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Toyota Prius News & Reviews

   New c Concept takes Prius brand down-market

Toyota has made leaps and bounds in hybrid progress since the first Prius launched over a decade ago, making the current Prius

Big future seller? A smaller, thriftier, cheaper Prius? You bet! (Photo: Toyota)

one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road today. It therefore only makes sense that a smaller, lighter version housing all of the technological upgrades that the current car now incorporates would simultaneously reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions over its larger sibling. Enter the new Prius c Concept, a true compact model bearing Toyota's iconic hybrid nameplate. But isn't the Prius already a compact?

When the Prius first arrived on the scene the EPA dubbed it compact, and so it was. The second-generation Prius grew in size and functionality and therefore received a mid-size designation, despite many still considering it compact compared to other mid-size models including Toyota's own Camry.

There will be <Read More>

   Toyota predicts Prius will be top-selling nameplate by 2020

What would it take for Toyota buyers in the U.S. to switch from a Camry to a Prius? Higher fuel prices and a desire to remain

Prius continues to be the top-selling hybrid prompting Toyota to predict that it will overtake Camry and all others within 10 years. (Photo: Toyota)

in a car that offers midsize roominess.

Camry is Toyota's number one seller in the U.S. with the Corolla a close second, but according to the Bloomberg news service Toyota is not only predicting that its Prius will take the top-spot away from Camry by 2020, but that its Prius nameplate will be number one amongst all competitors too.

"We will end the decade with Prius being the number one nameplate in the industry," said Bob Carter, Toyota's group vice president for U.S. sales, to Bloomberg and other analysts via conference call on Monday. The Camry "will be a close second, and that's not because there will be a drop in Camry sales," he added.

Whether Carter <Read More>

   2011 Toyota Tundra 4x4 Double Cab Road Test Review

After more than a decade on the market and now four years into the second-generation model, the Toyota Tundra has evolved

The Tundra Double Cab looks right at home at this construction site. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

from being a challenger to an established competitor in the full-size North American truck market. And while sales were well off in 2009 largely due to the shaky economy and much-publicized recalls over unintended acceleration and frame rust, the fact of the matter is that the Tundra remains a damn good truck. Happily for Toyota, it seems consumers are once again starting to realize this, with October 2010 Tundra 4x4 sales up 12.1 percent over the same month last year here in Canada, and 2010 year-over-year sales figures that showed a gain of 28.5 percent as of July in the U.S. - an increase that's twice as good as the industry average.

Designed and engineered in the U.S. and built in San Antonio, Texas, the Tundra can hardly be called an import competitor - from a North American point of view, it's an import-brand domestic truck. Like its domestic-brand brethren, the Tundra is available in a wide variety of configurations. There are three cab styles - Regular Cab, <Read More>

   Toyota Highlander gets updated styling for 2011

Unlike most mid-cycle updates at Toyota that seem like mild makeovers, the differences between the old 2008 through

The new 2011 Highlander is here and it's one thorough mid-cycle upgrade! (Photo: Toyota)

2010 Highlander and new 2011 model are much more thorough. It should be noted that the outgoing model was hardly lacking in styling points, so such significant modifications to trim, lighting, sheet metal and the interior for 2011 show a big departure from past procedures.

The exterior updates include a new grille, headlights, front fascia, hood, and fenders up front, plus a new rear bumper, spoiler and updated combination taillights out back, as well as new alloy wheels all-round. A unique grille and front bumper are added to the Highlander Hybrid, giving it a new sportier look.

Inside, all Highlanders receive updated instrument panels, gauge clusters and interior detailing.

"Known for their versatility, the 2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid models come with even more standard features including 3rd row seating, making room for <Read More>

   2010 Toyota RAV4 4WD Limited Road Test Review

In case it escaped your notice, Toyota is still in the business of manufacturing and selling motor vehicles, not just recalling them.

A few styling changes update the 2010 RAV4, still a strong contender in the compact crossover segment. (Photo: Automotive Metrics)

When the dust finally settles from the unintended acceleration hoo-hah, there will still be a lengthy lineup of products available from Toyota.

One such product is the compact Sport Utility Vehicle, the RAV4, which has been around in one form or another since 1996. The RAV4 was the first-ever car-based SUV. RAV4 stands for "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive." Like most vehicles, it's grown in size and sophistication over the years.

The current version rides on a 2,659-mm (104.7-inch) wheelbase. Its overall length is 4,620 mm (181.9 inches), which includes the spare tire cover on the rear door. The RAV4 comes in either front-wheel drive or electric on-demand four-wheel drive versions. With a ground clearance of 190 mm (7.5 inches), it has a modest off-road capability, enhanced by <Read More>

   2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-Cylinder Road Test Review

Toyota's new Sienna has been getting a lot of press lately, and for good reason. It's extremely good and fills a niche that used

Good looking new Sienna is ultra-fuel friendly in 4-cylinder mode. (Photo: Automotive Metrics)

to be an auto sector mainstay.

Let's face it. There are nowhere near as many brands in the midsize minivan market now than when the segment was at the height of its popularity in the late '80s and throughout the '90s, but the models that remain certainly deserve their loyal fans. There's the single South Korean entrant, Kia's Sedona -- the short-lived Hyundai Entourage now history, while the Japanese contingent now only includes Honda's Odyssey and Toyota's Sienna from the original four. Good news, mind you, is that Nissan will be back with an all-new yet still eccentric Quest. The domestic minivan segment has seen ten separate brands join the fray since 1984, but now only two remain, the Chrysler and Dodge. These two, as you likely know, are the segment originators, and like always they're virtually <Read More>

   US Government Clears Toyota of All Sudden Acceleration Claims

Audi unintentional acceleration, take two? If you've been on the earth long enough to remember the sudden acceleration fiasco that

The Prius and other Toyota models were named by claimants as "suspects" in unintended acceleration cases... all have been proven innocent! (Photo: Toyota)

plagued Audi, a premium automaker on the rise in the early to mid '80s and brought to its knees by media hype about drivers who, it was later concluded, misplaced their feet and pressed the go pedal instead of the brake, you might experience a little déjà vu as you read on.

Toyota, as you likely know, has been under fire recently for similar claims. The Japanese automaker has received more than 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration in the US, and now, after more media hype than Audi experienced (thanks to the immediate viral spread of news via the internet, albeit without a television news show that fabricated a reenactment) the U.S. Department of Transportation has concluded that the real culprit is driver error.

Investigators analyzed data recorders from numerous <Read More>

   2011 Toyota Avalon XLS Road Test Review

Avalon, thought to be derived from the Welsh word afal, meaning apple, is a legendary island featured in Arthurian lore, renowned

The new Avalon builds off of the outgoing model, with sleeker, younger looking features and a lower price. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

for its beautiful apples. It was also a particularly beautiful song by ex-Roxy Music crooner Brian Ferry. Come to think of it, Toyota might want to give Brian a ring to see if he wants to appear in a run of Avalon ads. The Electric Lounge Lizard might not have considered being associated with Toyota's flagship sedan before, especially that in its second generation yours truly dubbed it the automotive equivalent of a comb-over, but now in its latest 2011 form the Avalon is one impressive looking luxury car, capable of measuring up to the suave British singer's wardrobe from King's Road clothier Antony Price.

Now, some might be reading along rubbing your foreheads in collective contemplation, "Just what is an Avalon?" Yes, I know you remember the song, and some might even have heard about Newfoundland's beautiful Avalon Peninsula, where Toyota's Canadian <Read More>

Not too long ago I tested the 2010 Lexus LS600h L and concluded that I would almost rather be the passenger in this vehicle

Top-line Sienna XLE has the regular profile of a minivan, but details give it a classier edge. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

than the driver. That's a pretty bold statement on my end since I prefer doing most of the driving in my family. And up until now, the LS was probably the only car on my "to be driven in list," however, I might consider adding the 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE minivan to that list as well. Say what? The two vehicles are completely different in most ways, but they do share a common thread; and it involves the rear seats!

Before I delve into the rear seat awesomeness, there are a few items of business to take care of, one being that the 2011 Sienna is completely redesigned from the inside out. From the outside, the more mature and up-to-date minivan sports low profile rocker moldings, sculpted wheel flares, fog lights up front and redesigned combination LED lamps in the rear. Furthermore, it comes with a newly designed set of 18" rims wrapped with P235/55R18 all-season tires in XLE trim, as was my test vehicle. Overall, I think the Sienna looks more appealing than the previous generation and therefore is easy on the eyes – well, as easy as "easy on the eyes" can be for a 7-passenger minivan.

One complaint I made about the previous generation Sienna was its outdated interior styling. Well, I can kiss that qualm goodbye. The 2011 model's revamped cabin is quite charming and the multi-toned dash adds depth and character to a once dull-looking interior. While the plastics used on the dash aren't as soft as some competitors, it still looks good. Then again, I don't fondle the dash all that often so it's a non-issue for me, but just the same it's something worth pointing out.
 
Along <Read More>

   2010 Toyota Highlander Road Test Review

The Highlander is a great looking vehicle. SUV-like in style and stature, rather than the tall wagon shapes of some crossovers,

The Highlander is a great looking crossover. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Toyota's own Venza and Lexus' RX included, the Highlander appeals to both men and women, or mothers and fathers in the case of a vehicle that sells mostly to families.

Last year Toyota introduced a new base model simple dubbed Highlander, and it's the vehicle being reviewed here. Still looking just as stylish as the V6-powered machine, the new entry-level trim package, priced at $33,250, includes a 2.7-litre four-cylinder good for 187 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 186 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 rpm, which at first glance doesn't look like a lot of get up and go for such a large vehicle. After all, the 3.5-litre V6 makes a maximum of 270 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 248 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm, so you'd think that the smaller engine would move the 1,840-kilo (4,050-lb) CUV like a slug, but not so.

Maybe <Read More>