Displaying items by tag: Toyota

Electric cars have motors mounted directly on the axle, or axles in some cases. This means that the power is transmitted directly to the wheels, so there is no need for a gearbox of any kind. However, some manufacturers are considering using fake manual transmissions for electric vehicles.

With the advent of electric cars, the need for any kind of gearbox has disappeared, which also means that many enthusiasts will be disappointed by the inability to change gears.

Toyota recently filed for patent protection for a clutch pedal transmission for electric cars. On the other hand, Honda recently announced that it is not considering the introduction of fake manual transmissions for electric vehicles.

CEO Toshihiro Mibe and head of electrification Shinji Aoyama confirmed that fake manual transmissions will most likely not be available in future Honda electric vehicles. This includes two sports cars announced in the Japanese manufacturer's electrification plans.

Manual transmissions, primarily in the form of control, interaction and precise timing between the three pedals and the gear lever, make driving fun. Honda says it will find other ways to make electric cars fun to drive, but fake manual transmissions aren't an option.

Speaking of which, it looks like there won't be any Hondas with a manual transmission anytime soon, or even conventionally powered ones. For example, no Honda available on the Serbian market has a manual transmission option, while on the global market it is still possible to get Civic and Integra models with manual transmission.

As for the upcoming electric electric cars, Honda claims they won't have three pedals, and won't make fake noise in line with fake revs. Toyota is certainly planning such a system for its electric cars, and we will see who is right in a few years.

Published in Blog/News
Saturday, 29 October 2022 05:36

2023 Toyota Crown Courts Controversy

Toyota embraces polemical design with the Avalon's tall four-door successor, the 2023 Crown.

Nobody ever argued about the Toyota Avalon, which was universally described as "perfectly nice." But Toyota, in case you haven't noticed, is no longer content with inoffensive competence. So it replaced the Avalon with the 2023 Crown, a jacked-up four-door coupe-roof sedan that looks like a 1999 Subaru Legacy SUS and a Local Motors Rally Fighter had a baby. The fact that this thing succeeds the Avalon reveals a lot about Toyota corporate culture right now, which we imagine as Rumspringa in Toyota City. What will it build next, and will it be the result of a dare?

The Crown—a nameplate that dates to 1955 in Japan—is 3.7 inches taller than a Camry and twice as extroverted. The high-riding stance is mostly posturing, given that the Crown's ground clearance is only 5.8 inches, just a tenth of an inch higher than the Camry's. But its optional 21-inch wheels look concept-car enormous on a vehicle this size, and the Platinum model's available two-tone paint brings some Maybach attitude to the near-luxury-sedan segment.

The Crown's two available hybrid powertrains differ in more than just power output. It's really like there are two Crowns—the base XLE and Limited for people who might actually be replacing an Avalon, as well as the Platinum Hybrid Max models that step brazenly into Lexus territory in terms of pricing and performance. All-wheel drive is standard either way, with the XLE and Limited using a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with three electric motors to deliver a total of 236 horsepower through a continuously variable transmission. The rear axle is electric-only—there's no driveshaft—and its motor makes 54 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque. That's enough, Toyota tells us, to ensure that all-wheel drive remains available at all speeds, although we can't imagine the rear end is doing much if you boot it at 80 mph. This powertrain isn't the enthusiast choice, with Toyota claiming a safe and sane 7.6-second 60-mph time, but it does have an impressive EPA combined fuel-economy rating of 41 mpg. Curiously, while the revised 2023 Corolla Hybrid gets a lithium-ion high-voltage battery, the upmarket Crown sticks with nickel-metal hydride.

The optional Hybrid Max powertrain, available only in the Platinum, more closely aligns the Crown's performance with its bold sheetmetal. A turbocharged 2.4-liter four teams up with two electric motors to deliver 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, while EPA combined fuel economy drops to 30 mpg. In the Max, the water-cooled rear motor makes 79 horsepower and 124 pound-feet and is always engaged (the base powertrain goes front-drive until the rear wheels need traction). Stacking the gains, Toyota bolts the turbo four to a six-speed automatic that uses a wet clutch instead of a torque converter. Hello, silky rev-matched downshifts. Intriguingly, the clutch will allow a high-rpm launch-control mode, which Toyota says is in the works and would likely drop the claimed 5.7-second 60-mph sprint even lower. The Platinum trim also gets adaptive dampers that make the Crown a surprisingly willing partner when the road gets twisty.

Inside, the Crown's cabin is reminiscent of the dearly departed Land Cruiser—not flashy but impeccably assembled with quality materials. It looks as if a scuffed driver's seat bolster might be the only tell when the odometer hits 200,000 miles. The Platinum's leather front seats are heated and ventilated, and the rear seats are also heated. The sleek climate control panel, immediately below the 12.3-inch touchscreen, would look perfectly at home in a $100,000 Lexus. The only letdown is the 11-speaker JBL audio system in the Limited and Premium (XLEs get a basic six-speaker system). The JBL sounds as if 10 of its 11 speakers might be tweeters, and yes, we checked the settings and tried different cars. Toyota says the system was "acoustically tuned for Toyota Crown to match unique vehicle characteristics," so maybe that means it expects the Crown demographic to listen to crime podcasts and NPR.

Like the old U.S.-market Land Cruiser, the Crown is built solely in Japan, at the Tsutsumi plant. And perhaps Toyota hopes that the Crown might capture a few orphan Land Cruiser owners in search of that signature anti-brand-snob Toyota luxury experience. Crown pricing starts at $41,045 for an XLE and ranges up to $53,445 for a Platinum. Is that too expensive for a Toyota sedan?

We'd say not, but the Crown's value proposition is up for debate as much as its style. Toyota hopes to sell about 20,000 Crowns a year in the U.S., which is a healthy goal but not one that demands mainstream conformity. Maybe you hate the way the Crown looks—that's fine. Toyota is fully aware haters gonna hate, and it truly doesn't care. If we're bickering over the Crown, we're talking about the Crown.

To that point, you don't offer two-tone paint if you're looking for unanimous consensus. That option, only available on the Platinum, brings a gloss black hood, roof, and rear decklid, set against extroverted lower-body colors like "Bronze Age." The two-tone paint costs $550 extra, and we'd say it's mandatory. But we'd be happy to argue about it.

Source: caranddriver.com

Published in Toyota
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Sunday, 02 October 2022 04:27

New car buyers trust Toyota

J.D. Power's 2022 Car Brand Loyalty Study has just been released, and among new car buyers, one brand stands out as a favorite.

Actually, there are four of them, but only one dominates the two categories of this established research. That brand is Toyota, although Ford recorded the highest percentage of loyal customers by a slight margin compared to the Japanese brand.

This study is now in its fourth year, and involves exclusively surveying new car buyers. In addition, it is focused on those people who practice shopping "old for new", staying true to the brand. Therefore, the survey includes only authorized sellers, using data from J.D. Power's news networks. There is good demand for used cars at the moment, but this study provides an interesting insight into the loyalty of customers who are patient enough to wait for the delivery of their new tin pet, given that stocks are reduced.

Toyota has quite a loyal following. The Japanese manufacturer is ranked in the leading position in the category of mass-produced cars and SUVs/crossovers, achieving a loyalty rate of 62.2 percent for passenger vehicles and 63.6 percent when it comes to SUVs/crossovers.

Of course, premium brands are also ranked, and among them are the leading Porsche with 57.4 percent, i.e. BMW, which reigns in the SUV/crossover class with 58.6 percent. Pickup trucks are the final category in the survey and it is naturally dominated by Ford, whose loyalty rate is 63.8 percent, which is slightly better than Toyota in terms of the best result.

"There are many ways to cultivate customer loyalty, but each winning brand demonstrated a commitment to fresh product launches, great processes focused on vehicle owners, great residual value and an attractive offering," said VP J.D. Data and Analytics Power, Tyson Jomini. "And they're the ones who are winning the most in terms of market share."

In the premium segment, Genesis in the car category (54.6 percent) and Lexus in the SUV/crossover class (56.4 percent) also rank well. Second place among mass-produced manufacturers went to Kia (54.1 percent) and Subaru for SUVs/crossovers (62.6 percent). Toyota almost didn't get the third title, finishing behind Ford in the pick-up truck category with 58.7 percent.

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The new Sequoia is among the most statistically impressive three-rows on sale.

 

Pros

  • Huge fuel economy gains
  • Seriously improved towing capacity
  • Thoughtful and easy third-row access

Cons

  • Unsettled ride quality
  • Interior quality fails to match the price tag
  • Mushy brake pedal saps confidence

The oldest known specimen of Sequoiadendron giganteum lived for 3,266 years in the Converse Basin Grove of Giant Sequoia National Monument. That's about how long the second-generation Toyota Sequoia was on sale. OK, we're exaggerating slightly, but our first drive of the last Sequoia was published way back in November 2007, and the SUV stayed much the same during the following 15 model years that it was on sale. That is longer than double the lifecycle of most vehicles.

That SUV's age was apparent whether you looked at it, drove it, or touched it—in its sluggish transmission, ancient pre-Great-Recession-era design, pitiful fuel economy, and the generations-old switchgear and materials that littered the interior. The all-new Sequoia addresses all of those shortcomings and then some, and now that we've had a chance to stuff it full of testing equipment and spend more time behind the wheel following our first drive earlier this year, we can answer the big question: Is the Sequoia finally worth recommending to more than just the Toyota faithful?

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4x4 16

So Long, V-8

Central to Toyota's reimagined Sequoia is its new powertrain. Gone is the 381-hp, 401-lb-ft V-8 that had been under its hood for a decade and a half. It is replaced by something thoroughly modern: a 3.4-liter (not 3.5, despite what Toyota will tell you) twin-turbo V-6 augmented by an electric motor, the same i-Force Max hybrid setup offered in range-topping Tundras. System output sums to 437 hp and a stump-pulling 583 lb-ft of torque, improvements of 56 hp and 182 lb-ft over the outgoing V-8. Toyota also swapped the old Sequoia's lazy dog of a six-speed for a new, of-this-era 10-speed automatic.

The results? All that extra torque means towing capacity increases by more than 2,000 pounds. The new Sequoia can now drag up to 9,520 pounds, which is at least 1,000 more than most SUVs in the full-size segment; only the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer with its new inline-six beats the Toyota.

As expected, the 2023 Sequoia is significantly quicker in a straight line than its predecessor, too. Our testing shows 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, more than half a second sooner than the quickest previous-gen model. The 2022 Ford Expedition's Stealth Performance package may beat it in a drag race, but so far this is the quickest full-size three-row we've ever tested.

The most significant improvement to this big SUV is its fuel economy. The old truck, with its thirsty old-school V-8 and outdated six-speed, was rated worst in its class at 13 mpg city and 17 mpg highway. With its standard hybrid twin-turbo V-6 and 4WD, the 2023 Sequoia is rated at 19/22 mpg on the same test cycles. That's significantly better than a comparable Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, or GMC Yukon, and fractionally ahead of the aforementioned I-6 Wagoneer. Efficiency nuts will point out GM's diesel offerings fare better, but those SUVs can't match the Toyota's acceleration or towing capabilities.

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4x4 15

This efficiency (relatively speaking) is all the more surprising given how, at nearly 6,200 pounds, the Toyota is among the heaviest we've tested in this space. If it doesn't impact fuel economy, it does ding the dynamics; Toyota's largest SUV stops from 60 mph in 134 feet. Among the 15 full-size SUVs we've tested over the past five model years, only two required a longer stopping distance.

Not Just The Numbers

Of course, the new Sequoia Capstone is more than its spec sheet, and spending more time with Toyota's answer to the Tahoe and Expedition exposes some unwelcome driving behaviors. There's a persistent jiggle emanating from the rear end. Even on flat roads, the live-rear-axle Sequoia never feels planted. And, yes, this is one of the few areas in which the new Sequoia lags behind its predecessor, which came with a then-unique independent rear suspension.

Driving anything other than straight, the Toyota behemoth embodies what senior editor Aaron Gold calls "big-car clumsy." Body roll is abundant in corners and the nose dives forward under braking. Multiple staffers also called out major shudders through the body structure when driving the Sequoia over washboard sections of an off-road course.

As for the new powerplant, we have mixed feedback. Drivetrain lash is evidenced by the vehicle clunking into gear, and associate online editor Alex Leanse points out that quick transitions from throttle to brake exposed hesitation in powertrain response.

The engine provides plenty of outright performance, which Gold describes as "like a V-8" but with "an invisible hand pushing the vehicle along." Credit the electric motor's torque fill. Some folks loved the hybrid twin-turbo V-6 but others noted inconsistent surges of power delivery. Toyota also makes this engine sound like a V-8, not with some clever exhaust geometry but by piping fake induction noise through the audio system. Call it disingenuous, but we're not mad about a little aural character even if it's artificial.

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4x4 14

We have less kind words for the brake pedal. Leanse notes "a noticeable transition between regenerative and friction braking" and features editor Christian Seabaugh describes the feel as "mushy and Prius-like" to the point that it would ruin the towing experience.

Interior Insights

Beyond the driving experience, our test model came in Capstone guise, Toyota's new range-topping truck and SUV trim, which is positioned above the Platinum and TRD Pro. Our test vehicle rings in at $80,095, which makes this the most expensive offering in Toyota's lineup, in addition to landing within $8,000 of a base Lexus LX600. Keep in mind, the LX and Sequoia SUVs share their underpinnings and some mechanicals, though the Lexus is slightly smaller.

What's different? Outside, the Capstone gets giganteum 22-inch wheels (which exaggerate its jiggly ride), chrome accents, power running boards, and acoustically insulated front door glass over the Sequoia Platinum. The interior adds trim-specific semi-aniline leather upholstery, fake-looking open-pore American walnut trim, and ambient interior lighting to the panoramic glass roof and heated/ventilated first and second-row seats of the Platinum. 

 

Editorial director Erik Johnson feels the interior materials are "decent for $60,000—not so much for $80,000" and notes uneven dashboard stitching and some chintzy-looking plastics, calling out the Capstone as a clearly dressed-up version of a more pedestrian family hauler. There is more frequent use of scratchy plastic the farther back you move in the vehicle, and the third row area is spartan.

The Sequoia's optional 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display (standard in Limited models and up) is a bright, responsive, generational leap over the aging 7.0-inch display in the outgoing Sequoia. Wireless smartphone mirroring and a plethora of camera feeds, including one from a 360-degree camera system, help bring the Sequoia into the present. That said, the system has no home screen or central hub outside of a thin, Apple dock-style strip of menu shortcuts flanking whatever menu is selected. Startup defaults to the navigation page which, unless you've paid for a subscription, mocks the driver with a blank screen.

2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone 4x4 2

Speaking of rear seating, the second-row captain's chairs are notably firm and mounted high, but both traits are in service to third-row access. Ingress requires only an easy pull of a lever mounted below the seat cushion near the door that results in the second-row seat folding in half and tilting way forward. It's effortless to reach the way-back, even for a small child. That's key, because cramped legroom and headroom mean you won't want full-size adults back there for long.

Closing Thoughts

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia represents an obvious improvement over its predecessor. This year's redesign addresses all of our qualms about that Jurassic-era SUV while also improving its towing numbers, modernizing the infotainment, including a full collection of driver-assist features as standard, and providing best-in-class accessibility to its third-row seating. Being dragged into the present isn't the same as jumping ahead of competitors, however. The Jeep Wagoneer offers a better standard powertrain, marginally higher towing capacity, superior driving dynamics, a nicer interior, and improved infotainment.

If you want a three-row Toyota that'll tow almost anything, the new Sequoia is your best bet. Even then, we'd recommend a Sequoia SR5 or Limited; those models sacrifice little in interior quality or features but deliver the same capability at a much more palatable price. Here's hoping it doesn't take 3,000 years for Toyota to make further improvements.

Source: motortrend.com

Published in Toyota
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Friday, 04 February 2022 08:42

Toyota bZ4X review

Bold new electric SUV from Toyota with 280-mile range

 

 At a glance

New price £41,950 - £51,950
Lease from new From £526 p/mView lease deals
Used price £34,530 - £45,100
Used monthly cost From £862 per month
Fuel economy
Not tested to latest standards
View pre-2017 economy specs

 PROS

  • Two- and four-wheel drive available
  • Industry-leading warranty
  • Big model range, good value

 CONS

  • Driving range could be longer
  • No high-performance version
  • There's still a wait to buy one
 

The bZ4X is Toyota's first purpose-designed electric car, and joins the fastest growing market sector – the electric SUV. It's underpinned by an all-new platform co-developed with Subaru, and the headline figures are its claimed 280-mile range and super-long warranty covers its battery pack and motors.

The bZ4X is similar in size to the Toyota RAV4, and it competes with the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq iV, Ford Mustang Mach-E and the forthcoming Nissan Ariya. It's a bold-looking car inside and out and will be sold alongside Toyota's petrol, hybrid and hydrogen models, and it's the first of 15 Toyota EVs planned for 2025.

Toyota has announced full pricing and spec details, although it's currently only available to reserve at the moment, with sales commencing later in 2022.

What's it like inside?

Inside the bZ4X is there's a reassuring mix of switches and screens, with three seats in the back, conventional door mirrors rather than a camera-based system, and twin sunroofs. The floor is flat for rear passengers (owing to the location of the battery in the floor) and Toyota claims the legroom is Camry-spec spacious.

Boot space amounts to 452 litres with the rear seats in place, and Toyota promises the latest driver assistance tech through its third-generation Safety Sense system. Further upgrades will arrive in the future via over-the-air updates.

Toyota bZ4X review (2022) interior

 
What it's like to drive

The bZ4X gets a steer-by-wire system. This means there's no physical link between the steering and road wheels – instead it's controlled electronically, rather like a video game controller. Known as One Motion Grip, this system releases more space for the driver as the steering column is a lot less bulky – it will be very interesting to see how it feels on the road.

The bZ4X will be offered with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive – the former uses a single motor that generates 204bhp, resulting in 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds. The four-wheel drive version has a motor on each axle for a total output of 220hp, shaving seven-tenths of a second off the 0-62mph sprint.

Range and charging

A 71.4kWh battery gives a range of around 280 miles, with charging of up to 150kW allowing an 80% top-up in half an hour. From launch the bZ4X comes equipped with a 6.6kW on-board charger, but there's an upgraded 11kW unit in the pipeline already for the fourth quarter of 2022.

In a first for Toyota the battery is water-cooled, and the manufacturer claims that clever management of the cells' temperature means they will retain 90% of their performance after 10 years or 150,000 miles of use.

Toyota is also among the first manufacturers to incorporate solar technology into an electric car, with panels in the roof of the bZ4X helping to replenish the battery while on the go or when parked.

Toyota bZ4X review (2022) charging port

 

What models and trims are available?

The bZ4X is offered in three versions, plus a special edition Premier model. The entry-level Pure is front-wheel drive only and comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, 8.0-inch infotainment screen, reversing camera, climate control system with remote operation function that lets you warm-up or cool the car before setting off.

The Premiere Edition model will be available for a limited time and gets a nine-speaker JBL premium sound system and the Skyview panoramic roof over and above the features included in the Vision model.

What else should I know?

The bZ4X comes with an extended care programme that covers the water-cooled battery pack. It will guarantee that it will still operate at 70% capacity after up to 10 years of ownership or 600,000 miles.

Stay tuned to find out more about the bZ4X when we get behind the wheel for the first time.

 https://www.parkers.co.uk/toyota/bz4x/review/

Published in Toyota
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Monday, 24 January 2022 06:20

2023 Toyota Sequoia

 

Overview

The Toyota Sequoia has always been a full-size, three-row SUV based on the same platform as the Tundra pickup truck, and that won’t change with the new generation set to arrive for the 2023 model year. The new model looks to be far more modern than the outdated second-generation Sequoia it replaces, which has been around for more than a decade. It should use the Tundra’s twin-turbo V-6 and is likely to offer the same iForce MAX hybrid powertrain as an option. Inside, we expect to see a large touchscreen with the latest software, along with a spacious cabin with space for up to eight passengers. This should all help the Sequoia be more competitive with rivals such as the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition.

The Sequoia will be completely redesigned, closely following the changes made to the redone Tundra. It’s slated to debut later this year, as Toyota has already shown a teaser of the new model.

 

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

We expect the Sequoia to use the same twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 engine that’s standard equipment in the 2022 Tundra. It produces either 348 or 389 horsepower in nonhybrid versions of the truck, and there’s an iForce MAX hybrid version of this powertrain that ups output to 437 hp. The Tundra’s 10-speed automatic transmission should carry over to the Sequoia SUV as well. Rear-wheel drive will likely be standard, with four-wheel drive optional on most versions and standard on the off-road-oriented TRD Pro model.

2023 toyota sequoia
 

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Sequoia’s large and spacious interior should continue to be its calling card, with a third row of seats as standard equipment. A second-row bench setup with eight-passenger capacity should be standard, with optional second-row captain’s chairs reducing the number of seats to seven. With a wide range of trim levels available, the interior trimmings will likely run the gamut from cloth to leather upholstery and varying levels of wood and chrome trim as you walk up the price ladder.

2022 toyota tundra interior
 

Infotainment and Connectivity

The old Sequoia’s dated touchscreen setup will likely be swapped out for the large 14.0-inch touchscreen found in the Tundra. This screen will use Toyota’s latest infotainment software that offers all manner of smartphone-mirroring and other connectivity options.

https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/sequoia

Published in Toyota
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Friday, 14 January 2022 09:38

2022 Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV with great styling and equipment, while offering a gem of a plug-in hybrid called the Prime. For 2022 the interior and styling have been tweaked, namely with upholstery and headlight changes.

The base engine is a 203-hp inline-4, which does the job although it’s raucous when pressed hard. But it shifts smoothly, and the handling of the RAV4 isn’t boring.

Things get interesting with the 219-hp Hybrid, with its battery pack and electric motor; it sacrifices almost nothing to the driving experience. And things grow to be downright compelling with the 302-hp Prime, which uses a big battery pack to accelerate to 60 mph in less than six seconds, while still providing an all-electric range of 42 miles.

With the gas engine, the RAV4 gets 26 mpg city, 35 highway, 30 combined with front-wheel drive, or 25/33/28 mpg with all-wheel drive. The RAV4 Hybrid gets 41/38/40 mpg with standard all-wheel drive. The RAV4 Prime gets 94 MPGe, counting that 42 miles of electric driving, or 38 mpg combined.

The NHTSA gives the RAV4 five stars overall for safety, with four stars in the front-impact crash tests. The IIHS gives the RAV4 a Top Safety Pick award, but only for the Hybrid Limited and its special adaptive headlights. Most other models have LED headlights rated “Marginal” or even “Poor.” For 2022 the XLE and above get new headlights, which haven’t been rated yet.

Along with automatic emergency braking, all RAV4s come with adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitors are available.

Model Lineup

The RAV4 is made in Kentucky, except for the Prime, which is made in Japan. There are at least 16 different configurations, from the front-wheel-drive LE to the Prime XSE plug-in hybrid. Prices haven’t been published yet for 2021 but the LE should go for about $28,000, equipped with cloth upholstery, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto., 7-inch wheels, and a split-folding rear seat.

The RAV4 XLE comes with gas or hybrid drivetrains; the gas version is about $30,000 with all-wheel drive. It adds keyless start, a power driver seat, and access to more options such as a larger touchscreen and heated front seats. For 2022 it gets better headlights. Or choose the XLE Hybrid for about $31,000.

For 2022, the SE Hybrid comes with cloth upholstery and a 7.0-inch touchscreen and 6-speaker audio; options include heated front seats, a sunroof, power tailgate, and 9.0-inch touchscreen.

The RAV4 Prime is hard to find, and will probably be marked up over its MSRP of just below $40,000. It gets synthetic leather upholstery with red accents, a sport suspension, audio subwoofer, sunroof, and available 9.0-inch touchscreen.

The RAV4 warranty is mediocre, at 3 years/36,000 miles.

Exterior

The stylish RAV4 takes lots of angular chances, and they all work. It has an adventurous chunky body that’s ruggedly smooth, with squared-off wheel wells and a squat stance. The windows are slim and there are hints of 4Runner and Tacoma in its profile.

Some versions have a mesh grille and at least one has black fender trim and a black roof. The Prime gets its grille and gloss-black bumper, for a touch of visual distinction.

Interior

The cabin has an exciting sense of style that somehow comes through the simplicity of its design. It’s thoughtful and restrained, without being dull. The spare lines and basic controls are laid out around the touchscreen, with a horizontal line across the dash that gives it calmness brightened by metallic trim around the vents and the shift lever.

There are plenty of shelves and small bins for phones and water bottles. The interior could improve upon some of its harder plastics, but spendy versions wear synthetic leather with contrast-color stitching, as well as a big 9.0-inch touchscreen.

In front, the seat padding feels thin, and some head room is lost to the sleek roofline, although the driving position is nice.

In back, some shoulder space seems lost, and the middle passenger won’t like that, but there’s a decent 37 inches of leg room. There’s a lot of cargo space behind the seat, 37 cubic feet, which expands to 69 cubic feet when the seat is folded. The Prime loses about six cubic feet to its battery pack. The cargo floor sits at a good height for loading, and many models have or offer a power tailgate.

Driving Impressions

The base RAV4 has average acceleration and road manners. It putters around using its 203-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 teamed to an 8-speed automatic that sends power to the front or to all four wheels. It’s competent, if rough when pressed hard.

The all-wheel-drive system shifts power to the rear wheels when the fronts lose grip, as they all do. But the 16 versions include models called the Adventure, TRD Off-Road, and Limited, which also split power between the rear wheels for better-yet traction. Even on dry pavement, this system improves the grip and sharpness in cornering.

All RAV4s use a strut front and multi-link rear suspension that does a good job over frost heaves and sharp road edges. The RAV4 steering has a more engaging feel than rivals.

In the 219-hp AWD RAV4 Hybrid, the rear-mounted electric motor engages when the front wheels slip, giving the car something that Toyota calls “through-the-road” all-wheel drive. It’s still a system primed for all-weather traction, not hardcore adventuring. The Hybrid’s appeal lies in very efficient power delivery with sky-high gas mileage, and a very slight penalty in weight and ride quality.

But if it’s power you want, on top of gas mileage, then it’s the Prime for you—if you can find one. It gets a big 18.1-kwh battery pack with electric motors to generate 302 hp. After the Supra sports car, it’s the quickest Toyota made, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. It also has a taut sport suspension, confident handling, and that 42 miles of all-electric range. The battery pack adds about 500 pounds to its curb weight, and that shows up in more understeer in tightly kinked roads, but it’s still an easy drive.

Final Word

Every 2022 Toyota RAV4 is praiseworthy, and there are so many to choose from, from base crossover to TRD Off-Road to the high-mileage Hybrid to the one that steals the show, the 302-hp Prime. If you can’t find one, an XLE Hybrid delivers all the basic goodness, plus very good fuel economy.

https://www.newcartestdrive.com/reviews/2022-toyota-rav4/

Published in Toyota
Tagged under
Friday, 07 January 2022 07:16

Tested: 2022 Toyota Tundra Pickup Goes Big

 

The Toyota Tundra is old. How old? It's so old, when it was introduced, the Dead Sea was just getting sick. It's so old, if you park one outside an antiques store, people will try to buy it. It's so old, it was introduced in 2007. Which is, uh, 14 years ago. The fact that Toyota still sells more than 100,000 Tundras a year is a testament to the effort it expended on that mid-2000s redesign—a 381-hp V-8 was killer then and still relevant now. But it's (long past) time for an update, and so the 2022 Tundra gets a thorough overhaul that sets Toyota up for another long production run. Maybe not 14 years this time, though.

 

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
 
 

HIGHS: Modernized interior, coil-spring rear suspension, turbocharged power across the board.

The other major hardware change concerns the rear suspension, which is now a coil-spring design. Optional air springs enable automatic load leveling but can also be manually controlled, to either lower the rear end to ease loading or raise it for off-roading. Which, given the fixed front ride height, means that the Tundra can Carolina Squat itself.

Trim levels mirror the previous-gen truck, starting with the basic SR and the volume-model SR5 and climbing through fancier Limited, Platinum, and 1794 variants. The TRD Pro is now hybrid-only, but the hybrid-adverse can build an SR5 that nearly replicates the TRD Pro's hardware. The new TRD Off-Road package includes TRD wheels and suspension (though not the Pro's Fox internal-bypass front dampers and remote-reservoir rears), along with a locking rear differential—the first time an electronic locker has been offered on a Tundra. If you want to go in the opposite direction, there's also a TRD Sport package that lowers the ride height.

 JESSICA LYNN WALKERCAR AND DRIVER

LOWS: No full-time 4WD system, no onboard generator for the hybrid, air suspension for the rear axle only.

Maximum payload is now 1940 pounds, and that almost-ton of stuff rides in a rugged new aluminum-reinforced composite bed—the "make the whole plane out of the black box" approach to bedliner. Nonetheless, Toyota still offers both a bed mat and a spray-in bedliner as accessories. Why? Because a certain group of people demand so. We won't say who, but they'd be the ones who make a bunch of money selling you a bedliner for your bed. (They'll also install a three-inch lift kit, among a portfolio of other accessories.) Those beds are available in 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8.0-foot lengths, and Tundra buyers can now pair the crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed.

From the outside, the Tundra's redesign is conservative—huge grille notwithstanding—with a definite Silverado resemblance in the cab, particularly the upward kick of the sheetmetal at the bottom of the rear side windows. But inside, it's a huge departure from its predecessor. An 8.0-inch center touchscreen is standard, but every truck at the launch event had the optional 14.0-inch infotainment screen. The navigation system is the most obvious upgrade, running a cloud-based system that will automatically store maps offline if you're heading into an area with spotty connectivity. There's also a "Hey, Toyota" virtual assistant that can understand natural questions and commands. One thing that's missing from both systems is a tuner knob for the stereo. If you frequently listen to SiriusXM or terrestrial radio, that could be a major aggravation—the hard buttons on the steering wheel scroll through presets, but not from channel to channel. Up above the rearview mirror is the switch to roll down the rear glass, which is nice for talking to hitchhikers riding in the bed.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
JESSICA LYNN WALKERCAR AND DRIVER
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We didn't tow with the Tundra, but its 12,000-pound max tow rating is competitive with the other half-ton trucks. It also has a clever backup assist function. Drive around for a bit with your trailer and the truck learns how it behaves, then enables a mode where the truck steers the trailer straight back on whatever heading you put it on. That seems more useful than relearning how to reverse a trailer, which is essentially what Ford's backup assist requires.

With no center differential on any trim, the Tundra's default on-pavement mode is rear-wheel drive. So, take a rear-drive truck with an open diff, 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, and you have a recipe for massive burnouts. In our testing, a TRD Pro hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, despite refusing to shift at redline (even in manual mode). The quarter-mile is dispatched in 14.5 seconds at 92 mph. That’s quick, but it still lags the 5.4-second zero-to-60-mph dash and 13.9-second quarter-mile we saw from the hybrid Ford F-150 Powerboost, which also undercuts the Tundra’s 6107-pound weight by 313 pounds. Fortunately, the Tundra’s coil-spring rear end helps imbue this three-ton hauler with a feeling of precision that was missing in the 2021 model. The whole truck feels more taut and better in control of its mass, both sprung and unsprung. The TRD Pro’s 0.71-g skidpad result qualifies as decent, given that model's Falken Wildpeak AT3W all-terrain tires.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
 

When it's time to back off the throttle, the hybrid downplays its electrified nature. Although it's recapturing energy on deceleration, there's no display to show that, nor any Prius-style energy deployment graphic. All it has is a gauge showing how much muscle the electric motor is contributing, conspicuously paired with a similar one displaying turbo boost. Where'd that energy come from? Your Tundra won it in a game of poker, or hunted it with a bow and arrow, because that's what tough trucks do.

The fact that Toyota came up with "i-Force MAX" as a euphemism for "hybrid" is a clue that efficiency might not be the main objective here. We still don't have EPA numbers for the hybrid, but the truck's own reckoning from its trip computer put the mileage similar to the nonhybrid, which is to say high teens in mixed driving. We'd guess the i-Force MAX picks up 1 or 2 mpg in the city but doubt it betters the 22-mpg highway for the nonhybrid 4x4. The hybrid will go into EV mode at highway speeds, but with only 48 horsepower motivating a 6000-pound truck, it doesn't take much throttle to awaken the V-6.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
Both powertrains are hushed, piping in some synthesized engine noises to provide a little drama when you dig deep on the throttle. So, whether in Eco mode or Sport+, there's a prominent growl when you floor the accelerator. It's not bad. And with the windows down, every now and then you catch the sound of the turbos spooling up.

Pricing starts at $37,645 for a rear-drive SR double cab, and the fancier trims can cross the $60,000 threshold (that's for the conventional powertrains, with the hybrid pricing as yet unannounced but presumably involving a premium). Toyota admits that it doesn't expect to outsell the domestic trucks, because if the 2007 Tundra couldn't, what would? Thus, three strategic concessions: air springs only on the rear axle rather than all four corners, no generator function with the hybrid, no full-time four-wheel-drive system that can be used on pavement. Because would any of those things convince longtime Ford buyers to jump to Toyota? Conversely, will their absence drive a loyal Tundra driver to another brand? Probably not. If the 2007 Tundra was ahead of its time, this one is of the moment—however long that should last.

Specifications

2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup

PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $57,000

POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 389 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 437 hp, 583 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.9-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Falken Wildpeak AT3W
285/65R-18 116T M+S

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.7 in
Length: 233.6 in
Width: 81.6 in
Height: 78.0 in
Passenger Volume: 117 ft3
Curb Weight: 6107 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.0 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 194 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.71 g

EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/22 mpg

Published in Toyota
Saturday, 25 December 2021 05:35

2024 Toyota Compact Cruiser

 

Toyota has a history of capable off-road SUVs, from the FJ Cruiser to the 4Runner to the luxurious Land Cruiser. While the Land Cruiser is leaving the American market starting in 2022 and the FJ Cruiser hasn’t been sold here since 2014, Toyota is intent on staying competitive in the off-road space as the market transitions to electric vehicles, and will launch a tough compact electric SUV in the coming years. Previewed by the Compact Cruiser EV concept, the SUV will get boxy styling and rugged bumpers and body cladding. Very little is known about the electric powertrain, but the instant torque of electric motors should make it decently quick and adept at navigating rough terrain.

What's New for 2024?

The Compact Cruiser EV will be an all-new model for Toyota when it launches, and presumably will have a more creative name. We expect the electric off-roader to arrive for the 2024 model year. It will likely share some suspension and powertrain components with other upcoming electric Toyotas, but there is not much information yet on the mechanical components of the Compact Cruiser EV.

 

We estimate the price of the 2024 Compact Cruiser EV will start at around $35,000. We’ll know more about trim levels and pricing for the Compact Cruiser EV as the on-sale date nears.

(https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/compact-cruiser-ev)

Published in Toyota
Friday, 24 December 2021 04:45

Toyota GR Supra 2.0 First Test: Supra or Subpar?

We put the baby Supra through our testing regimen to see how it stacks up.

Drive enough cars, and you come to realize the biggest and most powerful versions aren't necessarily the best. In fact, many of history's most celebrated cars have prioritized a balanced driving experience over outright power and speed. We wondered if this would be the case with the 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0, the entry-level version of Toyota's recently resurrected sports car.

The Equipment

The 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 is so named because it is powered by a BMW-sourced, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine developing a punchy 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Before you jump to call it underpowered, we managed to hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.8 seconds. That time makes it quicker than every single other Toyota Supra we tested before the current model made its debut, including the coveted 1997 Supra Turbo, which managed the same feat in 4.9 seconds. The new 2021 GR Supra 2.0 benefits from modern tech like a slick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, launch control, and sticky summer tires. Its acceleration is 0.8 second slower than the more powerful 2021 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 we tested earlier in 2021.

This Supra does lack some gear that significantly differentiates it from the GR Supra 3.0, including adaptive sport suspension, an active rear sport differential, four-piston front brakes, 19-inch wheels, and larger exhaust exits. The Supra 2.0 makes do with single-piston front brakes, 18-inch wheels, and a smaller exhaust setup. Otherwise, the two variants are cosmetically identical, which is a huge advantage for folks who just want to buy a more affordable car that looks cool.

2021 Toyota Supra Turbo 2.0 First Test 37

The Drive

Aside from being quick off the line, the 2021 Toyota Supra 2.0 has impressive grip thanks to its sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. In our skidpad testing, where we evaluate a vehicle's lateral grip, the car pulled an average of 1.0 g, the exact same as the Supra 3.0. Although it exhibits impressive road holding when the pavement is smooth, the suspension still jumps around quite a bit over rough spots, jostling everyone inside.

 

The poor manners continue under acceleration and braking. The Supra 2.0 wiggles its tail off the line, and it wants to rotate under hard braking, so it's important to be mindful of your steering and to keep the wheel pointed straight. We also noted the GR Supra 2.0 requires smooth driver inputs at all times to compensate for its twitchy nature; the car was eager to oversteer as soon as we disabled stability control for our on-track testing.

Brake pedal feel is fantastic, however, with just enough weighting and feedback to allow for reliable and predictable slowing or stops. That said, after a stretch in the canyons, we picked up noticeable brake fade, which was also evident in our track testing. After three stops of 108 feet, 107 feet, and 108 feet from 60 mph, the fourth stop took a significantly worse 124 feet.

All of this isn't to say the 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 isn't entertaining to drive. At times it can be hilariously fun, especially with the massive amount of grip that enables the car to carry a huge amount of speed through corners. The steering is quick and precise, but it takes a while to get used to the numb feel. The thin rim feels great, but the swaths of plastic in its center and bottom spokes deliver a bit of an ungainly look. We also noted in daily driving and on twisty roads that the steering wheel doesn't like to unwind on its own; we had to apply a bit more force than usual to get the wheel to straighten out. This feeling of gumminess in the rack serves as another distraction within the Supra's overall fun-to-drive personality.

2021 Toyota Supra Turbo 2.0 First Test 3

Whereas the 3.0-liter Supra is more of a hot rod, the 2.0-liter car is brisk enough to be enjoyable but not so quick that you must keep lifting just to keep it near the speed limit. Still, although the smaller powerplant doesn't have the same grunt as the engine in the Supra 3.0, it still provides some satisfying power when the transmission changes gears, and you get some crackling from the exhaust when you lift the throttle. The drivetrain is very smooth and is fun to rev out, too. It's perfectly powered for more technical roads, especially with the sheer amount of mechanical grip. The sporty coupe is a joy to send through tight corners, and the best way to drive the car is to find a consistent rhythm while relying on its sticky tires, rather than braking heavily into every bend.

Sport mode adjusts the throttle response, shift tuning, and steering feel. We preferred to shift for ourselves in this mode because the transmission tuning felt overaggressive; it kicked hard while upshifting and downshifting around town or on the highway. It also didn't feel very intelligent when we used Sport mode on the track and on our test route, as it tended to avoid downshifting. Manual shifting largely solves this problem, and the paddles have a nice feel as an added benefit. In all, the Supra 2.0 is engaging if road conditions are right, but when everything isn't ideal there are enough small issues to at times lead to frustration.

Liveability, Practicality, And Features

The 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 uses a Toyotafied version of BMW's iDrive system, but to get the most out of the infotainment system, which includes an 8.8-inch touchscreen, you must upgrade to the Safety and Technology package. Doing so, which costs a hefty $3,485, adds wireless Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto). It also upgrades the sound system to a 12-speaker premium JBL setup. Navigation gets bundled with this package along with Toyota's Supra Connected Services, which includes real-time traffic monitoring, stolen-vehicle tracking, and remote services. It also buffs up the Supra's suite of safety tech, adding active driver assist systems including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and full parking sensors with emergency braking functionality. There's enough equipment in the Safety and Technology package that most buyers will likely want to check this box when they purchase their GR Supra 2.0; the car would feel pretty decontented without it.

2021 Toyota Supra Turbo 2.0 First Test 11

Still, the 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 has some crucial standard equipment that makes it a smidge nicer than the average Toyota. Keyless entry and ignition come equipped on every model, as do LED automatic leveling headlights, LED daytime running lights, and LED taillights. Other standard safety equipment includes pre-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection and lane departure warning with steering assist. The car also has heated mirrors—but no heated seats. For a vehicle with a starting price of just over $44,000, it's a light loadout of equipment.

The hatchback liftgate goes a long way in making the Supra a daily-driving option. Its trunk is deep and wide and can swallow a good number of groceries or even small furniture items. An external button for opening the trunk is absent, however, and it can be annoying to have to pull out the key to open the hatch. The Supra also has long, thick doors that make it tough to enter and exit the car in medium-sized and smaller parking spaces. This Toyota has eye-catching looks, but it also has some of the inconvenience typically associated with driving a supercar, not a moderately priced sports car.

2021 Toyota Supra Turbo 2.0 First Test 39

Is It Worth It?

As tested, this 2021 Toyota GT Supra 2.0's MSRP was $47,745, which is within striking range of a Supra 3.0 at $52,565. It put down some impressive performance numbers for a car with the base engine, but the overall driving experience isn't as refined and doesn't feel as special as you get with the more potent Supra. The numb steering and frenetic suspension tuning are negatives within what is an otherwise entertaining drive. That said, this is one of the most unique designs at this price point, and only the most knowledgeable car dorks know the difference between the 2.0 and 3.0 models. In all, the 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 is a solid attempt at a driver's car. It simply falls short of greatness due to its lack of balance and refinement. We recommend sticking with the more powerful version.

(https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2021-toyota-gr-supra-2-0-first-test-review/)

Published in Toyota
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