Toyota

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Toyota unveils new sports car, no name yet for U.S. version

Toyota and Subaru have jointly debuted a new compact sports coupe with hopes of rekindling sportiness to the manufacturer's maligned reputation in Japan and the United States. The car is called the Hachiroku in Japan, which means 86. However, the name of the car for the United States market, has not been released. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the new car is reminiscent of the Toyota models Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno introduced in 1983. Toyota and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru-brand vehicles, hope the four-seat, rear-wheel-drive will attract young customers. The Hachiroku will make its public debut Dec. 3-11 at the Tokyo Motor Show. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for

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Jeep Wrangler, Toyota FJ get 2012 best resale value honors

The Jeep Wrangler‘s for 2012 has a more powerful and more fuel-efficient V6 engine and its gets the top spot in the overall top-10 best used car value designation from Kelley Blue Book based on its 68.0 percent resale value after three years and 55.0 percent  resale value after five years. The resale designations signify automakers achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value over the first five years of new-vehicle ownership. The awards are presented annually just prior to the L.A. Auto Show, which begins Thursday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The awards are presented to top vehicles in 19 vehicle categories and to the Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories. Here’s the top-10 list and

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Toyota Camry 2012, gas & hybrid, arrives at U.S. dealers

Toyota has continued its massive marketing campaign for the 2012 Camry Hybrid, announcing the revised version of the increasingly popular sedan is now available at dealerships nationwide. The 2012 Camry Hybrid features an updated version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain that helps propel the Hybrid LE model to EPA mpg rating of 43 city/39 highway and a class-leading 41 mpg combined.

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Toyota, Lexus recall 400,000 cars with crankshaft woes

Toyota is recalling more than 400,000 Lexus and Toyota models from 2004-2006 because of a potentially faulty crankshaft pulley that could result in steering problems in V6 engines. The voluntary recall includes models: Toyota Avalon (2004), Toyota Camry (2004, 2005) Toyota Highlander (2004, 2005), Toyota Sienna (2004, 2005), Toyota Solara (2004, 2005), Toyota Highlander HV (2006), Lexus ES330 (2004, 2005), Lexus RX330 (2004, 2005) and Lexus RX400h (2006). If the crankshaft pulley is faulty, the outer ring of the pulley may become misaligned with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the discharge warning light. If the condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice

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Toyota Corolla, 2012: More features, improved electronics

The Toyota Corolla, the largest-selling car in history, has received upgrades in several 2012 models, including more features in the base L model and a new standard audio system for the LE and S grades. A year after a "refrshed design," the Corolla L gains color-keyed power side mirrors as well as power windows with driver’s auto-down, power door locks and remote keyless entry. The Corolla LE adds standard 16-inch wheels and steering wheel audio controls. The sporty S model adds a double-stitch accent to its seats. The 2012 Toyota LE and S offer a new standard audio system. The head unit combines an AM/FM/CD player (including MP3/WMA playback) A USB port enables iPo connectivity, while an auxiliary input jack

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Toyota Camry SE, 2012: New look, more car (video review)

During a recent Toyota media launch at the Sonoma Mission Inn in Northern California, videographer Bruce Aldrich and I drove, among a caravan of other journalists, to Infineon Raceway for a full day of comparison driving — 2011 Toyota Camry models versus 2012 Toyota Camry models. With the 2012 models of the best-selling Camry, Toyota has resigned the sedan throughout the four-trim line-up. The improvements are immediately noticeable. Despite its popularity, Toyota has obviously prepared as other top-selling sedans, particularly the Hyundai Sonota, are making serious efforts to grab larger shares of the mid-size sedan marketplace. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since

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Hybrid market expands in 2012, Toyota Prius v to BMW

Citing impressive statistics, the Auto Channel on MSN.com has a comprehensive listing of 2012 hybrids, from the industry standard Toyota Prius to its new sibling, the Prius v, as well as debuting high-end offerings from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. MSN.com states as many as 50 hybrids could be on the market by 2015 and that ghe overall hybrid market share has nearly doubled in 2011 to about two percent. Here, for example. is what MSN.com said about the 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Toyota Prius v: Hyundai Sonata: "This impressive hybrid entry is fast gaining converts, and it's not hard to see why: The Sonata is a fully equipped, smartly designed midsized fuel sipper, comparable to but cheaper than hybrid versions

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2012 Toyota Camry gets duties as Daytona 500 pace car

The 2012 Camry Pace Car, a specially equipped 2012 Toyota Camry SE that will start the field for the 54th Daytona 500 next February 26, will be on display Nov. 1-4 at the 2011 SEMA Show Toyota exhibit. It will be the first time a non-GM, Ford or Chrysler nameplate has paced the Daytona 500. The Camry Pace Car is based a 2012 Camry SE, which features a 268 horsepower V6. It is specially equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetric tires mounted on BBS RS 8.5 x 19 wheels, a StopTech Big Brake Kit, TRD custom stainless steel exhaust and Tein adjustable suspension. Safety equipment includes a roll cage, four-point Simpson racing seat belts, Whelen LFL Liberty LED lightbar, and

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Scion tops Japan's reliability dominance in Consumer Reports annual survey; Ford stumbles

Scion lead the dominance of nine Japanese car manufacturers among the top 10, while Ford dramatically stumbled in the annual most reliable survey conducted by Consumer Reports magazine. The best and worst-performing brands is based on feedback from 1.3 million subscribers to the United States-based publication. The Scion xD was identified as the best model, followed by Lexus (CT 200h) as the next highest-rated model. Acura came in third place, followed by Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Infiniti, Subaru and Nissan. Volvo was the best-performing non-Japanese brand in 10th place. Hyundai and Kia, both of South Korea, took the next two spots, with Jeep in 13th place, was the top U.S. brand. Ford fell from 10th to 20th place. Among 27 brands

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Toyota Prius v, Mitsubishi i among five best 2012 'green' cars

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric, 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, 2012 Mitsubishi i, 2012 Toyota Prius v and 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI are the finalists for The Green Car of the Year award presented by the Green Car Journal yearly at the Los Angeles Auto Show. For the seventh consecutive year, the Green Car of the Year will honor environmental leadership in the automotive field, with the winner being announced during a press conference Nov. 17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. These five finalists are also honored as Green Car Journal’s Top 5 Green Cars for 2012 for rising to the top of a field replete with increasingly more environmentally conscious and exciting models. What is notable about this

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Mitsubishi pummels Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius, gets 126 mpge

Amid all the promotion and hype of the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and other mass-marketed hybrid and/or electric vehichles, the car with the best gas mileage in the United States is the unheralded Mitsubishi i. A comprehensive review of the Mitsubishi i, with debuted in Japan as the i-MiEV, is posted on the online edition of Motortrend. The i-MiEV was initiated in Europe in 2010 and now it's available in the United States. Yet, despite its lofty mileage status, the Mitsubishi i has yet to built a substantial buying appeal. One reason, accpording to the Motortrend site, is the question of whether or not "United States' consumers are ready for "a small, underpowered and range-limited EV?" But for pure economic

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Toyota Camry, 2012: More car, lower prices for most models

Toyota is spending a reported $150 million to market its seventh generation Camry, the newest version of the best-selling car in the United States for the past nine years. The marketing campaign includes 30-second spots in the current World Series, with the new commercial continuing through the 2012 Super Bowl. But what current television commercial, which details the "reinvention" of the Camry, doesn't detail is the new price structure for the Camry, including a unique concept. In many instances, the 2012 Camry versus the 2011 Camry is more car for less money. The 2012 Camry is offered in four model grades: entry-level L, LE, XLE and SE grades. The XLE and SE are available with four-cylinder or V6 engines. The

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Toyota, Honda pace top-10 best gas mileage car list

The 2012 Mitsubishi i, sometimes described as a jellybean, tops the list of the 10 cars with the best gas mileage currently available in the United States. Honda and Toyota each have two cars on the list. The website www.greencarreports compiled the list, which features 2012 and 2011 models and cars rated by MPG (miles per gallon) and MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). The website describes the leader of the list as "Mitsubishi's powered jellybean, the 'i' electric car. The looks might not be to all tastes but with an average of 112 MPGe, it currently ranks top on the EPA's leaderboard of fuel efficiency." Here's the list: 2012 Mitsubishi i, 112 MPGe 2011 Nissan Leaf, 99 MPG 2012 Chevrolet

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Toyota Camry, 2012: Reinventing the wheel in 30 seconds

The 2012 Toyota Camry is now in the beginning stages of its heavy marketing campaign, as witnessed by several commercials, including the 30-second ad featured below, broadcast during the World Series. Toyota is reportedly spending $175 million to promote the 2012 Camry. In this instance, the commercial is creative, compelling and humorous. In 30 seconds, the viewer sees the "magic" in the construction of the Camry and the same wonderment of creating the appropriately sized dog for the guy driving the car. It's clever, for sure, although some critics, say Toyota's new slogan, "It's Ready. Are You?" is too close to a new Boy Scouts promotion Regardless, the commercial for the 2012 Toyota Camry "works" on several levels. To receive

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Toyota proclaims 2012 Camry ready, but are you?

With the marketing proclamation, "It's Ready. Are You?," Toyota has launched its multi-media marketing campaign for the 2012 Toyota Camry, the seventh generation of the popular sedan. The best-selling car in the United States for nine straight years and in 13 of the past 14 years, the 2012 Toyota Camry features a more spacious and refined interior as well as improved dynamics and technology. The 2012 Camry is among the first Toyota vehicles to offer Entune. Owners will be able to download a collection of mobile applications and data services via touch screen or voice command, incuding Bing, IHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable and Pandora. The marketing campaign includes six TV spots, launching with "Built" during NBC Sunday Night Football. The spots

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Toyota 4Runner, 2012: New prices, audio upgrades

The Toyota 4Runner sport utility vehicle, now in its 27th year, will feature audio and connectivity upgrades and automatic running board and will be priced from $31,090 to $40,630 in 2012 editions. The base MSRP for the 2012 4Runner SR5 models are $31,090 for the 4×2 and $32,830 for the 4×4, an increase of $785, or 2.6 percent for 4×2 and 2.5 percent for 4×4. The base MSRP for the 4Runner 4×4 Trail grade is $36,755, reflecting an increase of $200, or 0.5 percent. Prices for the premium Limited models are $38,595 for the 4×2 and $40,630 for the 4×4, an increase of $195, or 0.5 percent. The 4Runner SR5 models now come with standard SiriusXM™ Satellite Radio capability with

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