Brake Woes Prompt Toyota to Recall 233,000 Prius Models
Toyota is recalling about 242,000 of its Prius and Lexus hybrid vehicles due to problems with their braking systems.
Prius
Toyota's Comeback Gains Momentum
Toyota's quarterly profit more than doubled in its latest quarter as cost cuts and better sales worked with a weakening yen to add momentum to the automaker's comeback.
Toyota Passes Milestone in Selling 5 Million Hybrid Cars
Toyota's global sales of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have surpassed 5 million in a milestone for a technology that was initially greeted with skepticism.
How to Find the Best Used Cars for Under $10,000
Used has become chic, especially when it comes to cars. Trouble is, with everybody clamoring for cheap transportation, pre-owned has gotten pricier, which means you'll have to dig to find deals. Web2Carz.com has made that hunt a little easier with its Best Used Cars Under $10,000 list.
How to Go Farther on Less Fuel
Two weeks ago, DailyFinance asked our readers for their advice on how to save money at the pump. In the more than 1,500 responses that followed, we found a lot of creative solutions. Today, we look at maintenance and new-vehicle options that will help you spend less per mile.
Toyota Prius Sales Hit New Milestone in U.S.
Toyota's recent recall woes may have pushed its U.S. sales lower during the past year, but they haven't stopped one popular model from setting a new milestone: The fuel-efficient Toyota Prius hybrid recently surpassed 1 million sales in the U.S.
Japan's Nikkei Pares Losses as Factories Reopen
Japan's markets got a slight reprieve today as the yen slipped a bit after hitting a record high yesterday. While the lower value helped exporters recover from severe losses earlier in the trading session, the country has a long way to go before confidence in its economy's resilience is restored.
As Gas Prices Rise, Toyota's Hybrid Sales Pass 3 Million
Toyota has sold 3 million hybrid vehicles since launching the Prius in 1997.
How a Google-Backed Startup Aims to Save Energy
Billions of dollars of electricity is wasted annually by inefficient power-conversion systems. But a fledgling company called Transphorm believes its technology can cut electric bills significantly -- and hike mileage for hybrid electric cars and boost output flowing from solar panels.
The Government Reports Aren't an All-Clear for Toyota
The carmaker hoped findings from two federal studies would put to rest speculation about its electronics system as a source for unintended acceleration. But the results may not prove enough to give Toyota a leg up in its ongoing legal battles.
Can Obama's Proposed $7,500 Rebate Accelerate Electric-Car Sales?
In the State of the Union address in January, President Barack Obama set a goal of getting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015. Now he's proposed $7,500 rebates, instead of tax credits, to reach that goal. Will that be enough to make it doable?
Toyota Fights Recall Woes and Stronger Yen
The Japanese automaker's bottom line is likely to have been hit by its many safety recalls, weaker U.S. sales and Japan's rising currency. Analysts forecast Toyota will report a quarterly profit of about $1 billion on sales of $56.2 billion.
Zipcar Offers Rides in Plug-In Prius -- and Feedback for Toyota
Zipcar members in San Francisco, Portland and Boston can try out Toyota's Prius plug-in hybrid, providing valuable info to Toyota before rolling the cars out to consumers in 2012. And Zipcar gets another way to make its greenhouse-gas- conscious customers happy.
Toyota Keeps Slim Lead Over GM Despite Recall Woes
Toyota managed to hold onto the title of world's No. 1 automaker last year, despite numerous safety recalls that took a toll on its sales. Toyota sold 8.42 million vehicles worldwide in 2010, enough to barely edge out resurgent General Motors, which rang up sales of 8.39 million.
Ford and Toyota Debut New Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
New models from Ford and Toyota drew the hottest interest Monday as the North American International Auto Show opened in Detroit: Each announced several electric and hybrid vehicles, including an electric Focus and a plug-in Prius.
GM's Chevy Volt Wins 'Car of the Year' at Detroit Auto Show
GM's long-anticipated plug-in electric hybrid hatchback picked up top honors at the huge auto industry show. The Volt was joined by Ford Motor's Explorer midsize sports-utility vehicle, which was awarded North American Truck of the Year.
Fuel Efficiency Is Top Priority for Car Buyers Worldwide
Fuel efficiency remains the top concern among new car buyers around the world, which is likely to boost demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, according to a report from KPMG. But the survey of senior auto-industry executives worldwide also showed that many have serious concerns about such vehicles' affordability.
GM Rolls Out Long-Anticipated Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Hybrid
Will the Chevy Volt -- General Motor's new plug-in hybrid unveiled today -- be a game changer, as CEO Daniel Akerson hopes? We'll soon find out as the car is scheduled to begin shipping to dealers next month.
Toyota Earnings Preview: Recalls May Hurt
When Toyota Motor reports quarterly earnings tomorrow it will give investors the latest snapshot of how big a toll massive recalls and tepid auto sales are taking on the company's bottom line.
GM Vehicles Rise in Consumer Reports' Latest Quality Survey
Although Honda and Toyota remain the benchmark of reliability in the U.S. automobile industry, General Motors has made considerable strides in improving the quality of its cars and trucks, according to the magazine's 2010 Annual New Car Reliability Survey.
General Motors Defends Volt All-Electric Vehicle Claim
General Motors is firing back at the automotive press after critics' assertions that the much-anticipated Chevrolet Volt isn't a true electric car -- rather merely another hybrid, and not particularly fuel-thrifty.
Honda Fit Hybrid Battles Toyota Prius in Japan
Honda unveiled its new hybrid Fit subcompact in Tokyo Friday. At a starting price of around $19,160, it is cheaper than any other hybrid vehicle in Japan -- including Toyota's popular Prius.
Toyota: Unintended Acceleration Claims Are Down 80%
Toyota says complaints by its cars' unintended acceleration have dropped 80% compared to April, , as the world's largest automaker continues to make strides in repairing the nearly 8 million vehicles recalled in the U.S. to over sticky gas pedals and accelerators that get hung up on floor mats.
Toyota May Supply Germany's Daimler with Hybrid Tech
Toyota is allegedly in talks to supply technology and key components for hybrid vehicles to Germany's Daimler, according to a report Thursday in the Nikkei Business Daily newspaper. If a deal is made, Daimler would become fourth automaker to use Toyota's gas-electric hybrid technology.
Toyota Wants 'Unintended Acceleration' Lawsuits Tossed
Toyota has asked a federal judge to dismiss hundreds of lawsuits over problems with unintended acceleration in its vehicles. The world's largest automaker says such complaints are based on anecdotes, and fail to identify specific defects.
New Fuel Economy Labels Proposed for Electric Cars
For everyone who wants to know how fuel efficient electric and hybrid cars really compare to gas-powered vehicles, the EPA has released two fuel-economy label proposals that would translate electricity usage into an equivalent in miles per gallon.
