For 2011 Toyota has simplified the Tundra line-up featuring a new V6 engine & standard electronic trailer sway control that  aligns more evenly with competitive products.

Here are Key changes for 2011 Tundra

• New 4.0-liter V6 base engine, replacing previous 4.0-liter V6
• Exterior color choices down from 11 to 9; more paint sharing with Tacoma
• 10 models deleted, including 9 with 4.6-liter V8 engine
• Trailer sway control now standard on all models

4.0-liter V6 now has advanced technology similar to Tundra 5.7L and 4.6L V8 engines

• Improvements designed to improve fuel efficiency, increase and broaden torque range
• Dual Independent Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (Dual VVT-i) added
• Allows independent adjustment of intake and exhaust cam timing to achieve maximum power at different RPM
  o        270 HP@ 5600 RPM
  o        278 lb-ft @ 4400 RPM  

Tundra now shares five colors with Tacoma

• Tacoma production moving to Tundra plant in San Antonio, Texas
• Paint sharing streamlines manufacturing, gives truck line consistent family identification
• Dropped Colors: Tundra dropping Slate Metallic (1F9), Salsa Red Pearl (3Q3), Blue Streak (8T7) and Sandy Beach (4T8)
• Added Colors: adding Tacoma colors Grey Metallic (1G3) and Tacoma Red Pearl (3R3)

Tundra eliminates following Tundra Grade models:

• Regular Cab/Standard Bed 4×2 w/ 5.7L
• Regular Cab/Long Bed 4×2 and 4×4 w/ 4.6L
• Regular Cab/Standard Bed 4×4 w/ 4.6L
• Double Cab/Long Bed 4×2 and 4×4 w/ 4.6L

Tundra eliminates following Limited models:

• Double Cab/Standard Bed 4×2 and 4×4 w/ 4.6L
• CrewMax/Short Bed 4×2 and 4×4 w/ 4.6L

Tundra adds Trailer Sway Control

• Additional programming built upon the already standard Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system
• If system detects trailer yaw or fishtailing, it takes counter measures such as activating the truck’s individual brakes and possibly reducing engine power
• Trailer Sway Control is standard on all models, even those without factory tow package
• Tundra’s standard Trailer Sway Control regains standard tow feature parity to Ford F150

This loaded people-hauler has been very useful during a recent home swap and vacation trip.

In a recent home move, almost every stitch of clothing and ounce of food was loaded into the Sienna and hauled with no problem. In fact, while unloading, someone remarked on how big the Sienna is–and how much stuff was in there still to bring in.

On Trips Sienna handles well for a big vehicle. You don’t feel like you’re about to tip over, and it’s solid on the expressway. I didn’t really push it (who pushes minivans?) but never experienced much roll. The chassis is very cushy and wasn’t fazed when navigating broken roads.

The steering is nice, and the interior parts look clean. It seemed a bit hard to reach over and adjust the radio channel, but otherwise a great cabin. The overall exterior seems a bit barge-like–but most minivans do. I did really like the taillights, though.

Sienna accelerates with force on the expressway, and the van  is impressive as it builds speed and the revs increas. Gas mileage in the mid to upper twenties per gallon is achievable.

2011 Toyota Sienna XLE

Base Price: $35,315

As-Tested : $42,211

Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; six-speed automatic

Output: 265 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 245 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,735 lb

Fuel Economy: (EPA) 18 mpg

Options: XLE premium package including dual view entertainment center, two wireless headphones, voice-activated touch screen DVD, navigation system with panorama camera, backup camera, premium sound, XM Radio with NavTraffic, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod capability, hands free phone capability, music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology, smart key, push button start, remote illuminated entry, chrome accented door handles, rear parking sonar, safety connect ($6,225); carpet floor mats ($324); roof rack cross bar ($185); wireless headphones ($82); cargo net ($51); first aid kit ($29)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told members of Congress in a briefing today that human error was to blame in approximately 60% of the 58 cases it reviewed — since drivers failed to apply the brakes.

Trapped or sticky gas pedals were to blame in the remainder of accidents for which a cause was identified.

The Japanese automaker has repeatedly insisted that electronics aren’t to blame, and that mechanical problems or driver error are responsible for thousands of reports of unintended acceleration. The findings may bolster the company’s argument.

“Reviewing event data recorders is one small part of (NHTSA’s) effort to get to the bottom of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles,” Transportation spokeswoman Olivia Alair said. “At this early period in the investigation, engineers have not identified any new safety defects in Toyotas other than sticking gas pedals or pedal entrapment.”

NHTSA has reviewed data from 58 vehicle black boxes, known formally as event data recorders.

The research “so far has not led to the identification of safety defects other than sticking gas pedals or pedal entrapment,” according to NHTSA’s report to Congress, obtained by The Detroit News.

But NHTSA emphasized that the probe is ongoing — along with help from NASA — and investigators “are continuing to study whether there are potential electronic or software defects in these vehicles.”

Of the 58 cases studied, 35 event recorders, 60%,  showed no brake was applied — a sign the driver hit the wrong pedal…

Partial braking was noted in 14 cases: Brakes were applied late in the crash sequence in nine cases; early in three; and mid-crash in two.

Pedal entrapment was involved in one incident; and in one case, the brakes and gas pedal both were depressed.

Data was inconclusive in one case; there was no data in five; and data from a separate incident was presented in one case.

Toyota said in a statement that NHTSA’s results backed its findings.

Toyota’s “own vehicle evaluations have confirmed that the remedies it developed for sticking accelerator pedal and potential accelerator pedal entrapment by an unsecured or incompatible floor mat are effective,” the company said.

Toyota emphasized that after “more than 4,000 on-site vehicle inspections, in no case have we found electronic throttle controls to be a cause of unintended acceleration.”

Here’s a sneek view of the 2011 Highlander coming soon. The new model will come with a series of modifications including a re-designed front fascia, with new headlights, a newly styled front grille and a new front bumper. The fog lights also have a new look.

Toyota has not released the official specifications of the SUV, but sources claim that the vehicle will come with a 3.5 liter V6 engine delivering 273 hp. The unit will be mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

The Avalon succeeds at transporting people in complete comfort and surrounding them with a host of luxury trappings. In short, it’s the modern reincarnation of the classic American sedan.

The 2011 Avalon is offered in base and Limited trim levels. Here is a test on  a Limited model with an as-tested price of $37,884.

The Styling is long and low, and the Avalon stretches to 197.6 inches overall, making it about 8 inches longer than a Toyota Camry. For 2011, the Avalon receives some subtle styling changes to its front and rear. The headlights, grille and front bumper are new, but because the overall look closely resembles the prior version, the changes could easily go unnoticed. The same goes for the rear, which has new but familiar-looking LED taillights and a license plate holder that’s been moved from the bumper to the restyled trunklid. A significant Lexus-like side chrome detail along each side below the doors adds a needed touch of class.

Comfort reigns supreme in the Avalon, and this has some pretty positive aspects. On the plus side, the sedan’s soft suspension tuning provides excellent ride quality. The Avalon floats smoothly down the road, the cabin undisturbed by rougher stretches of pavement. It’s one of those things that give the Avalon a sense of luxury beyond its price. A quick dip in the road makes the nose bob up and down briefly, but the motion is quickly controlled. Larger bumps, however, depending on how they are hit, can be felt.

The steering is another area where the Avalon upholds its comfort mantra. The wheel turns easily with a light touch; it feels like it’s attached to a giant ball bearing that’s been lathered in WD-40. Despite the light effort at lower speeds, which makes maneuvering a parking garage a cinch, there isn’t any unwanted twitchiness on the highway, just confident and predictable transitions when changing lanes.

“Effortless” is the best word to describe the Avalon’s drivetrain. Like the 2010 model, the 2011 Avalon is powered by a 268 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine that drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The car pulls strongly away from stoplights, and the V-6 still has plenty of energy on the highway for a quick pass. Floor the gas pedal around 70 mph, and the transmission quickly kicks down, engine rpm jumps and the hood noticeably rises as the Avalon squats down and surges forward. This engine’s high-speed power is truly impressive, and not all that common among mainstream full-size sedans. All disc antilock brakes are standard on the Avalon.

You might think this kind of performance would make your local gas station owner rich, but the Avalon gets surprisingly good mileage for its size. Its EPA-estimated 20/29 mpg city/highway rating beats the most efficient versions of large front-wheel-drive sedans like the 2011 Ford Taurus (18/28 mpg), 2011 Hyundai Azera (20/28) and 2011 Chevrolet Impala (19/29). The Avalon’s V-6 takes regular gas. Higher gas mileage performance is achievable and many owners report highway mileage in the low 30’s per gallon and city performance in the mid 20’s..

The new Avalon’s cabin interior is a noteworthy aesthetic improvement over the prior model’s interior and gives the Avalon a luxury-car feel.

The 2011 Avalon’s dashboard, center control panel and center console are new, and unlike the prior model all the areas feature premium materials, with the dash and many of the door panels finished in a nicely grained, low-gloss surface that looks great. Gone is the blue-screened display that used to sit to the right of the instruments, as well as the many silver-colored doors covering things like the stereo and cupholders. Instead, the car’s console has covers finished in nicer-looking simulated wood and gray-silver trim.  The seating feels thicker than recent previous models. Overall, the interior is nice enough that no one would question it if there were a Lexus L badge on the steering wheel instead of the Toyota T — certainly in the Limited.

If you haven’t experienced the backseat of an Avalon, I guarantee you’ll be impressed by the amount of room the car offers. There’s an enormous amount of space for passengers to stretch out, including loads of legroom for taller folks. Even with the front seats in their rearmost position, there’s still decent legroom in back. To top it off, the Avalon has standard reclining rear backrests — an uncommon feature in a non-luxury sedan. Their overall comfort is enough to make you toss the keys to your spouse, slide into the backseat and say “Wake me when we’re there” — as long as you aren’t worried about the repercussions of such a move.

The Avalon’s trunk measures 14.4 cubic feet,  less than some of its main competitors offer but plenty ample. (The Impala’s trunk is 18.6 cubic feet, the Azera’s 16.6 and the Taurus’ a sizable 20.1.)

The cargo area is deep but not particularly tall, and there’s a full-size spare tire on an alloy wheel underneath the cargo floor.  A locking pass-through between the outboard rear seats is standard.

The 2011 Avalon received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick designation, which is given to models that offer a stability system and achieve Good overall ratings in the agency’s frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests, its roof-strength test and its whiplash-injury test.

Standard safety features include a stability system, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags for both rows, active front head restaints and a knee airbag for the driver.

You can look at the Avalon in one of two ways: Either it’s a non-luxury car with a luxury-car price tag, or a luxury car without the luxury badge. Regardless of where you come down on that debate, one thing is clear: There are few cars in the Avalon’s price range that provide more passenger room and comfort.

If you do decide to hold the Avalon up against a similarly priced luxury car, like the Lexus ES 350, it fares pretty well. The Avalon gives you more room, better gas mileage and just as much luxury. We believe the Avalon is a luxury car for those who don’t care about luxury badges.

In short, You can spend $25,000 more on some cars and throw your money away. Anything in addition to the Avalon’s capabilities are diminishing returns…

The five-door, five-passenger xD is ready and looking for some action… and its’ share of attention in the world of small hatchbacks. Sales are down 25.5 percent through the first seven months of 2010, and the xD is the slowest-selling of all non-luxury Toyota cars.

Part of the reason may be that with Scion, Toyota’s youth-oriented car brand, most of the attention goes to the boxy-styled Scion xB with all it’s aftermarket accessories and the sporty-looking Scion coupe, the tC. Another contributing factor could be that the Scion xD is built with the same high quality standards of luxury Toyota cars and therefore, is not the cheapest little guy on the block.

The front-wheel drive, 2010 xD has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $15,620 with manual transmission and 128-horsepower, 1.8-liter four cylinder. With automatic transmission, the lowest-priced 2010 xD starts at $16,420, and a recent test model with stylish alloy wheels, rear spoiler, upgraded audio and other options topped out at nearly $20,000.

The 2010 Nissan Versa, another small, four-cylinder-powered hatchback, has a starting retail price of $14,140 with manual transmission and 122 horsepower. And the 2010 Toyota Yaris hatchback, whose platform is used under the xD, starts at $13,665. The Yaris, however, gets just 103 horses from its four-cylinder engine and is a bit smaller than the xD. Even the 117-horseower, 2010 Honda Fit, whose starting retail price of $15,650 is on par with the xD, is outselling the xD by 5-to-1 this calendar year.

It’s true the xD has the lowest starting retail price of all the Scions for 2010. But the difference between the base xD and the base MSRP, including destination charge, of the larger xB is less than $1,000.

Still, the xD is a capable little car with some nifty features. The back seat slides forward and aft to help accommodate the needs of passengers and cargo. This is something not always found in this segment. Rear seatbacks also recline, Quality. The xD’s seat fabric looks pricier than buyers might expect in the segment,,,Quality again. The split, folding rear seats go down for a flat cargo space that maximizes at a decent 35.7 cubic feet.

Fuel economy in the recent test base xD with manual transmission was noteworthy at a combined 30 miles per gallon in city and highway driving. The federal government rated the test car at 27 mpg in city driving and 33 mpg on the highway, so getting 300 miles on an 11.1-gallon thankful of regular gasoline is eminently doable.

At just over 2,600 pounds and shorter in overall length than the Versa hatchback and the Honda Fit, the xD feels spunky in city driving. The gearshifter is tight. Torque peaks at 125 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm. This compares with 127 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 rpm from the 2010 Nissan Versa’s 1.8-liter four cylinder.

The little xD gets around without a hiccup, and parking is a breeze in almost any parking spot. Yes, the xD can be an excellent, no-fuss urban car that Scion envisioned.

The upgraded Alpine stereo put out strong, clear tunes, even if the 4.3-inch color touch panel seemed small. The Alpine system includes HD Radio technology and Alpine’s MX technology that enhances the compressed audio sound of digital music.

This is the first year that electronic stability control is standard on the xD. Other standard safety items include curtain air bags, anti-whiplash front-seat head restraints and antilock brakes with Brake Assist.

The xD earned four out of five stars for driver and front-passenger protection in frontal crash testing by the federal government. Side crash test results were better _ five out of five stars for passenger protection.

Introduced in 2007 as the replacement for the often overlooked Scion xA, the xD is still searching for an identity. Perhaps a more agressive marketing campaign is called for to make buyers more aware of the outstanding little Toyota that could…

Toyota may post net income of  $3.98 billion in the year ending in March, compared with an earlier smaller estimate, it said in a statement today. For the fiscal first quarter, the company swung close to 2 billion profit from a year-earlier loss.

The automaker raised its sales outlook for all regions except Europe amid a rebound in demand that prompted rival Honda Motor Co. to also lift its earnings forecast last week.

“Toyota is now at a point where they feel comfortable giving good news,” said Yuuki Sakurai, chief executive officer of Fukoku Capital Management in Tokyo. “The recall issue has settled down in the U.S. and China.”

Toyota’s first-quarter sales gained 36 percent in North America, its biggest market. While deliveries fell 3.2 percent in July, the North American market may improve from the third quarter, Toyota’s Senior Managing Director Takahiko Ijichi said today.

Toyota raised its global vehicle sales forecast to 7.38 million units for the year ending in March 2011 from an earlier estimate of 7.29 million.

The company left its forecast for the yen against the dollar unchanged at 90 yen, 5 percent weaker than the rate of 85.52 as of 9:29 am in London. A stronger yen, which traded near an eight-month high against the U.S. dollar today, may erode profit gains by reducing the repatriated value of overseas sales.

Toyota is posting profit gains after the global recession hammered earnings a year earlier and after the recalls that began late last year.

The automaker, which said in July it added 1,000 engineers to an expanded quality assessment group, is extending vehicle development time by about four weeks on average and is opening new regional offices in the U.S. and Canada to more quickly investigate customer complaints.

While Toyota’s U.S. sales dropped in July, industrywide sales increased 5.2 percent. Hyundai, which introduced a revamped Sonata sedan in February, posted a 19 percent sales gain in the nation, and U.S.-based carmakers reported a combined sales increase of 5.5 percent for the month.

Toyota’s average incentives surged 44 percent to $2,235 per vehicle in the first quarter from a year earlier, the highest amount for the period since at least 2001, according to auto industry researcher Edmunds.com in Santa Monica, California.

“Recovery in North America is less than stellar,” said Naoki Fujiwara, a fund manager who helps oversee about $6 billion at Shinkin Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. “I’m worried that Toyota’s sales incentives in the U.S. are ballooning.”

The company has been cutting back on incentive spending in the U.S. since July and will continue to do so through the fiscal third quarter, Toyota’s Ijichi said today.

The T|X and T|X Pro packages build upon the Tacoma’s current Off-Road Package by adding new wheels, exhaust and appearance items from Toyota Racing Development’s accessory catalog. Accessory packaging is extremely popular with Tacoma owners.

T|X stands for “Tacoma | Extreme.”

The standard TRD Off-Road Package, at the foundation of both T|X editions, includes an electronic locking rear differential, progressive-rate front springs, specially tuned Bilstein shock absorbers, a 28 mm front stabilizer bar and BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires. In addition the TRD Off-Road Package includes a 400-watt/115-volt power point in the bed, sport seats with adjustable lumbar support and unique fabric, plus an overhead console with a compass and outside temperature display.

The Base T|X trim adds beefy TRD 16-inch black alloy bead-lock wheels and 265/70R16 BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires for extra capability off-road over the standard TRD Tacoma. It also features black tube side steps, a stainless-steel exhaust tip and unique exterior graphics. The MSRP of the T|X Package is $1,699, a savings of $754 compared with the package items ordered as separate options.

The T|X Pro Package adds performance flare with a TRD cat-back performance exhaust system that gives the Tacoma’s 4.0-liter V-6 a deeper note and slightly more power. Also priced at an MSRP of $1,699, the T|X Pro Package represents a savings of $720 compared with the package contents added as separate accessories.

Ordering for the 2011 Tacoma T|X Pro Package will begin in July, and the T|X Package will launch two months later in September.

In an unrelated announcement yet occurring at the same time, Toyota sources reveal that the 2.7 four-cylinder version of the  4Runner is being discontinued after just one model year. The main reason for the drop is the extremely low purchase rate, with the V-6 model accounting for well over 90 percent of 4Runner sales. One key reason could be that there is very little difference in gas mileage performance between the 4 and 6 cylinder engines.

Speaking recently, Toyota’s Dr. Shigeyuki Hori and Kazuo Okino reaffirmed the company’s intention to launch the car as planned in November 2011. While neither would go into a lot of detail, they revealed the production version is nearly 50% complete and the mid-level model is targeted to have a price of  approximately $28,610.

As for what the car will look like, Okino commented that the styling would closely resemble the concept. There will be minor modifications, but the overall shape will remain the same.

In case you don’t remember, the FT-86 concept debuted at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. It featured a Subaru 2.0-liter Boxer engine, a six-speed manual transmission, ADVICS brakes, and rear-wheel drive.

The current Tundra was designed from the ground up to compete with full-size pickups from Chrysler, Ford and GM. On paper, the story was compelling. The Tundra featured a strong 5.7-liter V-8, could tow up to 10,800 pounds and was available in regular, extended-cab and crew-cab configurations.

Toyota was so confident in the strength of its new truck and the American truck market that it invested more than $1 billion to build a dedicated assembly plant in Texas with the capacity to build 200,000 Tundras a year in addition to a second Tundra factory in Indiana that could produce 100,000 annually.

The Tundra is in fact a great truck and came close to meeting its annual sales goals of 200,000 trucks per year in the first year but  missed each year since, suffering from the effects of both a terrible economy and a media onslaught over alleged quality and safety issues. About 460,000 Tundras have been built since 2007, and less than 80,000 were sold in 2009, a bad economic year.

In light of tough new fuel-economy rules set to take effect by 2016. some have wondered will Toyota continue to invest in the Tundra?

Sources say that indeed the next Tundra will arrive by 2014, just in time to take on all-new full-size light-duty pickups expected from GM, Nissan and Ford. That time period is looking like it will be a replay of 2007-08, which also had a fast cadence of new half-ton introductions.

But while Toyota is keeping the faith in Tundra, at least for one more generation, the Japanese automaker is said to be phasing out the Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV that’s based on the Tundra platform. We hear the big people-mover will be killed at the end of this life cycle.

Ball height – Measurements from the ground to the center of the hitch ball on the tow vehicle and to the center of the hitch-ball coupling on the trailer when the tongue is level with the ground.

Ball mount – Part of the receiver hitch system that supports the hitch ball.

Brake controller – Electronic device that applies power to the trailer’s electric brakes in proportion to the tow vehicle’s deceleration.

Breakaway switch – Safety device that automatically activates the trailer brakes should the trailer become disconnected from the tow vehicle.

Bunk trailer – Type of boat trailer that uses flat rails to support the boat.

Fifth-wheel hitch – Trailer coupling device mounted over the rear axle in the cargo bed. It’s so named because of the wheel-shaped hitch plate.

Gooseneck – Type of trailer with a long pivoted coupling arm that is attached to a large ball mount in the pickup bed. Gooseneck trailers usually can make tighter turns than a fifth-wheel trailer.

GCWR – Stands for Gross Combined Weight Rating. This is the manufacturer’s maximum allowable total weight of a towing vehicle plus a loaded trailer. The actual gross combined weight of a fully loaded towing vehicle and gross trailer weight must not exceed the GCWR.

Hitch ball – The sphere-shaped attachment point between the coupler on the trailer and the hitch.

Hydraulic surge brake – Type of brake used on boat trailers. It features a self-contained hydraulic system and lever-action coupler that activates the brakes when the tow vehicle decelerates.
 
Receiver hitch – Hitch design where a receiver subframe is attached to the vehicle frame. The hitch features a square opening that “receives” and secures the ball mount.

Roller trailer – Type of boat trailer that uses self-centering roller assemblies to support the boat.

Safety chains – Set of heavy-duty chains designed to help keep the trailer close to the tow vehicle if there is a hitch failure.

Shank – The removable portion of the hitch system that supports the hitch ball or adjustable ball mount. Also called hitch bar, drawbar, insert or stinger.

Spring bar – Critical part of the weight-distributing hitch system. When adjusted properly, spring bars act like handles of a wheelbarrow and transfer hitch weight to the vehicle and trailer axles.

Sway control – There are two types: mechanical and electronic. Mechanical includes friction or cam-action devices designed for the trailer to dampen yaw or fishtailing. The electronic version is a program in the vehicle’s stability control system that detects trailer yaw and applies pressure on selective brakes to help reduce the trailer sway.

Tongue weight – Weight of the trailer that rests directly on the hitch ball. May also be called hitch weight. Recommended tongue weight is about 10% of the trailer weight for conventional hitches and up to 25% of the trailer weight for fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitches.
 
Tow rating – Vehicle manufacturer’s maximum allowable trailer weight.

Weight carrying hitch – Type of hitch system where the entire tongue weight of the trailer is supported by the hitch ball and transferred to the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

Weight distributing hitch – Type of hitch system that uses spring bars to spread a portion of the trailer tongue weight to all the axles of the tow vehicle and trailer.

Tesla

The two companies will work on prototypes combining the RAV4 model with a Tesla electric powertrain and expect to sell it in the United States in 2012, Tesla said.

It said a first prototype already has been produced.

Motor Trend is also reporting that Toyota is hard at work on a fully electric supercar. If there’s any truth to this report, it is said that Toyota President Akio Toyoda was so impressed after a spin in Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster that he immediately green-lit a feasibility study into the electric supercar project.

“Tesla’s goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars for mainstream buyers — relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs,” the company said in a statement.

Tesla now sells an electric roadster priced at just over $100,000, while Toyota is a leader in gas-electric hybrid vehicles and also plans to sell electric cars.

The two companies announced in May that they would team up to develop electric cars