Toyota (31)
Toyota is an interesting company to me right now, when it comes to auto design.
From their most elaborate Lexus luxury models right down to basic Toyota vehicles, a thorough redesign is happening that can only be described as aggressive.
Perhaps the look doesn’t go over well with everyone, but the big and bold grilles they are unveiling across the board gives a hint of power and in-your-face attitude.
That doesn’t always translate to the actual performance though, so you need to keep things in perspective.
I recently spent time in a 2018 Toyota Corolla, and I’m back with a full report on where it shines and where it lacks.
While the smallest cars are far from the top of the sales charts, the opposite trend can be seen among the smallest of the SUVs.
In recent years, many automakers are jumping on the subcompact SUV bandwagon, and Toyota is no exception -- with their new C-HR model.
They are aiming at those who want the ride height but not necessarily the ride length.
But how does the C-HR (aka Coupe-High Rider) compare to others in this growing class like the Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V and Chevy Trax? I recent spent some time in a C-HR and I’m back with a full report.
LOOKS
The exterior of the C-HR is truly unique … there’s nothing like it on the road. Odd shapes and lines can be found all around, plus you get a unique spoiler and you even get a goofy spot up high for the rear door handles. This will stand out against the typical run-of-the-mill compacts. Toyota and Lexus have chosen to go bold with designs in recent years. Some may like it and others won’t … beauty is in the eye of the beholder; and I actually kind of like this design.
If you look down any street in America, you’ll probably see a Toyota Camry … or two, or three. That’s because it’s been among the top-selling vehicles in this country for a decade plus, and they last, so people hang on to them.
Still, everything needs to change, and as it faces challenges from other sedans and some small SUVs, the Camry has been redesigned for 2018, inside and out. I recently spent some time in on and I’m back with a full report.
LOOKS
The new look of the Camry starts up front, with a grille full of bright metallic horizontal strips that some will like, and others not so much. The new Camry is also lower to the ground, and I was a fan of the headlamp and taillight designs. 18-inch chrome alloy wheels were also featured.
On the inside, a redesign on the gauges and center console is somewhat improved, but still trails competitors in terms of design. Inside, the vehicle is definitely a quality offering, but it’s far from a luxury feel, featuring some prominent hard plastic. Also, the back seat felt a bit tight for taller people. (You can seat 2 up front and 3 in the rear).
Cargo room is pretty limited too.
As the list of entries into the category grows, three-row SUVs must continue to keep their name relevant, even if they’ve been successful for some time.
Such is the case of the Toyota Highlander, a longtime entry in this category full of upstarts, which seeks to maintain its position as one of the top-selling three-row SUVs.
I recently spent some time in a Highlander, and I’m back with a full report. (Note: I tested a 2017 Highlander, but the 2018 model is identical to the 2017 version.)
In the world of non-luxury hybrid vehicles, the Toyota Avalon hybrid is a unique animal. With the vast majority of hybrid sedan offerings being in the midsize or compact realms, this is the only hybrid offered to U.S. buyers among full-size sedans. And considering that full-size sedans are already a rare offering, the Avalon hybrid is sort of a rarity within a rarity.
I recently spent some time in this unicorn and I’m back with a full report on my experience.
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The Avalon is the largest sedan offered by Toyota, and you can tell when you get inside. It’s spacious all around, and feel very comfortable for all passengers. My only complaint on size is that the trunk could have been bigger. Materials used are quite high-end, as least when compared to all other non-luxury sedans (and even some of the entry-level luxury models).
Appealing to everyone is the goal of some vehicles. Those are the ones that generally top the sales charts.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other vehicles that focus on what they do best, and aim for their niche market, and the Toyota 4Runner is one of those. This longtime favorite of drivers who love to go off-road continues to play to that crowd and remains successful, because it knows what it is and builds on those strengths.
I recently spent some time testing a 2017 4Runner 4x4 TRD Off-Road, and here’s my report on what it has to offer. (Note: the 2018 4Runner is essentially the same vehicle)
Toyota’s got a good thing going in the U.S.A.
Not only do their sedans dominate the sales charts, but when we move up to the SUV/crossover ranks, they’re right up there too.
Case in point: The Toyota RAV4 compact SUV. When this vehicle’s first generation came around in the mid-1990s, it was among the first offerings to fit into this new segment, which is now among the most dominant in the overall sales numbers two decades later. By being an early bird, the vehicle drew many fans and its current sales success reflects that.
For those who aren’t aware, the RAV4 is neck and neck with the Honda CR-V for the best-selling SUV in America (RAV4 sold 352,154 in 2016, vs. 357,335 for the CR-V). Not too shabby, and it might explain why RAV4s are as common to see on the roadways as overly eager road-crossing squirrels.
Still, this is a really tough segment -- with not only the CR-V but a ton of other options available (Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Chevy Equinox, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue are just some of the other vehicles to consider). So does the experience in a RAV4 live up to the sales numbers? I recently spent some time in one and I’m back with a full report.
Let’s be honest: The last time minivans were considered cool, the original “Ghostbusters” movie had just come out in the theater. Since then, their reputation has gone steadily downhill.
That’s why the death of the minivan has been trumpeted for years by naysayers, who claim SUVs are now the better alternative. And on one hand they are somewhat accurate, with minivan sales dwarfed more and more each year by the endless parade of compact, midsize and full-size SUVs flooding the market right now.
On the other hand, while some minivans are dying off (RIP Mazda5 and Nissan Quest), others are proudly continuing to bear the soccer mom-car badge -- including Honda’s Odyssey, Chrysler’s new Pacifica, the Kia Sedona and the vehicle I just tested -- the 2017 Toyota Sienna, which has proudly carried families for the past two decades.
The death of the Scion brand in 2016 was greatly exaggerated. It didn’t really die -- several of its models simply joined the Toyota lineup under new names.
Case in point: The hatchback formerly known as the Scion iM is now a hatchback version of the Toyota Corolla called the Corolla iM. I recently got a chance to test a 2017 Corolla iM and I’m back with a full report on whether it was worth the effort to bring it on board.
So you’re the Toyota Prius, the most well-known and successful hybrid car ever made and you want to take it to that next step.
What do you do? Like Bob Dylan in the 60s, you go electric and announce the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime.
Now to be fair, there was already a plug-in Prius, but this new version doubles the battery size and allows for a longer electric-only ride. How much longer? Stay tuned. As that’s the key to whether this will be a vehicle people want to pick up.
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Toyota has announced manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) for the 2018 Yaris hatchback.
The fuel-efficient Yaris is the Toyota brand’s least expensive model, yet it is equipped with many standard safety and convenience features. Among the many standard carryover safety features is Toyota Safety Sense- C™ (TSS-C), a trio of driver assist technologies that help drivers get from point “A” to point “B” with safety assurance. TSS-C technologies include Toyota’s Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert and Automatic High Beams.
Yaris offers both three-door and five-door body styles in two grades, L and LE, in addition to the five-door Sporty SE. Manual transmission is available on the three-door L and the five-door SE.
Euro Styling
Designed and assembled in France, the Yaris builds on its European styling to add a sportier and more dynamic look for 2018. The updates start with both the L and LE grades receiving a new bold front fascia with a new grille and chrome accents. The SE grade will receive a sporty front fascia that features a new piano black mesh pattern grille surrounded with a chrome accent.
The refined new front is complemented by a modern restyled rear to help provide a wider look and stance. The rear design includes wider, horizontal tail lamps that are integrated into the rear door, new rear bumper with styling that is more in harmony with the rear door design, and a new lower bumper garnish with side reflectors to help portray a broader stance.
The SE is topped off with standard 16-inch Machined Alloy Wheels with dark accents.
Inside, the 2018 Yaris receives substantial audio and convenience updates that starts with the L grade upgrading to a standard tilt, three-spoke steering wheel that now includes audio controls. Both the L and LE grades will now receive the same Sport analog instrumentation currently on the SE grade. The sporty IP includes speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge; LCD display with odometer, tripmeters,
clock, outside temperature, current/average fuel economy, distance to empty, average speed and shift position; ECO-driving indicator and warning messages (automatic transmission only).
The Yaris will be available in eight exterior colors including two new selections: Blue Eclipse (replacing Blue Streak Metallic), and two-tone Blue Eclipse with a Black Sand Pearl Roof (replacing two-tone Crushed Ice with Black Sand Pearl Roof). Carryover colors will include: Super White, Classic Silver Metallic, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Black Sand Pearl, Ruby Flare Pearl, and the two-tone Ruby Flare Pearl with Black Sand Pearl Roof.
The exterior color palette will be complemented with interior fabric choices of combined Black and Gray on L and LE grades, and all-Black on the SE grade.
Staying Entune
Audio upgrades abound with the 2018 Yaris as both the L and LE grades will now be equipped standard with the same Entune™ Audio system available on many other Toyota models. The Entune Multimedia Bundle consists of:
- a 6.1-inch touch-screen display, AM/FM CD player, MP3/WMA playback capability, six speakers, auxiliary audio jack, USB 2.0 port with iPod® connectivity and control, advanced voice recognition, hands-free phone capability, phone book access and music streaming via Bluetooth® wireless technology, and Siri® Eyes Free
The SE grade leaps to the next level as it will come standard with Entune Audio Plus with Connected Navigation App. This upgraded multimedia system consists of:
- a 7.0-inch high resolution touch-screen display, AM/FM tuner, MP3/WMA playback capability, six speakers, auxiliary audio jack, USB 2.0 port with iPod® connectivity and control, advanced voice recognition, hands-free phone capability, phone book access and music streaming via Bluetooth® wireless technology, Connected Navigation Scout® GPS Link App, Siri® Eyes Free, SiriusXM® Satellite Radio with three-month complimentary SiriusXM All Access Trial and Gracenote® album cover art, HD Radio, HD Radio™ traffic and weather in major metro areas
Pricing
The MSRP for the 2018 Yaris hatchback L grades will range from $15,635 for the three-door with a manual transmission to $16,760 for the five-door with an automatic transmission, reflecting an increase of $385.
The Yaris LE grades will receive an MSRP of $17,285 for the three-door with an automatic transmission and $17,660 for the five-door automatic, both prices reflect an increase of $375.
The sporty Yaris SE grades receives an MSRP of $18,260 for the five-door with a manual transmission and $19,060 for the five-door automatic. Both prices reflect an increase of $1,060.
The MSRP’s for the 2018 Yaris Hatchback do not include the delivery, processing, and handling (DPH) fee of $885. The DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.
The 2018 Yaris will be reaching Toyota dealerships this summer.
| Model # |
Grade | Doors | Trans- mission |
MSRP 17MY |
MSRP 18MY |
MSRP Chg. ($) |
| 1421 | L | 3 | MT | $15,250 | $15,635 | $385 |
| 1422 | L | 3 | AT | $16,000 | $16,385 | $385 |
| 1424 | LE | 3 | AT | $16,910 | $17,285 | $375 |
| 1462 | L | 5 | AT | $16,375 | $16,760 | $385 |
| 1466 | LE | 5 | AT | $17,285 | $17,660 | $375 |
| 1463 | SE | 5 | MT | $17,200 | $18,260 | $1,060 |
| 1464 | SE | 5 | AT | $18,000 | $19,060 | $1,060 |
-- Press release courtesy of Toyota
The word Prius is synonymous with the idea of hybrid vehicles. That tends to be the case when you’ve been doing this for two decades, and really dug in before anyone else got serious about it, like Toyota did in the 1990s -- long before there were dozens of hybrids on the market to choose from.
I recently spent some time in a 2017 Prius, specifically a Prius Three Touring model, and here are the top five things you need to know about it:
1. It’s extremely quiet
When driving the Prius, you’ll have perhaps the quietest experience you’ve ever had in a car. The sound of it powering up and down is less car-like and more appliance-like, which is fitting since the tech involved here makes this more of an appliance than a traditional vehicle.
Especially during stops, when everything shuts down to save gas, you’ll forget the car is even running due to lack of noise. Speaking of forgetting, if you ever get out of the car before powering off (which I may have done a time or two), it beeps to remind you the vehicle is still running. The one exception to the quiet, which is quite odd to me, is the very loud beeping noise (only audible within the vehicle, oddly) when you are going in reverse. There is also a very loud beep if you ever forget to put on your seat belt. And it will not stop until you buckle up, like that 7 a.m. alarm where you keep hitting snooze and it stills come back.
In the U.S. of A., the SUV is the modern-day station wagon. Instead of the “way back” seat, we now drive stretched-out, boosted-up vehicles with a third row as our families get bigger.
With the numbers for SUVs on the rise and profits to be made, this is an area where being competitive is critical for automakers -- including Toyota, which battles in this segment pretty impressively with the Toyota Highlander (it trails only segment-leading Ford Explorer in annual sales).
I recently spent some time in a 2017 Highlander, which has received some updates from previous models, and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up in the segment.
LOOKS
Among changes on the outside for the 2017 model, you get a bigger, redesigned grille and new taillight design. These changes aim to set it apart from the cookie-cutter look of many SUVs, and succeed somewhat in doing so.
Seating in the Highlander can accommodate up to 8 people (2/3/3/). The two front seats are comfy and high quality materials are used in the vehicle. Middle row on my test vehicle had cozy captain’s chairs, so only two could fit, but there’s also a version with bench seating for three in middle. Rear seat claims to fit three but I would say two is best, even for little ones.
As vehicle trends change over the years and customers change their minds about what kind of cars and SUVs they want to take home, some things don’t seem to change much. One of those is the continued presence of large sedans for folks not following trends to go small.
Think back to the decades past and you’ll envision many large boxy sedans. And while the boxy look is now gone, many folks who want to stick to sedans still want to have some room to enjoy their ride, and for those people, longer vehicles like the Toyota Avalon still exist.
I recently drove a 2017 Avalon, and I’m back with a full report on how this big sedan stacks up.
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