The Yaris is Toyota's least expensive model, and it's available in sedan as well as two-door and four-door hatchback styles, the latter added last year.  All Yaris models get a standard electronic stability system, traction control and a rear defroster. A five-speed manual transmission is now available on the four-door hatchback, and hatchbacks with the stick shift gain a tachometer. The Fiesta is Ford's new subcompact car, intended to compete with models like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris. The 2011 Fiesta sedan and four-door hatchback are Americanized versions of Europe's second-best-selling car, the current generation of which has been sold since 2008. The Fiesta includes some optional some upscale features, including heated leather seats, automatic climate control, heated side mirrors, keyless entry and push-button engine start. Some of these features have never been seen in this price class. The Yaris has a remarkably tight 32.6-foot turning circle for the sedan and 30.8-foot for the hatchback. The Fiesta's engine is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder, which teams with either a five-speed stick or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. For more information on the Yaris, read our Toyota Yaris Review . If you would like to learn more details on the Fiesta, go to a Ford NH website for the latest updates on this model.  Safety features include for the 2010 Yaris include Standard front-seat side-impact airbags, Standard side curtain airbags, Standard stability system, Standard antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, and Daytime running lamps (only on hatchback). The Fiesta is equipped with seven airbags: dual-stage front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the front seats, curtain airbags to cover the side windows along front and rear seats, and a driver's knee airbag, which protects the driver's legs and helps prevent them from sliding forward, which makes the other restraints less effective.

        

The 2011 Toyota Avalon will soon be arriving at dealerships new and improved.  Toyota unveiled the Avalon at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. For 2011, Toyota has remade the Avalon full-size sedan to resemble more popular vehicles like the Corolla, Camry, Sienna, and Venza. The 2011 Toyota Avalon will bring a little more refinement and some new features to the fore when it goes on sale in the summer. Standard features will include leather trim, power driver seat, dual-zone climate control, a moonroof, and 17-inch wheels. The Limited adds a smart-key system, ventilated front seats, and a power front passenger seat.

Slimmer, pulled-back headlights make a different impression than the ones on the 2010 model, as does the revised lower fascia. The grille has been stretched to connect one headlight to the other. The rear of the Avalon features some effective touches like LED taillights. The outer portion of the taillight retains the same shape as on the 2010 Avalon, but the inner shape, as well as the chrome strip across the back, is new. Then there's the dark-colored lower fascia that serves well to visually break up the large mass of rear bumper above it. The dashboard is completely changed; the cover over the HVAC and stereo controls is gone. Instead, the new Avalon places the air vents on top, moving the navigation screen to the middle. As before, there's plenty of wood and silver trim everywhere you look, but you might notice an extra helping of wood just above the gear shifter in the 2011 model.

        

With the downturn in the economy and the rise in gas prices, there is a growing trend in the purchase of small cars. Consumers are turning this type of vehicle because it offers an option for both affordable and improved fuel efficiency. The trouble that no matter how affordable a vehicle is or how good the mileage is, if it doesn’t serve your daily needs there is no point in purchasing it. The good news is that car designers are devoting more energy to making the interiors of small cars both livable and functional, so you can both cut the cost of everyday driving and get to polka band practice on time and ready to play.
As the technology (and price) of small cars advances, designers will be able to achieve more interior function. Check out these two Scion’s that offer great mileage, price, along with excellent cabins that do the job.

Scion xB

The xB has a cargo space (seats up/down) of 21.7/69.9 cubic feet and a base price of $16,520. This second-generation xB offers cargo space to rival a large SUV. Lift the wide hatch and there's great access to the behind-the-seat area, which has a multi-compartment organizer tray under the floor. The rear seat folds nearly flat to create a large space. The rear seat looks flat but is surprisingly comfortable, and is wide enough to carry three adults when it's really necessary. Legroom front and rear is equal to that of a full-size car.

Scion xD

The xD has a cargo space (seats up/down) of 10.5/35.7 cubic feet and a base price of  $15,570. The stylish xD is a blank canvas for young owners eager to personalize their ride with items from a long list of dealer-installed accessories. Its interior is attractive and functional, but in no way exceptional. The rear cargo area is puny, and while there's usable space with the back seats folded almost flat, other cars in this class offer much more room. Headroom front and rear is good, but taller drivers will wish for more legroom. The 60/40 split-folding rear seats recline and slide fore and aft independently, a feature that seems to only diminish legroom that is already tight.

        

600,000 Sienna minivans have been recalled over rusting spare tire holders. Toyota Company leaders have vowed to respond quickly to the safety concerns, and in this case they have. Toyota said it was unaware of any accidents or injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it received six complaints of spare tires falling off Siennas.

Toyota said its latest recall covered the 1998-2010 model year Siennas with two-wheel-drive that have been sold or registered in 20 cold-climate states and the District of Columbia. Toyota said rust from road salt could cause the carrier cable that holds the spare tire to rust and break, allowing the tire to tumble into the road. The problem could threaten the safety of other drivers. The company said it was working on a fix. In the meantime, customers will receive a notice telling them to bring their vehicle to a dealership for an inspection.

The recall involves Siennas in the District of Columbia and the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Steve St. Angelo, Toyota's chief quality officer for North America, said the company was providing free inspections of the spare tire carrier cable across the nation, including states not included in the recall. Owners can call (800) 331-4331 for more information.

        

After much debate, Toyota's iQ is coming to the U.S. after all, only it will be sporting a Scion  badge. The iQ, the world's smallest four-seater, is aimed squarely at a very young demographic, and so is Scion.  The "mini-er, smart-er" iQ sports a 1.3-liter engine delivering its not-yet-divulged power through a CVT. Mileage should be in the high 30s, which is reasonable but far from overwhelming for such a small package. The iQ will also include stability control, traction control and ABS, as well as ten airbags, as well as the industry's first-ever rear window bag. The all-new 2011 iQ premium micro-subcompact and the second-generation2011 tC sports coupe were unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. The tCis scheduled to arrive in dealerships later this fall, while the iQ willgo on sale in early 2011.

Meeting the needs of a new trendsetting generation of urban drivers, theiQ succeeds at taking big ideas and concentrating them into a smallpackage. Made possible by intelligent and functional packaging, the iQis a small car that offers the functionality and comfort that driversexpect from a car twice its size.The iQ's profile, defined by a strong and high beltline, glides from thelarge, stout headlamps, up the A-pillar, across the roof and wrapsaround the rear, emphasizing the iQ's geometric shape. Side mirrors withintegrated turn signals accent the clean design. The rear emphasizes the vehicle's modern style. Trapezoidal lines runtoward the wheels, from the hatch to the bumper's rear diffuser-likeaccent, creating a substantial presence. With a 78.7-inch wheelbase and aunique suspension design – consisting of MacPherson struts up front,and a torsion beam rear suspension – the three-door hatchback can deftlymaneuver through city traffic. In addition, its overall length of only120.1-inches, width of 66.1-inches, and short front and rear overhangscreate a confident stance that still allows the iQ to fit into virtuallyany urban parking scenario.

        

Toyota Motor Corporation has begun a special committee, called the Special Committee for Global Quality. The group is chaired by TMC President Akio Toyoda, and the purpose of the group is to spearhead reforms to further instill the company’s operations throughout the world with a customer perspective. TMC’s global committee will investigate the causes of quality problems, including those that necessitate recalls, and reexamine the factors that affect quality in every phase of design work, manufacturing, marketing and service. By approaching the task of quality assurance from the standpoint of customers in each region, and by keeping in mind the need for strengthened global communication and for ensuring transparency, the committee decided on various improvement measures aimed at resolving current issues. Here are some of the quality improvements adopted by the committee.

Safety executives will participate in recall and other safety decision-making on global basis. This is aimed at establishing a system in which representatives from each region will voice customer concerns from their regions and participate in determining if and how to undertake recalls and other safety measures.

Toyota will strengthen its onsite information-gathering capabilities in regard to suspected quality problems. For instance, in the United States, the Swift Market Analysis Response Team (SMART), a team of specially trained technicians, will conduct onsite inspections as promptly as possible. Toyota plans also to increase the number of technology offices in North America from one to seven and establish seven offices in Europe, six offices in China, and other offices in other regions.

Toyota will have third-party experts from each region evaluate quality-improvement measures on a regional basis. Toyota will also enlist four third-party experts to review the quality-improvement measures adopted by its Special Committee for Global Quality. Plans call for the initial review results to be released in June 2010.

Toyota will work closely with Toyota and Lexus dealers to promote safer driving. They will provide customers with useful information about safety technology and safe-driving practices.

        

For anyone who has shopped for a new or used car, safety ratings are without a doubt a factor in which car you buy. Cars have become safer and safer over the years. Two organizations offer safety rating on each new car, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). So how to they come to these ratings? The test each vehicle in likely crash situations, and of course, the crash test dummy tells them a lot. Dummies of the past were simple tools, but today they are designed specifically for body types, are wired to give back data to the researchers, and play a huge role in the safety rating process.  

Crash test dummies tell researchers what injuries humans are likely to experience in a similar real-world car crash. Today, safety testers call upon an entire "family" of dummies — with models designed as adults, children, babies, and even pregnant women.

There are five child dummies used in various NHTSA and IIHS crash tests. Pint-sized dummies have been in use since 1973. Early child dummies were used for car seat research. In 1977, General Motors developed a 33-pound dummy representing a 3-year-old for airbag testing. Today, the company uses child dummies in the rear seats of its vehicles to study the effects on children in a crash. Researchers look at what happens when a child is "out of position," or not sitting perfectly upright in the seat.  Although child dummies don't directly impact crash test ratings, they have driven home the point that today's seatbelts are not ideal for a vehicle's youngest occupants, which in turn has led to federal recommendations for placing older children in booster seats.

Adult-sized crash test dummies were developed to measure the effect of injury on nearly any size adult in every type of collision. Today, the original Hybrid III dummy is used in frontal crash testing both in the United States and in Europe, while several other "family" members are used in other types of crash tests. Other adult Hybrid III dummies used in frontal impact tests include a 5th-percentile adult female and a 95th-percentile adult man. The female dummy is 5 feet tall and weighs 110 pounds, while the large male dummy is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 223 pounds. Between the three dummies, researchers are able to get data that tells them the potential for injury for almost the entire adult population in a frontal collision.

Immediately before a crash test, each dummy has his or her face, head, chin and knees smeared with greasepaint, so researchers can see which parts of the dummy are hit in the crash. Yellow-and-black adhesive targets are applied to either side of the dummy's head to serve as reference points when the researchers review the crash test videos in slow-motion after the crash. Finally, sensors are placed all over the dummy's body. During a typical crash (which lasts just a fraction of a second), the sensors will record as many as 37,200 items of data. Despite all this abuse, crash test dummies actually have a pretty long lifespan. They are used in dozens of crash tests; although, they sometimes need repairs after sustaining "injuries" in a crash.

        

Within the past decade there has been a growing trend in the 'green' movement in the automotive industry. Whether it is the rising gas prices or the increase of environmental awareness, automakers know that consumers are looking for a car that is fuel efficient, but at the same time will serve their needs. Car owners have a desire to drive ‘green’ for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s solely to do well for the environment, to save on gas money, or both, there is more than one way to drive ‘green’. While hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius are a guarantee for better fuel economy, there are many ways to go about this.

Hybrid/ Diesel Power: This may be an obvious one, but it’s certainly notright or affordable for everyone. Hybrids have improved over the yearsand there are now many models to choose from.  Diesel, once considereddirty cars, use new technology to create a super clean and fuelefficient engine. While the U.S. still lags behind in available diesels,compared to Europe, the trend may be catching on. The main downside tothese vehicles is the more expensive price tag.

Automaker's Factories: If you are going green for the purpose of a cleaner environment, you may want to check into automaker's production facilities. Some automakers have made huge strides in greeningup their manufacturing facilities — and you can reward them for theirefforts. A quick visit to the automakers website will give you a quickoverview of what they are doing to green their factories.


How You Drive: A very easy step is to think about how you drive. Could you change yourroute to make it shorter? Could you combine multiple trips into one? Isyour destination close enough to walk or bike? There are many easy waysto drive more ‘green’, its just up to you to make these changes. Other ways to improve efficiency is to avoid revving out of stops and slamming brakes into them, also the 45 mph range is one of the most fuel efficient.

Green Materials: Today automakers are using green and recycled materials for the cars cabin. These include recycled components and parts made from plants.  Those who prefer can opt for a non-leather interior in most lower- and mid-priced vehicles, and even in some luxury cars.

Shut Off Cylinder Technology: To improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, some automakers have created systems that deactivate half an engine's cylinders during certain driving conditions. Chrysler introduced the second generation of its Multi-Displacement System (MDS) on the 2009 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent on models such as the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Challenger R/T.

Tire Pressure: If your car's tires are underinflated, it can result in increased tire wear as well as reduced fuel economy. Plus, they adversely affect handling, increase stopping distances and increase the chance of tire failure. If your vehicle does not have an included tire pressure monitor, make sure you check yours regularly.

        

The Toyota Camry, one of the best affordable midsized cars on the market, will be coming out relatively unchanged for 2011. The model, along with the Toyota Camry hybrid, is expected to be released in the early spring of 2010.  The '11 Camry comes in several different trim levels, starting with the base CE model. Other trims include the LE, XLE, SE, and XLE models.  The 2011 Toyota Camry is available with a choice of two gasoline engines, plus the hybrid. The Camry has an MSRP of $19,595 - $29,245.

The 2011 Toyota Camry sedan continues its reputation of safety, reliability, and quality while offering fuel efficiency, space, and power. The Camry is a front-wheel drive, five-passenger, four-door sedan featuring four trims: Base, LE, SE, and XLE. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission are standard; a six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting is optional. LE, SE, and XLE models are available with a 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting. Stability and traction control, seven-airbags, and tire pressure monitor are standard safety equipment.

        

A few months ago, millions of drivers considered Toyota the gold standard for automobiles, with quality and reliability you could practically take for granted. Then came mysterious gas-pedal problems, claims of deadly "sudden acceleration" incidents, and the global recall of more than 8 million vehicles. Toyota's sales may have plunged, but the automaker still has droves of both loyal customers, and new customers who have not lost faith in the vehicles they have come to love.

Toyota will recover; sooner or later the company will regain control and get back on the pavement. It may even end up a better company than before. Meanwhile, Toyota automobiles could be a smart buy, with dealers forced to offer discounts and other incentives to move merchandise sullied by the scandal. While the recent safety problems are serious, media hype has created the impression that every Toyota is dangerous and that simply is not true. It is certainly concerning that deaths have been linked to issues with the cars, and discouraging that complaints over sticking accelerators have been logged for over a few years. Overall, however, Toyota has drawn far fewer complaints than most competitors, which is consistent with its once sterling reputation. Of 18 Toyota vehicles, seven rank in the top three in their category in the U.S. News Best Car and Truck rankings, including the Avalon sedan, Sienna minivan, Sequoia SUV, and Venza crossover. Consumer Reports named the Toyota Prius one of its 10 "Best Picks" for 2010, despite a recall involving brakes. To win back customers and alleviate safety concerns, Toyota is taking steps to gain back its customers. They will pick up and return some recalled cars, so worried owners don't have to drive to the dealership. Toyota is also offering rental cars or rides to work to some owners getting their cars fixed. And CEO Toyoda has said that the company must start paying more attention to customers.