Le 1.8l Cd 4 Speakers Am/fm Radio Am/fm Stereo W/cd & 4 Speakers Power Steering on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cheap, honest transportation | 2017 Toyota Yaris iA

In The Love Bug, the main character (aside from Herbie) is a down-on-his-luck racing driver named Jim Douglas. Early on, he steps into an exotic car show room, and when the dealer asks him kind of car he's looking for, Douglas replies, "What do you have in the way of cheap, honest transportation?" The dealer quickly snatches his fancy liquor back from Douglas and soon after Herbie shows up from the back of the showroom. But if this happened today, you could easily replace the classic Beetle with a 2017 Toyota Yaris iA. The poor thing isn't nearly as endearing to look at as a classic Bug, as a result of the rather unattractive nose, and it's now using a second pseudonym (first Scion iA, then Toyota Yaris iA) to hide its Mazda heritage. However, everything else about it nails the description of cheap, honest transportation. And for that reason, it's a lovely little car. Let's start with honesty, and it begins from the minute you start equipping the car – the iA is a "what you see is what you get" proposition. You see, the iA moniker isn't the only holdover from the Scion era. The Toyota Yaris iA retains its "monospec" configuration, which means it comes with only one option: the transmission. Customers can choose from either a 6-speed manual like our test car, or a 6-speed automatic which costs $1,100. Everything else is standard, and "everything" includes some choice features. You get alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, USB and Bluetooth integration, a rear-view camera, tilt and telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, and keyless entry with push-button start. Technically there are a number of dealer-installed accessories too, including your typical fare of mudguards, rear spoiler, cargo organizers, and such. However, none of them are really necessary, with one exception. For some odd reason, the Yaris iA does not come with a center armrest. It's a $195 accessory, and frankly it should be a standard feature because it's so useful. If you hadn't guessed, ours wasn't equipped with it. Everywhere else the iA is a thoroughly pleasant car, if not as sporty as the old Mazda2. The little 1.5-liter four-cylinder under the hood isn't particularly potent with 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque. But with a Miata-like 2,385-pound curb weight and our car's manual transmission, it manages to feel fairly sprightly, and never has any trouble dicing it up with traffic. That transmission is pretty decent, too.

Toyota recalls pre-collision system on Avalon and ES models

Toyota is recalling 31,000 US examples of the 2013-2015 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Lexus ES350, and ES 300h because the Pre-Collision System could potentially cause an accident. According to the company, it's possible for the safety aid to misidentify a steel joint or plate in the road as a hazard and apply the brakes. The sudden, unexpected activation could lead to a crash. Toyota spokesperson Cindy Knight told Autoblog that the company has reports of two accidents in the US related to this issue, and there are also two alleged injuries. The company has no reports of fatalities. Toyota is taking a serious approach to deal with this problem. First, the company plans to disable the system on these sedans. Once the parts are available, dealers will replace the system with improved components. The company doesn't yet know when these repairs will begin, but owners should receive notification of the recall in November, according to Knight. Toyota isn't alone in needing to tweak safety equipment. Ford faced a similar issue when the company recalled 36,857 examples of the 2015 F-150 because passing a large, reflective semi could inadvertently activate the collision warning system. An update for the adaptive cruise control module software fixed the problem. TOYOTA RECALLS CERTAIN AVALON AND LEXUS ES VEHICLES TORRANCE, Calif., November 3, 2015 – Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 31,000 Model Year 2013-2015 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Lexus ES350 and ES300h sedans. In the involved vehicles, under certain situations, the PCS (Pre-Collision System) could interpret a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object that triggers PCS activation. If this occurs, the PCS warning buzzer sounds and the system may apply the service brake automatically. Unexpected braking could increase the risk of a crash. For all involved vehicles, the PCS function will be disabled as an interim remedy. As the permanent remedy, Toyota dealers will replace PCS components with improved ones. Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time. For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Toyota, Lexus or Scion vehicles, customers should check their vehicle's status by visiting toyota.com/recall and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site: safercar.gov/vin.

Performance cars overpower the Detroit Auto Show

At precisely the stroke of noon on Monday, the 2016 Acura NSX rolled on stage at the Detroit Auto Show amid plumes of smoke and dancing lights. The sounds of the powerful engine revving soared to the rafters. It was the second coming of Acura's iconic sports car, and the reveal had all of the expected trappings. Afterwards, champagne corks popped and the bubbly flowed. It was noon in Detroit, but for the green-car movement, it seemed like the clock had struck midnight. That's an exaggeration, but performance was the overwhelming theme of North America's most important show. Ford – which has helped lead the way in smaller displacement engines and early adoption of hybrid powertrains – had more than 1,500 horsepower on stage one point after it revealed the GT concept, the new F-150 Raptor and the Shelby Mustang GT350R. The NSX is technically a hybrid (it has three electric motors), but with 550-plus hp, there's no doubt this Acura was bred on the track. The theme continued throughout the show at nearly every stand. Alfa Romeo showed off the 4C Spider, which is the open-air version of a car that purports to be the spiritual successor of the high-performance 33 Stradale from 1967. On Tuesday, Cadillac is scheduled to reveal the 640-hp CTS-V with the V8 transplanted from the Corvette Z06, and the Lexus was expected to roll out its own V8-powered beast, the 467-hp GS F. For enthusiasts – especially enthusiasts with money – these are halcyon days. But make no mistake, all of this power has a purpose. Ford product chief Raj Nair said the Blue Oval uses high performance cars to develop technologies, like aerodynamics and materials, which are then shared across its lineup. "It's another proof point about how serious we are in developing innovation through performance," he said. Ford, which is rolling out at least 12 performance cars by 2020, said the sporty cars attract younger and more influential buyers to its fold, which can help burnish its image beyond adding sales volume. Toyota is taking a similar approach, senior vice president Bob Carter said, noting the Lexus RC coupe draws people into showrooms and gets them excited about the brand, even if they don't end up buying one. "They provide an aspiration and a halo that provides the attention that gets you noticed in a cluttered market," he said.