Check out Toyota's 2012 College Grad Video Contest Winner -- That's a Rap!

Hi, my name is Samuel, and I think that there is no better way to spread the word about the $1,000 Toyota Grad Rebate than with an old-school rap! Thanks, Toyota!

Toyota named 'Best Global Green Brand' by management consultant firm Interbrand

The auto industry featured prominently in management consultant firm Interbrand’s 2012 “Best Global Green Brand” report, with three car manufacturers ranking among the top five eco-friendly companies.

Toyota topped the annual list, while Honda and Volkswagen finished in third and fourth place. Rounding out the top ten was BMW.

Each of the brands was selected from Interbrand's annual "Best Global Brands" report which ranks the world's 100 most valuable brands, and based on a wide variety of criteria including "[the company's] environmental programs," "performance in measuring, reporting and mitigating the environmental performance of their supply chain," and "the green attributes of its products."

This year automotive brands appeared eight times in the top 50 Global Green Brands, four of which (Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW) ranked in the top ten. In a statement Interbrand attributed this year's strong environmental performance by auto brands to "long-term goals [centered] around fuel efficiency, superior energy use and the reduction of toxic emissions."

Interbrand also drew attention to the fact that manufacturers across the auto industry have released a range of alternative fuel-consuming and fuel-efficient vehicles that have improved both the automakers' environmental performance and public perception.

Toyota, which maintains the number one spot, was singled out for its commitment to achieving near zero-landfill status at its North American manufacturing plants and the brand's construction of LEED certified dealerships.

According to this criteria the top ten environmentally friendly brands, according to Interbrand's 2012 "Best Global Green Brands" report are as follows:

01.  Toyota
02.   Johnson and Johnson
03.   Honda
04.   Volkswagen
05.   Hewlett Packard
06.   Panasonic
07.   Dell
08.   Siemens
09.   Danone
10.   BMW 

Automotive brands outside of the top ten in this year's 50 Best Global Green Brands were:

15. Ford
16. Mercedes
17. Hyundai
21. Nissan

AFP/Relaxnews

As Driverless Cars Inch Closer to Reality, Researchers Mull Impact

IRVINE, California — As automobile development moves closer and closer to automated or semi-automated vehicles, manufacturers and the Transportation Research Board are exploring the ramifications of these "intelligent" cars and the effects on the public.

A TRB workshop on the future of automated cars and driving is scheduled for July 24-26 at the Beckman Center in Irvine. The full title of the event is "Future of Road Vehicle Automation and PreConference Workshop on Early Automation Deployment Opportunities in Managed Lane Operations."

Meanwhile, there is general acknowledgement in the industry that, while new technologies may enhance safety and take over some of the tasks drivers now have to perform manually, there will be problems inherent in the use of this new technology.

Innovations already available on some cars, such Ford's automated parallel-parking function, are not so much at issue as are systems that monitor traffic situations and either provide warning prompts or make decisions about the operation of the vehicle. In addition to the fail-safe nature of such systems, there is the human element to consider.

Internet giant Google is vigorously pursuing the concept of fully automated vehicles, winning a U.S. patent late last year for "Transitioning a mixed-mode vehicle to autonomous mode." Prompted in part by a Google lobbying effort, Nevada passed legislation in July 2011 regulating "driverless" cars.

Advanced vehicle automation is anticipated to make its way to the marketplace within the decade, but an equivalent of aviation's autopilot, to all but completely take over the duties of operating the vehicle, is not in the foreseeable future.

That doesn't mean that drivers won't expect more of the technology than it is capable of delivering.

General Motors is conducting studies on how driver behavior will be influenced by emerging technologies. The upshot of their research is summed up by GM Research Program manager Jeremy Salinger, who said, "The focus was on how people might change their behaviors from what they normally do when they drive cars."

GM researchers have observed how when drivers multitask, they make relatively frequent but brief glances away from their primary function of driving. The dangers of such distraction will not be erased by the driver aids coming in the next 10 years, Salinger said.

Referring to the operation of a "smart" vehicle, he said, "This is not a time that you can start reading a book."

2013 Toyota Avalon Gets More Green, Adds Hybrid Model

In recent years, Toyota's said it will build a hybrid version of every one of its vehicles by 2020.

Count one more down: the Avalon sedan is going hybrid for the 2013 model year.

The big four-door, a relative of the best-selling Camry sedan, goes on sale in November of this year. When it does, it will inherit a version of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system found in the latest Camry Hybrid, where it helps that sedan achieve EPA ratings of 43/39 mpg.

The drivetrain teams a 2.5-liter four-cylinder running a lean Atkinson cycle, with nickel-metal hydride batteries and two motors tucked into the transaxle, with gearing handled by a continuously variable transmission.

In the Avalon, the net is 200 horsepower, and three driving modes are offered: EV, Eco, and Sport. EV mode allows drivers to run the Avalon on battery power alone up to 25 mph, while Eco mode cuts down on throttle response and HVAC output. Sport mode adapts the Avalon Hybrid's throttle and transmission for quicker response.

At its best, Toyota says the Avalon Hybrid will hit 60 mph in 8.2 seconds; at its other "best," it predicts a 680-mile driving range on a single tank of gasoline, and estimated EPA ratings of 40/39 mpg and 40 mpg combined.

As for the more powerful Avalon V-6, it continues with its 3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. The six-speed automatic carries over, though it now has a sport-shift mode and throttle blipping for smoother gear changes. On Avalon Touring and Limited models, the automatic also gets paddle controls for shifting, an indication of where Toyota wants the newly stylish sedan to go.

Toyota estimates the V-6 Avalon's 0-60 mph time at 7 seconds or less, and pegs its fuel economy at 21/31 mpg, or 25 mpg combined. It too offers three driving modes--here, Eco, Normal, and Sport modes for steering and throttle feel.

On another front, Toyota's made a concerted effort to keep weight down in the new Avalon. The new Avalon Hybrid weighs less than 3600 pounds, while the standard car is under 3500 pounds in base trim. The 2012 model begins above 3600 pounds. Toyota credits better construction, but also trimmed proportions: compared to the 2012 model, the new Avalon's down marginally in overall length, width, and height, though the wheelbase is identical to the outgoing model. However, its trunk has grown by 1.6 cubic feet, to 16.0 cubic feet total.

New features for the Avalon include Entune, the mobile-app system that ports functionality from phones to the Avalon's infotainment system--streaming Pandora music into the stereo, for example. A USB port, satellite radio, and ambient lighting are featured, as are an optional navigation system, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a three-zone climate control system.

Finally, the Avalon's safety package moves into a higher plane, with ten standard airbags and a rearview camera now standard. Blind-spot monitors are an option.

Now in its fourth generation, the Avalon's facing several stylish new vehicles in its class, all with exceptional features--eAssist and MyFord Touch among them. The suave new look is one tack it's taking to shift the nameplate into a more youthful direction; the new Hybrid edition is another.

Wow, thanks for the amazing review Kasie!

"I have never been treated so well by a car dealership in my life as I was at University Toyota.  I was searching the web for a used Tundra one night and called the number which was provided on the screen. thinking I would leave my name and number.  It was 1:30 a.m.  To my surprise this sleepy sounding voice state, "Thank you for calling University Toyota this is John, how can I be of assistance."  I was amazed and asked if they was having a special sale at this time in the morning.  He explained that this was his company cell phone and he would take call 24 hours a day 7 days a week, except for during church.  
    Then the next morning he called me promptly at 10 a.m. as he promised and gave me a great price for my 2010 Tundra company truck.  John really went out of his way to make this truck buying experience as convenient as possible.  He not only treated me like he appreciated my business, he drove the truck over an hour away from the dealership to let my boss see the truck and then picked me up in Parkersburg to bring me back to the Dealership so that I could have some accessories added to my truck, then because it was going to take about two hours they provided me a vehicle to drive around town so I would not have to wait.  Carrie in the service department was wonderful.  My over all experience was great with Universkity Motors, John treated me better than I was when I was a guest at a 5 star hotel.  John also knew the truck very well and explained everything to me in the fullest.  Kudo's to University Toyota and I especially want to thank John White and Carrie in the service department they are wonderful and I would recomend anyone wanting a car to go to them." -Kasie W.

2012 Scion iQ: Smarter

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"Not so 'Smart' after all?" The older gentleman in the grocery store parking lot asked as I wheeled my loaded cart to the back of the 2012 Scion iQ.

On the contrary, sir. After he finished chuckling and drove away, I successfully loaded $150 worth of groceries into the iQ's cargo area, including a pallet of 24 water bottles. And upon returning to my loft, I effortlessly backed the little Scion underneath the awning that covers the entrance to my building, keeping myself out of the rain while unloading my goods.

Seems pretty smart to me.

But that's not the only reason why I like the iQ. Once you get past the novelty of its you-can-park-me-anywhere size, you aren't left with a completely miserable little machine. The Scion's list of good virtues doesn't consist of a single, solitary bullet point, and during my week with the tiniest Toyota, I was determined to see if the iQ was more than just a smarter Smart. There's a smattering of excellent subcompact offerings available to Americans these days. To say we could all do without the ForTwo is a no-brainer. The iQ, however, certainly has potential. Let's back up for a moment and talk about the fact that the older gentleman mistook the iQ for its arch nemesis, the Smart ForTwo. He wasn't the only one who did that during my week with the Scion, one of my neighbors stating that she "hates the Smart car." It's understandable why people still aren't recognizing the iQ for what it is. Scion chose to roll out its microcar in a similar fashion to how the brand's first two offerings – the xA and xB – were launched in the early 2000s. Sales started on the west coast, moved to key markets on the east coast and are now slowly starting to proliferate throughout the rest of the country – I have yet to see another one on the roads around Detroit.Even with this slow and steady introduction to the United States, the iQ is doing fairly well for itself. Through the first five months of this year, the Scion is already outselling the Smart – 4,382 to 3,670 despite not being on sale in all markets for all months.

Let's talk about the Scion's sheer smallness, however. At 120.1 inches long (that's just a tick over ten feet), the little scamp can fit horizontally into some larger parking spaces, though this technically isn't legal. Compared to the ForTwo, the iQ is 14 inches longer, 4.7 inches wider (66.1 total) and 1.6 inches shorter in height (59.1). Scion offers the iQ with standard 16-inch wheels that are comically large compared to its diminutive size, and the Hot Lava test car you see here was even fitted with TRD lowering springs, making those alloys seem like the largest possible rollers you could fit inside those tiny wheel wells.You can't help but smile when you see the tiny iQ on the road. It doesn't pander its overt cuteness like the ForTwo. Instead, it's decidedly aggressive – call it tiny-tough – with specific elements like the upright front fascia with large air intakes flanking either side, or the wheels that are pushed out as far as possible to all four corners (with hilariously oversized plastic wheel covers or the sharp dark alloys like you see here) driving this home in a big way. And the iQ's large exterior features matched with its small size actually drive home the fact that it's surprisingly big inside.Fold down the rear seats and there's 16.7 cubic feet of cargo space, including a small (but deep) tray between the rear bench and the liftgate – perfect for stowing the headrests. No, 16.7 cubic feet isn't a ton of space, but that's still 4.7 more cubes than you get in the Smart. And when you're talking about a car as tiny as the iQ, that's quite good.

Attention automakers: If you want a lesson in packaging excellence, spend a few days with the Scion iQ.

Toyota's engineers have come up with a number of space-saving solutions here in the iQ. The glovebox has been removed in favor of larger storage pockets in the doors and there's a sliding storage space under the passenger seat, but what's most useful is the open floor space aft of the center console between the two front seats. It's perfect for small bags or things that you'd otherwise plop on the rear seats, and alleviates the need to tip the driver's chair forward to securely stow your stuff.Furthermore, close attention was paid to things like the suspension design, steering setup and even fuel tank placement, all of which was efficiently packaged to achieve 73.8 cubic feet of total passenger volume – 28.4 more than the Smart. It's basically a Smart-and-a-half. Technically, Scion calls the iQ a four-seater (well, a three-plus-one), but we'll agree with what we said in our First Drive and say that your best bet is to consider this car a two-seater with a surprisingly capacious load area. Need to schlep people around in the rear seats? They'll be fine, but for their sake, only do it on short journeys.

Then again, even with just two passengers, long trips are not the iQ's forte. Sure, the front seats are genuinely comfortable (though seriously lacking any sort of side bolstering) and the interior is a pleasant place to be, but there's ample wind noise at speed, not to mention a constant buzzing from the compact engine.
Toyota has employed a 1.3-liter inline four-cylinder engine to power the iQ, putting out 95 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque. Small numbers, no doubt, but in a total package that only weighs 2,127 pounds, it's perfectly adequate. It's not quick, this iQ – hitting 60 miles per hour will take close to 12 seconds (even the frumpy Prius V is a second and a half quicker) – and it certainly doesn't sound like it wants to be pushed, either. Hard throttle applications will hold the continuously variable transmission up past 4,500 RPM, a sound that you'll enjoy imitating with a loud, "waaahhhhhhhh." Still, around town, you'll never feel like you're struggling to keep up with traffic.Toyota does state that the iQ can hit 100 mph, though good luck getting there. Realistically, the iQ is perfectly fine cruising at highway speeds – even 80 mph feels fine – whereas the Smart struggles to move past 70 mph. Still, highways are not the Scion's happy zone.

Careful with those revs, though. You might think that such a low-powered, lightweight package would be great on fuel economy, but the best it'll do is 37 miles per gallon on the highway (36 city). When the benchmark for substantially larger cars is 40-plus mpg, this is indeed disappointing.The iQ is happiest bobbing around town, and really, it's quite entertaining. That's largely thanks to the excellent steering setup – specifically, the 12.9-foot turning radius. This car can nearly turn around in itself, and because of that, it's hilariously fun to toss it around corners or impress your friends with U-turns on narrow roads.
The front track is a generous 58.1 inches wide (57.5 out back), and combined with a short wheelbase of only 78.7 inches, the squared-off dimensions do a lot to increase cornering stability. The MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension setups are well-sorted and appropriately tuned to compensate for the short wheelbase, so the car isn't incessantly bouncing around over pavement irregularities.

Let it be known, this is not a driver's car – not one bit. But compared to its closest rival, the ForTwo, the iQ is leaps and bounds better. It drives like a real car. Really.So, the Scion iQ presents itself to be a surprisingly smart package (and yes, pun totally intended). The only thing that's troubling is the price – $15,995 to start. Sure, that's $1,000 more than a ForTwo Passion coupe, but it's totally worth it. What trips us up, though, is the price compared to larger yet still frugal subcompacts. For example, the orange iQ you see here: it's $18,427, including $730 for destination. For that price, you could have a host of four- or five-door compact cars that are more powerful, offer more interior space and even get better fuel economy, and the realist inside me would have a seriously hard time plunking that sort of coin on something other than a Kia Rio, Chevrolet Sonic or Honda Fit.

But the sheer entertainment value of the iQ and its clever packaging is exactly why it works and why I consider it a sort of guilty pleasure. It's pleasant to drive, comfortable, attractive and relatively efficient. It's more of a fashion accessory for city-dwellers than a truly great all-rounder, but in a segment benchmarked by the Smart, it's easily a class-leader. Even then, it fits well into the larger compact class. Thanks to its personality, I'd actually rather live with the iQ than the Scion xD, and it's far more rewarding to drive than a yawn-inducing Yaris.

The Scion iQ is far more than just a novelty. Being able to park a microcar in tight confines is one thing, but being able to use it on a daily basis is another. Thanks to its clever packaging and decent on-road feel, the iQ proves that microcars can certainly exist in this market. They just need to be... smarter.

Auto Advice : How to Check Your Tire Tread Depth

Tire tread depth should be measured once a month to avoid the risk of flats and blowouts. Check your tread depth with the advice of an automotive expert in this free video.

Test Drive: Toyota Prius c a hybrid with personality

Let's start with Prius c hybrid's colors: Habanero, Absolutely Red, Moonglow. Finally, a sense of fun about the eco thing.

And it's from Toyota, usually so tame that boring would be more exciting.

Then consider real-world mileage. The test car, government-rated 53/46/50 mpg in the city/highway/combined tests, came close to 50 mpg in our suburban thrash-about. That was with no attempt to drive for mileage, nor any appreciable time spent in the "Eco" mode or the EV setting, which lets you run battery-only slower than 25 mph for most of a mile.

The trip computer, which can analyze each leg, showed 60 to 80 mpg for some 4-mile errands around the burbs.

The c, smallest and newest of the Prius hybrid family, also handled with grace, composure, little body lean and enough brio to make a driver grin.

And salute the drivetrain, which has axed the shudders that hybrids experience when the gasoline engine restarts. Though rated just 99 total horsepower, gas engine and electric motor combined, the c has enough pep and friskiness to make it fun instead of dreary. It has the kind of personality that were it a dog, you'd call it Sparky or Scamp.

Amenities next, which in the level-three test car include a luxury car touch: If the car's locked, the interior lights come on as you approach with the proximity key. Less exotic but still welcome: A touch on the door handle unlocks the car. The two-tone interior, and small trim items colored to match the exterior, elevate the Prius c from the dull presentation you might expect in an "economy car" or mileage-obsessed hybrid.

Appearance is agreeably funky, mainly because it's achieved with purity via shape and proportion, not through styling exaggerations or gratuitous bulges and creases.

You might balk at the subcompact size, which limits rear-seat and cargo space. Yet the c provides adult-size leg and knee clearance for two in back, even behind 6-footers. Getting into and out of the car can be a bit of a twist, though. And don't expect to carry all your college-bound youngster's goods in the cargo hold. The kid's laundry, maybe.

You might be put off by the lack of a backup camera at any price. Prius c's small size makes it easy to tell where you are in relation to big things you'd rather not hit, but there's still … plenty of smaller stuff — kids, pets, etc. — that you could see if only there were a backup camera.

There's no navigation system on the lower-end models, but that's almost a plus. Less-expensive aftermarket units, such as a $180 Garmin, work better than most built-ins.

You might find the engine's mildly coarse voice annoying. And the CVT (continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission) revs the engine hard under acceleration and keeps it so until the car's speed catches up. All CVTs do it, but that doesn't make it OK.

Here's an odd one. The test car got the best mileage in Normal driving mode. Switching into EV or Eco settings quickly began eroding the mpg tally. Satisfying, actually: Behave normally, get rewarded.

Leaving the car in EV very long, Toyota says, drains the battery and triggers the gas engine to run longer to recharge it. That quirk, combined with EV mode's refusal to work faster than 25 mph or for even 1 full mile, make it seem senseless.

Toyota introduced the original Prius in the U.S. in 2000, a few months after Honda pioneered the modern hybrid with its original egg-shaped, two-seat Insight.

But the Prius, now in its third generation, quickly became the dominant gas-electric hybrid. In February, Toyota began expanding Prius from a single model, now called the Liftback, to a family of hybrids with the U.S. launch of the larger Prius v. Then, in April, the smaller Prius c hit showrooms.

Toyota lumps them together for sales-tally purposes, and the trio was No. 14 on the U.S. sales in May. But the mainstay Liftback alone wouldn't have made the top 20. Regardless of whether you think Toyota is gaming the sales-counting system, you have to consider Prius a success.

So, too, the c: frisky, inviting, easy to park, classier than expected, comfortable (at least in front) and faithful to its mpg promise.

•What? Front-drive, four-door, subcompact, hybrid hatchback, new to the lineup. The "c" stands for "city" to indicate its intended place in the world, Toyota says.

•When? On sale since April.

•Where? Made in Japan.

•How much? Starting prices range from $19,710 including shipping for version 1 to $24,000 for version 4. Test car was a $23,519 version 3.

•What makes it go? 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 73 horsepower at 4,800 rpm, 82 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm mated to electric motor via continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission. Total combined rating, 99 hp.

•How big? About 19 inches shorter, 2 in. narrower and 542 lbs. lighter than Prius Liftback sedan. Prius c is 157.3 in. long, 66.7 in. wide, 56.9 in. tall on a 100.4-in. wheelbase. Weight, 2,500 lbs.

Passenger space, 87.4 cu. ft.

•How thirsty? Rated 53 miles per gallon in the city, 46 mpg, 50 mpg combined. Test car registered 49.1 mpg (2.04 gallons per 100 miles) in suburban be-bop. Burns regular; holds 9.5 gallons.

•Overall: Fun way to save gas.

 

Apple adding a new button to your car, will activate Siri

Apple's 2012 Worldwide Developer's Conference keynote is winding down as you read this, and while many car enthusiasts could care less about the next version of iOS or the MacBook Pro's new Retina Display, they will probably care about one piece of news just delivered by Apple's VP of iOS Software, Scott Forstall: Apple is going to add a new button to your car.

Called Eyes Free, it's basically just a steering wheel-mounted button that will activate Siri on the iPhone or iPad (yes, they announced Siri is coming to the new iPad, too) you have with you in the car. Likely paired over Bluetooth, Eyes Free will let you talk to Siri through the car, giving you access to a wealth of information without using both your eyes and hands (except for that initial button press). And since this is Apple, automakers are apparently lining up to add Siri buttons to their steering wheels. Apple reports that BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all signed up to start offering Eyes Free within the next 12 months.

We find it curious that GM has chosen to participate, considering that what Siri offers is not at all unlike what the automaker's subscription-based OnStar service provides. Conspicuously missing from the list of on-board automakers is Ford, whose Sync infotainment systems are all based on Microsoft-branded technology.

The Toyota Camry Effect: Buddy and Carrie

From losing a job to overcoming the odds, here's the inspirational story of one couple's Camry Effect. Check out how Buddy and Carrie's lives changed for good by winning a Camry Hybrid XLE and Camry SE V6 in the Camry "Effect a Friend" giveaway.

FR-S: The Selling of a Different Sort of Scion

On Monday, Toyota announced that its Scion subsidiary had begun sales of the 2013 FR-S sports car. The 2,800-pound rear-drive coupe, with its 200-horsepower two-liter boxer four-cylinder engine and exhaustively refined chassis, represents a departure for a brand known primarily for odd-box machines aimed at young buyers lured to dealerships by no-haggle pricing and a hefty dose of lifestyle marketing.

By most measures the FR-S, co-developed with the Subaru BRZ and marketed in Europe as the Toyota GT-86 and in Japan simply as the 86, takes Scion out of familiar territory. So must a Scion dealer adapt to an unfamiliar way of selling it?

Andy Carlson, general manager at Scion Santa Monica in Southern California, acknowledges that selling the FR-S presents some new challenges but regards this as an opportunity, not a problem.

“The FR-S buyer is a little more hard core than is typical of our enthusiast base, but we see some crossover from our Scion tC model,” he said in a telephone interview, a reference to a comparatively mild coupe offering from the brand. The FR-S, he said, was sportier and more powerful, “but we’re doing similar marketing.”

 

Scion Santa Monica invited its current customer base to a coming-out party of sorts for the FR-S and reached out to new prospects on the Internet. He added that Scion’s First 86 promotion, a nationwide program intended to put what Scion called “enthusiast” buyers in the cars before deliveries to the general public, helped generate interest in the coupe.

“Those first 86 buyers have been out on the streets for about a month,” Mr. Carlson said. “They’re doing a lot of marketing for us, generating a lot of buzz.”

He added that given the parsimonious doling out of coupes to dealers — he said he would receive only four or five cars a month — not much marketing would be necessary. Scion Santa Monica has already taken deposits from 20 potential buyers, he said, which would translate to a wait of several months.

Like other Scion vehicles, the FR-S is offered with no-haggle pricing. The suggested retail price is $24,930 when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and $26,030 with a six-speed automatic.

Low-mounted seats with substantial bolsters, paddle shifters for the automatic transmission and handling that editors at Car and Driver said might make drivers think “they could slalom the lane-marker lines on an interstate at 85 m.p.h.” contribute to the car’s growing cult. The magazine, incidentally, added that the Scion probably could not complete the aforementioned exercise because its stock Michelin Primacy HP tires provided only very modest grip but noted that the car’s tenuous connection to the road contributed to the fun.

And though most praise for the FR-S has been directed toward its driving character, Mr. Carlson credited the car’s appearance for making his job easier.

“I’ve had to custom tailor a specific sales pitch for the FR-S,” he said. “I take them out to a car we have for test drives, stand back and say, ‘What color do you want?’”

Toyota open to new joint ventures after sports car success with Subaru

It's pretty safe to say that the Toyota GT 86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ joint venture has been quite a success so far. Here at Autoblog, we've had nothing but nice things to say about the Toyobaru coupe, and it's a similar story elsewhere in the automotive press.

Toyota has certainly been keeping track of the car's progress, and because of the success of this project, Autocar reports that the Japanese automaker is now more keen to do joint ventures in the future. Previously, Toyota had worked with PSA Peugeot-Citroën to create the Aygo/107/C1 city car, and let's not forget about the company's joint manufacturing initiative with General Motors here in the United States, NUMMI, which created vehicles like the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix twins.

Speaking to Autocar, the GT 86's development chief, Tetsuya Tada, says that the automaker is interested in partnering with new companies "if we can jointly produce something exceptional." Toyota will work with Subaru on a convertible version of its new rear-wheel-drive sports car, and the deal with PSA Peugeot-Citroën will be continued for the next-generation trio of city cars.

Hybrid Sales Shocker: 200 Percent Increase

At a time when the U.S. economy is not exactly winning awards, the hybrid automotive market just keeps steaming along, breaking sales barriers everyquarter and winning new converts along the way. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. reported its latest sales figures late last week, and the data was nothing short of astounding. Compared with May of 2011, overall car sales were up a whopping 72 percent, according to you Larry Bell of My Perfect Automobile Blog.

Keep in mind that the 72 percent number is for all cars. When statistics for hybrid vehicles are broken out separately, the results are astronomical. Compared with the same period last year, Toyota's hybrid vehicles sold 200 percent more in 2012, with a total of 29,069 hybrids sold in the most recent measuring period.

Toyota Division group vice president and general manager, Bob Carter, thanked the customers for this recent round of good news, and pointed to the success of both the Camry and Prius family of vehicles as the sales leaders for the company. Calling recent unveilings part of "the most aggressive product launch in our history," Carter looks toward continued success from the entire lineup of Toyota's new models. He also alluded to the overall recovery of the automotive market as one more reason that Toyota's sales number should continue to improve.

With most of the major car makers coming out with hybrid offerings either this year or next, Toyota can take credit for initiating the trend, but at the same time will have more competitors as the decade unfolds. Already, Volvo is set to introduce a much-anticipated plug-in hybrid, which features high-end styling and a diesel rather than gasoline engine. Regardless of what its competitors do, Toyota is definitely back on track after a couple of difficult years.