OH CRAP! IT’S MR. TWO! This automotive supervillain has junk not in the front, not in the trunk, but in the rear-middle of its bodacious figure. It’s the Toyota MR2 mid-engined sports car, and it’s responsible for popularizing affordable, mid-engine enthusiast cars for those that want to get around a … Read more
The hidden gem of the Toyota Experience Center. Toyota Motor Corporation is one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world. It also has a strong presence in North America, a market that outsells its Japanese home market, 2-to-1. Comprised chiefly of the Toyota and Lexus brands, the company has … Read more
Sporty cars are typically very expensive, but there remains a breed of entry-level models to satisfy budget-minded consumers. The Toyota GR86 and its Subaru BRZ sibling are two of them and along with the Mazda MX-5 Miata, prove that driving fun is attainable. The GR86 marks its 10th anniversary this … Read more
In an age where electrified vehicles enjoy enormous recognition, it’s refreshing when manufacturers remember traditional enthusiasts. The Toyota GR Supra is a modern sports car from the world’s leader in hybrid technology, a proper reminder that the internal combustion engine remains important. That Toyota pragmatically partnered with BMW to revive … Read more
The Toyota Highlander is a three-row, midsize crossover utility vehicle with room for seven or eight. It’s the crossover complement to the Toyota Sienna van, with both models ideal for growing families. The Highlander Hybrid is the fuel efficiency champ in this segment, matching the hybrid-only Sienna with a combined … Read more
The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV, a model available in standard, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid configurations. It now outsells the midsize Camry sedan and compact Corolla sedan and hatchback and is one of the best-selling vehicles in America. With such a strong nameplate driving sales, the automaker is … Read more
If you’re a builder of an electric vehicle, one of the selling points is a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 available to most buyers. The credit saves customers money on their taxes, effectively reducing their ownership costs. Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Credit Available for applicable vehicles purchased after … Read more
If the Toyota Sequoia is a mystery to you, then you’re in strong company. Last updated in 2008, this full-size SUV is all-new for 2023. Certainly, 15 years is a long time between updates, which explains why the Sequoia does not ring a bell with some. But thanks to an … Read more
Spending a week or even a full day with a new model gives us a proper introduction to the vehicle. But when time is of the essence, sometimes there are only minutes available for a preview. That is exactly what happened during a near week-long press trip to Toyota’s headquarters … Read more
If Toyota creates an all-new product, a hybrid is certain to follow, right? It almost seems that way. Ever since the Prius rolled out in the late 1990s and was followed by hybrid variants of other Toyota models, it is almost a given that a gas-electric version follows. But there … Read more
If you’re an off-road enthusiast, then you’re familiar with the Toyota 4 Runner. This midsize, traditional body-on-frame SUV is an uncommon model in a segment dominated by crossovers. Yet, like the Jeep Wrangler and the revived Ford Bronco, its fandom remains strong some 40 years after it was introduced. Toyota … Read more
How do you mark 25 years for one of your most enduring models? By developing a commemorative edition and limiting its availability, that is how. In this case, the Toyota Sienna has reached its 25th anniversary and that’s quite a milestone in a segment some wrote off years ago. Introduced … Read more
The 2023 Lexus UXh receives updates; the gas-only model goes away. Lexus’ smallest crossover utility vehicle is going full hybrid for 2023. At least in the U.S. market. Beginning late this summer, the UX line becomes synonymous with hybrid only as it loses its gas-only model. The move follows what … Read more
Car manufacturers are pushing subscriptions on buyers to bolster their bottom lines. If automakers have their way, you may soon pay a monthly charge for heated seats, remote start, infotainment system connectivity, and a host of other features or services included in the upfront price. Yes, tomfoolery abounds in an … Read more
Grrrr! With the GR Corolla! The rumor mill suggested it, but it wasn’t until March came to an end that Toyota confirmed that the GR Corolla is, in fact, REAL. No, this is not some April Fool’s Day prank. The Corolla line is indeed expanding to accommodate a performance variant … Read more
Until the late 1960s and early 1970s, Japanese vehicles were not much of a threat in the U.S. market. At that time, the Big Three domestic manufacturers dominated, with General Motors, the Ford Motor Company, and the Chrysler Corporation battling it out. Sure, Volkswagen had a place at the table … Read more
The 2022 Toyota Corolla soldiers on in the shrinking compact car segment. More than a half-century has passed, and the Toyota Corolla is one of the most recognized models in the world. In the U.S. market, sedan and hatchback versions are available, as is a hybrid. The Corolla remains a … Read more
We love our brands and often base our purchases on recognition. Indeed, household names such as General Electric, DuPont, and General Motors enjoy a century (or two) of consumer support, but they are far from alone among the popular brands. Brand Finance, which tracks the popularity of some 5,000 brands … Read more
Vehicle dependability is a huge consideration for consumers and who can blame them? After all, we expect our new rides to give us many years of trouble-free driving without niggling problems undermining that experience. In the most recent Vehicle Dependability Study released by J.D. Power, Kia took top honors. The … Read more
An all-new Toyota Sequoia is on its way this summer. This third-generation model is redesigned for the 2023 model year. The latest Sequoia will showcase a twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid arrangement as standard equipment. Initially revealed on the Tundra, this hybrid makes 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Known internally … Read more
With the launch of its all-new Tundra pickup truck model in 2022, Toyota made it clear that it was staying put in a segment dominated by domestic manufacturers. The third-generation Toyota Tundra is here, a more formidable competitor than before. But the one thing the Tundra has lacked is a … Read more
The figures are in for 2021 U.S. auto sales and the numbers are revealing. We learned that Toyota overtook GM in total sales, the first time a foreign manufacturer unseated a domestic leader. GM’s sales fell 13 percent over 2020, while Toyota’s rose by 10 percent. Both manufacturers were impacted … Read more
Toyota Motor Corporation announced this week that the company is investing $70 billion to move the automaker toward an electrified future. The pivot includes both its Toyota and Lexus brands, with the latter slated to become electric only. Kicking off the effort for the luxury marque is the Lexus RZ … Read more
The Toyota Avalon is a large sedan. Introduced in the 1990s, the Avalon has played a significant role in expanding Toyota’s product reach to segments never previously tapped. But like other flagship sedans, the Avalon is on its way out. Indeed, 2022 is the final model year for the Avalon … Read more
Toyota Motor North America announced on Monday that it selected a site near Liberty, NC, for its new electric vehicle battery plant. Toyota officials along with North Carolina governor Roy Cooper and Liberty mayor Fillmore York were on hand at the Greensboro-Randolph site where the plant will be located. Specifically, … Read more
An all-new electric vehicle model is on the way, with a spring 2022 arrival set. Dubbed the Toyota bZ4X, the latest vehicle joins a long list of electrified Toyota models. It is the first of a new line of fully electric vehicles slated for the North American and global markets, … Read more
The second-generation Mirai may be the most luxurious Toyota ever. The Toyota Mirai is a fuel-cell vehicle, an outlier in the electric vehicle field. Introduced in 2015, the Mirai utilizes hydrogen to replenish its fuel cells to make electricity. Thus, its availability is limited to places that can support it, … Read more
It has been 15 years since we last saw an all-new Toyota Tundra, but the wait is almost over. Before the year is out, production of the third-generation 2022 Tundra will commence. The new model represents an end of an era, at least for Toyota, as it replaces its V8 … Read more
Electric vehicles are the craze nowadays. Tesla considers electric vehicles to be the future. Toyota has gone heavily into electrification as part of its plan. Many manufacturers produce electric vehicles left, right, and center. But what’s the big deal about them anyway? How do they even work? Why are they … Read more
After what seemed like months of waiting, Toyota has taken the wraps off the 2022 Tundra. The Tundra is this brand’s full-size pickup truck and we had not seen a new one since 2007. A 2014 refresh and a few other changes during the intervening years helped sales remain steady, … Read more