Toyota RAV4 - First and Latest Compact SUV

The Toyota RAV4 seems to be in the perfect spot in the market. It's small enough to be agile, fun, and go anywhere, but large enough for a family of 5 and their gear. Over time, small crossovers have become more like tall cars, taking on much of the duties of midsize station wagons from years past.

The original compact crossover SUV showing up in 1995, it debuted its fourth iteration for 2013, heavily redone, but still hitting the mark.

Like all brands, Toyota wants to spread its current design scheme around, and this new RAV4 gets the narrow upper grille with large mouth behind it, sculpted flanks, and high, chiseled taillamps in back. There's a roof spoiler that extends the roof line jauntily, and presumably moves the air over the car more efficiently. 

There is one engine in today's RAV4 a 2.5-liter inline four putting out 176 horsepower and 172 lb.-ft. of torque. In the past, you could pick up the base RAV4 with a do-it-yourself shifter, but those days are gone. All models, from LE to XLE to Limited, get a six-speed automatic. As you'd expect, it was painless, and helped deliver an OK but hardly spectacular 23.1 miles per gallon. The EPA gives the car a 25 overall, with 22 City and 29 Highway. Smog is rated at 5, with Greenhouse gas at 6, per the EPA.

Choose front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The AWD system is light and doesn't impact the weight as much as some systems. My AWD tester came in at 3585 lb., only 120 lbs. heavier than the FWD model.

SUVs came from pickup trucks, which were in themselves kind of rugged but spartan years ago. Of course, trucks are quite luxurious now, and SUVs, whether large or not so large, are much more comfortable today than you might have even imagined years ago. My XLE had a surprisingly carlike dash, for example, with a softly padded lower section, French stitching, handsome instruments with Clear Blue lighting, and other amenities. It contains a six-inch color touch screen, which is a little small, but still usable. I found the map graphics to be a little toy-like and hard to view in traffic, but the audio was fine, as was the Bluetooth phone connection.

Like so many Toyotas today, the RAV4 comes with a three-way setting for ECO, Sport and Normal. Eco is slower to react, but burns less fuel. Sport mode tightens up the steering and suspension. Normal is fine for everything.

This is a strong little car but is not designed, with all-wheel drive, for driving the Rubicon with the Jeep Wranglers. Luckily, no-one plans to do that with these cars. The all-wheel drive is a safety feature in rain, gravel or snow, none of which imposed themselves on yours truly in the early autumn of Northern California.

There isn't a stripped RAV4 anymore, but it's worth picking up the Limited model. My Barcelona Red Metallic tester was the popular midrange XLE, which shares the dual-zone climate control and power moonroof with the Limited, but the Limited has the extra goodies. Outside, there are 18-inch alloys instead of 17-inchers. There's a power liftgate (the sideways opening door is gone in this generation). You get seat heaters, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and premium audio in the Limited.

Pricing starts with the FWD LE model, at $24,145. Step up to the Limited and you're looking at $29,255. Neatly splitting the difference is the XLE, at $26,535 with all-wheel drive. My tester came to $27,565 thanks to the fancy audio system.

I've already seen lots of new RAV4s out on the road. It's an easy choice for a buyer to make, despite the wealth of competition these days. With its updated styling, increased power and real comfort inside, it will likely stay that way.

Lexus ES 300h or Toyota Avalon -- Which Hybrid to Choose?

It's a well kept secret in the auto industry that many car are based on shared platforms For example, until recently, at GM, it was common for a Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chevrolet to share what was under the slightly different sheet metal. Chrysler marketed separate Plymouth, Dodges and  Chrysler minivans. Today, even companies share, for example the recent Subaru BRZ and Toyota FR-S sports coupe collaboration.

In any case, one easy way to create a luxury car is to take a regular one and load it with extra features. The Lexus ES was one of the two original Lexus vehicles that debuted nearly a quarter century ago. It was a slightly nicer Toyota Camry. Today's sixth-generation ES is not a Camry sibling, but it does have a lot in common with Toyota's new flagship, the Avalon. I had the unusual opportunity of test driving them back-to-back, which made their differences and similarities stand out.

Lexus has earned its luxury credentials now, so my expectations were high. My Deep Sea Mica ES 300h arrived looking premium. The new grille design, known around the industry as the "spindle" look, gives the face a more aggressive appearance. This overt styling is helping to distinguish the brand, surely, putting memories of the old laid-back, restrained Lexus of yore into the dim past.

Over the last few years, Lexus has developed a look that's sleek and edgy, and now the ES floats in the center of this balance, and looks right. Without trying to sound like an advertising copywriter, it's beyond the ordinary. And that's just on the outside.

Inside, the ES is clean and subtle, with matte metallic trim, simple seams in the leather-wrapped chairs, and "wood" trim that looks thick and applied rather than integrated. It feels gracious as well as spacious. Sitting in there provides blessed isolation from other cars, sound, the road, and any unpleasantness. The steering wheel gives you wood at the top and lower sides, with leather where you grip, if you're using the proper 9 and 3 hand position.

It's all fully realized, including the two console cupholders that are both covered and out of sight until you need them. Even the way you handle information is genteel and understated. Down along the center console is a firm resting spot for your wrist, with a small joystick ahead of it. Use it to navigate the console-mounted screen. It's not a problem to seek out areas of interest, since the cursor tends to seek out and stick to different rectangles and squares on the screen. Once you get accustomed to it, it's easier than trying to reach out with an extended arm and touch a spot as you cruise along.

The hybrid version of the ES 300, the h model, shares its drivetrain with the Toyota Avalon Hybrid, despite a huge difference in styling and design. The two cars are very close in size and weight, both riding on the same 111-inch wheelbase, although the Lexus is 2.5 inches shorter nose to tail, half an inch narrower and .4 inches lower. Its luxury accommodations give it a 75-pound weight penalty. Its trunk is nearly two cubic feet smaller, too although I'm not sure why.

The real difference between these two cars may be philosophical. It certainly isn't financial. When all was said and done, these two highly comfortable, luxury-filled, premium sedans came out less than $1,000 apart. The Lexus cost $940 more. That's barely more than the shipping charge.

So, why pick one over the other? Toyota makes Corollas--the most popular car ever made. It's the car of the people--unpretentious, unspoiled, neither a slug or a rocket. Toyota makes pickup trucks. Toyota sells a lot of cars, to a lot of differenc kinds of people. Driving one says, I deserve a good car but I'm not a show-off.

Lexus has been competing with Mercedes-Benz since the day the LS full-size sedan arrived wearing the German maker's clothes. It was a Benz at a discount and a lot of people went for it, beginning the new brand that's a known quantity today.

Both of these hybrids take about 8 seconds zero to 60 with their matching hybrid powerplants. With official U.S. Government fuel economy numbers of 40 City, 39 Highway, and  39 overall, I got 37.1 miles per gallon in the Lexus. The week before, the Toyota Avalon delivered 37.9 mpg. That's close.

So, why buy a Lexus instead of a Toyota? You get to visit the Lexus dealership for service, probably a good thing. Keeps you from rubbing shoulders with those annoying owners of 20th-century hatchbacks. I don't know if service is more expensive, but I would expect it is. Surely they have finer coffee in their more richly-decorated waiting rooms, too. Neither Toyotas nor Lexi are known for needing much dealer attention, anyway.

Where the 300h goes soft and subtle, the Avalon blings. The Avalon dash features lots of plastic chrome trim, which can be challenging when the sun hits it. It's overtly styled, which gives Toyota something to get excited about, and also a way of being un Lexus like. The ride, handling, and quiet are remarkably even.

My test ES 300h came to $45,159, from a base price of $38,850. It had Blind Spot Monitoring, with Cross Traffic Alert, a worthwhile feature that it shares with, yes, the Avalon. It also had the navigation system package that upgraded the entire electronic interface. Hard to believe, but the heated front seats were an add-on--you'd think they'd be standard in a Lexus. Intuitive Parking assist helps you avoid hitting or scraping anything when you're forced to get close and personal with other drivers.

How would you choose between these two cars? Who are you trying to impress? Are you a shiny or a matte finish kind of person? How close is the Toyota or the Lexus dealership to you? Maybe you should just test both and then decide.

Toyota Avalon Hybrid - Luxury Plus High MPG

Millions of people drive Toyota Camrys, but what if you're looking for something a little more premium, but not quite a Lexus? Well, the Avalon has been around for nearly twenty years offering an alternative.

The 2013 model marks the fourth generation of Toyota's premium midsizer, and it is about as all-new as a car could be. Criticized for blandness, Toyota's designers now are seeking more evocative styling in all their products, so the new Avalon wears the corporate regalia in its entirety. The face has a slim band of chrome up top, sort of an eagle face, with a large mouth below to bring in the air needed to feed either a 3.5-liter V6 or a 2.5-liter 4 for the Hybrid model. The sides wear a definite ridge that grows out of the extended headlamp pods and proceeds all the way back to meet the slim taillamps. Nothing is flat or boring or subtle here. It's arguably the best looking Avalon ever.

Inside, you can't help but notice the significant serving of chrome-looking plastic that surrounds the dash screens. Compared to Lexus models, this is almost gaudy, but I'll have to admit that it grew on me during the week-long test of my Magnetic Gray Metallic test car, with its black interior. Almond and gray are alternative interior shades that are meant to evoke different moods (sounds a little like Audi).

Something new about this Avalon is the nearly button-free interior. That means that most functions on the center console are touch-sensitive spots rather than moving plastic rectangles or circles. I first noticed this trend in the Chevrolet Volt and  it's proliferating. It makes interacting with the car more like using a cell phone. As long as you tap the right spot, you're good. You still get good old-fashioned knobs for volume and tuning the sound system, although once you're used to the steering wheel controls you rarely use them.

You can pick the regular Avalon in four levels, or, to save significantly on fuel, the Hybrid. It comes in three levels: XLE Premium, XLE Touring, and Limited. My Hybrid Limited tester had everything a person could want, from a powerful JBL audio system to three-zone climate control (rear passengers can choose their own settings), to the premium leather seating that was soft in a good way and felt like an old Mercedes--plush but broken-in.

The real deal with hybrids is how they integrate a smaller engine with an electric motor. In this case, Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system combines an Atkinson Cycle 156-horsepower four-cylinder engine with the motor to generate 200 total horsepower. The Atkinson Cycle postpones closure of the engine's intake valves, which delays the compression cycle, improving engine efficiency.

Compared to the Prius, which is purely a hybrid and is not meant as a luxury car, the Avalon is heavier (3,585 pounds) so you won't get 50 mpg. But, the EPA gives the car 40 City, 39 Highway, for 40 combined. I got 37.9 mpg during a busy week with lots of trips, so it's not that far off. The system reports your mileage for each trip when you turn off the car, so I noted commutes where I went over 40 mpg. It's nice to know that you can get to work using 3/4 gallon of gas.

The Avalon uses Toyotas sharp, colorful display screens, so I was able to track when the car was using the motor or the engine--or both. And, you can see when it's charging the battery, which a good hybrid always does when you slow down or brake. This kind of information helps you drive more efficiently.

You can select the ECO setting to enhance your fuel conservation, but it makes the accelerator pedal less responsive and reduces air conditioner cooling to do it. Conversely, select the Sport setting and throw economy to the wind and have fun. This setting even tightens up the steering response. I tended to leave it in the normal setting. Select EV Mode at low speeds and you may even drive full electric for up to a mile (great in parking lots).

Of course, the EPA likes Hybrids. The Avalon gets a 7 for Smog--that 2.5-liter gas engine does need to run at least part of the time--but the Greenhouse Gas score is a perfect 10.

The Avalon has been significantly upgraded in numerous ways this year to make it handle and feel better on the road. This includes things like a 12-percent stiffer unibody and improving the feel of the electronic steering system. The overall effect from the driver's seat is a very smooth, quiet and pleasant trip wherever you're going. From a non-technical point of view, the car simply goes where you point it and soon you forget about it.

The very enjoyable JBL sound system, easily accessed either though the touch screen or the steering wheel controls, keeps your mood up in the daily commute. When there's a break in traffic, you can get from zero to 60 in about 8 seconds--not bad for a car with a small engine and a motor.

The Avalon is packed with high-tech features, suiting its top tier position in Toyota's lineup. For example, it not only has a Blind Spot Monitor to let you know about cars you can't see in your mirrors, but it also features the Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The car warns you of other vehicles approaching from the side behind you. This is great when you're backing out of your driveway or leaving a parking spot in a public garage. I definitely heard  beeping when I was doing this--so it works.

Prices can be scary for hybrid vehicles, especially ones that are loaded with everything imaginable. They start at $36,350 for the XLE Premium and top out at $42,195 for the Limited (including shipping). My tester also included the Technology Package, which enhanced the already loaded vehicle with radar cruise control (follow the car in front), automatic high beams, and a pre-collision system. The latter warns you if you're approaching another car or object too quickly. Bottom line--$44,199 for my car.

It's great to see Toyotas get better looking and inclusive of every possible feature. However, you could shop the Lexus showroom too for $44,000. I tested a Lexus 300h Hybrid after the Toyota and, for about the same money, it offered a different experience, although it was a bit smaller. Toyota may be competing with itself here, but you win either way.

Scion FR-S Cranks Up the Sportiness!

I've eagerly awaited the arrival of the Scion FR-S. Jointly developed with Subaru, it offers both companies buyers a real, affordable sports coupe in sales volumes that may actually be profitable.

I spent a fun week with a Hot Lava orange model with a six-speed manual transmission. This car delivers the goods, with taut handling, a short-throw transmission with the metal-on-metal precision of a Miata, and the low-slung, quick feeling you want in a car built for driving pleasure.

FR-S stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport. I still am not a big fan of acronymic car names, especially new ones. The Subaru is called the BRZ. I have no idea what that stands for. In my opinion, this is a car that just screams to be called a Toyota Celica, but Toyota is giving this to Scion as a "halo car." The brand needs more fresh products, too.

There are Toyota historical references. The company directs us back to the beloved "hachi-roku" (8-6 in Japanese) AE86 Corolla, which offered sparkling performance at a reasonable price point. They even installed a surprisingly weighty-looking "86" chrome badge on the front fenders that combines the "hachi-roku" with a horizontal piston, indicating the flat, horizontally-opposed engine (a Subaru specialty). This is the first use of this type of engine in a front engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration.

Although Subaru was the main engine developer, Toyota added its special touch. Their D-4S injection system incorporates both direct and port injection for each cylinder, one injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber, the other a port injector located above the intake valves. Both cars share this technology, and it means that they get 200 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque from just 2.0 liters of displacement, without a turbocharger. However, like turbo models, the engine uses premium fuel, which at last report from my local 76 station (not related to 86) was running a sobering $4.41 a gallon. I got 26.9 mpg, and the EPA awards the car 22 City, 30 Highway, and 25 Average.

I took the car on my normal errands, but also swung by Palomares Road, a slithering stretch of north-south two-lane not too far from home. As I expected, the FR-S stayed stable in various radius turns, leaped forward in the short sections of straightaway, the steering was responsive and in the narrow sport seats, it was all grins for me. I kept it in second and third gear the whole time, and didn't need to hit anywhere near triple digits to have a blast. 

FR-S inspired by Toyota 2000GT (left)

The car looks fierce, with sharp, eagle-eye headlamp clusters, lots of creases and character lines, and a ready-to-pounce look that suits a car with this job to do. The press notes say the profile is inspired by the Toyota 2000GT, a fine and rare car indeed. The Subaru version has a somewhat different face but is mainly distinguished by offering a few things the Scion doesn't, such as automatic climate control and a rear spoiler.

 The interior is appropriately proportioned, and, as a Scion, isn't lavish. The "turned plastic" dash panel looked cheap, but the overall presentation felt strong and fairly upscale. The leather shifter and steering wheel (which tilts and telescopes) make the proper reference to the car's classic British inspirations. The pistol-grip door pull and armrest felt just right when I wasn't busy steering and shifting. The dash cover looks "melted" over the speaker grilles -- a cute touch.

The FR-S comes standard with an eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/USB 300-watt Pioneer audio system. Standard features also include HD Radio™ technology and Bluetooth^® connectivity. I was able to set up my phone and plug in my iPod with no problem.

You really do sit low in this car, and it's hard to drop down into the seat and spring up quickly when you exit if you're not in the blush of youth. I also felt the seatbelt touching my neck, and there is no way to adjust it--the strap it ran through on the seat made no difference. Once you're in place, though, it's cozy and not too rough on the old posterior.

There's a vestigial back seat in the car, distinguishing it from a Miata, but it's best to flip it down and use its flat surface to carry stuff. This is a trunked coupe--not a hatchback.

Pricing starts at $24,930 for the six-speed manual and $26,030 for the automatic. That puts it at the top of the Scion hierarchy, where a halo car belongs. Despite its legitimate chops as a sports coupe, it seems a bit off-target from the basic cars on the original Scion mission--but I doubt if there is any complaining from car shoppers or Toyota and Subaru dealers.

Prius C - The Cute Prius

Photo: Victor Llana (www.boundlesscaptures.com)

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Toyota Prius, the world's most successful hybrid, is now a family of FOUR models. Not only is there the "regular" Prius, now subtitled the Liftback, but there's the Prius V, a larger wagon style model and an electric plug-in version of the Liftback. It's the first Prius you can charge--and you can get up to 13 miles of completely fuel-free motoring out of it.

The new Prius C brings gas/electric power to the masses, slotting in below the Liftback. The engine is smaller, but the principle is the same--a gas engine part of the time supplemented by an electric motor for maximum fuel economy. As with other Prii, you find yourself using gas on the freeway, but often running on battery power alone on surface streets. The car shuts off at traffic lights.

This means an average of 50 miles per gallon per the EPA--53 in town and 46 on the highway. In reality, I achieved 47.3 mpg--still about as good as it gets short of a pure electric. You can get a wealth of information about your fuel economy in charts, graphs, and lists of information on the numerous screens on the dash. Just push buttons on the steering wheel and it's all before you. There's the same flow diagram as on other Prii, but reduced in scale, that shows you where the energy to run the car is coming from--and how the battery is being charged. You have to be careful not to lose your focus on the road ahead. As in other Prii, you can learn to drive more efficiently by paying attention to the numbers.

The thing is, despite its fuel-saving mission, this car is nice to live with on a day-to-day basis. Inside, the surfaces have the multiple textures that other Prii have. It used to be that all plastic in cars tried to replicate leather or pigskin. Now, it could be rice paper or a kind of wavy line pattern. It's light gray and charcoal here, with some fanciful rolling gridwork that makes the surfaces pulse organically. A blue trim line tones in with the blue plastic motif on the floor shift lever of the automatic--the same plastic insert as found on the big Prii.

The car is a good foot shorter than a Liftback--I know because I parked next to one--but it doesn't feel shortchanged inside. There is real rear seat room for a full-sized person back there, and adequate headroom, too.

The Prius C comes in four levels. Level one gets a surprisingly level of standard fare, including full climate control, a multi-information display, AM/FM/CD with Bluetooth, Level two throws in cruise control, split rear seats and a rear cargo cover. Level three adds a smart key--a real upscale feeling item--and upgrades the screen interface. My test car was a three--in Habanero--a friendly and comment-inducing orange. Want alloy wheels? That's level four--with artificial leather covered heated front seats.

Prices start at $19,710--including shipping. The top price, not including any options, is $23,990. So, it gives you lots of choices before you even touch the Liftback.

With 1.5 liters of engine putting out just 73 horsepower, and a combined horsepower rating of just 99 including the electric motor, performance is not exciting. With just me in the car, it was a competent hauler on streets and freeways--quiet and smooth. And with nearly 50 miles per gallon, it's cheap to run.

This is a cheerful, easy-to-like little car. The small dash screen greets you with a cute Prius C image zooming by and says goodbye when you turn it off. It should make the Prius an even stronger brand--and make it a purchase option for young, first-time buyers.

Scion tC - With Something Special

Photo: Victor Llana (www.boundlesscaptures.com)

I just spent a week zipping around in a Super White Scion tC. It's definitely a car for the young--or the young at heart.

The tC is a hatchback coupe--not one of the boxes (xB) that has been part of Toyota's youth-oriented brand since its debut in 2004. That means it's a bit more stylish (at least in a traditional car way). The car got redone for 2011, too, which brings more assertive lines inspired by the Scion Fuse concept designed at Calty, Toyota's California studio.


One of the things Scion has always pushed is the monospec concept. Pick a model, transmission and paint color and then--customize away! There are any number of different sets of wheels, spoilers, audio systems and other aftermarket items to add--and many you can spec out right at the dealership.

For example, my car had a heavily upgraded audio system, which, for $1,999, added a 7-inch touch screen and navigation system. It also wore a sharp set of 19-inch alloy wheels ($2,199) and performance exhaust ($699) from Toyota Racing Development (TRD).

And beyond that, my 2012 tester had a special body kit by Five Axis. Read about Troy and his design ideas. The kit was subtle, and extended the body down towards the ground, as a good body kit should. It didn't look added-on, which is the highest compliment.

The engine got bumped up to 180 horsepower in '11, up 19 hp. New intake and exhaust systems improve performance--and give it a more appealing sound when you step on it.

Fuel economy is rated at 23 City, 31 Highway (average 26 mpg). I got 24.7.

Tc models start at $18,995 for one with a manual transmission. Mine, with an automatic, a rear lip spoiler ($444) and the aforementioned extras, stickered at $26,368. The body kit wasn't on the bill--that would cost more.

This is not a fancy car--the hard, black plastic interior is not luxurious, and even showed a few mold marks, but it is a fun one. I felt younger in it.

Toyota Yaris- New Baby

With Scion designed to attract youth to the Toyota franchise, what role does the small Yaris have? Well, it does share some pieces of its platform with Scion's entry point--the XD -- but it is a popular car in Europe and is available, so why not sell it here in the U.S. as the baby Toyota? It follows in the footsteps of the Tercel and Echo as a chip off the old Camry.

The 2012 model is heavily revised. All-new styling is more aggressive and interesting, and it's all on top of a platform with a two-inch longer wheelbase and nearly three-inch-longer body. You can get it as a five-door or three-door hatchback -- no sedan.

The inside is much nicer looking and feels more upscale. There's even some padding on the dash--a place that looks like it got some real attention and wasn't just plopped in there on a budget. It feels closer in design to the new Camry--which is a compliment. And Toyota claims it put in more sound deadening material, so it is actually quiet in there.

The car is not a powerhouse--with just 106 horsepower and 103 lb.-ft. of torque from a liter and a half, but the car is not slug-like. I was fortunate to be given a Lagoon Blue Mica SE model with manual five speed--the sportiest version. You can also get the basic L or the volume LE model, which has more of the features folks want--like power windows. It's interesting to me that you can get the more fun five-speed manual (should be a six) with only the base L (for cost) or the SE (for sport) but the LE, which is surely the volume model, comes only with a four-speed automatic. Toyota knows the American market.

The price-leading L starts at just $14,875 (including shipping). My SE came to $17,340--with no extra options.

But who needs them? The SE has a leather wheel and shift knob, a decent sound system, Bluetooth connectivity for your phone (although the pairing method was a bit difficult to understand). It's also bristling with safety equipment (9 airbags) and has front and rear disc brakes, a body kit, 16-inch alloy wheels, and more.

You don't get everything in this level of car--no heated seats, the power window doesn't go up with one touch, and the center console looked and felt cheap. But it was actually fun to zip around in the car, and it delivered 33.1 miles per gallon--right what the EPA says it should (30 City, 38 Highway, 33 Average).

I had a chance to park my tester next to my friend Chris' last generation model. You can really see the difference.

With gas hitting $4.30 for regular, little cars are going to be big again, and the Yaris is a better way to go in 2012.

Scion xB Release Series 8.0 - Big Blue

I'm finishing up a week with the Scion xB in Voodoo Blue. It's fun to say that color out loud (lots of people commented on it and I had to tell them). It was easy to find the box-bodied car in the parking lot, too.

The xB, in its second generation, is a bigger car than the original box, which we could buy here in the U.S. from 2004 to 2007. This one has the larger 158-horsepower engine from the tC coupe, Scion's bestseller. It's not as shamelessly cute as the first one.

But it's a handy car to have around and turned out to be a nice commuter. You don't get as much wind noise as you might think from driving a brick through the air at 70 mph. The sound system made friends with my iPod, hiding in the center console bin. The rear seats are quite spacious. My nearly six-foot-tall son remarked on it without me asking. Those seats flip down in a second to accommodate cargo, including upright basses, boxes and what have you.

My car came with an automatic, and it looks like that's what Toyota dealers have in stock--I checked at my local auto emporium. This is no sports car, but it does feel zippy at least. I got 24 miles per gallon, which is OK but nothing to get excited about.

The Release Series 8.0 sounds like software, and is presumably meant to appeal to young buyers who are familiar with the nomenclature. My car was one of 2,000 made in the series--and had an illuminated badge on the transmission console to prove it (it was number 1112).

My test car retailed at $23,186, including special 17-inch wheels and tires, upgraded Alpine stereo, carbon fiber window trim, Bluetooth system and Scion Security.

Special editions help a car sell when it's been around awhile. I'll be interested to see where the xB goes in its third generation--if there is one.

Toyota--an American Car Company

Everybody knows (I think) that Toyota is a huge Japanese company. However, what may be less obvious is how much impact they have on the U.S. economy--and how many people they employ here. According to a little brochure I got with my most recent Toyota vehicle loan, the company has created 365,000 jobs, invested $18 billion, built nearly 1 million vehicles and given away $539 million dollars for philanthropic reasons. Check out their history in the U.S.

There are 1,506 Toyota, Scion and Lexus dealers across the country selling and servicing cars, many of them made in the American midwest. The midsize leader, Camry, has streamed out of the Georgetown, Kentucky plant since 1988, and they've built the Hybrid model there for the last five years. Georgetown also builds the Avalon (since 1994) and Venza crossover (since 2008). It helps that those vehicles share a platform.

They build Tacoma and Tundra pickups in south central Texas, the Sequoia SUV, Highlander SUV and Sienna minivan in Indiana, and will start moving Corollas out of the new Mississippi plant this year (see photo).

Those numerous facilities have a big impact on their communties, both because they order large qualtities of parts and services from regional suppliers but also in providing customers for the businesses in those communities. The new plant in Mississippi will hire about 2,000 workers but will add more than that indirectly in purchases of parts such as suspension components, glass, bumpers, seats and door panels. Think of how many of those factory employees will be shopping the local Walmart, depositing money in local banks, and getting their hair cut at the mall.

Toyota has the Calty Design Center in Southern California that's had a lot of say in how the American Toyotas look and feel since it was established in 1973.

Fifteen states boast major Toyota business and there's still more spread out around the country.

It's pretty impressive.

Toyota Prius PHV Gives Long Electric Cruises

I'm one of the lucky journalists who gets to spend a week with Toyota's upcoming Prius PHV. PHV is a new acronym, which stands for plug-in hybrid vehicle. It's a compromise, like all hybrid cars, but it solves the problem of all-electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, which could strand you if you happen to run out of juice out on the road. Sadly, there's no AAA truck with a gallon of electricity who can come by.

The PHV looks and feels like a Prius, which is not sporty but is quite solid and dreamy quiet. However, rather than simply using electricity that it generates itself, the PHV has a great big lithium ion battery where the spare tire would normally live that can take a charge that will last you about 14 miles. If you live six miles from work, it's possible you could travel gas free.

My commute is 27 miles, but I was able to drive the first seven miles--all on city streets--completely on electricity. Also, the car would drive electrically for significant periods of time on the freeway under conditions that didn't require strong acceleration.

Electronic gauges at the front of the dash, under the windshield, let you monitor your fuel consumption and especially important, where the power for moving the car is coming from. You can see the motor working--or the engine--or both--or neither, if you're stopped at a light.

It was exciting to zoom along for nearly 15 minutes without using any fuel at all. But, the show came to an end and it was back to plain hybrid life--which isn't all that bad, really. After six days, I have averaged 54.8 miles per gallon--about 5 mpg better than a normal Prius. One of those gauges shows what percentage of the time the car was an "EV" or a hybrid, which tells the story. I got in about 8 percent as a pure electric. Someone else, with short jaunts every day, could make that 8 percent hybrid, 92 percent electric.

The plugging in to charge part was easy, but I had to remember to do it. I ran the heavy cord out of my garage and into the plug, which sits behind a door in the left front fender. The battery charges fully in just three hours on normal household 110 volt current.

Pricing is likely to be in the low to mid $30,000 range. The car's due out next spring, but folks are already signing up for their Prius PHV. Here--you can too.

Fill it Up With Hydrogen, Please

Last week, Toyota opened the first hydrogen fueling station in the U.S. fed directly from an active industrial hydrogen pipeline. The station, located in Torrance, California next to Toyota's sales and marketing headquarters, is a collaborative effort between Toyota, Air Products, Shell, South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

Toyota will use the Shell hydrogen station for fueling its hydrogen-powered vehicles in its fuel cell hybrid demonstration program. And, as a friendly gesture, they will let other manufacturers' fuel cell vehicles in the Los Angeles area pull up to the pump.

With this new station, the City of Torrance becomes part of the California Hydrogen Highway initiative, which aims to create clean air solutions and develop new technology jobs across the state.

Read Toyota's press release for more details.

Japan's Auto Manufacturing Hit by Quake Impact

Besides the obvious terrible tragedy of loss of life and property in Japan, there will be an impact on the automobile manufacturers. According to a story in Autoweek.com, the seven major Japanese companies have shut down production for at least a week.

Even though only Toyota has a plant in the affected areas, there are other issues, such as parts suppliers in the quake areas that are lost and problems with access to damaged ports. And, of course, the companies are giving families a chance to make sure their loved ones are OK or if they are lost, to make arrangements.

Even American plants that produce Japanese vehicles could be affected if they are unable to assemble cars because of missing parts.

It shows that a tragedy in one place affects many other places in the world today.

My First Car - a Reverie

I got my first car kind of inadvertently. I was 21 and had just come back from living in Israel for 10 months. My friend Steve Lange had a little red 1964 Volkswagen Beetle that he wasn't using, because he was stationed elsewhere in the Coast Guard. I drove it around for a while and "inherited" it. When his mother said I should pay the man for it, I ended up giving him a big $50, as I recall. But that was a lot more money in those days, and also, VW Bugs were hardly collector's items.

I lent it to a mutual friend and he rolled it on its side, crimping the roof. I ended up running it into the ground--it threw a rod about a year later and I junked it, but it did put me on wheels.

So, when I saw a cute little blue Beetle in my neighborhood (in great condition, too), I was intrigued. I've yet to talk with the owner, but I've seen him out fixing it in his driveway.

Originally commissioned by Hitler and designed by Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that guy), the Beetle was a huge hit in the U.S. from the late 1950's into the 1970's. At one point, I believe it was 1968, they sold nearly half a million here. But, as we all know, Japanese cars, led by Toyota and Datsun (Nissan) grabbed more and more sales starting about that same time, to where when the Beetle finally left the American car stage in 1979--as a convertible only--it was a small player.

The front-wheel-drive, water-cooled New Beetle sells in the thousands every year, and has been on the road for more than a decade now. A new one is coming right around the corner. But for a first car, the original air-cooled, rear-engine (40 horsepower) Beetle was just the ticket. It's little engine buzzed in back, the four-on-the-floor was fun, if a bit notchy, and the cars were built tough, although very basic by today's standards. And, of course, they were deadly in a collision although they were rumored to float if you dropped one in a body of water accidentally.