2004 Toyota 4runner Sr5 Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l *great Condition* on 2040-cars

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Toyota wants improved crash scores with midcycle facelifts

The performances of some Toyotas in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) regimen of crash tests leave something to be desired. Consider the small overlap frontal crash test: only six Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles have undergone the new test, yet all but one of them received a poor rating. Osama Nagata, CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., says midcycle vehicle updates are in the works to address the safety issues brought to light by the IIHS test, Automotive News reports. He confirmed that the RAV4 is getting safety updates following its crash test performance last month, but he didn't name any other models.
All three Toyotas that were tested - 2013 RAV4, 2012-2013 Prius V, 2012-2013 Camry - received poor ratings. The 2007-2012 Lexus ES 350 and 2006-2013 IS 250/350 also received poor ratings. The only other Toyota Motor Corp. vehicle to score better than poor is the 2014 Scion TC. It received an acceptable rating in the small overlap frontal crash test and is the only recent vehicle in Toyota's line-up to get the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating.
The small overlap front crash test measures the safety of a car when its front left corner is strikes an object during an accident, bypassing traditional crumple zones, which deform in a way to protect passengers. In 2009, automakers were alerted to the forthcoming addition of the test, which was first implemented last year, IIHS spokesman Russ Rader says. They responded with differing intensity, he says, pointing out that Subaru and Honda started incorporating design changes early on so their cars would perform well in the tests.

Which sinister Scion FR-S would you buy?

Look beyond the utility. Look beyond the amenities, the infotainment, the hidden storage cubbies, and the 72-way adjustable seats. Yes, even the seats. Outside all the fluff of today's cars, there's a blank canvas waiting for an artist; cars can really come alive with a few tastefully placed modifications. These two Scion FR-S sports cars surely fall into that category, and when they both turned up on eBay, we figured we'd ask the question — which would you rather buy? The track-centric red car or the brutally simple black car ? Internet, you be the judge. The "widebody" look — with its outrageous fender flares and visible rivets—isn't for everyone, but this 2013 Scion FR-S happens to pull it off quite well. According to the listing, the pumped-up fenders, splitter, and additional aero bits are courtesy of legendary widebody purveyor Rocket Bunny. Overall, the racy body mods add a significant twinge of aggression to the once docile FR-S... a notion that's echoed underneath the hood. The heady Scion FR-S leverages an HKS supercharger system and exhaust, paired with a set of Buddy Club racing coilover shocks, Bee-R wheels wrapped in Yokohama ADVAN rubber, and a new engine management system. All in all, this looks to be one fierce track and street monster. RELATED: Check Out This Wild Toyota GT86 Wagon Concept But whereas the red car is a shout, the black car is a growl. Confident, powerful, yet restrained. The black 2013 Scion FR-S sports a sultry Varis Arising 2 body kit with carbon fiber accents lining its front lip and boot lid, as well as a brilliant set of projector headlights and Tom's taillights. The icing on the cake is the set of Work M1R gunmetal grey wheels, which come fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. There's no supercharger in play here, but the Scion's 2.0-liter boxer engine does breathe a bit easer thanks new ceramic coated exhaust headers and a high-flow catalytic converter. It can also handle a bit better too, courtesy of sporty Cusco Street Zero 3 coilover shocks. If we're honest, both are quite jaw-dropping in their own unique styles. But which do you prefer? Related Video: This article by Zach Doell originally appeared on Boldride.com.

Toyota launches updated Yaris in Europe, Vitz in Japan [w/videos]

Toyota first launched the Yaris in 1999, though that model was sold in the North America as the Echo. The second generation arrived in 2005, replaced by the third in 2011. Sometime next year, Toyota is expected to roll out a new Yaris for North America, to be built in Mexico on the same platform as the next Mazda2. But before that comes to pass, Toyota has introduced a mild facelift for the Yaris in markets other than ours.
With styling cues borrowed from the new Aygo and the Yaris Hybrid-R concept, the new Yaris (for Europe) and Vitz (for Japan) are distinguished by updated styling front and rear. Though the European model bears a more aggressive look than the JDM version, both feature the new X motif that seems to be the new look for the whole family - particularly for small hatchbacks.
The back end has also been revised to incorporate new LED taillights and a (faux) diffuser in the bumper. The cabin, meanwhile, has been redesigned to feel roomier and quieter with upgraded equipment. The suspension has also been refined, and in Europe at least, Toyota will continue to offer the Yaris with a choice of 1.0- or 1.3-liter gasoline engines, 1.4-liter diesel or hybrid powertrains.