Fuel-Efficient Toyota Cars
Toyota News
Catch up on the latest news about Toyota's work on hybrids and advanced fuel-sipping technologies.
Toyota is consistently ranked as the most environmentally friendly car company, mostly due to its leading position in the development and production of hybrid gas-electric vehicles. The origins of the Toyota Prius, the quintessential gas-electric hybrid, can be traced all the way back to 1992 when the company committed to a corporate “Earth Charter.”
The Toyota Prius was introduced in Japan in 1997 and brought to the United States in 2000. Since that time, Toyota has sold more than 1 million hybrids globally—and has sold more hybrids than all other car companies combined.
While Toyota remains committed to hybrids—aiming to sell 1 million hybrids annually in the next few years (and promising 10 new hybrids by 2014)—the company is motivated as much by profitability as by protecting the planet. Environmental groups have criticized Toyota for introducing large pickup trucks and SUVs in recent years, as well as dragging its heels on plug-in cars. Nonetheless, company executives openly talk about diminishing global oil supplies They see greener cars, especially hybrids, as the way to thrive in the 21st century.
Sponsored links:
Toyota Hybrid and Fuel Efficient Vehicles
| Sort by: | Name | Combined MPG  | Technology | MSRP | Available | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Toyota Prius | 50 MPG | Hybrid | $22,400 | Now | The number-one selling hybrid car. The Prius is nearly synonymous with "hybrid." |
 | Toyota Camry Hybrid | 33 MPG | Hybrid | $25,500 | Now | The hybrid version of the Camry beats the fuel efficiency of the V6 version by 10 mpg. |
 | Toyota Yaris | 32 MPG | Small Car | $12,400 | Now | The Yaris is the leader of the subcompact triumvirate, which includes the Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa. |
 | Toyota Corolla | 30 MPG | Small Car | $14,200 | Now | Popular and practical model with fuel efficiency approaching the hybrid realm. |
 | Toyota Matrix | 29 MPG | Small Car | $16,200 | Now | A segment buster: part compact car, part sport wagon, and part small crossover utility. |
 | Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 26 MPG | Hybrid | $33,700 | Now | More affordable than the Lexus RX400h, more powerful than Ford's hybrid SUVs, and more efficient than GM's full-size SUV hybrids. |
 | Toyota iQ | Small Car | 2010 | The iQ will compete with Smart by offering four seats, and Toyota quality. | ||
 | Toyota Prius Plug-in | n/a | Plug-in Hybrid | n/a | 2012 | In 2012, Toyota will begin offering a Prius with plug-in capabilities. |
 | Toyota Volta | n/a | Hybrid | n/a | Concept | Before the Chevy Volt, there was the Toyota Volta—a super-hip and speedy concept hybrid from Toyota. |
 | Toyota Sienna Hybrid | n/a | Hybrid | n/a | Concept | Toyota offers a hybrid minivan in Japan. Thousands of families are waiting for that option in the United States. |
 | Toyota Hybrid X | n/a | Hybrid | n/a | Concept | The Hybrid X is a design exercise indicating the general visual direction of Toyota's hybrids. |
 | Toyota A-BAT Concept Hybrid Pickup Truck | n/a | Hybrid | n/a | Concept | A kinder, gentler, and weirder vision for a pickup truck. And it's a hybrid. |
 | Toyota FT-EV | n/a | Electric | n/a | Concept | Toyota FT-EV concept, an all-electric car based on the Toyota IQ, offers a driving range of 50 miles. |
Top news forToyota
Top 7 Aftermarket MPG-Boosting Prius Accessories- The annual SEMA show, the ultimate pimp-your-ride Las Vegas extravaganza, wrapped up last week. The crazy body mods, garish oversized wheels, onboard big screen TVs, and high-horsepower antics got us thinking about what aftermarket products make sense for our mild-mannered hybrids. Check out our top seven nominees for the top hybrid accessories.
Michael Pollan Retracts Comment about Meat-Eating Prius Drivers- At last week’s 2009 Poptech conference, author Michael Pollan made this claim: "A vegan in a Hummer has a lighter carbon footprint than a beef eater in a Prius.” Days later, Pollan, author of the bestseller Omnivore’s Dilemma, retracted the statement after researchers showed that Hummers are significantly more destructive to the environment than hamburgers.
Key to Hybrid Minivans: Getting Small- When will we ever get a hybrid gas-electric minivan? That’s been the most frequent question over the years from hopeful (but frustrated) hybrid shoppers. After all, they say, Japan has had hybrid minivans for about a decade. The explanation that Japan’s minivans are much smaller than US models—and therefore better suited for gas-electric drivetrains—offers little solace. But help might be on the way, in the form of pint-sized three-row family haulers coming to America, maybe even with plug-in capability.
Hybrids Dominate EPA’s Top 10 Fuel Economy List- Nine of the top 10 vehicles in the Environmental Protection Agency's fuel economy rankings for the 2010 model year are hybrid gas-electric vehicles—putting to rest any question about the technology’s ability to wring more miles from a gallon of gas.
Urban Networked Electric Cars Coming to Tokyo Show- The theme of the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show 2009 is “Fun Driving for Us, Eco Driving for Earth.” So, it’s no surprise that Japan’s biggest automakers will be rolling out their funkiest electric cars—vehicles that can lean, download files from home, and carry smaller electric unicycles. The show opens to the public on Oct. 24.
Recall: Toyota Floor Mats Could Be Dangerous
- Toyota said on Tuesday it will recall some 3.8 million vehicles, including the Toyota Prius, because of the risk a floor mat could keep the accelerator pedal forced down. As an immediate remedy, the Japanese automaker urged drivers of a range of recent models to remove driver's-side floormats until it could issue a recall in consultation with federal safety regulators.
Prius Takes Center Stage in Toyota Turnaround- Toyota is in the midst of its worst downturn since the company was founded in 1937—but it’s raising the price of the 2010 Toyota Prius by about $400. This apparent contradiction appears to be part of Toyota's core turnaround strategy: pump up the volume on marketing, and lead with the Prius.
Car Culture Wars: Glenn Beck Ridicules Hybrids- The day after the Obama administration announced rules for tougher automobile fuel efficiency standards, conservative media pundit Glenn Beck ridiculed hybrid cars as undesirable and not worthy of tax incentives.
Are Lithium Car Batteries Overhyped?- Toyota believes that lithium batteries do not justify the higher cost, and that current hybrid battery technology—nickel metal hydride—is best suited for conventional hybrids. The company came to that conclusion after conducting three years of “secret tests” on 126 Priuses equipped with lithium ion batteries, according to Bloomberg. “The problem with lithium is that it was overhyped,” said Jack Lifton, an expert in the raw materials that go into batteries.
Toyota Unveils Hatchback Hybrid Concepts for Europe- Toyota will unveil the new Auris Hybrid and gas-electric Lexus LF-CH at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show, signaling the direction of the company’s hybrids for European customers. With its small and sporty concept hybrids, Toyota aims at the biggest part of the European market. Five-door hatchbacks are the best selling type of car in Europe.