Toyota
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For years, the RAV-4 has been the bestselling SUV in the US. Now in its sixth generation, the Toyota RAV-4 is one of the original compact crossovers. Once with a V6, the RAV-4 will now be available only with hybrid power, but that doesn't make it slow. Even the lowest power RAV-4 makes more horsepower than that V6 from 2005 while the new GR Sport trim PHEV can produce 320 horsepower. All powertrain versions in the 2026 model are upgraded units from the previous generation. The base setup is a 226-horsepower front-wheel drive model (previously, the hybrid was only offered in all-wheel drive) while adding all-wheel drive to the spec sheet adds a third electric motor an…
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toyota Toyota News: Toyota bZ4X EV Grows up as the bZ with Range, Charging and Updates for 2026 Model Year
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Toyota has been late to the EV or electrical vehicle market around the world. Toyota finally launched a full lineup in China, but people have been wondering what they have in store for the rest of the world. Welcome the 2026 bZ battery electric vehicle. The bZ starts off the 2026 model year with a higher capacity lithium-ion battery that comes in at 74.7-kWh capacity good for a manufacture-estimated range of 314 miles. Toyota then packs on the updated features as you have an industry standardized NACS charge port that allows access to the Tesla Supercharger network. Toyota goes farther by adding a Plug & Charge capability that allows this industry stan…
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The year is 2018, Toyota introduced the C-HR to the North American market with a futuristic look, lots of tech goodies for the time but sluggish acceleration that after five years had it end in 2022 with a 144hp motor mated to a CVT or continuously variable automatic transmission that based on reviews said it struggled to achieve a combined 29 MPG in FWD form. Fast Forward to 2025, Toyota debuts the all-new C-HR electric vehicle with standard AWD, 338 combined HP and range of an estimated 290 miles from a 74.7 kW battery pack and built on the Toyota e-TNGA platform. The 2026 C-HR will come with class leading soft touch materials, customizable light…
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Toyota corporation is made up of two divisions for the most part, Toyota, their mainstream brand and Lexus their luxury arm. While very late to the EV party, Toyota Motor Corporation has had the deep funding pockets to catch up. Did they succeed? Toyota has started with a Blitzkrieg in Europe first for 2025 before they will be rolled out to the rest of the world. Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota had their World Premiere of the New "RZ" EV with an amazing strike at Tesla in offering Toyota Quality and build. RZ points of interest: Continuously pursuing the 'The Natural' driving concept to further refine the Lexus Driving Signature Optimizi…
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I didn't even look for this. It was suggested for me, so I watched it. Well, here it is. They have apparently put some thought into this car and want to remain major player in this niche. It looks like the entry level LE will be starting at $30,000 (US). Also, only hybrid 4-cylinder engines (which make respectable horsepower) will be powering this latest generation of Camry.
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Toyota has had for the rich and powerful their Century car for the Japanese market only for decades. This chauffeur-driven car was a coveted auto that never was allowed to be exported out of Japan. Today, Toyota has announced a new chauffeur-driven Century for the 21st century in meeting the demands of a new age, new generation while maintaining the inheritance of the history of what made Century so special. The Century SUV while being a new shape, combines elegance, comfort and functionality as demanded in this new age of automotive excitement. Toyota streamed the launch making a statement of the following: A bold design with an elegant and gracef…
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Today, Toyota released a more detailed teaser image of the nearly reborn Land Cruiser. Featuring a boxy, egg crate grille, and a profile similar to the new Lexus GX, we have a pretty good idea what the Land Cruiser will look like. Since the two will share most of the body, only the front fenders, grille, and rear tailgate will offer much in terms of styling differentiation. Old and New Land Cruiser Silhouettes - Via Toyota We expect the Land Cruiser to be powered by the same 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 that produces 349-hp and 479 lb-ft of torque in the GX. Lexus will later be adding a hybrid to the line-up based on the Toyota Tundra i-Force Max that can produc…
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Toyota, June 13th 2023 held a technical briefing session that is supposed to support Toyota Motor Company transforming into a mobility company. CTO Hikoki Nakajima was the first to present to the industry and news about how Toyota will be changing to a mobility company through embracing a wide range of technology. The following is what will make Toyota Motor Company, become Toyota Mobility Company. All Solid-State batteries for all EV products coming between 2026 and 2030 Aerodynamic technology based on rocket hypersonic technology. Use of Giga-casting in all Toyota products Use of Small eAxle motors True EV platform that support…
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The Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling mid-size pickup in the U.S. for nearly 20 years. Holding such an important place in the lineup, Toyota has been very conservative with updates in the past. The outgoing generation ran for a full 7 years, but even that was based on a platform that dates all the way back to 2004. For 2024, the Tacoma sheds the old platform entirely and joins the Tundra and Sequoia on Toyota's new TNGA-F global truck platform. The 2024 Tacoma is the latest (and final) updated entry to the US mid-size truck market, joining the Ranger, Canyon, Colorado, Ridgeline, and Frontier, all of which have been recently redesigned. Tacoma is coming out …
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Toyota believes there is a need in the market for a mid-size SUV that prioritizes interior comfort for all-three rows and their answer is the Grand Highlander. Lisa Materazzo, group VP of Toyota Marketing made this statement: “This 3-row model takes the Highlander legacy to an entirely new space while also keeping on our promise to deliver on electrification. Highlander was the first model in its segment to offer a hybrid powertrain back in 2006 and Grand Highlander further expands on our electrification leadership.” Toyota is clearly standardizing their auto lineup with a standardized powertrain lineup as used in their Crown family and now will be used ac…
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1955 Toyota Motor Corporation introduced the Toyota Crown sedan to the Japanese market and holds the distinction of being the longest-running passenger car nameplate affixed to any Toyota model, along with being the first vehicle to be exported to the U.S. in 1958. 1955 Toyota Crown The Toyota Crown was on sales in the U.S. in both 2-door and 4-door till 1972 when it was discontinued for the U.S. market. 1972 Toyota Crown Official Marketing Image Upon being pulled back to the Asian rim and specifically the Japanese market, the Toyota Crown moved up stream to be the top-of-the-line auto for executiv…
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Toyota is promising the public the ultimate road tripper in their all-new Grand Highlander, three-row SUV. The 2024 Grand Highlander will be the most sophisticated and spacious Grand Highlander leading the 44-vehicle lineup, largest ever shown at an auto show. Chicago will be the start of a massive blitz of ICE and Hybrid new and updated autos. The car show will have from production vehicles to NASCAR and SEMA specialty autos such as the Trailhunter Concept Vehicle and SEMA specialty products. A trio of all-new production autos starts with the 2023 Prius, 2023 GR Corolla and 2023 Crown. The Prius is the most fuel-efficient Prius ever with an estimated 57 M…
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Toyota corporation and it's CEO has been very clear from the start that they do not think people want EVs and have stated this with their dedication to Hydrogen cars that have bombed in their limited sales, fuel infrastructure and more. Toyota then came out with their first EV the bz4x that was a full-on recall / buy back only months later after production started in 2022. Now as Toyota is changing leadership as the current CEO moves to the board as Chairman and a younger by a few years takes over the CEO leadership of the company, Toyota is doing a radical shift. Toyota Motor Corp. in an interview with "The Asahi Shimbun" has stated …
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Toyota Motor Corp has teased this year an all-new Prius for 2023. Some have wondered including this writer if it would be an EV rather than a Hybrid. The night of November 16th, 2022, we got our answer. Toyota is keeping the Prius name in Hybrid format only. Welcome to Toyota's Hybrid Reborn. Toyota wants the Prius name to carry on Toyota's commitment to Carbon Neutrality and gave the following bullet points about this all-new ride. All-New Sporty Exterior Styling with Flowing, One-Motion Silhouette Most fuel-efficient Prius ever with up to Manufacturer-Estimated 57 Combined MPG Fifth Gen Hybrid Powertrain with up to 196 …
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October 2022 was the startup again of production of the bZ4X as well as the announcement of the bZ3, the second EV in the bZ series. This second electric sedan was jointly developed between Toyota, BYD and FAW Toyota of China. Many would have thought that Toyota was finally on the bandwagon for moving forward with EVs as they had announced 30 new EVs to be produced and released by 2030. This in comparison to companies like Hyundai or GM where they have committed to having EVs replace full portfolios by 2025. So why then is a reboot in order for Toyota? Per an exclusive story released by REUTERS, "Exclusive: Toyota scrambles for EV reboot with e…
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O-Uchi Kyunden System or Large House system, a home battery system has been released by Toyota Motor Corporation based on the following mantra of "safe, long service life, high-quality, good value for price, and high performance" so that global customers can have peace of mind. Pre-orders starting June 2, 2022, are able to be placed with the Japan market getting deliveries starting in August 2022 through home builders and general construction companies and globally at a later date to others. O-Uchi Kyuden System Configuration is as follows: Using Toyota's established battery technology with the Toyota's battery control software, the O-Uchi Kyud…
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Toyota bZ4X is their start of catching up to the rest of the auto industry in having BEVs. Toyota announced the details of this new BEV with the following bullet points per their press release: Contribution to SDGs based on the concept of "home planet" Toyota's approach to carbon neutrality is "practical and sustainable," aiming to reduce CO2 with products that are easy to use and highly appealing. The TOYOTA bZ series adopts a BEV-dedicated platform that aims for a value greater than zero ("beyond Zero"). The bZ4X has the excitement of an SUV-style BEV, driving appeal, and is the first model of the Toyota's bZ series, which emphasizes safety and…
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Toyota is not new to auto electrification, but they have found themselves on the far side of the moon in comparison to other OEMs in being ready to sell electric autos to the global public. Toyota sued California CARB in attempts to stay ICE with their hybrid Prius line-up and Hydrogen as Toyota had bet big on Hydrogen over electric autos to the extent of selling Hydrogen autos in California and building some Hydrogen fueling stations. Yet while this could be the way for Semi trucks or what is known as Class 8 heavy haulers that use hydrogen generators to power an electric power train, it seems the public has chosen to endorse BEV or battery electric autos. …
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Toyota has decided "Born From Invincible" is the new marketing message for the all new Toyota Tundra 2022! From the African Savanna to the Australian Outback or the asphalt of NASCAR, Toyota Trucks has taken people places for over 70 years. The global debut of the All-New 2022 Tundra builds on what Toyota brought to the world starting in 1950 with the first Land Cruiser building on the unique heritage to take Toyota into an even more exciting future per their press release. To quote their Invincible press release: “Born from Invincible” showcases an unparalleled international truck history in a wild ride down memory lane. Toyota’s rich history o…
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Toyota announced today that the Toyota Avalon and Camry would be getting an all-wheel drive option. It's the first time the Camry has offered all-wheel drive since 1991 and the first ever for Avalon. AWD will be available as a standalone option on Camry LE, XLE, SE, and XSE trims and on the Avalon XLE and Limited trims. In both models, the car is powered by a 202 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and an 8-speed automatic. Camry XSE AWD and both Avalon AWD trims get 205hp with their dual exhaust. The AWD system is borrowed from the Toyota RAV-4 and is called Dynamic Torque Control AWD. It is designed to help with traction in slippery weather but not drag down fue…
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Toyota Motor Corporation announced their Toyota bZ line-up of BEVs at the Shanghai Auto Show. The first to be unvealed is the Toyota bZ4X, an AWD in the bZ series. This CUV plays off the success of the Toyota Rav 4 hybrid series in style. Toyota had 4 key points that they made with tonight's product reveal: Toyota intends to contribute to SDGs based on the perspective of "home planet" that responds to environmental issues of global scale above and beyond the concepts of "hometown" and "home country" that the automotive industry has long continued its business in. Toyota intends to full…
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The Toyota Yaris and Yaris Hatchback will be no more in the U.S. come the end of June. That's according to a leaked memo posted to Reddit and found by CarBuzz. Sent to "All Southeast Toyota Dealers and General Managers" by Toyota, the memo says the Yaris will "cease production" at the end of June. "The Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback will not be available for model year 2021. Model year 2020 will be the last year for Yaris. June 2020 will be the last month of production for the Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback for the US," wrote Christine N. Henley, Toyota North America's Western Communications Manager in the memo. Toyota confirmed the memo, and gave Car and Driv…
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According to the Rumorpile, Toyota is working on bringing back the Venza, a car that went out of production after 2015. The original Venza did not sell very well, partially due to its wagon-like shape and also relatively high pricing. It also lacked any off-road pretense that typically comes with a crossover. The problem for Toyota is that there is a large Venza sized gap in their SUV lineup between the RAV-4 and Highlander. This time around, the Venza would ditch the wagon looks and instead be a true crossover along the lines of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Honda Passport, and Ford Edge. There is a possibility that the Venza would come in only hybrid form using the s…
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Toyota has announced that they will be bringing a new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to the Los Angeles Auto Show this year. The difference for this hybrid is that it will be a plug-in and it will also be more powerful. Toyota promises "spirited acceleration" in their press release. As we get closer to the show, we'll get more details on range, power, battery size, etc. The RAV4 is already the best selling crossover in the segment and that could mean that the RAV4 PHEV could end up being the most popular PHEV for sale. Globally that title currently belongs to the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Toyota has twice previously made full EV versions of the RAV4, but limited their …
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The current generation Toyota Mirai has never been a "looker". It seemed like some sort of Prius with a glandular problem. Toyota hopes to change that and make the fuel cell vehicle sexy with the new 2021 Toyota Mirai Sedan Concept. The new concept sits on a rear-wheel drive platform and sports an new, more powerful fuel cell powertrain. Toyota claims a 30-percent increase in driving range with increased hydrogen capacity. Most importantly thought, Toyota un-weirded the Mirai so that it now looks like something that might sit in a Lexus showroom rather than Toyota. The next generation Toyota Mirai will go on sale in late 2020. View full arti…
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Toyota has released an update to its funky little crossover/hatchback, the C-HR. The changes are slight and include a (slightly) revised front fascia, new wheels, two new colors, Android Auto and Apple Car play standard, and on the Limited trim, an adaptive front lighting system and 8-way power seats. The C-HR already comes with Toyota Safety Sense - P, a suite of safety technologies that include a multi-feature advanced active safety suite that bundles Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beams, and Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. The C-HR is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder…
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We reported back in April that the Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma would be consolidated to a single modular platform for their respective next generations. Now Toyota is making a $391 million dollar investment into its San Antonio production line to help smooth the way. The investment is not expected to create any new permanent jobs. The new platform, internally called F1, will first appear in the next generation Tundra expected in 2021 and eventually spread to all of Toyota's pickups worldwide. Tacoma will move to the F1 platform in 2023 or 2024. The new platform will be capable of electrification. One of the engines rumored for the Tundra is a Twin-Turbo V6 Hyb…
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Toyota and Suzuki have announce plans to formalize a technology alliance. Suzuki will purchase approximately $454 million of Toyota stock while Toyota will acquire approximately $908 million in Suzuki shares for a 4.94 percent stake in the company. The two companies will share technology and platforms. Toyota will provide technology for electrification while Suzuki will provide platforms for small vehicles. Both companies will collaborate in the area of autonomous driving technology. The two companies already have an agreement where Toyota will provide Suzuki badged variants of the RAV-4 and Corolla Estate for the European market, while a Suzuki model will …
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Last week we reported that Toyota and Suzuki are forming an alliance to share technology and small-car platforms between the two companies. The deal, however, looked great for Suzuki but with not much in it for Toyota. Today brings some clarity to the arrangement. India is currently the 4th largest new car market and is expected to leapfrog Japan to number 3 in the near future. Being such a large and growing market has outsiders clamoring to get in, but one company is already there in a big way. Suzuki's local subsidiary Maruti accounts for 46 percent of the sub-contienent's new-vehicle sales. We reported earlier that Suzuki agreed to provide Toyota with two comp…
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com 2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style? MSN reposted a story from The Street about the all new 2016 Toyota Tacoma. http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/new-toyota-tacoma-aims-to-regain-us-market-share/ar-BBlBQ9s?ocid=ansfinap11 I can see that they are going for a very butch look on their trucks / SUV's / CUV's but I am not a fan of this body style, the nose is clearly taken from the (Personal Opinion) BUTT UGLY 4Runner. With that said, I will say that the military looking side of the truck is nice and I am sure current Tacoma owners will love t…
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A rumor has been leaked that the next generation of Toyota Tundra, coming in 2021, would have a twin-turbo V6 combined with an electric motor for its top trim trucks. The tipster posted to TFLtruck.com saying that the new motor would be based on the existing 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 found in the Lexus LS and LC 500h. It would have around 450 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque and able to achieve over 30 mpg highway. In the Lexi, the engine produces 354 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque and manages 33 mpg highways. Our suspicion is that Toyota is making up the deficit by filling the bigger Tundra with bigger electric motors and adding an expected 10-speed automatic, up from the…
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According to an article in Automotive News, Toyota plans to move the Tundra and Tacoma to a shared platform, internally called "F1". The platform is to be used globally and will require a bit of modularity. The platform is said to be nearing completion and the next Tundra could be debuting for the 2021 model year. The Tacoma will likely join later as it was redesigned in 2015 and given a refresh for 2020 at the Chicago Auto Show along with a bunch of other TRD models like the Sequoia TRD Pro. For US consumption, all Tundras and most Tacomas are built at the company's San Antonio, Texas plant. Moving to a single platform would make things easier and cheaper o…
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A few weeks back we reported that the Toyota Yaris hatchback that we all knew and ...er... loved... would be ending production but we also found out that there was a possibility that the model name would continue in the form of a rebadged Mazda 2 hatchback like the Yaris Sedan. Yesterday, those suspicions were confirmed. Toyota released details ahead of the New York International Auto Show of the coming 2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback. Like the sedan, it is based on the Mazda 2 but with a Toyota front clip and badging. Surprisingly, it is larger than the old model. Wheelbase is up by 2.4 inches over the outgoing model and features a trunk area with almost 16 cubic f…
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With the introduction of the Toyota Supra, rumors have been swirling that the 86/BRZ twins might not be replaced when their production lives were up. Autocar UK has a quote from Toyota's European Marketing Chief saying "[the GT86] has been a successful halo product for us" and added that "...the Supra is not to replace that car." The 86/FR-S/BRZ was released in 2011 as a co-development between Toyota and Subaru. It uses Subaru's boxer engine and transmission. It is highly likely that the next generation model would continue to use the signature engine. The new car would continue sit below the Supra in the Toyota lineup. Akio Toyoda has stated interest in building …
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Toyota and Suzuki are teaming up to share platforms and parts for markets other than the U.S. Suzuki will get two hybrid platforms for Europe. Toyota will build vehicles on their RAV4 and Corolla Wagon platforms and also supply hybrid powertrain tech to Suzuki for use in other vehicles. Toyota will get access to Suzuki's new engine range designed for use under the new stricter EU emissions standards. Toyota will build the engines themselves in Poland. The two automakers are working together to build a two new compact vehicles for the India and four for the Africa markets. View full article
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Toyota announced today that they will be increasing their plan for a $10 billion investment in North America over 5 years to a $13 billion investment in the same time period. Part of that will be an additional $749 million investment in plants in 5 states that will add 600 jobs to the roles. The changes include adding the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Lexus ES Hybrid to vehicle production in Georgetown, KY, adding engine and hybrid transmission capacity in Huntsville, AL and Buffalo, WV respectively, as well as adding casting capacity in Tennessee and Missouri. These additions are on top of a $1.6 billion investment into a new joint venture facility with…
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It came as no surprise that Toyota decided to drop the Yaris Liftback for 2019 - they only sold 1,940 models last year. In our original report, Toyota spokeswoman Nancy Hubbell dropped an interesting bit of information by revealing they would have news on the 2020 Yaris at New York. Car and Driver has a possible guess as to what it could be - a rebadged Mazda2 hatchback. Some quick background: The current Toyota Yaris sedan is just a rebadged version of the Mazda2 sedan sold elsewhere in the world. It was introduced back in 2016 as the Scion iA and then became the Yaris iA a year later. Car and Driver is expecting the hatchback version to get the same front end …
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In news that will likely not shock a lot of people, Toyota has dropped the Yaris Liftback for 2019. This was confirmed by Toyota spokesperson Nancy Hubbell to CarsDirect. No reason was given as to why the liftback variant was being dropped, but we have to assume falling sales were the key reason. In 2018, sales dropped 77.6 percent to 27,209 models - only 1,940 of those were the liftback. Toyota is keeping the sedan variant but has dropped the price to $16,380. CarsDirect speculates this might have been a tough decision based on fleet documents that list the 2019 Yaris Liftback production as "TBA" for a number of months after issuing order guides. Interesti…
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Toyota is reading to launch their high-performance sub-brand GAZOO Racing (GR) with the upcoming Toyota Supra - debuting next week at the Detroit Auto Show. But what comes next? "We have lots of requests from different countries, so it's really, really challenging to decide on the order [of performance models]," said Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Toyota 86 and Supra. "It's not just Hyundai. Other car brands are doing this too, so we are researching this and we have to create the brand strategy." According to Carsales, Australian executives are pushing hard for a GR version of the Corolla Hatchback to bring the fight to the Hyundai i30N hatchback. No m…
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It has been a long time coming, but finally, we have gotten our first look at the upcoming 2020 Toyota Supra. The SupraMKV forums obtained a photo of the upcoming sports car in a transporter with most of the car cover removed from it. Comparing this photo with the FT-1 concept from a few years back, Toyota's designers toned down the front end. The nose isn't as pointy and the bumper has three large intakes - not two like the concept. It also appears the bubble roof has carried over onto the production model. As we reported back in June, the Supra will come with two engines from BMW; the 2.0L turbo-four (265 horsepower) and 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six (335 horsep…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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The past couple of years has seen a lot of talk about consumers are turning away from cars towards trucks and utility vehicles. U.S. automakers have responded to this trend by announcing cuts to their car lineup - General Motors being the latest one. But other automakers are being more cautious. Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America told a gathering at the Detroit Economic Club last week that car sales are reaching the point of bottoming out - just under 30 percent in November sales. Unlike the American brands, Lentz isn't giving up on cars as they represent more than 4 million compact, midsize, and near-luxury cars sold to buyers. "There’s no way I’m going to …
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Beginning next month, Toyota will slow down one of its three assembly lines at its Georgetown, Kentucky plant. Aside from building the Avalon and Lexus ES, Georgetown is home to the Camry - the best-selling car in the U.S. for the past 16 years. “The auto industry is cyclical, and our normal process is to proactively plan months in advance for volume adjustments,” said Rick Hesterberg, a Toyota spokesman to Bloomberg. Hesterberg declined to comment on how much production would be reduced by the slowdown. He did say that none of the 8,000 permanent workers or 1,500 temps will be laid off during this slowdown. Demand for the Camry has been slipping for the pa…
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Toyota isn't immune to the falling sales of passenger vehicles as more buyers trend towards trucks and SUVs. In the first ten months of this year, cars are down 11.1 percent. Meanwhile, trucks are up 7.7 percent. This has the Japanese automaker considering dropping some models. "We are taking a hard look at all of the segments that we compete in to make sure we are competing in profitable segments and that products we sell have strategic value," said Jim Lentz, Toyota's North America CEO after the automaker reported an increase in quarterly profits. Unlike Ford which is revamping its lineup to changing consumer tastes, Toyota isn't planning to "abandon passenger…
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As the Toyota Supra continues its slow march to production, the automaker is considering adding another sports car that may revive an iconic nameplate. "We want to have Celica back, we want to have the MR2 back," said Masayuki Kai, Assistant Chief Engineer on the Supra project. The biggest was Supra. Supra was number one, the biggest demand from the market. Now that we've brought Supra back, what will come next depends on the market needs." Kai suggested that nothing is set in stone, but did hint that the Celica could be an all-wheel drive performance coupe. The MR2 could keep its mid-engine layout if a business case could be made. There lies within th…
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Toyota has announced that it will be recalling 1.03 million vehicles worldwide to fix an issue that could start a fire. According to Reuters, the problem deals with a wiring harness that connects to the hybrid system's power control unit. Vibrations and accumulating dirt can wear down the wire insulation at the connection point. This will expose the bare wires and possibly cause an electric short - increasing the chances of a fire. Toyota has told the news service they have one report of a vehicle in Japan that went up in smoke. The majority of vehicles involved in the recall are located in Japan. In the U.S., around 192,000 examples of the 2016-2018 Toyota Priu…
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Toyota is planning a big push with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. According to Reuters, the Japanese automaker is doubling-down on investments for fuel cell vehicles by making improvements to reduce costs and building different models including commercial trucks. “We’re going to shift from limited production to mass production, reduce the amount of expensive materials like platinum used in FCV components, and make the system more compact and powerful,” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, chief engineer of the Mirai. Currently, Toyota hand builds the Mirai at a plant in Toyota City. Everyday, about 6.5 cars roll out of the plant. This is due to the detailed inspections that par…
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Last August, we reported on a BMW document that revealed the next-generation Z4 and all-new Toyota Supra would have the choice of a 2.0L turbo-four and twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six. Now, a new document from German transmission maker ZF seems to confirm this. The document in question is a "transmission catalogue" that lists the various implementations of the eight-speed ZF 8HP. For the Supra, it has two BMW engines listed - the 2.0L turbo-four with 265 horsepower and 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six with 335 horsepower. The Z4 will get the same engines, but will offer a more potent inline-six with 375 horsepower. Testsuya Tada, the chief engineer on the Supra did confirm…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Seems Toyota has come out with a new Century Luxury Sedan for Chauffeur based driving. The first came out in 1967 to be the ultimate conveyance for the Emperor of Japan, the Imperial house and politicians. The newest version is now 210 inches overall with a 121.6 wheel base. Packed with modern tech and now will use the Lexus LS 600H 5L V8 replacing the very old V12. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/06/23/toyota-century-hybrid-v8-luxury-sedan/#slide-7361448
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Before the new Corolla hatchback hits dealers later this summer, Toyota has revealed pricing and fuel economy numbers. The base SE will set you back $20,910 (includes a $920 destination charge), while the XSE begins at $23,910. That will net you a new 2.0L four-cylinder with 168 horsepower and a six-speed manual. A CVT is available for an additional $1,100. This is what you get on either trim: SE: Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning; 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay compatibility, and 16-inch wheels. XSE: 18-inch wheels, LED fog lamps, upgraded…
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The Toyota Yaris iA is no more. Putting to rest the last remnants of the Scion brand, Toyota is renaming their smallest sedan to the Yaris for 2019. It also marks the introduction of a range of trims (L, LE, and XLE). Not much changes in terms of the exterior aside from a honeycomb grille and chrome trim. A lip spoiler is standard on the LE and XLE models. For the interior, the Yaris sedan comes well equipped with a 7-inch display, Bluetooth, backup camera, push-button start, and cruise control. LE and XLE models add a Smart Key. The top-line XLE comes with leatherette upholstery, automatic climate control, automatic rain-sensing wipers, and automatic LED headl…
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The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ coupes have earned a lot of praise agile and nimble handling. But many agree that they could use more power. The 2.0L boxer-four only produces 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Rumors have been swirling about possibly turbocharging the engine. But the chief engineer on the 86 and BRZ said that turbocharging is not in the cards for this generation. “When we launched 86, I got literally millions of questions from around the world of ‘when would you be launching the turbo version? I believe that often times I answered that there won’t be a turbo version, and there were some articles in the media that Mr Tada doesn’t like a turbo,"…
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Seems that the newest RAV4 was caught in hot weather testing in california and could be released next year in 2019 or sooner. Will say that the pictures are heavy covering but clearly you can see that the RAV4 is going away from their bullet look and into a more traditional SUV type body look. Supposed to be the first CUV on their global new TGNA platform. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/01/24/2019-toyota-rav4-redesign-spy-photos/#slide-7223474
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Toyota is well aware that they are quite behind competitors when it comes to electric vehicles. Facing a “now or never” crisis, the Japanese automaker announced a new plan that will see it sell more than 10 electric vehicles worldwide by 2020. The plan hinges on a significant acceleration in the development and launches of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, and fuel cells. The new vehicles will be launched in China first, followed by other markets such as Japan and the U.S. Toyota is also planning on having an electrified version of every model in the Toyota and Lexus lineups by 2025. The goals mark a major departure for Toyota as they have tended to foc…
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Toyota's polarizing C-HR crossover went on sale earlier this year and it isn't doing so well in terms of sales. Through November, Toyota has only moved 21,889 units, way less than Chevrolet Trax (72,723 units) and Honda HR-V (86,491). Speaking to Wards Auto, Toyota Motor Sales USA's president Bob Carter said a key reason the comes down to the C-HR not offering all-wheel drive in North America. Most subcompact crossovers sold in the U.S. have the option of AWD. But if Toyota was to AWD to the C-HR, it would highlight another problem. The C-HR carries a base price of $22,500, making it one of the more expensive models in the class. The C-HR isn't the only crossove…
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Over the course of this year, Toyota has unveiled three different crossover concepts; the FT-4X, TJ Cruiser, and the FT-AC. We figured that one of these concepts could make it into production and this was confirmed by a Toyota executive. "It's like the 90s again, we can have more than one vehicle in each segment if they are different enough," Toyota Motor North America General Manager Jack Hollis told Motor Authority. While the three concepts differ greatly in terms of design, Hollis explained this was done to "test the waters in the market and get feedback from consumers." No matter which design is chosen, there are certain details that have been confirmed. Hol…
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Toyota News: Toyota's R&D Boss Believes Internal Combustion Engines For Cars To Be Gone By 2050 1 2 3
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Most vehicles sold feature an internal combustion engine running some type of fuel, but a Toyota executive believes this engine will be gone for vehicles by 2050. “We expect that by 2050 we will have reduced CO2 emissions from vehicles by 90% compared to the figure in 2010. To achieve that from 2040 simple internal combustion engined cars will not be made, but they may be the basis of some hybrid or plug-in hybrid cars,” said Seigo Kuzumaki, Toyota’s head of advanced R&D and engineering. Kuzumaki's reasoning for this comes down to governments tightening regulations on emissions. This, in turn, will cause automakers to accelerate development of alternative po…
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The Toyota Prius V is an odd duck in the Prius family. The wagon/van shape offered buyers more space to carry stuff while returning high fuel economy numbers. But its run in the U.S. will be coming to a close at the end of this year. "After six years and nearly 160,000 units sold in the U.S., the decision was made to end Prius V production for the U.S. and Puerto Rico this December," said Toyota's East Coast communications manager Corey Proffitt to Green Car Reports. Proffitt went on to say the Prius V would continue to be sold in other markets around the world, but it is unclear whether Canada will be part of that or not. Declining sales is the key reason …
Last reply by riviera74, -
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Motor Authority reporting with Spy Shots that the 2019 Prius V will become a CUV https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1028603_2019-toyota-prius-v-spy-shots#image=100628976 Seems Spy shots in Europe show the next Prius to be a CUV, dropping the van look as it goes muscles with a CUV high seating position look. Very interesting, be more interesting to see how they keep the mpg.
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Toyota's Tj Cruiser concept is an interesting one. It takes elements of a van and SUV, and mashes them up into a capable and practical vehicle. Toyota in a press release announcing the concept hinted that it could go into production by saying it would be based on their TGNA modular platform, feature a hybrid powertrain, and have the choice of front or all-wheel drive. According to Autocar, Toyota is serious about possibly bringing the Tj Cruiser to production. Design chief Hirokazu Ikuma told the outlet that if the concept gets enough of a positive reaction from those attending the Tokyo Motor Show, it may move on to the next step of taking this vehicle to various co…
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Toyota's European division wants to show there is another side to hybrid vehicles than fuel economy. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Toyota Europe boss Johan van Zyl says they are planning to launch a lineup of hybrid vehicles that will boast more performance and be fun to drive. “One will provide the traditional benefits of efficiency and fuel economy, like in the current offer. The second will build on this, adding more power and a more dynamic driving character,” said van Zyl. Toyota previewed this with the C-HR Hy-Power concept this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept features a gloss black finish on various trim pieces, ‘Burning Orange’ fini…
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The upcoming Toyota Supra is considered to be one of the most highly anticipated vehicles to come out. It has also garnered a fair amount rumors, partly due to it sharing some bits with the next BMW Z4. But some leaked internal documents may dampen some of that anticipation. A member on the Supra MKV forums obtained a BMW model code document listing out the various combinations for the upcoming Supra and Z4, along with which market they will appear on. For the Toyota, the document shows that it will be offered with the 30i and 40i engines. This likely means the Supra will get BMW's 2.0L turbo-four (248 horsepower) and 3.0L turbocharged inline-six (335 horsepower). In…
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Toyota has said that the primary focus of the GT 86 is handling, not horsepower. However, some recent comments from the chief engineer, Tetsuo Tada show Toyota could be making horsepower a bigger focus. Tada told Autocar that test versions of a hotter GT 86 using superchargers have already been made and are currently being “evaluated” by Toyota Racing Development. Tada said the reason why they’re evaluating superchargers due to the simplicity of it than enlarging the engine and provides better response than adding a turbo. Tada also said TRD is looking at suspension modifcations to handle the extra power. Source: Autocar View full article
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Toyota appears to be building out their sports car lineup with the 86 and the rumored Supra coupe. There is now talk of third sports that would mark the return of the 'Three Brothers'; MR2, Celica, and Supra. Evo reports that Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Toyota 86 and head of Gazoo Racing revealed that a spiritual successor to the MR2 is in the works. The successor would act as the starting point for the 'three brothers,' with the 86 serving as the successor to the Celica and the Supra as the top dog. Tada said the company hopes to have the trio in production together, "as soon as possible." Details are slim, but Evo expects the model to be smaller and li…
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Toyota has announced that October 3, 2017 will be the date it will cease Australian production at their plant in Altona - a suburb of Melbourne. The date is 17 days before Holden shutters its production line in Elizabeth. In a statement, Toyota is planning to keep the AM and PM shifts at the plant until the plant closes. This is to ensure the company meets their goal of 61,000 vehicles for the year - 26,600 domestic and 34,400 exports. "Our priority over the remaining months is to continue to support our employees in every way possible so that they are well prepared for the future," said Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner in a statement. "We remain extremely p…
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Toyota has announced that October 3, 2017 will be the date it will cease Australian production at their plant in Altona - a suburb of Melbourne. The date is 17 days before Holden shutters its production line in Elizabeth. In a statement, Toyota is planning to keep the AM and PM shifts at the plant until the plant closes. This is to ensure the company meets their goal of 61,000 vehicles for the year - 26,600 domestic and 34,400 exports. "Our priority over the remaining months is to continue to support our employees in every way possible so that they are well prepared for the future," said Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner in a statement. "We remain extremely p…
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Toyota and Subaru have been quiet on whether or not there would be a second-generation to the 86/BRZ coupe. But Toyota has broken the silence, telling Autocar there would be a second-generation model. “The GT86 will carry on. The car serves a big purpose. We are not getting out of that business. Sporty cars go through their phases. It’s our intention to continue with that car,” said Toyota Europe boss Karl Schlicht. Like the current model, it is expected that Toyota and Subaru will once again team up on developing the next-generation model. Schlicht did admit that there is no firm confirmation of Subaru coming back to this partnership. “Will it be with Sub…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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To say we were slightly disappointed to find out that the U.S.-Spec Toyota C-HR would only come with a 2.0L four-cylinder producing 144 horsepower would be an understatement. The European-spec C-HR has the choice of either a turbocharged 1.2L four or a hybrid, but neither of these powertrains will be showing up in the U.S. Car and Driver spoke with the C-HR's chief engineer, Hiroyuki Koba to find out why. Koba didn't say why the turbocharged 1.2L would not come to the U.S., but we're guessing Toyota didn't want to put the effort in getting this engine certified for the U.S. Also, performance numbers between the 2.0L and turbo 1.2L are similar (11 seconds for the 2.0 …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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It was at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where Lexus introduced us to the fourth-generation GS sedan. Well, Lexus has chosen Pebble Beach once again to introduce us to updated GS. The big news for the GS is a new base GS 200t. As the name suggests, this new trim gets Lexus' turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic, Lexus says the GS 200t will get 33 MPG combined. Along with the new turbo-four, Lexus is also giving the GS 350 a slight boost in power. The 350's V6 will now produce 311 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque (up from 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque). …
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If you want the most off-road capable Toyota Tacoma, then you'll be happy to hear the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro will be arriving at dealers next months. But it will cost you a fair chunk of cash. The 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro will carry a base price of $41,700 (includes a $940 destination charge). This nets you an off-road package that includes FOX 2.5 internal bypass shocks, new front springs with a 1-inch lift, and a revised rear suspension with progressive leaf-springs. The exterior features a retro Toyota grille, new head and taillights, front skid plate, and a set of 16-inch wheels wrapped in Kevlar-reinforced off-road tires. Power comes from a 3.5L V6 with 278 horsepowe…
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With the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal hanging a dark cloud over the fuel, many automakers are considering whether or not they want to continue with diesel. Karl Schlicht, executive vice-president of Toyota Europe tells Autocar the company is wondering whether or not they should stop offering diesels. He uses the example of the Yaris Diesel. At the moment, the option makes "up less than 10%” of total sales for Europe. Dropping this model is a real possibility. “I think that anyone looking at investing in a new diesel plant, which might have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, will have to look long and hard at whether they would get payback,” said Schlicht. Thi…
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Toyota is recalling 482,000 Prius and Lexus CT 200h models for an issue with the side curtain airbags. According to Toyota, the hybrids use air bag inflators composed of two chambers welded together. Some vehicles may have a crack where the weld is. Over time, the crack can grow and cause the pieces to separate. "If an inflator separates, the CSA could partially inflate, and, in limited circumstances, one or both sections of the inflator could enter the interior of the vehicle," the company said in a statement. The models involved include, 2010 - 2012 Lexus CT 200h 2010 - 2012 Toyota Prius 2010 - 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In The fix involves dealers installin…
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Lexus cars are regarded as some of the safest on the road, however a new lawsuit against the company could tarnish this reputation. A class action brought about by a Florida law firm alleges that the Lexus ES350 is fitted with a faulty front passenger airbag sensor that could prevent the airbag from triggering in the event of a collision. The suit goes on to explain that the defective vehicles are fitted with a weight sensor that gauges the weight of the person in the front passenger seat, but that these sensors have been found to be faulty. One representative claims that he tested multiple ES350 vehicles and found them to be defective, as did other customers from acr…
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Tetsuya Tada, the man behind the Toyota 86 coupe (and sister models Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S) has some dreams that he would like the Japanese brand to take on. One thing Tada-san is adamant Toyota should do is launch a dedicated high-performance brand. “BMW has its M Division, Mercedes-Benz has Mercedes-AMG, Audi has quattro GmbH, so they have a stance of a sports car, but Toyota hasn’t,” Tada-san told CarAdvice. “So I would like to build that major sports car brand within Toyota, like BMW’s M.” The closest thing Toyota has at the moment is their TRD (Toyota Racing Development) arm. But Tada points to Gazgoo Racing - the group behind the racing efforts of…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Most enthusiasts have a deep love for wagons. So it should come as no surprise as many enthusiasts are falling head over heels for this Toyota 86 Shooting Brake concept that was shown today in Australia. The concept takes the 86's body and extends the roofline towards the back to create a wagon shape. What makes this concept really impressive is that it is fully functional as it has run a few laps on Toyota's various test tracks. Back in 2014, the chief engineer for the 86, Tetsuya Tada was visiting Toyota's Australia office where he was shown a one-quarter scale clay model. He was impressed by the work that he decided to bring this idea to life. A hand-picked tea…
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We know that Scion will be heading to the great parking lot into the sky later this year. But we didn't know how Toyota is planning to rename Scion's models when the changeover happens. Autoblog spoke with Scion spokeswoman Nancy Hubbell who said the iA would be renamed 'Yaris iA' and the iM to 'Corolla iM'. We know, not the most imaginative names. But there are reasons for this. Hubbel explained the iA is sold as the Yaris sedan in Canada and Mexico, so "that connection was already there." As for the Corolla iM, it is basically the Corolla wrapped in a hatchback. As we reported last week, the FR-S will become the Toyota 86. One model that won't be making the …
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Last night in Las Vegas, Toyota introduced everyone to the forth-generation Prius. The new model promises to be more efficient and sportier than the previous model. The 2016 Prius shares a resemblance to the Mirai hydrogen car in terms of looks. From the overall profile to the shape of the rear taillights, the fourth-generation Prius is very polarizing. Size-wise, the 2016 Prius is 2.4 inches longer, 0.6 inches wider, and 0.8 inches lower than the outgoing model. This is due to the new Prius using Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA). The interior for the Prius retains a number of characteristics from previous models such as the instrument cluster positioned in…
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For something a bit surprising. This morning, Toyota has announced that the Scion brand will be shuttered and the current lineup will transition over to the Toyota brand for the 2017 model year. News of this was first reported by CarBuzzard where a meeting was held yesterday with Scion employees notified of the decision. “This isn’t a step backward for Scion; it’s a leap forward for Toyota. Scion has allowed us to fast track ideas that would have been challenging to test through the Toyota network,” said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor North America and the founding vice president of Scion in a statement. Scion was first introduced back in 2002 as a brand that …
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Back in 2011, Toyota made a very bold prediction; the Prius would be the best-selling Toyota model in the U.S. by the end of this decade. This seemed legitimate as gas prices had been climbing a steady rate and the Prius was the most popular hybrid. But that meant beating the Toyota Camry which in 2010 sold 327,104 models (the Prius only sold 140,928 models in 2010). To do this, Toyota would create the Prius family with the introduction of the Prius C, V, and Plug-In Hybrids. Five years on after this bold prediction, Toyota is reconsidering their plans. Thanks to lower gas prices (and in turn, consumers returning to pickups and crossovers) and models such as the Camry…
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To meet the growing demand for pickups in the U.S., Toyota will be boosting production of the Tacoma and Tundra in 2016. Bill Fay, head of Toyota's U.S. division says a third shift has been added to their Baja California, Mexico plant (Tacoma) and an additional 250 workers, plus a more flexible work schedule to its San Antonio, Texas plant (Tacoma and Tundra). The new workers and extra production will be in place in San Antonio by the middle of next year, said Fay. At the moment, Toyota's dealers are sitting on a 20-day supply of the Tundra, while the Tacoma is at a 10-day supply. "If you were to ask any of our U.S. dealers what they want, I'd say every on…
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Here's my reaction: I think it looks like a fusion of a Scion XB, Popemobile and a London Taxi. It's just so...goofy. But I guess it's super practical, because it's a just another ugly box on wheels.
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Has anyone heard when the 2016 Toyota Avalon will be in dealer showrooms? Suppose to have two completely different ride qualities according to which model you select!
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The fourth-generation Toyota Prius has made an early debut thanks to spy photographer who caught the vehicle uncovered at a photo shoot. There's a lot of the Mirai hydrogen vehicle in the new Prius' design. Such details include very busy front-end with split opening grille and forked headlights, to a similar side profile and blacked-out C-Pillar. The Prius will be keeping the liftback shape that it has been using since the seconf-generation model. We don't know any details on the next-generation Prius hybrid powertrain, but Green Car Reports says the next Prius will use Toyota's new global modular platform and possibly have all-wheel drive as an option. We'll …
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Lexus is readying another flagship vehicle to sit along the LS sedan. Speaking with Reuters, Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken said the Japanese automaker is considering a new flagship. "We need a flagship. It doesn't have to be a sedan," said Bracken. "In addition to the LS (a large sedan), there could be another flagship in our lineup. We'll define what it is in January." There are two vehicles that are possibly in contention. The first is the long-rumored LF-LC coupe concept, wearing the SC nameplate. The other is another SUV. Source: Reuters View full article
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Twelve Lexus dealers in the U.S. are part of a pilot program of offering haggle-free pricing as a way to improve customer satisfaction. “While negotiation-free pricing is not revolutionary, we strongly believe the concept will further elevate transaction transparency and customer care,” said Jeff Bracken, general manager of Lexus at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars. Wards Auto says the program works by dealers setting prices that will be relative to their local market. “They’ll drive it based on what they think is a reasonable sale price and they really do stick to that price,” said Bracken. From there, a buyer comes into the dealership and pays the pr…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Last month, we reported that Lexus was dropping 2.5L V6 for the turbocharged 2.0L four in the IS sedan for Europe. We heard the engine would be coming to the states, but no timeframe was given. Today, Lexus announced details on the 2016 IS for North America. The big news is the turbo 2.0L is part of the changes, along with another engine. First up is the IS 200t, which takes the place of the IS 250. This packs a 2.0L turbo-four with 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet. This is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Now if you want all-wheel drive, you oddly can't get it with the turbo-four. You'll have to opt the IS 300 AWD which packs a 3.5L V6 with 255…
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We know that Lexus is planning to produce a production version of the LF-LC coupe concept shown a few years ago, but details about it have been somewhat scarce. However, Automobile has some tantalizing details about it. First up, the coupe will wear the SC nameplate. This name was last seen on a hardtop convertible in 2010. The SC will use the underpinnings of the next-generation LS and feature 3 engine choices: a high-output version of the 5.0L V8, a hybrid powertrain, and a twin-turbocharged V8 with close to 600 horsepower. We could be seeing the SC next year as a 2017 model. Source: Automobile View full article
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Scion has announced pricing information for their upcoming iA subcompact sedan and iM compact hatchback that will be hitting dealers later this summer. First up is the iA which begins at $16,495 for the six-speed manual and $17,495 for the six-speed automatic. Prices include a $795 destination charge. Underneath the Scion badges is the Mazda2 sedan which packs a 1.5L four-cylinder producing 106 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque. Need a bit more space? Then you want to look at the iM which is a rebadged version of the Toyota Auris sold in Europe. Pricing starts at $19,255 for the six-speed manual or $19,995 for the CVT. Power will come from a 1.8L four-cylind…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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The Lexus IS is quite good vehicle - aside from the looks - but it has one big problem. The base 2.5L V6 is a bit of a dog. There isn't enough power to move the IS around. Luckily, Lexus has a solution for this problem in Europe for the time being. Meet the Lexus IS 200t which has the same turbocharged 2.0L four found in the NX crossover. This produces 245 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine will come paired with an eight-speed automatic. Lexus claims an 7 second run to 60 MPH and combined fuel economy of 33 MPG on the European cycle. The IS 200t will go on sale in September in Europe. The U.S. will be getting the IS 200t, but no date as to when we…
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It seems America isn't the only place that is interested in the Toyota Tundra. CarAdvice.com.au reports there is “enormous demand” for the Tundra in Australia. Speaking with Tony Cramb, Toyota AU's executive director of sales and marketing said there was room for a larger truck. But there are two key items withholding the Tundra from the Australian marketplace. “We have an enormous demand for a Tundra here in Australia, there’s no doubt if we could get a diesel Tundra, then I think we’d sell 100 a month. But regrettably because it’s manufactured in the States, it’s unlikely to happen that way," said Cramb “… We’ve had strong requests at dealer meetings to get the …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Automotive News had a chance to speak with Toyota's North America CEO Jim Lentz. During the chat, the topic of Lexus came and Lentz had something interesting items to say about. First, Lentz said that it would have been wiser to build a three-row crossover first, and not the image coupe RC. "In hindsight, if I was making this decision 10 years ago, seeing what I see today, the three-row [crossover] probably would have been the better play to come out first," said Lentz. The three-row crossover would allow the brand to hold on to the Gen Y crowd as they begin to have families and begin looking for a larger vehicle. Now Lentz doesn't say the RC is a mistake. The coupe h…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I recently read in the USA Today that Toyota has invested in a $1B plant in Mexico. Now the production is going to increase quite a bit. I would like to know what others think about this investment. I also want to know your opinion about what it means for America.....
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Scion has been called Toyota's experimental division as it allows Toyota to try new products and ideas (although it hasn't been used for this in a few years). Now with this, you would think Toyota would introduce some new hybrid or electric vehicle. But Green Car Reports reports that it will not likely happen anytime soon. Scion chief Doug Murtha tells Green Car Reports the brand is still maintaining its focus on providing vehicles for those under 35, a group that isn't quite ready to spend the cash for these type of powertrain technologies. “People think that this would have a lot of appeal with our target audience; and it absolutely does, and the environmental benefit…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I never want to hear another word about the Aztek ever again http://www.carscoops.com/2014/06/new-toyota-fcv-sedan-shown-in-north.html
Last reply by mikka254, -
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Whenever an automaker announces a fuel cell vehicle, one of two things happen: It will be near future (which it doesn't) It goes on sale (only in California since it has the infastructure) Well Toyota's fuel cell vehicle will attempt to buck both of those trends. Meet the 2016 Mirai, Toyota's first fuel cell vehicle that will go on sale starting next year in California. The Mirai is the production version of the FCV concept that has been making the rounds for the past couple of year. The shape looks to be a mix of Prius and Corolla (we'll let you decide if that's a good thing or not). Inside, the Mirai features more influences from the Prius with a digital gauge c…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Straight from Toyota Nation...the whole transmission had to be replaced, and it sounded like a couple other posters were having the same issue. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128303
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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It has been quiet at Nissan and Toyota since General Motors introduced the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. But that appears to changing very soon at Toyota. Automotive News has learned that the company is planning to show off the next-generation Tacoma at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Bill Fay, Toyota's general manager says with the recent introduction of GM's new midsize trucks, it will spur interest and demand in the class. “With the new entries coming in, the market should expand,” said Fay. Despite being one of the oldest models in the class, the Tacoma is still a strong seller. Through November, the company moved 140,747 Tacomas, more than 66 percent of …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Many luxury manufacturers are going downmarket to bring in more younger buyers and increase sales. But Lexus isn't one of them. Jeff Bracken, general manager for Lexus told the Automotive Press Association on Monday that the luxury automaker will not venture below the $30,000 mark. "You won't see Lexus go down below $30,000. We are fortunate to have Toyota to help us with CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) regulations so you won't see us going downstream. For Lexus to be truly luxury, the division needs to keep ourselves above $30,000," said Bracken. What Lexus will be doing instead is focusing on performance and high-end vehicles to bring in younger buyers and grow …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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For the past couple of years, we have reporting on countless rumorpile stories concerning the Scion FR-S. Most of these stories have dealt with a convertible and turbo power, and whether or not they are off or back on the table. Well it might be that two things may never come. Wards Auto spoke with Doug Murtha, senior vice president at Scion. Murtha explained that Toyota couldn't make a business case for either proposal. “So on the convertible we went down swinging,” said Murtha. “I think we were pretty aggressive on our (submitted plan), but we looked at what we would have conceivably lost on the product and said, ‘We’re not going to even push it further.’ Nobody was m…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Car and Driver had the chance to speak with Scion corporate manager Dave Harbuck, who let out that the automaker is planning to reveal two new models at the New York Auto Show next year. The first is a production model of the iM Concept that will debut in a couple week's time at the LA Auto Show. Many think that iM Concept is version of the Toyota Auris Touring Sports, a small wagon sold in European market. The second model is being kept under wraps for the moment. Car and Driver speculates that it could be the Aygo hatchback or the compact Verso MPV. Source: Car and Driver William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheer…
Last reply by ehaase, -
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Lexus is giving its performance brand a couple new additions in the near future. A source tells Auto Guide that at the recent Lexus USA National Dealer Meeting in Los Angeles, the luxury automaker announced the convertible version of the RC F would be coming in the near future. There was no mention of whether or not the standard RC would be getting a convertible as well, but we wouldn't be surprised if there are plans for it. Lexus also confirmed that the long rumored GS-F would be heading into production in the near future. The model will share some of the styling cues from the RC-F and pack the 5.0L V8 producing close to 500 horsepower. Source: Auto Guide William Mal…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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