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Toyota Recalling 516,000 Vehicles In Three Recalls

Toyota said Thursday it's recalling 516,000 vehicles worldwide - including 430,500 in the U.S. - for three separate safety problems, including brakes that can activate without warning. The company said it has no reports of accidents or injuries due to the defects. In all three cases, the company will alert owners and dealers will repair the issues for free. The largest recall, of 450,000 Sienna minivans from the 2004-2011 model years, targets vehicles sold in cold weather areas. Toyota said road salt can corrode the spare tire carrier under the vehicle and the tire can fall off. Siennas from the 2004-2010 model years were for the same issue in 2010, and a splash protector and anti-rust protection were applied. But the company says the splash protector can fall off and rust can still occur. The recall involves 370,000 minivans sold in the U.S., 80,000 in Canada and 400 in Europe. Also recalled Thursday were: - 16,000 Lexus GS 250 and 350 sedans from the 2013 model year because a manufacturing defect can cause the brakes to activate without warning, and without turning on the brake lights. Most of the vehicles - 10,500 - were sold in the U.S. Also included are left-hand-drive sedans sold in Canada, China and Europe. - 50,000 Highlander and Highlander hybrid SUVs from the 2014 model year. Toyota says a software glitch may prevent the vehicle from properly calculating the size of the front passenger when determining whether to fire the air bags. The affected vehicles assume the passenger is smaller, so the bags may not fire or they may fire at a lower speed than necessary for a larger passenger. Toyota says most of the affected vehicles - 45,287 - were sold in the U.S. Around 3,400 were sold in Canada and the rest were sold in Mexico and Europe. Related Gallery AOL Autos Test Drive: 2014 Toyota Highlander Recalls Toyota

Incrementally better than ever | 2017 Toyota 86 First Drive

We'd love to tell you that the incremental upgrades bestowed upon Toyota's rear-wheel-drive coupe as it made its transition from Scion FR-S to Toyota 86 have transformed it into a perfect sportscar. If only a few more horsepower, shorter rear-end gearing, and tiny aero updates were enough to quell all the complaints that enthusiasts have leveled at the machine since the platform first hit the road in 2012, this review would have been so much more satisfying to write. Sadly, that's not the case. Don't get us wrong. The 86 is still extremely fun to toss around a twisty road. The chassis is impressively balanced, the steering is direct, and the shifter is sweet. Sorry to impart upon you this well-worn trope, but the old adage that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow is, in this case, completely accurate. The 2017 Toyota 86 is nothing if not entertaining. But it's not completely new. It hasn't been transformed. It is, in the end, the same as it ever was. It will take about three minutes of your time to watch the videos below, in which we cover pretty much everything that's new for the 2017 Toyota 86. Toyota 86s equipped with manual transmissions get a five-pony boost to 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Automatic models soldier forth with a carryover 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 200 hp and 151 lb-ft. Apparently, more than half of Scion FR-S buyers chose the automatic. That's unfortunate, as it drains a good deal of the fun out of the 86 experience. Choose the manual and you'll be rewarded with an easy clutch and a rewarding short-throw shifter. And, as we said, five more ponies, courtesy of intake and exhaust tweaks and the polishing of some internal engine components. The only upside to the automatic is improved fuel economy of 24 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway. Manual 86s are EPA-rated at 21/28. Along with the small bump in power, the 2017 86 gets a 4.3:1 rear-end gear ratio in lieu of the old 4.1:1 unit. That ought to translate into a small improvement in acceleration that really only matters on paper. In the real world, on actual roads, the difference is negligible. To eke the most out of the 86, you have to constantly work the shifter and keep the engine north of 5,000 rpm. It's still not particularly quick, but it's definitely fun. There's plenty of noise inside the 86, from the wind, the road, and the engine.

Toyota Prius sales could come up short in 2013

A Toyota executive has said that the automaker's hybrid Prius model may not reach its 2013 goal of selling 250,000 units in the US marketplace. Bill Fay, group vice president for Toyota's US sales, told Reuters, "The 240,000 to 250,000 range is kind of where we're settling our sights for the Prius family."
The first-generation Prius, a five-passenger model, was introduced to the States in 2001 (its arrival made it the second mass-produced hybrid, after the two-seat Honda Insight). The second-generation model arrived in 2004, followed by the current third-generation design that arrived for the 2010 model year. The automaker has subsequently added the Prius V, a hatchback wagon (shown above) and the Prius C, a subcompact hatchback. As of March, 2013, cumulative worldwide sales of the Prius had reached 3.67 million units.
Last year, Toyota sold 236,659 Prius models in the US. However, sales of the model have fallen 5.1 percent in the first six months of 2013. In response, the automaker has boosted its marketing for the model, and the promotions are expected to continue through at least July.