

In addition to launching 10 new hybrids, Toyota also announced the introduction of 500 Prius plug-in hybrids that will be globally leased later this year. The plan was originally planned for 2010. Out of the 500 lithium-ion powered plug-ins 150 are destined for the U.S.

The 500 plug-in Prius will be used for market and engineering analysis.

Continue reading "Toyota Set to Launch 10 New Hybrid Models by 2010" »

2010 Lexus HS 250h Not Headed to Europe

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Lexus officially unveiled its first dedicated hybrid, the 2010 HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this month.

The HS 250h is expected in U.S. showrooms this summer, but it looks like Europe is not going to be getting the new hybrid.

“The HS 250h is intended mainly for North America and Japan, sales are not currently planned for Europe,” said Serge Gachot, head of Toyota Motor Europe marketing communications.

Other sources are saying that one of the main reasons for not selling the car in Europe is because its CO2 emissions are very close to the IS 220d.

The 2010 Lexus HS 250h shares some of its mechanicals with the new Prius and is powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, mated to a 187-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Overall the HS 250h is slightly longer than the IS and a little wider than the ES.

Continue reading "2010 Lexus HS 250h Not Headed to Europe" »

January 12, 2009

Detroit 09': 2010 Toyota Prius Officially Unveiled with 50 MPG Combined Rating

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Toyota officially unveiled the 2010 Toyota Prius at the Detroit Auto Show today.

The third-generation Prius is larger, more powerful and gets better gas mileage than the last generation. For starters the Prius engine has been enlarged from 1.5L to 1.8L. It's also notable that the engine is the first Toyota powerplant to not use any belts (the water pump is now electric). Although the engine has been enlarged, the Prius now gets a combined mpg rating of 50 mpg, which is up from the 46 mpg rating of the last generation.

The overall styling of the new Prius is easily recognizable as a Prius, but with slightly more aggressive styling than the last generation. The new Prius also has the world's lowest coefficient of drag (Cd) at .25.

For the first time a moonroof is available with roof mounted solar panels that power the ventilation system. The system helps keep the car cool even when it is off, which helps reduce the stress on the air conditioning system once the car is in use.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 2010 Prius will be in showrooms this spring.

Continue reading "Detroit 09': 2010 Toyota Prius Officially Unveiled with 50 MPG Combined Rating" »

January 11, 2009

Detroit 09': 2010 Toyota Camry Makes its Debut

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Toyota has unveiled the revised the 2010 Toyota Camry in Detroit.

For 2010 the standard engine in the Camry is a new 2.5L engine. The Camry LE and XLE equipped with the 2.5L puts out 169 horsepower and in the SE it puts out 179. The 2.5L can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.

The exterior changes to the gas powered Camry include a new grille, front bumper, lager headlights and revised taillights. The Camry Hybrid gets a new unique hybrid grille, a distinct front bumper, a wider lower intake, restyled fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The revised (boring) 2010 Camry will be available this March.

Continue reading "Detroit 09': 2010 Toyota Camry Makes its Debut" »

Detroit 09': 2010 Lexus HS250h...Lexus First Dedicated Hybrid

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Lexus has officially unveiled its first dedicated hybrid, the Lexus HS250h. The compact sedan shares many of its mechanicals with the third-generation Prius that is also being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show.

The 2010 Lexus HS250h is powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, mated to a 187-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Overall the HS250h is slightly longer than the IS and a little wider than the ES.

Inside Lexus newest hybrid comes equipped with leather seats, moonroof, Lexus premium audio systems, and a new standard multi-media package. A new Hard Disk Navigation system is also available a retractable navigation screen. There is also a new wide-view front monitor that uses a camera mounted in the front of the car to provide a 190-degree front view via the navigation screen.

The 2010 HS250h will be in dealerships by late summer.

Continue reading "Detroit 09': 2010 Lexus HS250h...Lexus First Dedicated Hybrid" »

January 7, 2009

Detroit 09' Preview: Scion Announces the 2009 xB Release Series 6.0

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Scion has announced the next edition of its "Release Series" models, the xB Release Series 6.0 that will be displayed at the Detroit Auto Show next week.

The 2009 xB Release Series 6.0 comes only in one color, Absolutely Red. The exterior features a unique front grille and Release Series wheel covers. A rear spoiler is optional.

Inside the special edition xB features a touch screen Pioneer Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) unit that features voice recognition, MSN Direct, Bluetooth and the expected USB and iPod connectivity. The interior also features color-tuned seats and illuminated door sills.

Only 2,500 are going to built with a starting price of $15,570.

Continue reading "Detroit 09' Preview: Scion Announces the 2009 xB Release Series 6.0" »

January 6, 2009

Toyota to Halt Production for 11 Days Due to Declining Sales

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Toyota has announced plans to idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March due to declining sales in the U.S.

Last month Toyota reported a 37 percent sales decline and now vehicles are beginning to pile up. Last month was Toyota's sharpest decline in more than a quarter of a century. Toyota even performed worse than GM and Ford.

"I never expected the crisis to spread this fast and leave this deep a scar," Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters at a Tokyo event hosted by Japan's top business lobbies.

Nissan and Honda have also announced to cut production by at least 200,000 vehicles for the year ending in March.

Continue reading "Toyota to Halt Production for 11 Days Due to Declining Sales" »

What Were the Top Ten Best-Selling Vehicles in 2008?

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2008 is finally over and with it ends one of the worst years for the automotive industry in recent history. Most of 2008 was plagued by high fuel prices, which forced buyers to look for more fuel efficient vehicles. Even with this trend the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado pickups managed to remain at the top of the list for 2008.

In addition, even though buyers continued to ask for more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic were the only "small" cars to make the list.

Continue reading "What Were the Top Ten Best-Selling Vehicles in 2008?" »

December 29, 2008

VIDEO: Blue Man Group and the 2010 Toyota Prius

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Toyota is going to officially unveil the 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show next month. This little teaser video shows some more shots of the new hybrid being checked out by the Blue Man Group

Continue reading "VIDEO: Blue Man Group and the 2010 Toyota Prius" »

December 23, 2008

Lexus Confirms HS 250h to be Unveiled in Detroit

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Last year Toyota confirmed that a Lexus branded dedicated hybrid model would make its debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Lexus has now confirmed that the new dedicated hybrid will be dubbed the HS250h.

The details are scarce about the new model although it is expected that the new Lexus hybrid will share some of, if not all of its mechanicals with the also new 2010 Toyota Prius. If the HS 250h in fact does use the same hybrid powertrain as the new Prius it will be the next-generation Hybrid Synergy with nickel-metal hydride battery packs. Unfortunately lithium-ion packs are still in development and will be added at a later date.

Stay tuned for all the details from the show next month.

Continue reading "Lexus Confirms HS 250h to be Unveiled in Detroit" »

December 22, 2008

Toyota to Unveil EV Concept at Detroit Auto Show

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Toyota announced this morning that the automaker is going to unveil a new electric vehicle concept at the Detroit Auto Show next month.

Other than the single image of the logo and a very short press release (two sentences), Toyota did not release any other details about the new concept. The EV Concept will share the stage with the all-new 2010 Prius.

Continue reading "Toyota to Unveil EV Concept at Detroit Auto Show" »

December 8, 2008

Ward's Auto Announces the 2009 10 Best Engines

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Ward’s Automotive Group has announced its 2009 10 Best Engines list.

The list is compiled by Ward's editors and 2009 is officially the 15th year of the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program.

This year the list of winners is very broad with hybrid engines as well as high output turbocharged engines receiving the award.

“A decade ago, few consumers in the U.S. paid serious attention to hybrids or diesels. This year, they have to, if they don’t want to be pinched the next time fuel hits $4 a gallon,” says Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.”The diesels from VW and BMW and the Ford Escape Hybrid all got better than 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km) during our testing, and often they topped 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km),” he says. “And the diesels meet the strictest emissions regulations in the world. If Americans want to find a vehicle that consumes less fuel and is fun to drive, our list is a great place to start.”

Continue reading "Ward's Auto Announces the 2009 10 Best Engines" »

November 20, 2008

More Photos of the 2010 Toyota Prius Show up on the Web

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More photos of the next-gen 2010 Toyota Prius are showing up on the internet. A few weeks ago the first photos of the new Prius leaked onto PriusChat and were confirmed to be accurate photos by Toyota.

The 2010 Prius is set for a world debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. What we do know about the new hybrid is that it will keep its iconic shape with a slightly larger body and more distinct nose. Inside there is an all-new dash design that looks far more complicated than the current generation.

The 2010 Prius is also expected to be more powerful and at the same time achieve better gas mileage.

Continue reading "More Photos of the 2010 Toyota Prius Show up on the Web" »

November 13, 2008

Toyota iQ Wins Japanese Car of the Year

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It's definitely very interesting times when Toyota's small iQ manages to beat out the Nissan GT-R supercar for the title of Japanese Car of the Year.

65 jurors gave the Toyota iQ 526 votes and 39 of the 65 jurors actually gave the iQ a perfect 10 score. The Citroen C5 came in second with 223 votes and the Nissan GT-R came in 3rd with 201 votes.

Continue reading "Toyota iQ Wins Japanese Car of the Year" »

November 12, 2008

LA Preview: Lexus Confirms the Unveiling of the 2010 RX and IS Convertible

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Lexus has confirmed that the all-new 2010 RX will be unveiled next week at the LA Auto Show.

The 2010 RX will come in two versions, the RX 350 that is powered by a 3.5L V6 and the hybrid RX 450h. Recent photo renderings of the new crossover show an overall shape that is very similar to the current generation.

Lexus is also going to unveil the IS 250 C and IS 350 C convertible models at the show. The IS 250 C was recently unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. The IS convertible models feature the same engines as the sedans, plus a lightweight aluminum three-panel roof.

The all-wheel-drive versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L will also be on hand for the show.

Continue reading "LA Preview: Lexus Confirms the Unveiling of the 2010 RX and IS Convertible" »

Toyota Launches a Microsite for the all-new 2010 Prius

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Toyota is going to officially unveil the all-new 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The automaker has launched a microsite, which has a countdown clock.

Too bad we've already seen a few photos of the new Prius that leaked onto the web. At first we weren't sure if the photos were authentic, but Toyota eventually confirmed that the leaked photos are of the next Prius.

Overall the 2010 Prius will keep the same basic shape as the current generation. Inside there is a whole new dash that is very different than the current model.

Stay tuned...

Continue reading "Toyota Launches a Microsite for the all-new 2010 Prius" »

November 11, 2008

Next-Gen Scion tC Will be the RWD Coupe Developed by Toyota and Subaru

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It's already been confirmed that Toyota and Subaru are working on a new RWD coupe that will be sold both as a Subaru and Toyota. Well now reports are surfacing that Toyota's version of the RWD coupe will actually be sold under the Scion brand as the replacement for the current tC.

Scion definitely needs some new models to renew interest in the brand. A RWD coupe could be just the thing the brand needs.

Continue reading "Next-Gen Scion tC Will be the RWD Coupe Developed by Toyota and Subaru" »

More Info on the New Lexus Hybrid...Dubbed the HS250h?

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Lexus is going to unveil a concept version of a new dedicated hybrid model at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. We're now getting more info about the new model thanks to Japanese magazine, Mag-X.

Mag-X claims that the new Lexus hybrid is going to be dubbed the HS250h and that the car is going to be a sedan. We do know that the new hybrid is going to share some of its mechanicals with the new Prius. It will be powered by a larger 2.4L engine mated to the hybrid system. Initially the car will use nickel-hydride batteries.

Continue reading "More Info on the New Lexus Hybrid...Dubbed the HS250h?" »

November 5, 2008

Toyota Announces All-New Four Cylinder for the 2009 Highlander

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Buyers only want fuel efficient engines now and for the most part that means a 4-cylinder engine. Toyota has announced that its Highlander SUV will be available with a new 2.7L four-cylinder engine.

The new four-cylinder engine puts out 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque and gets 20/27 mpg. The 2.7L engine is mated to an all-new six-speed automatic transmission. Toyota estimates that the four-cylinder powered Highlander will reach 0-60 mph in 9.7 seconds.

Continue reading "Toyota Announces All-New Four Cylinder for the 2009 Highlander" »

November 3, 2008

2009 Toyota Venza Crossover Starts at $25,975

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Toyota unveiled the Venza crossover earlier this year, but since then we haven't heard much about Toyota's newest crossover.

Today Toyota officially announced the pricing for 2009 Venza that starts at $25,975 for the 2.7L four-cylinder, front wheel drive model. The top of the line 3.5L V6 with AWD goes for $29,250.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Venza Crossover Starts at $25,975" »

October 29, 2008

All-New 2010 Lexus RX Photos Leaked Thanks to Japanese Brochure

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As is typical these days, photos of new models always seem to show up somewhere before the car is officially unveiled. Well this time we have our first look at the all-new 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h before its official unveiling at the LA Auto Show next month.

These photos scanned from a Japanese brochure show what lies in store for Lexus' most popular SUV. The 2010 RX is going to keep its same basic shape but with some new creases and angles to keep it looking fresh. Inside there is a new dash that is more stylish than the current gen.

Continue reading "All-New 2010 Lexus RX Photos Leaked Thanks to Japanese Brochure" »

October 22, 2008

Lexus is Planning a BMW 1 Series Competitor

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Lexus managing director Tadashi Arashima recently confirmed that the automaker is currently working on a BMW 1 Series competitor that is smaller than the current IS sedan. Although Arashima didn't give any expected launch dates or technical specs for the new baby Lexus, it is expected that it will be rear wheel drive and offer both 4-cyl and V6 engines.

In addition to the new baby Lexus, Lexus is also going to unveil a concept version of a new small hybrid that will be built off the same platform as the next-generation Prius. The new Lexus hybrid will be released by the end of 2009 and will likely feature a larger gas engine than the Prius, either a 2.0L or 2.5L 4-cylinder.

Continue reading "Lexus is Planning a BMW 1 Series Competitor " »

October 15, 2008

2010 Toyota Prius Exposed or Just a Good Photoshop?

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Toyota is going to officially unveil the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius at the Detroit Auto Show this coming January, but PriusChat has put up some photos that may or may not be of the next generation.

Overall the styling of the car seems more evolutionary and takes some of the cues from the newer Toyota models. The headlights also seem to mimic the shape of Nissan's headlights on the Maxima and soon to be unveiled 370Z. Inside there is a new raised center console, but overall the interior is loaded with plastic.

What do you think? Is this what we can expect to see next January?

Continue reading "2010 Toyota Prius Exposed or Just a Good Photoshop?" »

October 10, 2008

Toyota iQ is Coming to the LA Auto Show as a Scion

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According to sources over at Motor Trend, Toyota is going to bring the iQ minicar to the LA Auto Show, but as a Scion instead of a Toyota badged iQ.

Next month Toyota is going to show off the iQ minicar at the Scion stand next to the xB, xD, and tC models. Toyota desperately needs to bring more traffic and focus to the Scion brand, which the small iQ will do. Toyota also didn't want the small iQ to steal the spotlight from the next-gen Prius that will be unveiled early next year.

The "Scion iQ" is expected to start under $15,000 and will likely be powered by the same 1.5L engine that powers the Toyota Yaris.

Continue reading "Toyota iQ is Coming to the LA Auto Show as a Scion" »

October 6, 2008

Audi and Toyota Considering New Small (Very Small) Cars for the US

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Toyota and Audi recently showed off their iQ and A1 small cars at the Paris Motor Show last week. Originally both automakers had not planned on introducing either car to the US market, but as everyone is now witnessing...small cars are in.

Audi's worldwide sales and marketing boss, Peter Schwarzenbauer recently stated, " A year ago, I would have said no. I did not see any trend in the US which showed me that small cars could have a lasting, sustainable chance. I think this has changed. Therefore we definitely have to reconsider the A1." The hybrid A1 concept is powered by a 1.4L four-cylinder mated to an electric motor.

Continue reading "Audi and Toyota Considering New Small (Very Small) Cars for the US" »

October 2, 2008

2010 Lexus IS 250C Unveiled in Paris

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Lexus has unveiled the 2010 Lexus IS 250C at the Paris Motor Show.

Lexus took its popular IS sedan and chopped off the roof and two doors to create the IS 250C. The newest Lexus convertible features an aluminum folding roof that takes just 20 seconds to open. The IS 250C is powered by the same 2.5L V6 as the sedan.

Europe will get the new IS 250C first in the summer of 2009 and the US will get it shortly thereafter.

Continue reading "2010 Lexus IS 250C Unveiled in Paris" »

September 30, 2008

Toyota Develops the World's First Rear Window Airbag

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Toyota has developed the world's first ever rear window airbag that will be featured on Toyota's upcoming iQ minicar.

The rear airbag is stored in the headliner above the rear window and unfolds rapidly during a rear impact to protect the rear passenger. The bag is designed to protect the rear passenger's head and neck during a rear impact. Judging by the amount of metal between the rear seat and the rear of the iQ this looks like a much needed safety feature. Hopefully other small cars will adopt a similar safety feature.

Continue reading "Toyota Develops the World's First Rear Window Airbag" »

September 24, 2008

CNG-Powered Toyota Camry Hybrid Concept Coming to LA

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Toyota has announced plans to display a CNG-Powered Camry Hybrid Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November.

In 1999, Toyota sold a CNG-powered four-cylinder Camry to fleet customers, but since gas prices were much cheaper than they are now there wasn't much demand for the vehicle. The special refueling techniques and limited refueling infrastructure also hurt the program. Well now Toyota is unveiling a new Camry Hybrid that is powered by CNG. Currently there are 1,000 CNG refueling stations in the country, but less than half are open to the public.

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September 17, 2008

Toyota is Considering a Prius Sub-Brand to Compete with Chevy and Honda

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There were rumors a while ago that Toyota was considering a small lineup of Prius branded hybrid vehicles...well it looks like Toyota execs have put the topic back on the table.

Continue reading "Toyota is Considering a Prius Sub-Brand to Compete with Chevy and Honda" »

September 11, 2008

Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Now Testing in the UK

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Toyota has been testing a plug-in version of the popular Prius hybrid in Japan for some time, but now the automaker has announced that testing is going to continue in the UK as well.

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August 28, 2008

Lexus LF-A Supercar Cancelled?

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Lexus has been working on its LF-A supercar for quite sometime. It originally appeared as a concept, which was eventually approved for production...well now things may have changed.

Continue reading "Lexus LF-A Supercar Cancelled?" »

August 27, 2008

Lexus IS Convertible to be Released Next Year and a New Lighter IS-F is in the Works

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AutoTelegraaf is claiming that Lexus is going to release a droptop version of the IS next year.

Continue reading "Lexus IS Convertible to be Released Next Year and a New Lighter IS-F is in the Works" »

August 15, 2008

Toyota Kills Plans for New Supra and Next-Gen FJ Cruiser

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According to the Automotive News Toyota has dropped the successor to the Supra from its product plans due to the high mpg requirements in the US.

Continue reading "Toyota Kills Plans for New Supra and Next-Gen FJ Cruiser" »

August 12, 2008

Toyota Wants the Big 3 To Survive?

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According to Steve St. Angelo, head of Toyota's Kentucky assembly plant and senior vice president in charge of engineering and manufacturing for North America, if one of the "Big 3" automakers were to die it would be devastating to Toyota and the industry as a whole.

Continue reading "Toyota Wants the Big 3 To Survive?" »

August 11, 2008

Toyota Solara Convertible Returns from the Dead

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Toyota was expected to kill the slow selling Solara Coupe and Convertible by the end of this month...but now it looks that at least the convertible has been saved.

Continue reading "Toyota Solara Convertible Returns from the Dead" »

Lexus Delays LF-A and GS-F but Other Vehicles Are on the Way

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According to reports Lexus has delayed the introduction of the LF-A supercar and high performance GS-F sedan.

Continue reading "Lexus Delays LF-A and GS-F but Other Vehicles Are on the Way" »

August 6, 2008

2009 Toyota RAV4 Gets a Few Changes and More Power

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Toyota has officially unveiled the changes to the RAV4 line for the 2009 model year.

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2009 Toyota Yaris 5-Door Starts at $13,305

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Toyota has officially released the specs and pricing for the 5-door version of its popular Yaris subcompact.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Yaris 5-Door Starts at $13,305" »

July 24, 2008

Small Pickups Perform Poorly in Side Crash Tests

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released the results of its first ever side crash testing of five small pickup trucks.

Continue reading "Small Pickups Perform Poorly in Side Crash Tests" »

July 13, 2008

Toyota Kills the Next-Gen Lexus SC Convertible and Possibly the Next Avalon

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According to Inside Line, Toyota has canceled the replacement for the next-generation Lexus SC Coupe/ Convertible and may also be canceling the next Avalon as well.

Continue reading "Toyota Kills the Next-Gen Lexus SC Convertible and Possibly the Next Avalon" »

July 10, 2008

Toyota Prius Will be Built in Mississippi in 2010

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Toyota has announced a few production shifts at three of its plants in order to keep up with consumer demand.

Continue reading "Toyota Prius Will be Built in Mississippi in 2010" »

July 8, 2008

Toyota Increases Tacoma Production Even Though It's Sales are Down

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Truck sales are down across the industry, but Toyota announced today that the automaker is going to increase Tacoma production at its Tijuana, Baja California plant.

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July 7, 2008

2010 Toyota Prius Gets Solar Panels to Power Accessories

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The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius should be revealed by this time next year and now Japan’s Nikkei is reporting that the all-new hybrid will feature solar panels on some of the high-end models that will power the electronics like the air conditioning.

Continue reading "2010 Toyota Prius Gets Solar Panels to Power Accessories" »

July 1, 2008

Toyota Adds the 5-Door Yaris to the US Lineup for 2009

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Small cars are all the rage and it has forced almost every automaker to look at ways to increase their small car lineup. Toyota has announced that the US is finally going to get the 5-door version of its popular Yaris sub-compact that is sold in Europe. Currently the US only has the 3-door and sedan versions of the car.

Continue reading "Toyota Adds the 5-Door Yaris to the US Lineup for 2009" »

June 27, 2008

Toyota Increases Its Stake in Subaru to Almost 17 Percent

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Toyota has announced today that the automaker has increased its shares in Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the parent company of Subaru.

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June 23, 2008

Toyota Launches Ironman Versions of the Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser

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Toyota has announced that the addition of new "Ironman" versions of its Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser SUV.

Continue reading "Toyota Launches Ironman Versions of the Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser" »

June 4, 2008

Subaru Impreza Coupe is Going to be Released by 2010

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Toyota and Subaru have already announced that the two automakers are collaborating on a new rear-wheel-drive coupe that will be sold under both brand names. Now it looks like the two are also working on a new Impreza Coupe that will be released for 2010.

Continue reading "Subaru Impreza Coupe is Going to be Released by 2010" »

June 3, 2008

Honda Civic Outsells the Camry, F-150 and Corolla in May

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Gas prices are so insane right now and car buyers are finally realizing they can't afford to drive those huge gas guzzlers anymore. The F-150 has been the best selling vehicle in the US for decades, but its reign at the top is soon over. Last month it moved down to the number five spot behind the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

Continue reading "Honda Civic Outsells the Camry, F-150 and Corolla in May" »

May 28, 2008

More Details on Subaru/ Toyota's Upcoming RWD Coupe

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It's already been revealed that Toyota and Subaru are collaborating on a new rear wheel drive coupe, which will be sold as both a Subaru and Toyota. Now, Inside Line claims to have even more info on the new coupes that are slated for a late 2011 release.

Continue reading "More Details on Subaru/ Toyota's Upcoming RWD Coupe" »

May 21, 2008

Lexus LF-A is Going to Start at Over $200K!

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Inside Line has learned that the new Lexus supercar, the Lexus LF-A is going to start at over $200,000 when it is finally released.

Continue reading "Lexus LF-A is Going to Start at Over $200K!" »

May 12, 2008

Toyota is Going to Buy Back Over 800,000 Rusted Tacoma Pickups

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Toyota has announced plans to buy back over 800,000 Toyota Tacoma pickups that were built between 1996 and 2000 that have rusted frames.

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April 30, 2008

Kelly Blue Book Has Released its List of the Top Ten Coolest Vehicles Under $18K

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Kelley Blue Book has released its list of the top ten coolest vehicles under $18,000 for 2008. Most of us can think of a list of cars that we would "label" as cool, but most of these cars probably don't list for under $18,000.

Continue reading "Kelly Blue Book Has Released its List of the Top Ten Coolest Vehicles Under $18K" »

April 29, 2008

2010 Toyota Prius Will be Unveiled Next January...It's Going to be Bigger and More Powerful

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The current Prius was introduced for the 2004 model year, so its growing a little old even though it is the best selling hybrid in the US, by far. Next January, Toyota is going to unveil an all-new 3rd generation Prius.

Continue reading "2010 Toyota Prius Will be Unveiled Next January...It's Going to be Bigger and More Powerful" »

April 28, 2008

Toyota and Scion Inventories Increase to Record Levels

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Declining auto sales in the US have forced many automakers to make cutbacks and to rethink their current lineups. Until now this did not include Toyota which continues to sell record levels of its Prius, Camry and Yaris vehicles.

Continue reading "Toyota and Scion Inventories Increase to Record Levels" »

April 25, 2008

Lexus Officially Registers the Names for the Upcoming IS Coupe

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Lexus has officially registered names for its upcoming IS Coupe, which provides more evidence that the automaker is finally going to release a coupe version of its smallest sedan.

Continue reading "Lexus Officially Registers the Names for the Upcoming IS Coupe" »

April 10, 2008

Toyota Doubles its Stake in Subaru and Announces a New RWD Sports Car for 2011

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Toyota and Subaru announced today in a joint press conference that Toyota is going to double its stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, the company that produces Subaru cars.

Continue reading "Toyota Doubles its Stake in Subaru and Announces a New RWD Sports Car for 2011" »

March 19, 2008

Scion Hako Coupe Concept Unveiled...Is it Weird or Cool?

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Scion unveiled the Hako Coupe Concept at the New York Auto Show today.


Continue reading "Scion Hako Coupe Concept Unveiled...Is it Weird or Cool?" »

March 14, 2008

Toyota is Going to Cutback on Tundra and Sequoia Production Due to Slow Sales

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Toyota has announced that the automaker is going to slow production of the Sequoia and Tundra in its Indiana and Texas plants due to slowing sales.

Continue reading "Toyota is Going to Cutback on Tundra and Sequoia Production Due to Slow Sales" »

March 5, 2008

Toyota iQ Unveiled...Toyota's New Urban Car

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Toyota unveiled the iQ Concept last September in Frankfurt and this week the automaker took the wraps off the production version of the small car.

Continue reading "Toyota iQ Unveiled...Toyota's New Urban Car" »

New York 2008 Preview: Scion is Going to Unveil the Hako Coupe Concept

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Scion is going to unveil the Hako Coupe Concept at the New York Auto Show later this month.

Continue reading "New York 2008 Preview: Scion is Going to Unveil the Hako Coupe Concept" »

February 21, 2008

Toyota Yaris SR Unveiled with a Removable TomTom Navigation

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Toyota has just released specs on an upgrade to the European Yaris 1.3 VVTi and 1.4 D-4D models.

Continue reading "Toyota Yaris SR Unveiled with a Removable TomTom Navigation" »

February 13, 2008

Geneva 2008 Preview: Production Ready Toyota iQ and Urban Cruiser Unveiled

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At this year's Geneva Auto Show, Toyota is going to officially unveil its production version of the iQ microcar that was shown in Frankfurt last year for the European market.

Continue reading "Geneva 2008 Preview: Production Ready Toyota iQ and Urban Cruiser Unveiled" »

February 4, 2008

Lexus May Build an X3 and RDX Competitor

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With the introduction of the new Infiniti EX35, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Acura RDX it seems like Lexus is the only luxury nameplate without a small crossover. This may change as Lexus may be working on a smaller than RX 350 crossover.

Continue reading "Lexus May Build an X3 and RDX Competitor" »

Rumor Has it That Subaru May Build a New Toyota Celica

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There have been rumors that Toyota is working on a replacement for the discontinued Celica, but now there are more rumors that the next-gen Celica could be built by Subaru.

Continue reading "Rumor Has it That Subaru May Build a New Toyota Celica" »

January 25, 2008

All-New 2009 Toyota Corolla and Matrix Pricing Released

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Toyota has officially announced the pricing for the all-new 2009 Corolla and Matrix that will be in showrooms next month.

Continue reading "All-New 2009 Toyota Corolla and Matrix Pricing Released" »

January 16, 2008

Detroit 2008: Lexus LF-A Roadster Surprisingly Makes an Appearance

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Lexus surprised everyone with the LF-A Roadster at the Detroit Auto Show.

Continue reading "Detroit 2008: Lexus LF-A Roadster Surprisingly Makes an Appearance" »

January 15, 2008

Detroit 2008: Toyota Unveils the 2009 Venza Crossover

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Toyota has officially unveiled their new "crossover sedan" dubbed the 2009 Venza.

Continue reading "Detroit 2008: Toyota Unveils the 2009 Venza Crossover" »

January 3, 2008

Toyota Takes the 2nd Spot in the US from Ford

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After 75 years of being in the number two spot in the US, Ford has given up the title to Toyota.

Continue reading "Toyota Takes the 2nd Spot in the US from Ford " »

December 28, 2007

Detroit Auto Show Preview: Toyota A-BAT Hybrid Pickup Concept Unveiled

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Toyota has unveiled the A-BAT hybrid pickup concept that will be officially unveiled next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

Continue reading "Detroit Auto Show Preview: Toyota A-BAT Hybrid Pickup Concept Unveiled" »

December 18, 2007

Toyota Tundra Named Motor Trend's 2008 Truck of the Year

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Motor Trend has given the Toyota Tundra its 2008 Truck of the Year award today.

Continue reading "Toyota Tundra Named Motor Trend's 2008 Truck of the Year" »

December 12, 2007

Is Lexus Working on a 429 Horsepower IS-F/R?

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According to the newest rumors Lexus is working on an even hotter version of its new IS-F sedan.

Continue reading "Is Lexus Working on a 429 Horsepower IS-F/R?" »

December 7, 2007

All-New 2008 Toyota Sequoia Starts at $34,150

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Toyota has announced the pricing for the all-new 2008 Sequoia SUV.

Continue reading "All-New 2008 Toyota Sequoia Starts at $34,150" »

November 20, 2007

The Toyota Celica Will Return in 2009

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The Toyota Celica was killed back in 2005, but according to Toyota's German Chief Markus Schrick, the car is set to make a return.

Continue reading "The Toyota Celica Will Return in 2009" »

November 14, 2007

LA Auto Show: Toyota Unveils the All-New 2008 Sequoia SUV

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Toyota finally unveiled the all-new 2008 Sequoia at the LA Auto Show today.

Continue reading "LA Auto Show: Toyota Unveils the All-New 2008 Sequoia SUV" »

November 13, 2007

Toyota Tundra Prototype Spotted...What are they Testing?

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Thanks to "avid" reader Aaron we have a photo of a Toyota Tundra prototype that was testing in Orange County, CA today.

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November 6, 2007

REVIEW: How Does the All-New 2008 Chevy Malibu Stack up Against the Competition?

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Chevrolet's all-new 2008 Malibu is just now hitting your local Chevy dealers. GM has high hopes for the Malibu, as the new sedan is one of their most important new releases for the 2008 model year.

Continue reading "REVIEW: How Does the All-New 2008 Chevy Malibu Stack up Against the Competition? " »

November 1, 2007

2009 Toyota Corolla S3 Breaks Cover...It's a Supercharged Corolla

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In addition to the unveiling of the all-new 2009 Corolla and Matrix, Toyota also unveiled a tuned version of the Corolla, dubbed the Corolla S3.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Corolla S3 Breaks Cover...It's a Supercharged Corolla" »

October 31, 2007

2009 Toyota Corolla Unveiled! Is it Still too Boring?

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Toyota has unveiled the all-new 10th generation Toyota Corolla at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Corolla Unveiled! Is it Still too Boring?" »

2009 Toyota Matrix Unveiled...Does This Look Better than the Mazda3?

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Toyota has unveiled two new models today, the all-new 2009 Corolla and the equally new Matrix (Corolla Matrix).

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Matrix Unveiled...Does This Look Better than the Mazda3?" »

October 22, 2007

2008 Lexus GS Gets 52 More Horsepower and a Small Facelift

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Lexus has announced the pricing and changes to the 2008 GS models.

Continue reading "2008 Lexus GS Gets 52 More Horsepower and a Small Facelift" »

October 17, 2007

Toyota's Reliability Plummets While Ford Moves up in the Ranks

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According to Consumer Reports, Toyota's predicted reliability has slipped from the previous number one spot, while Ford has moved up.

Continue reading "Toyota's Reliability Plummets While Ford Moves up in the Ranks" »

October 15, 2007

VIDEO: When Toyota RAV-4 Owners Become a Little Too Obsessed with Their SUVs...


Would you really do this just to drive the Toyota RAV-4?

Continue reading "VIDEO: When Toyota RAV-4 Owners Become a Little Too Obsessed with Their SUVs..." »

October 10, 2007

Lexus LF-Xh Hybrid SUV Concept Unveiled

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Lexus plans on unveiling two "LF" branded models at the Tokyo Auto Show, the LF-A supercar and this LF-Xh Hybrid SUV Concept.

Continue reading "Lexus LF-Xh Hybrid SUV Concept Unveiled" »

Toyota 1/X Concept Unveiled...It's a Lighter Prius

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Toyota's 1/X Concept car is actually pronounced "one-Xth" since it weighs 1/Xth the weight of other similar sized models.

Continue reading "Toyota 1/X Concept Unveiled...It's a Lighter Prius" »

October 9, 2007

417 Horsepower Lexus IS-F Will be Released in the US Next February

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Lexus' version of the M3 and RS4 is going to be released on Christmas day in Japan. It has now been slipped that the high-performance version of the IS will make it to the US this coming February.

Continue reading "417 Horsepower Lexus IS-F Will be Released in the US Next February" »

Is This the New 2009 Toyota RAV-4 That We Will Get in the US?

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It's obvious that Toyota isn't happy that the Honda CR-V is the best selling SUV and crossover in the US. Although the RAV-4 offers three rows of seats and an available V6 engine it still isn't selling better than the CR-V. This is the what the revised RAV-4 looks like in Japan, so I wonder if this is what we will get here as well?

Continue reading "Is This the New 2009 Toyota RAV-4 That We Will Get in the US?" »

October 4, 2007

2008 Lexus IS-F Confirmed with 417 Horsepower

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Lexus unveiled the high-performance version of the Lexus IS back in January, but the automaker remained tight lipped about the actual power figures of the V8 powered sedan. Well the official launch of the IS-F in Japan has finally revealed what we have been waiting months to hear.

Continue reading "2008 Lexus IS-F Confirmed with 417 Horsepower" »

October 3, 2007

Toyota Releases 13 New Low-End Versions of the Tundra

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In an effort to steal more sales from the "Big 3" Toyota has announced the addition of 13 new variations of the Tundra that are at the lower end.


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Neiman Marcus Lexus IS-F Unveiled...Yay Christmas is Almost Here

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Although Christmas is still about two and a half months away and Lexus has yet to officially release the high performance IS-F sedan, Neiman Marcus is going to offer a very special edition for the holiday season.

Continue reading "Neiman Marcus Lexus IS-F Unveiled...Yay Christmas is Almost Here" »

October 1, 2007

More Photos of the 2008 Lexus IS-F Released...Can You Deal With White Leather?

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I know I can't! Lexus has released a few more photos of the upcoming Lexus IS-F that is going to go head to head with the BMW M3 and Audi RS4 sedans.

Continue reading "More Photos of the 2008 Lexus IS-F Released...Can You Deal With White Leather?" »

September 27, 2007

2009 Toyota Matrix Gets Ready for Halloween a Month Early

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Toyota recently announced that the automaker is going to unveil the all-new 2009 versions of the Corolla and Matrix at the SEMA show next month. Today, Toyota unveiled a teaser photo of the next Matrix dressed in a ghost costume.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Matrix Gets Ready for Halloween a Month Early" »

September 18, 2007

All-New 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser is Officially Unveiled

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Toyota has finally officially unveiled the all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser today, although we've already seen many leaked photos of the SUV. The new SUV is being unveiled before its live unveiling at the Australian International Motor Show next month.


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Hybrid Sales in the US Rise 49 Percent this Year

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Thanks to the popular Toyota Prius, hybrid sales through July are up 49 percent over the same period last year.

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September 17, 2007

Production Version of the Toyota IQ Will Show up in January 2009

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Last week at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Toyota unveiled the world's smallest four-seater car. The car measures less than 3 meters in length and is 425mm shorter than the Aygo and 770mm shorter than the Toyota Yaris.

Continue reading "Production Version of the Toyota IQ Will Show up in January 2009 " »

September 13, 2007

Spy Photos of the New Toyota Prius...Well a Refreshed Version

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Toyota has already announced that the next generation Toyota Prius is going to be delayed until sometime in 2009, but now spy photographers have caught the hybrid with a new front end.

Continue reading "Spy Photos of the New Toyota Prius...Well a Refreshed Version" »

September 2, 2007

2008 Lexus GS450h Unveiled...Lexus Adds Another Hybrid to its Lineup

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This month at the Frankfurt Motor Show Lexus is going to debut the European version of the IS-F and the hybrid version of the GS sedan, dubbed the GS450h.

Continue reading "2008 Lexus GS450h Unveiled...Lexus Adds Another Hybrid to its Lineup" »

September 1, 2007

2012 Lexus GS-F Will Have a V10 With Over 500 Horsepower to Take on the M5

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The "F" version of the Lexus IS was unveiled earlier this year. The M3 fighter has a 5.0L V8 with over 400 horsepower. It is now rumored that Lexus is working on an "F" version of the GS sedan.

Continue reading "2012 Lexus GS-F Will Have a V10 With Over 500 Horsepower to Take on the M5" »

August 14, 2007

Which Automaker Has Had the Most Recalled 2007 Models? You Might be Surprised

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Or Maybe not... According to BusinessWeek Volkswagen takes the award for having the most recalled 2007 models. VW recalled just over 1 million New Beetles because of faulty brake light switches.

Continue reading "Which Automaker Has Had the Most Recalled 2007 Models? You Might be Surprised" »

August 10, 2007

More Info On the Return of the Toyota AE86 aka RWD Corolla

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According to Automotive News, Toyota and Subaru are hard at work on plans to co-develop a sports car under the Toyota brand. The new car will be priced under $16,900 and have an engine smaller than 2 liters.

Continue reading "More Info On the Return of the Toyota AE86 aka RWD Corolla" »

August 9, 2007

Buick Ties Lexus for Top Spot in J.D. Power Dependability Study!

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For the past 11 years Lexus has held the number one spot in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. This year Lexus holds the top spot again, but for the first time Lexus has tied with another automaker, Buick!

Continue reading "Buick Ties Lexus for Top Spot in J.D. Power Dependability Study!" »

August 6, 2007

2009 Toyota Corolla Will Get More Power and an Edgier Design...Lets Hope!

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The current Toyota Corolla has been on the market since 2002, which makes it one of the oldest vehicles in its class. Although the current Corolla is old, it is still selling well. Last month it was the number 4 best selling vehicle in the U.S. Better than the Honda Accord and Honda Civic. This fall Toyota is going to take the wraps off the all new version.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Corolla Will Get More Power and an Edgier Design...Lets Hope!" »

August 3, 2007

What Were the Top 20 Best Selling Vehicles in the US Through July?

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Reuters has posted a list of the 20 top-selling vehicles in the U.S. through July of 2007. There aren't really any big surprises here.

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Breaking News: Toyota's Tundra is Outselling the GMC Sierra Pickup?!

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It has already been reported that the sales of GM's new GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickups are not selling as well as the automaker had hoped. Recently GM also announced that production of their full-size pickups is going to be scaled back due to slow sales. Toyota's full-size Tundra is also new this year and has had some issues as well, which are mainly due to engine quality issues and crash test results. Well now it looks like Toyota's once ignored full-size pickup is the fourth best-selling full-size half-ton pickup in the US, narrowly squeezing out the GMC Sierra.

Continue reading "Breaking News: Toyota's Tundra is Outselling the GMC Sierra Pickup?!" »

August 2, 2007

JDM Toyota Corolla/ Blade Gets the 276HP V6 from the Lexus IS350...Watch Out VW R32

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Toyota has released a high-performance version of its Blade hatchback in Japan today. The car is powered by the same 3.5L V6 that is in the Lexus IS350 and other Toyota models. It features 276hp and 253 lb-ft. of torque.

Continue reading "JDM Toyota Corolla/ Blade Gets the 276HP V6 from the Lexus IS350...Watch Out VW R32" »

August 1, 2007

Toyota is Working on a New AE86 Type Car...For Those of Us that Remember the 80's RWD Corolla

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Many of us may remember the original AE86 Toyota that was a RWD Corolla coupe in the 1980's. Best Car Plus magazine has revealed that Toyota is working on a new AE86 type car that will be in showrooms by the winter of 2008.

Continue reading "Toyota is Working on a New AE86 Type Car...For Those of Us that Remember the 80's RWD Corolla" »

July 31, 2007

2009 Lexus RX350 Spy Photos...The Popular SUV Will Not Get Radical Changes

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Lexus' best-selling SUV is due for a redesign for the 2009 model year. Spy photographers have caught a test mule of the SUV that looks pretty much the same as the current generation. Upon closer examination it is apparent that this is not the current version of the RX350.

Continue reading "2009 Lexus RX350 Spy Photos...The Popular SUV Will Not Get Radical Changes" »

Toyota Lowers the Price of the 2008 Prius by $1,225...Is it Due to Less Consumer Interest?


Toyota has announced the pricing for the 2008 Toyota Prius, which now has a lower starting price than the 2007 model. This is due to the introduction of a new standard model that will start at $20,950.

Continue reading "Toyota Lowers the Price of the 2008 Prius by $1,225...Is it Due to Less Consumer Interest?" »

July 27, 2007

What are the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles For Sale Today? Hopefully You Don't Have One!


Forbes has put together a list of the top 20 most dangerous vehicles on the road. The Buick Rendevous SUV/ Minivan topped their list as possibly the worst car to buy right now in terms of safety. Compared to other minivans the Rendevous is up to three times more likely to cause a fatality.

Continue reading "What are the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles For Sale Today? Hopefully You Don't Have One!" »

July 25, 2007

Toyota is Going to Start Testing Plug-In Hybrids


Toyota has just announced that they have developed a plug-in hybrid vehicle and that the automaker will become the first automaker to have it certified for use in Japan.

Continue reading "Toyota is Going to Start Testing Plug-In Hybrids" »

July 22, 2007

GM Sold More Vehicles Than Toyota Last Quarter...Is GM Making a Comeback?

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Toyota for the first time ever outsold GM worldwide in the first quarter of this year. So far this year Toyota is still outselling GM, but only by 46,000 units. In addition GM even outsold Toyota last quarter (April-June). Could GM win back its title of number 1 automaker this year?

Continue reading "GM Sold More Vehicles Than Toyota Last Quarter...Is GM Making a Comeback?" »

July 17, 2007

Toyota is Going to Unveil the new 2009 Corolla, HD Tundra and FJ Cruiser Convertible at The 2007 SEMA Show

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This year's SEMA show is still a little more than three months away, but word has already broke that Toyota is going to unveil three new models at the show. The aging Corolla is finally going to be redesigned, an HD Tundra Concept that will be used to gauge interest in a Heavy-Duty Tundra and an FJ Cruiser with a removable hardtop will debut.

Continue reading "Toyota is Going to Unveil the new 2009 Corolla, HD Tundra and FJ Cruiser Convertible at The 2007 SEMA Show" »

July 13, 2007

2008 Scion xD Starts at $14,550...Is it Better than the Old xA or the new xB?

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Scion has announced the pricing for the all-new 2008 Scion xD, which is going to replace the xA in Scion's lineup. The new model will start at $14,550 with a manual transmission and a $15,350 for one with an automatic (plus $620 for destination fees).

Continue reading "2008 Scion xD Starts at $14,550...Is it Better than the Old xA or the new xB?" »

July 9, 2007

Should Mazda Bring the New Mazda 2 Subcompact to the US to Compete with the Fit and Yaris?

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Sales of subcompact cars like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris have taken off this year, due to the ever increasing gas prices. Honda has already sold approximately 28,000 of the 54,000 Fits that are allotted for the US this year. Last year Honda only sold 23,000 of the little cars. Now Honda dealers can't keep up with the demand, but even with that evidence Mazda still remains skeptical about the market.

Continue reading "Should Mazda Bring the New Mazda 2 Subcompact to the US to Compete with the Fit and Yaris?" »

July 6, 2007

Should We Be Able to Sue Automakers if We Don't Achieve Their Claimed Gas Mileage?

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With the consistently rising gas prices many consumers have been flocking to hybrid powered vehicles, only to later find out that they do not achieve the same gas mileage as the window sticker states. This has been a major problem and will hopefully change with the new 2008 EPA changes.

Continue reading "Should We Be Able to Sue Automakers if We Don't Achieve Their Claimed Gas Mileage?" »

July 2, 2007

Is Scion Going to Sell a Re-Badged Subaru Tribeca?

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Spy photos of a camouflaged Tribeca-like vehicle with a Scion badge have been published by Japan's New Model Magazine X. Could Toyota be working on a SUV for its "youth-oriented" brand?

Continue reading "Is Scion Going to Sell a Re-Badged Subaru Tribeca?" »

June 29, 2007

More Spy Photos of the 2008/2009 Toyota Sequoia SUV...Toyota Goes Head to Head with GM

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We've already seen a few spy photos of the upcoming next-generation Toyota Sequoia. Now Brenda Priddy's crew has caught some more shots of the new SUV that will be based on the same platform as the new Tundra.

Continue reading "More Spy Photos of the 2008/2009 Toyota Sequoia SUV...Toyota Goes Head to Head with GM" »

2008 Toyota Land Cruiser Spy Photos...Who Still Buys This Thing?

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Jalopnik has posted several photos of the upcoming 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser. As we all know the Land Cruiser is built on the same platform as the recently revealed 2008 Lexus LX570. From the photos it looks like the new Land Cruiser will look almost the same us the new Lexus.

Continue reading "2008 Toyota Land Cruiser Spy Photos...Who Still Buys This Thing?" »

June 28, 2007

Lexus is Working on a New Dedicated Hybrid Model for 2009

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Lexus has announced plans for a dedicated hybrid model for the UK and Japanese markets. The hybrid will be Lexus' most affordable hybrid and will be priced between the IS and RX 400h SUV.

Continue reading "Lexus is Working on a New Dedicated Hybrid Model for 2009" »

June 24, 2007

Toyota is Planning on Releasing Another Hybrid in Addition to the Popular Prius in 2009


According to the Associated Press, Toyota is planning on releasing a second dedicated brand of hybrid vehicles in 2009. Toyota's initial plans are to sell a 100,000 of these new vehicles around the world.

Continue reading "Toyota is Planning on Releasing Another Hybrid in Addition to the Popular Prius in 2009" »

June 20, 2007

Toyota Announces Pricing for the All-New 2008 Toyota Highlander


The 2008 Toyota Highlander will be in showrooms within the next few weeks and Toyota has finally announced the pricing for its new SUV. The 4-cylinder from the last generation will not be carried over and therefore buyers will only have one engine choice, the 270hp, 3.5L V6 from the Camry and Avalon. Apparently Toyota is very happy with the fuel economy of the new model. The FWD models will get 17/23 and the all-wheel-drive models will achieve 16/22. Are those numbers that great?

Continue reading "Toyota Announces Pricing for the All-New 2008 Toyota Highlander" »

June 16, 2007

Toyota Increases Incentives on the New Tundra up to $3,500...Sales Still Trail the Big 3


Toyota has announced new incentives on its new Tundra that will run through July 31st. The new incentives are: up to $3,500 in rebates, zero percent interest for up to five years or a $500 reduction on down payments for three-year leases.

Continue reading "Toyota Increases Incentives on the New Tundra up to $3,500...Sales Still Trail the Big 3" »

June 15, 2007

A Trip to Scion Backstage 2007 and a Short Take on the New 2008 Scion xB


Scion, Toyota's youth oriented brand has been on the market for only about four years, but Toyota has managed to hit their target market head on. One of the main reasons that Scion is one of the most recognized car brands among younger drivers is because of their marketing. Scion is not pitched as only a car brand, but a lifestyle. When you buy a Scion you are not only getting a "cool" ride, but you are also gaining access to a community.

Continue reading "A Trip to Scion Backstage 2007 and a Short Take on the New 2008 Scion xB" »

The Launch of the Third-Generation Prius is Being Delayed to Spring 2009


Toyota is going to postpone the launch of the next-generation Toyota Prius to Spring 2009. The original intro date was supposed to be fall 2008, but due to battery issues the car is being delayed.

Continue reading "The Launch of the Third-Generation Prius is Being Delayed to Spring 2009" »

June 14, 2007

Toyota Priuses Invade Rental Car Lots!


Just in time for the summer driving season Hertz and Avis have announced that they will be adding Toyota Prius hybrid cars to their rental car fleets.

Continue reading "Toyota Priuses Invade Rental Car Lots!" »

June 12, 2007

2009 Lexus LF-A Spy Photos..The Lexus Supercar is Almost Here

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Spy photographers have caught the upcoming 2009 Lexus LF-A testing. The prototype seen here has many features, such as the function-only taillights that are meant to hide the actual styling of the car.

Continue reading "2009 Lexus LF-A Spy Photos..The Lexus Supercar is Almost Here" »

June 11, 2007

Saturn's Aura vs. Accord and Camry Comparison Campaign Launches and Here is One of the First Commercials For It!


Yesterday we informed you about the new campaign that Saturn is going to do, which will involve placing Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords in Saturn showrooms. Saturn hopes that buyers will see that their Aura sedan is better than the Accord or Camry. The comments are still coming in about that original story.(Click Here) Well now thanks to Autoblog and Saturn we have a look at their first commercial for the campaign. The video is after the jump.

Continue reading "Saturn's Aura vs. Accord and Camry Comparison Campaign Launches and Here is One of the First Commercials For It!" »

June 10, 2007

Saturn Dealers Are Going to Buy Accords and Camrys to Place on Their Showroom Floors


It seems like GM is becoming very confident in their new models. First the automaker announced that they are going to have Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords in their Chevrolet showrooms, so that buyers can compare them against the new 2008 Chevy Malibu. Well now Saturn is going to try the same idea with its Aura sedan.

Continue reading "Saturn Dealers Are Going to Buy Accords and Camrys to Place on Their Showroom Floors" »

June 9, 2007

What are the Top Ten Non-Hybrid Cars That Get Over 30mpg?


Lately it seems that hybrids get all the attention for being fuel-efficient, but there are a handful of non-hybrid cars that get close to the same levels as the hybrids. In the US this list is dominated by Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Only one European model made the list, the MINI. The big question is: Why aren't there any models from Ford, GM or Chrysler on this list?

Continue reading "What are the Top Ten Non-Hybrid Cars That Get Over 30mpg?" »

June 6, 2007

Ford Takes the Crown With Five J.D. Power Initial Quality Awards, Which is More than Any Other Automaker!


J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of their 2007 Initial Quality Survey. Porsche held the top spot with only 91 problems per 100 vehicles for the second time in a row. But it was Ford that made the biggest headlines.

Continue reading "Ford Takes the Crown With Five J.D. Power Initial Quality Awards, Which is More than Any Other Automaker!" »

June 4, 2007

What Were the Top 20 Best-Selling Vehicles in the US in May?...The Ford F-Series Lost the Crown!


The Detroit Free Press has posted the list of the top-20 best selling vehicles in the US last month. The list looks pretty similar to last month, with only a few vehicles moving up or down the list. The overall trend seems to be that consumers are moving further away from trucks and SUVs.

Continue reading "What Were the Top 20 Best-Selling Vehicles in the US in May?...The Ford F-Series Lost the Crown!" »

June 3, 2007

Would You Buy a Solar Powered Toyota Prius? If You Do, You Could Travel 20 Miles Solely on the Battery!


Well apparently you can buy a new solar panel kit for your Prius that will save you even more gas! Solar Electrical Vehicles (SEV) has created a solar panel kit for the current Prius that will allow the car to travel up to 20 miles on the battery alone.

Continue reading "Would You Buy a Solar Powered Toyota Prius? If You Do, You Could Travel 20 Miles Solely on the Battery! " »

June 1, 2007

Toyota is the Most Productive Automaker but US Automakers Are Catching Up

A new study by Harbour Consulting has announced that Toyota is the most productive automaker, since it only takes Toyota 29.93 hours to make a car. Nissan came in second with 29.97 hours and Honda came in third at 31.63 hours.

Continue reading "Toyota is the Most Productive Automaker but US Automakers Are Catching Up" »

May 30, 2007

Toyota is Delaying the Use of Lithium Batteries in the Next 2009 Prius...The 125 mpg Prius May Still be a Ways Off

According to Japan's newspaper, Nikkan Kogyo Toyota is delaying the use of lithium-ion batteries in the next generation Prius because of safety concerns.

Continue reading "Toyota is Delaying the Use of Lithium Batteries in the Next 2009 Prius...The 125 mpg Prius May Still be a Ways Off" »

May 28, 2007

More Problems for the New Toyota Tundra

The new Toyota Tundra has had quite a few dings against it lately. First the truck failed to grab 5 stars in safety tests (two times), Toyota started to offer rebates on some of the configurations, and now there are camshaft quality issues.

Continue reading "More Problems for the New Toyota Tundra" »

May 26, 2007

Who Cares About the Prius When the New MINI D Gets 72.4 mpg!


This fall BMW is going to launch many changes to the current MINI lineup that will result in increased fuel-efficiency across all models. The changes will result in increased engine performance and fuel efficiency all without the use of hybrid technology or alternative fuels.

Continue reading "Who Cares About the Prius When the New MINI D Gets 72.4 mpg!" »

May 24, 2007

2008 Toyota Sequoia Spy Photos...Do We Need Another Gas Guzzling SUV?


The first spy photos of the upcoming 2008 Toyota Sequoia have surfaced. As you can tell the new SUV will adopt many styling cues from the new Tundra.

Continue reading "2008 Toyota Sequoia Spy Photos...Do We Need Another Gas Guzzling SUV?" »

Nissan is Going to Launch Three Vehicles to Go Head to Head With Scion in 2009


According to the Nikkei, Nissan is going to launch three subcompact cars in the US. The cars are expected to be here by the end of next year. The new cars will allow Nissan to compete with Toyota's Scion.

Continue reading "Nissan is Going to Launch Three Vehicles to Go Head to Head With Scion in 2009" »

May 18, 2007

2008 Lexus IS-F Interior Pics...White Leather?


Some more pics of the interior of the upcoming 2008 Lexus IS-F have surfaced courtesy of Club Lexus & flipside909.com.

Continue reading "2008 Lexus IS-F Interior Pics...White Leather?" »

Honda vs. Canada..Apparently Honda is not Happy With Canada's Fuel-Economy Standards

Last month I reported that the Canadian goverment had inacted new legislation that gave buyers of fuel-efficient vehicles a $1,000 rebate. If the vehicle falls below the fuel-economy threshold of 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers, the car is eligible for the rebate. Well that basically meant that the Honda Fit did not qualify because it only acheives 6.6L, but the Toyota Yaris does qualify. That did not sit well with Honda.

Continue reading "Honda vs. Canada..Apparently Honda is not Happy With Canada's Fuel-Economy Standards" »

May 17, 2007

2010 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will Have 400 Horsepower and Get 20/25 MPG


According to TundraHeadquarters Toyota is going to release a hybrid version of the Tundra in 2009 as a 2010 model. The truck will feature the 4.7L V8 and a hybrid system that combined will put out 400 horsepower, gobs of torque and manage to achieve 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Continue reading "2010 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will Have 400 Horsepower and Get 20/25 MPG " »

May 16, 2007

Did Toyota Miss the Mark With the New 2008 Scion xB?


According to a review by The Truth About Cars the new Scion xB pales in comparison to the first generation. The writer feels that Toyota adopted many of the same methods that brought GM down. "It bristles with classic GM-think: dumb it down, fatten it up and cheapen it out."

Continue reading "Did Toyota Miss the Mark With the New 2008 Scion xB?" »

2009 Toyota Blade Spy Photos?...Mazda 3 Competitor?


Today as I was driving through the over crowded streets of LA and I came across a small caravan of three Toyota vehicles. The first vehicle was a camouflaged Scion xD and the third car was the Lexus ES350. The car in the middle is what caught my attention. I assume that the car was the upcoming replacement for the Toyota Matrix, which is rumored to be named the Toyota Blade when it is released next spring.

Continue reading "2009 Toyota Blade Spy Photos?...Mazda 3 Competitor?" »

May 14, 2007

Camry vs Malibu...Chevy Dealers Put Toyota Camrys in Their Showrooms to Sell Malibus


According to a report by the Automotive News, GM is going to try to convince buyers that its new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is better than the Toyota Camry by having the Camry in their showrooms.

Continue reading "Camry vs Malibu...Chevy Dealers Put Toyota Camrys in Their Showrooms to Sell Malibus" »

May 13, 2007

Which New Vehicles Have the Best Technology?


PC Magazine has listed what they feel are the vehicles with the best technology. For the second year the BMW X5 was listed as their top vehicle and took home the magazine's "Digital Drive Car of the Year" award. The X5 was picked because of its adaptive drive, spilt-screen navigation, real-time traffic reports and front and rear sonar.

Continue reading "Which New Vehicles Have the Best Technology?" »

May 12, 2007

Toyota Claims that All of Their Vehicles will Be Hybrids by 2020

Toyota is currently the leader in hybrid sales and they intend to stay that way. Last year the automaker sold 313,000 hybrids and this year they are expected to sell 430,000. Increased pressure from competitors and new diesel technology is forcing the automaker to find ways to cut costs. Toyota hopes to make as much money on hybrids as they do from conventional cars by the end of the decade.

Continue reading "Toyota Claims that All of Their Vehicles will Be Hybrids by 2020" »

May 11, 2007

2008 Honda FCX Sedan...We Are Finally Going to Get a Hydrogen Powered Car!

Honda has announced that it will put its new fuel-cell vehicle into production next year. The automaker is also working on another hybrid vehicle that will be cheaper and smaller than the current Civic Hybrid.

Continue reading "2008 Honda FCX Sedan...We Are Finally Going to Get a Hydrogen Powered Car!" »

May 10, 2007

The Spiritual Successor to the Toyota Supra (Toyota FT-HS) will be Released in 2009

According to Automobile, the Toyota FT-HS is going to be released in 2009. The hybrid sports car has been given the green light.

Continue reading "The Spiritual Successor to the Toyota Supra (Toyota FT-HS) will be Released in 2009" »

May 9, 2007

The Next Generation 2009 Toyota Prius is Going to Come in Three Versions


Toyota recently unveiled the Hybrid X Concept at the Geneva Auto Show. The familiar shape of the concept car lead many people to believe that it was a preview of the next generation Prius. According to Automobile Magazine and Toyota insiders Toyota is going to offer three versions of the next generation Prius.

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Slow Sales Prompt GM to Offer Rebates on Their Full-Size Trucks


In the past month GM has announced that their sales were down due to the slowing housing market and increasing gas prices. The automaker also stated that the sales of their new full-size pickups are not doing as well as they had hoped. Now comes word that the automaker is offering incentives to move the large trucks, since sales dropped 7% last month.

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May 7, 2007

2010 Saturn Aura Spy Photos Surface... It Looks Just Like an Altima or a Camry!


Spy photos of the upcoming Opel Vectra have surfaced. Most people know that the Opel Vectra is essentially the same thing as the Saturn Aura that we have here in the U.S. This is likely to continue with the next generation Vectra, which is due for 2010.

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The Chevy Volt Hybrid Could Take on the Prius in 2010


Since the concept version of the Chevrolet Volt was unveiled earlier this year, GM has been working hard on the production model. The project which is going to cost the automaker at least $500 million is as top of a priority as the new 2008 Chevy Malibu.

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May 4, 2007

What are the Most Wanted Cars in the U.S. for 2007?

Edmunds.com has posted a list of the most wanted cars in 2007 based on reader feedback. Out of the 32 categories you may be surprised which automaker took home the most awards....

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May 3, 2007

How Many Airbags Do We Actually Need to Be Safe?

Airbags have been in our cars for two decades. Recently automakers are trying to put as many airbags as they can into their new vehicles. But is it merely for added safety or another marketing tactic? Airbags are popping up in every area of the car from the side air bags to knee airbags. Are automakers going a little overboard or are the new airbags a welcome addition?

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ZF Announces Plans for an 8-Speed Automatic Transmission

Transmission maker ZF has announced plans to produce an 8-speed automatic transmission that will likely be used in future Ford, BMW and VW vehicles. The transmission called the "8HP" will be used in the new 2009 BMW 7-Series that will debut in late 2008.

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2009 Ford F-150 Will Take on the Toyota Tundra and GM Trucks Next Year


The Car Connection has posted several images of the new 2009 Ford F-150 during testing outside of Detroit. Spy photographers managed to capture photos of the different configurations of the popular truck.

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May 2, 2007

My Day in the Nissan Altima...Is it Better than the Accord or Camry?

Recently I had the chance to drive the 2007 Nissan Altima S for the day. When given the choice at the rental car counter between a Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix or a brand new 2007 Nissan Altima, I immediately jumped at the chance to drive Nissan's popular mid-size sedan. With the ever-increasing gas prices, more economical sedans are becoming increasingly popular. The version I was given was a 2007 Altima S, which is the base 4-cylinder.

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Auto Sales Dip Due to a Slowing Economy


April's auto sales numbers have just been posted and almost every major automaker had a sales decrease last month. Even the Asian automakers that have been making headlines for their sales gains, took a hit.

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May 1, 2007

What are the Top 10 Best-Selling Vehicles in the U.S.?

Automakers have just released their April 2007 U.S. sales figures. Here is the list of the top 10 best selling vehicles last month (in order by number of sales). The bottom of the list may surprise you.

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April 26, 2007

Should GM Kill off Hummer, Buick and Pontiac?


Now that GM is the Number Two automaker in the world, many analysts are discussing what the automaker needs to do in order to get back on top. Alex Taylor at Fortune wrote an article on what he suggests the automaker do to gain back their title.

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April 24, 2007

Is This What the New 2008 Toyota Corolla will Look Like?

The Hollywood Extra has posted a photo of a Toyota Corolla, but it is not known if this is the version we will get in the U.S.

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Toyota is Number 1 for the First-Time Ever!


For the first time ever, Toyota has sold more cars and trucks worldwide than GM, in the first three months of this year. Toyota's sales for the first quarter rose 9% to a record 2.35 million compared to GM which only rose 3% to 2.26 million vehicles.

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April 22, 2007

Would You Sacrifice Your Safety for Better Gas Mileage and $1000?!

Apparently Honda is having this exact dilemma in Canada. New Canadian regulations have been imposed that give buyers of fuel-efficient vehicles a $1,000 rebate. If the vehicle falls below the fuel-economy threshold of 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers, the car is eligible for the rebate.

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April 20, 2007

What are the Coolest Cars Under $18,000?

Kelly Blue Book has compiled their list of the top 10 coolest cars under $18,000. Today as the average car price is well into the $20,000's it is good to know that there are cheaper alternatives that are still cool to own.

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April 16, 2007

Toyota Prius Fails Emissions Test!


Apparently the environmentally friendly Toyota Prius has failed emissions tests in the state of Georgia. 2007 is the first year that drivers of the 2004 Prius are required to get emissions tests and drivers of the cars are finding out they are not passing the tests.

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April 12, 2007

We Can Thank Toyota for the Existence of Subaru and the WRX


According to a post on The Car Connection, Subaru would not exist if it wasn't for Toyota. According the CEO, without Toyota's support Subaru's future would have been unknown.

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April 6, 2007

2008 Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid will Start at $104k...Is That Too Much?


Lexus has just released the pricing for its newest hybrid, the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid. The car is going to have a base price of $104,750, which is much higher than the $71,715 base price of the non-hybrid version.

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2008 Lexus IS-F Shows up at the NY Auto Show...Is it Better than the New M3?

The 2008 Lexus IS-F made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show this month. It is also being displayed in all its glory at the New York Auto show this week.

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April 5, 2007

2008 Scion xB Starts at $15,650...Does it Still Have the Same Appeal?

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Scion has released the pricing and specs for the all-new 2008 Scion xB. The new car is larger than the previous box on wheels.

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April 4, 2007

2008 Lexus LX570 Revealed too Bad it has Nothing on the Range Rover

Lexus introduced its new 2008 Lexus LX570 to the world today at the New York Auto Show. The most notable cahnge besides its styling is the name change from LX470 to LX570.

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April 3, 2007

Toyota and Honda Sales Rose in March while Domestic Automakers Continue to Suffer


Toyota's sales increased 9% last month compared to March 2006. This was largely driven by sales of the new Camry, the RAV4 and the Prius.

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March 26, 2007

California Carpool Stickers Add Value to Hybrids

According to a story on USA Today, Californians seem willing to pay as much as $4,000 more for a hybrid vehicle with the state issued carpool stickers than for hybrids that don't have it.