It’s become pretty clear with the proliferation of hybrid-electric vehicles that having a fancy, high-efficiency powertrain is still a secondary concern to being a decent car. So, yes, the Prius … Read more
Posts classified under: Toyota
Can engine heat improve the efficiency of a hybrid?
Q: Since my Prius drops from 50 mpg in the summer to the low 40′s in mpg in the Michigan winter weather, why don’t the auto manufacturers route engine heat … Read more
2014 Toyota 4Runner toughens up
The 4Runner has the distinction of being one of the original members of the SUV craze, like the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder. Unlike those former competitors, it remains unabashedly … Read more
Scion flips its lid, but will Subaru lose its mind?
Both the 2013 Scion FR-S (labeled the FT-86 in Japan) and its nearly identical Subaru BRZ twin have been great successes for their respective automakers since launching in the fall … Read more
2014 Toyota Highlander aims for curb appeal
Redesigned for 2014, Toyota’ s Highlander has decided that it’s time to be noticed. Considering that it’s consistently been one of the least interesting (though most capable) urban crossovers out … Read more
Toyota’s 2014 RAV4 gets better looks and more space, capability
It’s the way the auto industry works: every generation of a product must be bigger, more technologically adept, get better fuel mileage and be more attractive. So while Toyota’s 2014 … Read more
Toyota’s interactive family tree
To celebrate its 75th year of business, Toyota has posted an interactive timeline featuring a picture of every product it’s ever built. That’s about 720 different models up until 2012, … Read more
Toyota’s i-Road concept dances into the future (VIDEO)
Toyota introduced the i-Road concept at Geneva. As if the radical all-electric, three-wheeled, two-passenger “personal mobility vehicle wasn’t unusual enough, Toyota’s also blurred the boundary between cars and motorcycles with … Read more
Toyota FT-86 Open Concept hints at convertible Scion at Geneva
The Scion FR-S (and its twin, the Subaru BR-Z) are stripped-down, rear-drive sports cars that are easily compared to the Mazda MX-5. To call the FR-S a Miata with a … Read more
Chicago Auto Show makes for dreams of summer driving
Since auto shows are about summer dreams in winter storms, it’s no wonder Chicago’s Auto Show has more visitors than any other auto show. This year’s Chicago Auto Show started … Read more
BMW and Toyota planning joint fuel-cell project
Fyidriving.com is aware that BMW and Toyota are becoming quite buddy-buddy these days. Proof of this is a forthcoming agreement where the Japan-based automaker will supply BMW with its proprietary … Read more
Toyota Tundra goes big at Chicago Auto Show
The new Tundra’s been something of an enigma, since there have been next to no spy photos of the thing. These days that’s practically unheard of, with auto spies and … Read more
2013 NAIAS promises good year for the auto industry
The most important thing about this year’s Detroit International Auto Show may not be the cars, but the enthusiasm and positive attitude of everyone here. While automakers may not be … Read more
Top Ten Made-in-America vehicles
You hear a lot about buying American, and you’d think it would be easy: buy stuff made in the U.S. But when it comes to cars and trucks, the politicians … Read more
Toyota Corolla Furia concept hints at the future
This flaming orange concept with the carbon fiber trim and nineteen-inch wheels? It’s a predictor of the next Toyota Corolla, as the name suggests. The steep windshield and rear windscreen … Read more
Is the limousine business up for grabs?
If someone else pays for your ride to and from the airport, you’ve likely logged a few miles luxuriating in a Lincoln Town Car. However since the Ford-owned brand’s demise … Read more
Change is in the wind at Toyota
The master of eavesdropping and other intel-gathering methods has gleaned a few kernels of info about Toyota’s future plans. For instance, the 2014 model year could be the last for … Read more
Toyota Furia concept gears up for Detroit
Toyota plans to unveil its Furia concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in a couple of weeks. Here’s a teaser video of the car, which is … Read more
Toyota’s 2013 RAV4 searches for “just-right”
There’s something to be said for being the right size at the right time. The all-new fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 enters a market that’s practically tailor-made for it. The compact SUV/crossover … Read more
Toyota Prius now comes in small, medium and large
Two new models of Prius have come out in the past year, one larger and the other smaller than the standard Prius. These cars are what make Prius begin to … Read more
Where have all the small pickup trucks gone?
Q: Why are small pickup trucks vanishing from the market? I’ve owned Rangers and others for years and love them. Now the only ones available are the Nissan, Toyota and … Read more
Anticipation builds for next-generation NASCAR racers
Those of us who remember when stock-car racing actually involved competition among drivers in real stock, mass-produced-and-later modified-for-racing stock cars, were skeptical about the new push for NASCAR machines that … Read more
A car guy’s Christmas dream garage
With the Christmas season upon us, Fyidriving’s top management asked me to ponder the new cars I’d put on my Christmas list if Santa were to send me a text … Read more
Which cars hold their value the longest?
Fyidriving.com was startled to discover that an unusual assortment of vehicles are ranked by the folks at Kelley Blue Book (the bible for used-car dealers) as having the highest … Read more
Top Ten inexpensive cars to be thankful for in 2012
There’s a point in most of our financial lives when it’s time to buy that first new car. For some, that’s a red-letter day. For others, it’s a relief not … Read more
Fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 unveiled at Los Angeles Auto Show
Toyota’s redesigned RAV4 moves a step closer to the crossovers in 2013 with more carlike styling,improved drivability and new amenities. The 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine produces 176 horsepower, and the … Read more
Toyota’s future products
Fyidriving.com’s favorite snitch, The Camry Kid, managed to sneak into a strictly closed-door dealer meeting in Lost Wages, Nev., recently. Among the vehicles he spied, but sadly was unable to … Read more
2012 Toyota Yaris packs a punch in a small package
It used to be that driving a company’s smallest car meant that you had to give up on any signs of comfort or luxury, but a week with the Toyota … Read more
Fyidriving.com’s shameless plug for Toyota
The trench-coated one recently got his mitts on a new Toyota Camry Hybrid and seemingly fell in love with it. After figuring out how the thing works (the lack of … Read more
For 2012 Toyota’s Corolla still makes sense
The Toyota Corolla has plenty of people who want exactly what it offers: a reasonably priced, quality small car. Corollas have been providing reliability, safety, efficiency and value for years. … Read more
Is the C-MAX Ford's new Prius killer?
Not likely, but Ford claims its upcoming four-door hybrid does offer better fuel economy, more power and a lower starting price than the Toyota Prius v, which is the largest … Read more
What do soccer dads drive?
Everyone knows the vehicle most associated with soccer moms is the minivan. It’s the suburban poster child for family lifestyle. However, Mother’s Day is over and Father’s Day is at … Read more
Lose a hybrid, gain a hybrid
You just knew that there had to be a plan behind this. The Lexus brand is going to lose its HS 250h hybrid sedan, but it will gain another since … Read more
Toyota clawing back marketshare
Fyidriving.com never believed for a second that Toyota’s recent problems with vehicle recalls and manufacturing delays related to the recent tsunami in Japan would keep the company down for long. … Read more
2012 Toyota Tacoma: The value of the mid-sized pickup
The Toyota Tacoma mid-sized pickup truck, like all of its competitors, has been around for a while. But Toyota sold more than 100,000 of them here, more than twice as … Read more
Toyota wants to take the fight to Europe with new models:
Word comes to fyidriving.com that Toyota, which was overtaken by the Volkswagen Group in global vehicle sales last year, is striking back on the German automaker’s home turf, in part … Read more
2012 Toyota Prius C adds another dimension to popular hybrid family
Toyota just unleashed the 2012 Toyota Prius C, and it’s rolling into showrooms now. “Unleashed” might overstate the launch of the fourth entry in the Prius franchise. It’s hardly a … Read more
There are still some big trucks around
While Toyota is claiming significant victory with initial sales of its new hybrid “Prius c” model, it doesn’t mean that the company, despite social concerns over fuel consumption, pollution and … Read more
Best new vehicles for bachelors: a top-10 list
Single guys confused about what they should drive can heave a sigh of relief —we’ve done the noodling and come up with the top 10 best new vehicles for bachelors. … Read more
Top Ten sellers of 2011
Although 2011 wasn’t one of the best years for the automobile industry, there were some high notes. In particular, several vehicles showed up in the top 10 sellers that certainly … Read more
2012 Auto Show brightens Detroit’s day
Detroit – If you walked outside during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, three blocks away the sun was shining off GM’s Renaissance Center’s windows in blazing glory, … Read more
Top Ten Concepts from the 2012 North American International Auto Show
At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year, small cars reigned supreme, and nowhere was it more apparent than in the sleek, stylized concept cars unveiled by … Read more
Top Ten Concepts from the 2012 North American International Auto Show
At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year, small cars reigned supreme, and nowhere was it more apparent than in the sleek, stylized concept cars unveiled by … Read more
Top Ten Concepts from the 2012 North American International Auto Show
At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year, small cars reigned supreme, and nowhere was it more apparent than in the sleek, stylized concept cars unveiled by … Read more
2012 NAIAS: A bright future ahead
It’s practically a tradition that the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is accompanied by the worst weather of the season. The second week in January in Detroit is … Read more
Toyota gets lion’s share of “market interest”
In another sign that Toyota is getting a handle on its troubles, researchers at Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com) say Toyota in 2011 was the most researched automobile brand of them … Read more
Toyota gets lion's share of "market interest"
In another sign that Toyota is getting a handle on its troubles, researchers at Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com) say Toyota in 2011 was the most researched automobile brand of them … Read more
Toyota’s 2012 4Runner: fun on street and trails
The 4Runner occupies a unique spot in the Toyota lineup. If you want a family vehicle that’s built primarily for smooth streets, the RAV4 and Highlander are both excellent choices. … Read more
Fun-Vii looks waku doki
Looking like a smart phone on wheels and appealing to one’s “waku waku doki doki” (“heart aflutter with anticipation”), Toyota’s most over-the-top vehicle at the recent Tokyo Motor Show was … Read more
2012 Toyota Tundra: Makes pickup fans proud
Although the Toyota Tundra’s been around for a while, pickup trucks really don’t need to change their basic capabilities very often. As long as they’ll carry lots of stuff with … Read more
Squeezed Toyota pressures suppliers
Reeling itself from a series of product recalls, unproven charges of unintended acceleration and last spring’s earthquake and tsunami, Toyota is telling its Japan suppliers to cut prices or face … Read more
The 7th-generation Toyota Camry offers more for less
When you’ve had the best-selling car in America for 13 of the last 14 years, you don’t stray too far from a winning combination, so the 7th-generation Toyota Camry is … Read more
2011 Toyota Sienna: Hauls kids more comfy
If you’re a minivan fan and need a new one, this is the best year in a long time to choose. Everything … Read more
2012 Toyota Prius v: Finally, a Prius for families
There isn’t much difference between the existing Toyota Prius and the Toyota Prius v, which will soon be on sale. That’s because Prius v is the hybrid version of this … Read more
Toyota back in the saddle by September
Toyota expects to have its North American vehicle manufacturing levels back to 100 percent by September, after production cuts caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March. Avalon, Camry, … Read more
Toyota uses Prius Plug-in to tests its technology
I had a chance recently to spend a week in one of the 150 Toyota Prius Plug-in prototype vehicles that will be a part of a U.S. test program. The … Read more
Toyota endures debt rating cut
Toyota Motor Corp. will make “the greatest effort” to return its long-term credit rating to its former exalted status. Toyota’s evaluation was recently slashed by credit rating agency Standard & … Read more




























