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Review: 2010 Toyota Prius a miser with new moves

Toyota: Prius Review

When car buyers think of hybrids, the name that most often springs to mind is the Toyota Prius since it was the first really practical hybrid to come to market and has sold more than any other examples. Yes, of course, the original Honda Insight beat the Prius to market in the U.S. by about six months, but the tiny two-seater sold in equally tiny numbers and had limited appeal beyond hard core hyper milers. In the coming weeks, Toyota dealers will start getting their first allotments of ... Read the rest of the review →

More Prius news

2010 Toyota Prius and 2011 Camry pricing rises a bit 2 days ago on Autoblog

Toyota has released pricing for their extensively upgraded 2011 Sienna and although the starting prices were down a bit compared to the current models, we can't say the same for the Prius and Camry. Tacked to the bottom of the Sienna presser was a chart showing that prices will be going up for ...

Cut It Out: Toyota's recalled pedal modification remedy detailed step-by-step 5 days ago on Autoblog

Late last month, Toyota announced that it would begin its biggest recall action ever, summoning 3.8 million cars and trucks back to its dealers to combat "pedal entrapment" by cutting down the accelerator pedals of customer cars to avoid them getting hung-up on floormats, resulting in "unintended ...

Detroit Preview: Toyota teases new hybrid concept vehicle 9 days ago on Autoblog

Toyota, the Undisputed Heavyweight Hybrid Champion of the World, has just announced that it will unveil a new gas-electric concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Beyond that, details are decidedly scarce. As a dedicated model, this apparently won't be a hybridized version of a ...

Toyota officially launches plug-in Prius program, retail sales in 2011 10 days ago on Autoblog

In Japan today, Toyota officially launched its Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) lease program. Over the next six months, Toyota will be building and deploying 600 examples of the plug-in Prius for testing primarilly in Japan, United States and Europe. The Japanese market will get 230 units, with 150 ...

BREAKING: Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles to reshape and replace pedals 29 days ago on Autoblog

Toyota has announced that it will recall some 3.8 million cars and trucks to reshape and/or replace their accelerator pedals. The action is the result of fears that loose floormats may cause the accelerator pedal to stick, increasing the risk of an accident. The recall will be the largest in the ...

REPORT: Toyota U.S. president Lentz believes Prius could supplant Camry as brand's best seller 1 month ago on Autoblog

The Toyota Camry has been the best selling car in the US for 11 of the past 12 years, and only a total industry meltdown has managed to slow the Japanese automaker's bread-and-butter sedan. Even with that impediment, the Camry still has a comfortable lead versus its archrivals, the Honda Accord ...

REPORT: Toyota Prius wagon, SUV in the works 1 month ago on Autoblog

Exactly how the Prius name might shift from defining the world's most famous hybrid to its own sub-brand – "Not!" – or moniker for other Toyota hybirds – "Yes!" – has been a source of interest for quite some time. The latest bit of speculation comes from the Yomiuri ...

VIDEO: New Toyota Prius ad channels Vishnu to explain hybrid tech 1 month ago on Autoblog

What do you want from me... I've only got two hands?! Wouldn't we all be a bit more productive if we were blessed with another set of upper appendages, complete with opposable thumbs? Toyota apparently thinks so, and the Japanese automotive giant is using the point to prove that two drivetrains ...

Tokyo 2009: Toyota Prius claims Japan Car of the Year title 2 months ago on Autoblog

For the past 30 years, Japan has declared a car of the year, an award given to newly released or redesigned vehicles released from November 1st of the previous year to October 1st of the current year. More than 60 jurors composed of Japanese journalists receive an allocation of votes, and the ...

Feds release 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, Prius still most miserly 2 months ago on Autoblog

Quick – what's the most fuel efficient car currently for sale in America? Did you guess the Toyota Prius? If so, give yourself a cookie, you're right. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 2010 version of Toyota's seminal hybrid once again scores the mileage victory ...

2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids 2 months ago on Autoblog

Last year, Volkswagen's new Jetta TDI was named the 2009 Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show, which means that the Volkswagen Golf TDI has a bit of baggage if it wants to win the 2010 award. Regardless, the Golf was named one of five finalists today, along with the Audi A3 TDI, the Honda ...

Toyota Prius gets visual makeover from Tommi Kaira 2 months ago on Autoblog

Without actually, you know, tuning anything on the powertrain of the 2010 Toyota Prius, Japanese tuning company Tommi Kaira has unveiled its tarted-up version of the third-generation iconic hybrid. The efficient sleekness of the original front end has been replaced by a new front lip spoiler ...

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can't get any greener 3 months ago on Autoblog

One day, children will be taken to a Museum of Momentous Moments, and there among artist's impressions of the missing link and the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs will be an example of the first Toyota Prius. The placard next to it will declare that it is the car that turned green... ...

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy 3 months ago on Autoblog

TOYOTA'S HYBRIDS COULD BE BANNED FROM THE AMERICAN MARKET In a shocking development Toyota faces a lawsuit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission that seeks to ban the import of all hybrids to the American market. Toyota is being sued by Paice LLC for patent infringement on its hybrid ...

VIDEO: The JDM Toyota Prius is Superman. Or something 3 months ago on Autoblog

Here in the U.S., the advertising campaign for the 2010 Toyota Prius is all about shiny happy dancing people-flowers and that hypnotic mind-control song that plays in the background. It's humble. It's green. It's all very weird. But there's no disputing the message: if you love the Earth, you ...

Frankfurt Preview: More on Toyota's new lithium-ion Plug-in Prius 3 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota's new generation plug-in hybrid Prius will be shown for the first time next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and now we've got some new images and details. As expected, the PHEV Prius will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack. The hybrid synergy drive system has been upgraded for ...

Forbes names 12 hardest new cars to find 3 months ago on Autoblog

With many automakers scaling back production to better balance supply with demand, it's not surprising there are several hard-to-find models right now. Forbes Magazine made some calls and did a little research and turned up what they say is the top 12 most difficult to find cars. After the run ...

Going for Gold: Toyota dealers reportedly price gouging on 2010 Prius 3 months ago on Autoblog

The last time we heard about gouging on the Toyota Prius was, oh, just last summer when gas prices put the frugal flyer at the top of shopping lists. Things were so bad then that used Priuses were going for more than new models because dealers couldn't keep the fresh stuff in stock. ...

China pondering hoarding precious metals used in hybrids and EVs by banning exportation? 3 months ago on Autoblog

Ever hear of neodymium? How about dysprosium or yttrium? Thulium or lutetium? These are just some of the metals that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is considering either banning the exportation of, or at least severely limiting the amount that it will let leave the ...

Toyota's "Harmony Floralscapes" bloom along LA, SF highways 4 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota's TV ads for the 2010 Prius feature a world of flowers blooming whenever the iconic hybrid drives by. This visual message is now available in the physical world thanks to a living ad designed by Greenroad Media. Toyota is installing flowerbeds in the shape of the Prius along busy Los ...

REPORT: Toyota Corolla passes Ford Focus as top C4C car; program extended thru September 4 months ago on Autoblog

The more things change, the more they change back again. Or something. As of August 3, Reuters reports that the number one car Cash for Clunking consumers were purchasing was the long-in-the-tooth Ford Focus. Well, just two short days later, the Focus has been dethroned and Toyota's Corolla ...

REPORT: Battery bottleneck holding up Prius sales 4 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota has a major hit on its hands with the redesigned 2010 Prius. While that's surely great news for the brand (which is otherwise posting huge sales declines along with nearly every other automaker in the world) it's reportedly exposing the availability of batteries as the biggest bottleneck ...

REPORT: Diesels paying financial dividends back more quickly than hybrids 4 months ago on Autoblog

In the ongoing battle between hybrids and diesels for "payback time" supremacy, the latest round goes to the oil burning posse. That's the report from Edmunds, which did a recent numbers crunch comparing the two fuel-saving drivetrains and found the scales have tipped in favor of diesel ...

More details on rumored Toyota Prius coupe 5 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota's new president admits the automaker needs an excitement-infusion, and to that end – and in order to match the upcoming Honda CR-Z tit-for-tat – Toyota is rumored to be working on a two-door version of the Prius. The latest reports out of Japan indicate that a shortened, 2+2 ...

New Toyota CEO takes 30% pay cut, sees no recovery for two years 6 months ago on Autoblog

Akio Toyoda, the new President of Toyota and grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda, is predicting another two years of tough times for the auto industry. In order to stay afloat, the Japanese automaker, under the direction of Toyoda, will build more autonomous operations in North America and ...

REPORT: Toyota Prius ad campaign most liked by TV viewers (w/VIDEO) 6 months ago on Autoblog

By now, we've all probably seen the commercials from Toyota's latest marketing campaign for the 2010 Prius hybrid... and we've all probably developed an opinion about them. Any time an advertising campaign is as interesting and different as this one, there are bound to be opposing viewpoints ...

REPORT: 115 Plug-in Toyota Prius test cars fail to crack 50 mpg average in year-long test 6 months ago on Autoblog

When Consumer Reports tested out the Hymotion L5 plug-in Toyota Prius conversion earlier this year, they weren't overwhelmed with the results. Sure, the mileage they observed was boosted to about 67 mpg over the first 35 miles of the drive, but that didn't match the claims of 100 mpg (or more) that ...

One More Time: There's a Toyota Prius wait list? 6 months ago on Autoblog

Auto sales are down – that's not exactly a surprise to anyone anymore. But Toyota has revived a little something from last summer called a wait list – for people who are interested in buying a new 2010 Prius. According to a story in The New York Times, Toyota is running its Prius ...

Toyota said to be increasing Prius production to meet early demand 7 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota's third-generation Prius couldn't come at a better time for the automaker. Sales of just about every one of the company's models are down, and the Aishi, Japan-based automaker lost $7.7 billion last quarter. To make matters worse, sales of the second-generation Prius hit a wall in April, ...

Review: 2010 Toyota Prius a miser with new moves 7 months ago on Autoblog

When car buyers think of hybrids, the name that most often springs to mind is the Toyota Prius since it was the first really practical hybrid to come to market and has sold more than any other examples. Yes, of course, the original Honda Insight beat the Prius to market in the U.S. by about six ...

Toyota unleashes 2010 Prius Modellista aero kits 7 months ago on Autoblog

To coincide with the official launch of the 2010 Toyota Prius in its home market of Japan, the automaker has unleashed a whole slew of styling and performance upgrades available through Modellista, its in-house tuning arm. There are three separate body kits available that offer varying levels ...

Toyota releases new EX-grade second-gen Prius in Japan 7 months ago on Autoblog

Sometime in early 2008, about the time when it became clear that Honda was planning to price its then-upcoming Insight hybrid very aggressively, rumors began to circulate that following the release of the redesigned third-gen Prius, Toyota was considering continuing sales of a de-contented ...

STUDY: 88% of Americans believe hybrid leadership is crucial to U.S. - Do you? [w/POLL] 7 months ago on Autoblog

We Americans want hybrid leadership. We want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Trouble is, most of us aren't willing to pay for it. Johnson Controls surveyed 2309 adults on all matters hybrid, and it found that 84% of Americans believe the government should support the advancement of hybrid ...

Honda Insight first-ever hybrid to become Japan's #1 selling auto 7 months ago on Autoblog

- In a historic move that's sure to irk their archrivals in Toyota City, Honda's new Insight has become the first-ever hybrid vehicle to top the sales charts in Japan. By shifting some 10,481 units last month, the teardrop-shaped model became Nippon's best-selling car in April, a feat no ...

REPORT: Nissan has no plans to introduce gas-electric Toyota Prius/Honda Insight competitor 8 months ago on Autoblog

- As you read this, Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda are in the midst of a knock-down, drag-out fight for global hybrid supremacy with their two latest gas-electrics, the standard-bearing 2010 Prius and the revived-for-2010 Insight, respectively. Might Nissan, Japan's other major automaker, get ...

2010 Prius starts at $21,000; one with everything costs $32,500 8 months ago on Autoblog

Toyota has announced official pricing for the five (!) trim levels for the 2010 Prius, due to hit dealers in the States sometime in late May. The bare-bones version (which must be pretty bare, since Toyota hasn't divulged what's included) will be just $21,000. On the other end of the spectrum, ...

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Autoblog Podcast #158: 'Twas a couple nights before Christmas...

Chris, Editor Paukert, and Dan send the Podcast off for the Christmas holiday in proper fashion

 
 

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