Autoblog

Toyota lawyers arrived at the U.S. Supreme Court today and were denied an appeal to overturn a ruling originally upheld by a federal appeals court in Washington last year. The case involved a technology patent held by a company named Paice LLC, which contended that Toyota used the same microprocessor developed by the McLean, Virginia-based company on its hybrid vehicles that inputs torque information for both the gasoline-powered engine and the electric motor. The $4.3 million dollar award against Toyota will stand, and Toyota is required to pay royalties to the firm to the tune of $25 for every Prius, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h sold. Ouch. Sometimes the price of success is steep.

[Source: Detroit News]

There are few words in the English language which can conjure up as much meaning, and likely so many memories, as these: road trip. We've all been on them before; some are the highlights of your life and some... well, not so much. But having the right vehicle can make all the difference in the world. Thule, maker of "transportation accessories", has added its name to the ever-growing list of companies that have invented an "__ of the year" award. For this particular honor, Thule has broken the automotive landscape in half, dividing its choices for the best vehicle to take a road trip in at the $30 grand mark. Without further ado, the winners are:

• Best road trip vehicle under $30,000: Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
• Best road trip vehicle over $30,000: Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited

If you really want to read all of the reasons that Thule offers for choosing these vehicles, there's a whole press release pasted after the break. We're not going to argue with their choices, as both the Outback and the Highlander are fine vehicles, which would be suitable for a group of four people and their assorted belongings. Sure beats the old funny-smelling air-cooled VW van that had trouble keeping up with the slow-moving traffic that some of us can remember from our childhood.



[Source: Thule]

click above image for more pics of the 2008 Toyota Highlander

Toyota's redesigned 2008 Highlander is expected on dealer lots in a couple of weeks, and buyers can expect relatively modest price increases over last year's model. The mid-size SUV drops the standard 4-cylinder in favor of a 270-hp, 3.5-liter V6 and the interior gets some upgrades. Toyota brags that the larger, more powerful Highlander retains its 2007 V6 fuel economy numbers of 17/23 for 4X2s and 16/22 for 4X4s.

At the low end, the Highlander Base 4X2 model's sticker gets bumped $510 to $27,300 while the 4X4 is up $560 to $28,750.

Sport and Limited level Highlanders get standard backup cameras independent of a navigation system and 19" wheels. Sport 4X2 models get a $985 bump to $29,950. Limited buyers also get keyless entry and will pay MSRP of $32,700 for the 4X2 and $34,150 for the 4X4, which is $1,890 and $1,940 more than 2007 models.

Highlander Hybrid sales are to begin in September, and Toyota will announce pricing for those nearer the fall.

After the jump read Toyota's complete press release with details on interior goodies and other upgrades.

[Source: Toyota]

Toyota is starting to reveal details on its lineup for the Chicago Auto Show, which we've learned today will include the debut of the second-generation Highlander mid-size SUV and likewise the Highlander Hybrid. The big T hasn't given any other details on the vehicles, and neither have we seen spy shots of the new Highlander, so this one may actually turn out to be a surprise. The current Highlander is a big seller for Toyota, with 129,794 units being sold in 2006. That's down 5.2% from 2005's total of 137,409, but still a big number for a vehicle that potentially returns a meaty profit. We'll come back at you with all the info and live shots we get of these two vehicles from the floor of the 2007 Chicago Auto Show in early February.

[Source: Toyota]

Tundras, Scions, and now... Toyota Motor is recalling 367,600 U.S. Highlander and Lexus RX SUVs to fix clips that may allow a console access panel to fall onto the gas pedal.

The recall applies to 2004-2005 Highlanders and RX 330s and 2006 Highlander Hybrid and RX 400h models. Stronger clips will be installed to replace the original units.

Toyota says it has had seven reported complaints about the errant panel, and in two cases it interfered with the gas pedal, causing accidents. No injuries have resulted.

[Source: Bloomberg via Chicago Tribune] Thanks for the tip, Ryan!