Toyota Hilux

The 347% growth has been driven by private buyers wanting more versatile SUV vehicles, company car users attracted by the low taxation levels, fashion conscious must-have recreational users, owner-operators, small business customers and to a lesser extent by commercial and farming users opting for a pick-up rather than a utilitarian 4x4.

Toyota Hilux Double Cab HL3 4WD 2.5 D-4D 171PS The Hilux HL3 gives that little bit more luxury on an already substantially refined vehicle. Aesthetically pleasing overfenders are standard, as is a radiator grille in thebody colour along with chrome plated moulding. Chrome door handles complement chrome electric mirrors, whilst a chrome rear step, alloy side steps, front fog lamps and chunky 15" alloy wheels complete the styling package.With the HL3 D-4D 170 engine you will also gain optitron meters and a multi-function information display.The Toyota Hilux, and Toyota Tacoma, are compact pickup trucks built and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Hilux name was adopted as a replacement for the Stout in 1969, and remains in use worldwide. In North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck, until it was renamed the Tacoma in 1995. One popular option package, SR5 (Sport Rally 5-Speed), also became synonymous with the truck, even though it was used on other Toyota models as well. In 1984, the Trekker, the camper version of the Hilux, was changed to the 4Runner in North America and Australia, and as the Hilux Surf in Japan. The 4Runner, now a full SUV, shares few visual cues with its brother Tacoma in more recent models.

Toyota Prius Hybrid

Toyota Prius Hybrid

The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. It first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. The Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America. As a top seller in the US market, the U.S. Toyota Prius made up more than half of the 1.2 million Prius sold worldwide by early 2009. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, in 2007, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel efficient car sold in the U.S. The EPA and California Air Resources Board also rate the Prius as among the cleanest vehicles sold in the United States based on non-CO2 emissions. The UK Department for Transport reported the Prius is tied as the sixth least CO2-emitting vehicle on sale in the UK. source: wikipedia

Toyota IQ

Electric cars are no replacement for conventional cars, despite what you might have read.

That’s the conclusion of Bill Reinert, Toyota’s manager of advanced technology planning. In an interview at a New York City conference on sustainable development, Reinert said the company would produce an electric version of it’s tiny Scion iQ. He added that the company is looking at new business models for electric cars, and it won’t be focused on suburban use.

Electric cars may make the most sense to operate in the city, where vehicles usually drive at low speeds and for short distances. However, a real challenge for city use is that most urban dwellings don’t have dedicated parking with access to a plug. So plug-in cars that work on the expectation that consumers will charge them every night at home won’t work.

So, Toyota says it is looking at “new business models,” such as car sharing, leasing batteries or cars, and fleet sales for its EVs. Some will be sold to traditional consumers as well, he says.

Toyota announced that it will put 500 plug-in Priuses on the street in a fleet demonstration program in 2009, with 200 examples in Japan, 150 in Europe, and 150 in the United States. Powered by lithium-ion batteries along with a gasoline engine, these initial plug-in vehicles will be for fleet use, with no opportunity for sale to customers.

In the end, Toyota predicts that perhaps 20 percent of vehicles will be electric by 2020.

—by Eric Evarts

source - http://www.consumerreports.org

Toyota Versa

The principal of this gospel is Venza, a five-passenger vehicle that "couples the styling and comfort of a car with the flexibility of a sport-utility, an alternative to the traditional sedan."

Venza is derived from the Camry platform and built alongside it in Georgetown, Ky. But it doesn't look like a Camry—or any car. It looks like the Lexus RX crossover, which launched that segment when unveiled as a concept at the 1997 Chicago Auto Show.

Toyota says Venza appeals to those torn between a Camry and Highlander SUV and "establishes a new direction in passenger car design." Baloney. It's a crossover—no shame in that.
Venza offers front- or all-wheel-drive and a 2.7-liter, 182-horsepower 4-cylinder for mileage (21 city/29 highway FWD or 20/28 AWD) or a 3.5-liter, 268-h.p. V-6 rated at 19/26 (FWD), 18/25 (AWD) for oomph. AWD activates when wheel slippage is detected, but there's no low setting for heavy-duty off-roading.

We tested the V-6 Venza with FWD that comes with stability and traction control and four-wheel anti-lock brakes as standard. Still, AWD offers more foul-weather security, particularly on secluded roads dotted with patches of snow.

Toyota says Venza was designed with a lower center of gravity to prevent SUV wobble and lean in corners. It helps but the crossover still feels heavy in the wheel in corners and turns, which quicker steering response would improve and AWD would solve. At least ride is bounce free.

The V-6 has adequate spirit, but is a tad loud in acceleration. But at a time when most motorists are waiting for OPEC or the oil companies to raise prices, a 19/26 rating with FWD comes up short.

Toyota says though the crossover comes from a Camry, which offers a hybrid version, it has no immediate plans for a gas/electric Venza. The 4-cylinder is being counted on to satisfy the mileage-minded.

Venza seats five, if the person in the middle back seat is nicknamed "Slim." The cabin is comfortable. Rear-seat passengers enjoy exceptional leg and head room. The backs of the front seats are curved to ensure lots of knee room for them too.

Kudos to engineers for low door sills to ease entry and exit front and back. And door openings are wide to keep the clothes from hitting the body panels.

Seats are covered with grained leather to hold the body in place. Side bolsters offer ample support. A grained finish on the dash, instrument panel and door trim looks stylish, not cheap.

The center console holds one cell phone and two cups. Rather than flip open, the top slides back to expose a power plug and an auxiliary jack. The instrument cluster above the console houses the gearshift lever and an iPod holder.

Other nice touches are a coin holder in the dash left of the wheel, dual water bottle holders in the front doors, single bottle holders in the rear doors, fuel-filler door release along the floor by the driver, tilt and telescoping steering column and the easiest-to-see-and-use trip meter in the instrument panel.

If you're still not convinced that this is not a sedan, look no farther than the wide open cargo hold behind the rear seat. Clue two: It's accessed though a hatch lid. A security shade pulls out to hide contents. Pull handles release and lower the rear seat backs, but the seats don't fold totally flat.

Base price of the FWD V-6 tested is $27,800 ($25,975 for 4-cylinder). Climate control, power seats/locks/windows/mirrors, 20-inch wheels, reclining rear seats, fog lamps and rear window wiper are standard. Add $1,450 for AWD.

The test vehicle added a $4,345 premium package with heated, leather seats; push-button start; power hatchlid; and power, heated, folding sideview mirrors; $1,090 for a JBL audio upgrade with AM/FM/satellite radio, CD player, MP3 playback capability, Blue- tooth phone and 13 speakers; and $570 for a backup camera that uses a much too-small screen on the dash to show what's behind when backing up.

Security, sound, light, convenience, comfort, premium, navigation and entertainment packages add $815 to $4,345 each—making the sticker look more like that on the Lexus.

Dealers offer an optional ramp to get your dog get in back, a booster seat with harness to keep it in place and waterproof rear seat covers—which could be handy for the kids too.

source:-
1. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/autocorner/chi-rides-mateja-venza-0104jan04,0,6559600.column

2. Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Rides. Contact him at rides@tribune.com

Toyota Vios TRD

The new TRD Toyota Vios media test drive day was underway at Sepang International Circuit on 9 Jan 2009. Finally the TRD spec-ed Vios was put to the test on the SIC race track by media folks.

To have a safe track/media event, there were professional track instructors on standby to support the running of the cars on track by the journalists. Kenny Hwang and Stephen Kok was the HPC Instructors in-support of the event and to guide journalists testing the car.

source : http://www.kookaburraracing.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-trd-toyota-vios-media-launch-was.html

Toyota Passo Sette

As with alot of other Toyota compact cars, the new MPV is available under both the Toyota and Daihatsu badges as compact cars like these are pretty much mainly Daihatsu-engineered as it is their speciality.

The Toyota version is called the Toyota Passo Sette, which essentially means Passo Seven, or a 7-seater version of the Toyota Passo. Sette means seven in Italian. The Daihatsu version is called the Daihatsu Boon Luminas, where Luminas is a combination of the words roomy and luminous.

All variants of the Passo Sette and the Boon Luminas are powered by the 1.5 liter 3SZ-VE engine putting out 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. Both front wheel drive and 4WD variants use a 4-speed auto, and the front wheel drive version is rated at 15.6km per liter under the 10-15 Japanese test cycle. There is an Eco-Drive indicator light on the dashboard to inform the driver when his driving style is economical.

As previously reported, the compact Toyota Passo Sette measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,620mm tall, with a long 2,750mm wheelbase to maximize the interior space which is 2,550mm long. The Boon Luminas CX with a bodykit is slightly longer at 4,195mm. Other dimensions that Toyota has provided include a 1,630mm space between the front and rear seat rows, a 150mm split seat slide for the middle row, a wide 935mm rear door opening to ease getting in and out, and a 630mm hip point for the driver to also aide ingress and egress.

Despite the car’s relatively long wheelbase its wheels are at the edges of the vehicle so it is compact and it has a 5.2m turning radius.

Toyota has provided the Toyota Passo Sette with some nice features in the interior including a rear seat entertainment system with a 7 inch widescreen monitor, a DVD player with headphone outputs, and the ability to play different media in the front and rear entertainment systems. There is an optional keyless entry and start with a key fob.

Read more: http://paultan.org/archives/2008/12/26/toyota-passo-sette-7-seater-mpv-full-details/#ixzz0IJgRkOOy&C

Toyota Lucida

The looks of these MPV are the best. The are bullet shaped and futuristic compared to what's on offer even these days, bearing in mind she is over 15 years old.

Now most came factory fitted tint alloys, spoiler, double cd cassette radio, swivel seats, twin sun roofs, electric climate control (front and rear controlled), and electric folding wing mirrors, four wheel drive, ABS, park assist, hot cold box; this and more was factory fitted.

The interior all works; every switch and button works as it should. The carpet and seats are all intact; no worn patches or tears. It has arm rests on every chair, along with 360 captain chairs for the second row, and a real full size boot. These are a true adult sized MPV, referring to the rear seat and boot space, not like so many fake MPVs, which have only 5 seats, and the rest which have two seats that take all the boot space, only to seat kid's with no legs and a small box of matches in the boot.

The engine is still solid and I do drive her hard. She starts every time with the slightest turn of the key; these engines will run very happily on used vegetable oil with not a single modification done to the engine.

I always service her when the the little red service light pops up. Observing the coolant, I would recommend draining and re filling with fresh coolant yearly to maintain the coolant quality easily, checking so the coolant maintains its colour.

About Toyota Lucida

It's been a good car, I've covered 34,000miles in the two years I've had her, without a problem,Get the cambelt changed immediately. £3200 is alot of money. You don't say what age it is if it snaps it could render the engine useless. They are brill vehicles and will run forever, but that cam belt need changing sharpish. A cam belt usually needs changing at around 65,000 to 70,000 miles. Not sure of the cost though. He should have told you this before you parted with the cash.

Toyota Venza

Toyota Wish

First Generation (2003-2008)

2003

The Wish was developed under code name "760N" by the team, lead by Chief engineer named Takeshi Yoshida and was introduced to the public for the first time at Tokyo Motor Show in October 2002 (Commercial vehicles & welcab show) and then launched in Japan in January,20th 2003, under a massive publicity campaign with Japanese singer Hikaru Utada. The TV commercial features her song Colors, which coincides with the launch of her new CD-single. The car was marketed under the "Wish Comes True" slogan. Codenamed ZNE10G (FWD) and ZNE14G (4WD), it uses a 1.8 L 1ZZ-FE engine, producing (JIS) 132 PS and 170 N·m (125 lb·ft). It is only available with four-speed automatic. A 2.0 L version (codenamed ANE11W for the six-seater version and ANE10G for the seven-seater version) was launched in April 2003. Equipped with the 1AZ-FSE direct-injection engine, it has (JIS) 155 PS (114 kW) and 192 N·m (142 ft·lbf). Variants with the 2.0 D-4 engine are only available with a CVT gearbox. The WISH was extremely successful in its home market, and is frequently seen on the Top 5 on the 30 bestseller list each months. It has also made shockwave to its competitors, such as the Honda Stream & Mazda Premacy or Mazda 5 to changing its market positioning. The Toyota Wish was also launched as a locally assembled model in Thailand towards the end of 2003 (Dec.2003).

2004

The Wish was launched in Taiwan in November 2004. For this market, the car is marketed under the "No Rules!" slogan and the TVCM is shot in New York. The Taiwanese version shares the same engine as the Thailand model, which means missing out on Toyota's D-4 technology. The Taiwanese assembled version have some styling differences: a new front end, redesigned rear LED taillights, reflectors recessed into the rear bumper, body color/chrome side rubbing strips and a cleaner chrome rear plate garnish. The WISH badging is not an integral part of the garnish, unlike the JDM-spec model. Equipment may include parking sensors, dual moonroof and leather seats. Another aspect unique to the Taiwanese Wish is that it can be specified with a beige interior color scheme unlike its Japanese and Thai-built counterparts.



2005

The car was a huge success in Japan, and featured in the best sellers chart regularly, no mean feat for an MPV. The Toyota Wish was updated at the end of 2005 with the introduction of a facelifted model. The original car was fundamentally well designed and that meant that few changes were necessary. Cosmetic changes to the headlights, bumpers, LED tail-lights and dashboard were made, together with revised switchgear for the climate control and automatic transmission (The 2.0Z received a seven-gear transmission.) As the changes were minor the fuel consumption figures, which are the best in the compact MPV class, remain the same. The 2005 Wish was also the third model to be sold exclusively through Toyota's NETZ dealer network, hence the replacement of the Wish's signature "W" front emblem with a generic NETZ oval (As seen on the 2005 Vitz & Ist.). Feedback on the electronic throttle control has been mixed, with claims that the original throttle system used in the 2003 car is quicker off the mark. The drivetrain and engines remained the same.
source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_WISH#First_Generation_.282003-2008.29

Toyota Lucida

Toyota Camry First generation (V10; 1982–1986)

In 1982, the Camry became an independent model line, and was sold as a compact four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. There were limited exports, predominantly to right-hand-drive markets. At this point, Camry was positioned above the Carina and Corona, two other mid-sized models made by Toyota. A twin was announced at this point: the Toyota Vista. The design of the first generation Camry fit well within the box-shaped trends of the early 1980s. Additionally, the vehicle size and available options were characteristic of Japanese-designed cars of the time; the Camry was a compact sedan, with a solid but spartan construction and competed indirectly against larger American counterparts. 1982—1986 Toyota Camry hatchback In North America, the Camry was available with a 68 kilowatt SAE (92 hp) 2.0 litre 2S-ELC engine, 1.8 litre 1C-TLC or a 55 kilowatt (74 hp) 2.0 litre 2C-TLC turbodiesel engine. Either a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback body style could be specified, and could be purchased with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed A140E automatic. In contrast to the rear-wheel drive Celica Camry, the Toyota Camry was a front-wheel drive vehicle built on an all-new platform. In Australia, only the petrol-fueled hatchback was sold. The United Kingdom, and much of Continental Europe got the sedan and hatchback versions: these were available in 1.8 litre GLi or 2.0 litre GLi trim levels. A 2.0 litre GLD turbodiesel was also offered, but this is rare nowadays.
source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Camry

Toyota Estima Second Generation

Toyota Estima Second Generation

The second generation Previa had a slightly longer wheelbase (2900 mm) and was both narrower (1790 mm) and shorter (1770 mm) than the first one; it switched to FF layout and was based on the Camry platform. It was produced with passenger doors on both sides and offered space for up to six, seven or eight passengers and, as with the first generation, was sold as the Estima in Japan and as the Tarago in Australia. The range available in Australia was the GLi, GLX and Ultima. The Ultima version was targeted as a competitor of the Chrysler's Plymouth Voyager. Models sold on the European markets were available with both gasoline and diesel-powered 4-cylinder engines. The diesel engine was a 2.0 L 1CD-FTV with 116 hp (85 kW) and the gasoline-powered one a 2.4 L 2AZ-FE with 156 hp (115 kW). Both models featured a 5-speed manual transmission as the part of standard equipment, while a 4-speed automatic was available as an option on gasoline-powered model. A 3.0L V6 and a Hybrid Synergy Drive version of the Estima were available in Japan. This first generation Estima Hybrid used a single electric motor and a mechanical CVT in its transmission.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Previa

Toyota Estima Lucida

The first generation Previa was 4750 mm (187 in) long and 1803 mm (71 in) wide. In Japan, two smaller versions, the Toyota Estima Lucida and Toyota Estima Emina, were produced, which were approximately 110 mm (4.3 in) narrower and 70 mm (2.8 in) shorter than the standard model. The reason for the difference between the smaller Emina and Lucida models is the vehicle tax system in Japan, which is based on the product of length and width of the car. The smaller variants fall in to a lower tax band. The Estima Emina and Estima Lucida were also available with a 2.2 litre diesel engine (3C-T and 3C-TE).