North America will now be sourcing its Yaris subcompact hatchbacks from France rather than Japan. Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) today held an official ceremony to mark the start of production on May 6 of its Toyota Yaris compact car for export to the United States of America, Canada and Puerto Rico. The model produced
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Sales figures announced yesterday confirmed the Prius Plug-in as the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the UK. The car achieved 470 sales from its launch date in July 2012, outselling its nearest rival, the Chevrolet Volt’s sibling, the Vauxhall Ampera, despite it being on sale since April, 3 months longer than the Toyota. This result is
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The German environmental research institute “ÖkoTrend” has revealed its yearly ranking of the greenest vehicles available in Europe. The institute has certified that the VW Eco up, Toyota Yaris Hybrid, Lexus CT 200h, Toyota Prius Liftback, VW Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel, BMW 730d Blue Performance, Mercedes-Benz B 200 Natural Gas Drive, Opel Zafira Tourer 1.6
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Today, at 2:46 pm, Japan came to a stand-still, again. Trains and subways stopped. People did fold their hands, faced in the general direction of the northeastern coast of Tohoku, and said a silent prayer. Japan and the world marked the one year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that left whole towns razed, more
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Yesterday Toyota announced the Prius c hybrid would range from suggested prices of $18,950 to $23,230 for one of its four trim levels. Based on the Yaris platform, the smallest “city” version of the Prius is receiving high praise for its fun potential, frugality, and enough available accessories to endear it to Gen Y buyers
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When I called Toyota’s new Aqua / Prius C affordable compact hybrid first a “gamechanger,” then an “engineering feat,” this attracted the attention of self-styled jargon vigilantes. They demanded equal platitudes to be bestowed on domestic models. In the meantime, the Japanese game changer threatens to change Toyota’s best laid plans: It sells ten times
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An early preview of the Prius C was leaked this week by a Japanese car fan who scanned pages from a domestic brochure and sent them to an online magazine. While not surprising, it is less flashy than the concept shown earlier this year, and the U.S. is expecting to see its own production version
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General Motors has announced that the 1.4-liter turbo edition of its forthcoming Chevy Sonic subcompact will achieve fuel economy of 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, for an expected combined EPA rating of 32 mpg. Automatic and manual transmission 1.8-liter, non-turbocharged versions of the Sonic will also be available when
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The national average price for a gallon of gasoline has climbed nearly 35 percent over the last year, dramatically increasing the importance of fuel economy to car shoppers in the United States. According to a recent study by GfK Automotive, consumers have mostly shifted to smaller compact gas vehicles of late, with many having decided
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Auto assembly plants escaped the brunt of the devastating Japanese earthquake, but supplies of hybrid cars and other fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States will be affected—as Japan comes to terms with damaged roads and infrastructure. Major Japanese automakers have plants in the United States to produce popular models that sell here, but the best-selling
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