Toyota Prius News
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In the latest Toyota Prius and Prius Prime, water can enter and short circuit rear door latches, which may allow them to open while the car is moving.
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More than a third of Prius owners get another one, finds CarMax
The used-car retail giant CarMax found that the Toyota Prius has the highest rate of loyalty of any nameplate.
Stephen Edelstein -
Toyota aims to tap recycled Prius materials for future US EV batteries
In a circular economy approach enabled by JB Straubel's Redwood Materials, Toyota plans to make retired Prius batteries part of the EV future.
Stephen Edelstein -
2023 Toyota Prius, Prime plug-in hybrid make IIHS Top Safety Pick+ list
While the IIHS list of top EV, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid safety performers was sparse just a few years ago, it now includes the Rivian R1T, Tesla Model Y, VW ID.4, and more.
Stephen Edelstein -
2013-2017 Toyota Prius models recalled for potential hybrid-system defect
In 2013-2015 Toyota Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V models, an issue with voltage buildup could cause either a fail-safe mode or failure of the hybrid's inverter.
Stephen Edelstein -
2020 Toyota Prius: Up to 56 MPG, now with CarPlay and Alexa for all grades
With more active-safety features and potential to tap into the Apple and Amazon ecosystems, the 2020 Prius keeps on with the mainstream
Byron Hurd -
Toyota has announced a recall over defective brake boosters on some vehicles from the 2019 and 2020 model years
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2020 Honda Insight doesn't budge versus Ioniq, Corolla Hybrid
The Honda Insight hybrid sedan enters its second model year with slight price changes. It retains an impressive list of included driver safety aids.
Eric C. Evarts -
Toyota covers Prius Prime with solar panels to test mileage
Toyota is testing the potential of leading-edge solar cells from Sharp, which when placed on the rood, hood, and rear hatch of the Prius Prime might recover meaningful driving range.
Eric C. Evarts -
2020 Toyota Prius Prime gains seating for 5, Apple CarPlay, revamped lineup
The 2020 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid gains some important functionality, even though some of the key specifications for range and efficiency haven't changed. The most important improvement, perhaps, is that the Prime now offers a third seat in the center-rear, making it a five-passenger car...
Eric C. Evarts -
Toyota shores up against electric-car threat, by sharing hybrid tech
As some of the industry appears to be leapfrogging directly past hybrid vehicles, in favor of battery electrics—GM with its canceled Volt, for example—Toyota is making no such move. This morning it’s announced that it will open up its banks of patents related to hybrid systems...
Bengt Halvorson -
Consumer Reports Top Picks show hybrids have come a long way
Carbuyers no longer have to give up space, comfort, features, or reliability to make a difference in saving gas. That's the message of Consumer Reports' latest list of 10 top picks for 2019, published in its Autos Spotlight, and April Auto Issue Thursday. Out of CR's 10 Top Picks, three are...
Eric C. Evarts -
In Toyota's latest ad for its new Corolla Hybrid in Britain, it's 2002 all over again. The ad shows the new Corolla Hybrid (in non-U.S. hatchback form) bypassing all kinds of road transportation alternatives from different eras—from a stagecoach and an early brass-era car to 1950s hot rods and, finally—an electric car plugged in and charging by the side of the road. It's clearly a dig at plug-in cars, reliant on battery power and electric motors to get around. Plug-ins are even more popular in Britain, with its high gas prices, than they are in the U.S. Yet Toyota is the company...
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Toyota Corolla Hybrid rated 52 mpg: Why Toyota says it won't cannibalize Prius sales
Last week the U.S. EPA released final fuel economy numbers for the 2020 Toyota Corolla lineup. They include a confirmation of what Toyota had claimed when it introduced the lineup last fall: that the Corolla Hybrid will carry an EPA combined rating of more than 50 mpg. The 2020 Toyota Corolla...
Bengt Halvorson -
Toyota Prius AWD-e drive, Hyundai fuel cells, CO2 fines, Audi cameras: Today's Car News
We have a first chance to drive the new all-wheel-drive Prius AWD-e. Hyundai plans to build more fuel cells, but not necessarily for cars. Automakers face big fines for missing tight emissions targets for carbon dioxide in Europe. And our first experience driving with side-camera "mirrors" on real...
Eric C. Evarts -
2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e: First drive of 50-mpg all-weather hybrid
Between the unexpectedly wild styling, the very wide model range, the Prius Prime plug-in, and now the all-wheel-drive 2019 Prius AWD-e, it seems that Toyota has opted for a mix-and-match philosophy for the current fourth generation of America’s favorite fuel-sipper. The big news for...
Dan Carney -
Electric-car and climate-change tipping points, Prius details, Audi e-tron drive: The Week in Reverse
Which automaker made a commitment to end gas engine production (eventually)? What electric car may finally have gotten a name? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending Dec. 7, 2018. This week our news came mostly from follow-up...
Eric C. Evarts -
Audi e-tron first drive, how to buy a Rivian, Toyota Prius AWD-e tech: Today's Car News
We had the first chance to drive the new electric Audi e-tron quattro SUV. Startup electric truck-maker Rivian says it plans to follow Tesla's lead in selling cars directly to consumers—mostly. Toyota reveals how the new Prius AWD-e gets great gas mileage. And a new report shows greenhouse...
Eric C. Evarts -
The all-wheel drive version of the Toyota Prius introduced last week at the LA Auto Show earns an astoundingly good EPA fuel economy rating of 50 mpg combined—nearly as good as the 52 mpg earned by much of the Prius lineup (LE, XLE and Limited). But the system isn’t nearly as capable as the one you might encounter in Toyota’s utility vehicles, such as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or Highlander Hybrid, because its all-wheel drive system was conceived for getting out of snowy driveways, not necessarily for hauling the family up the mountain for a ski weekend. DON’T MISS: 2020...
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VW's last engines, Toyota batteries, Ford names: Today's Car News
VW announced that it is now designing the last combustion engines it will sell. Ford trademarks two possible names that could go on its upcoming electric SUV. Toyota explains why it still uses nickel-metal hydride batteries. And a Chinese battery company says it will pass the magic...
Eric C. Evarts -
Lithium-ion vs. nickel-metal hydride: Toyota still likes both for its hybrids
Toyota continues to stay the course with nickel-metal hydride battery cells for many of its hybrid vehicles, even though most other hybrid vehicles from other brands have moved on to using lithium-ion cells exclusively. According to Prius chief engineer Shoichi Kaneko, in an interview this past...
Bengt Halvorson -
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid aims for 50 mpg—Prius tech meets frugal mainstream
With the introduction of a 50-mile-per-gallon Corolla Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Toyota is keeping true to a mission it undertook a long time ago: democratizing hybrid technology, and making it mainstream. The carmaker has long aimed to deploy its hybrid system aggressively into pretty...
Bengt Halvorson -
Toyota hybrids, Rivian electric SUV, Byton, and Trump: Today's Car News
Today's updates are all about new models from the LA auto show, including new electrics from startup automakers Rivian and Byton, a new all-wheel-drive version of the Toyota Prius, a new Hybrid version of Toyota Corolla, and a fuel-efficient new engine for the Mazda3. All this, plus President Trump...
Eric C. Evarts -
Toyota Prius AWD-e earns 50 mpg with all-weather treads
If you want one of the highest-mileage non-plug-in vehicles on the market—like the Toyota Prius, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro, or Honda Insight, there’s been one quite significant deal-breaker for many Snow Belt families: All-wheel drive simply isn’t a possibility. That’s due to...
Bengt Halvorson