News & Reviews- Make: Toyota

Just try to find a bolder, badder looking pickup truck. The Tundra's got more big rig presence than the Ram, at least since Toyota refreshed its second-generation design last year. Its grille is now larger than ever, pushing out so far to each side that its large LED infused headlight clusters seem somewhat small in comparison, while it butts right up against the rugged looking chrome-capped bumper just below and wraps all the way over the edge of the raised hood above, while tougher looking front and rear fenders meld into a revised rear end design featuring new taillights bookending a reworked tailgate with an integrated spoiler. A thorough update, only the cab's body panels remained the same, and there's absolutely nothing subtle about it, important if the Tundra wants to attract more buyers away from the Big 3 while maintaining its sizable lead over its lone Japanese competitor.

So how has it worked? Very well. The Tundra's sales grew by 5,761 units in the US, from 112,732 Read Full Story

The newest Corolla is in its second year, but I still find myself saying "That's a Corolla?" every time I see one drive by. Recently it was me on the inside looking out, mind you, and believe me when I tell you that the view from this angle is at least as impressive as the popular car's exterior styling.

Yes, the Corolla is ridiculously popular. Toyota Canada sold 48,881 Corollas last year, which was the third best year the car has had in the past 10. It's also the third bestselling compact in Canada, but it should be noted that it achieved its 2014 sales total with just with one four-door sedan model. Its main rivals marginally surpass the 50k threshold, but they do so with multiple body-styles under the single nameplate, from less sought after two-door coupes to very popular five-door hatchbacks. If you want a sporty two-door Corolla you'll need to walk over to the Scion side of the showroom where the tC is parked, whereas the upcoming Scion iM replaces the recently discontinued Read Full Story

One of the best-looking minivans available, especially in sporty SE trim, Toyota found street cred with its third-generation 2011 Sienna when introduced in 2010. Now, four years later, it gets a mid-cycle upgrade for the 2015 model year.

The old adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it" certainly applies to the Japanese brand's refreshed minivan, at least on the outside. Exterior styling enhancements are limited to a new headlamp cluster design, optionally infused with a thin strip of de rigueur LED running lights, as well as fashionably late mirror housing-integrated turn signals on top-tier trims, and newly designed taillight lenses.

My tester only featured two of the above, being a just-above-base LE AWD model. Nevertheless it's a pretty classy looking ride as far as minivans go, with a body-colour grille featuring thick chrome trim around its lower half, plus clean lower bumper design with black caps where fog lights would otherwise go if so equipped. These would look Read Full Story

If you regularly haul heavy loads but need something with more interior room than a pickup truck there's only one alternative, a big body-on-frame sport utility vehicle. Fortunately there's no shortage of full-size SUVs on the market, Toyota's Sequoia being just one of five within the volume branded mainstream sector alone, and there are plenty more being sold by premium marques such as Lexus.

Still, Toyota has always had a tough time in a market that has been dominated by domestic makers. Initial U.S. sales of the previous generation looked rosy with 70,187 units delivered in 2002, but steadily tapered off over the years to the point that 2014 saw only 11,806 examples finding new owners south of the 49th. Here in Canada the Sequoia's decade-long sales chart is skewed mostly the other way, the model arriving here in 2004 and selling a mere 562 units, yet after a few tumultuous years those numbers rose up substantially before steadily ebbing to a 713 unit sales total last year. Read Full Story

If a Prius Plug-in Hybrid were to pass you by, would you know? Serious electric car aficionados are the only ones who would take notice of the three differentiators including a nice bit of bright metal trim across the lower grille, new "Plug-In Hybrid" logos and a stylized chrome plug on the backside "Hybrid Synergy Drive" logo, and a second "gas cap" lid on the rear passenger's side. That's where you plug it in with the specially designed extension charger cord via a household socket, with a household/apartment charge station if you happen to have one at your disposal, or numerous free charging stations found all over town. The lid on the driver's side is like most Prius models, where you refill the gas tank.

Why I love the Prius Plug-in, or PHV for short, starts off with the same reason I like all other plug-in vehicles: they're really cheap to operate and very cool in an ultimately green sort of way. What turns the like into love with the Prius PHV is that it can be driven Read Full Story