Cars, trucks and more

Prius reliability still tops
The Toyota Prius isn’t just the most fuel efficient hybrid on the road today, it’s also one of the most dependable vehicles available according to JD Power. The Prius took the top spot amongst compact cars in the latest JD Power rankings.
In terms of hybrid cars, the Lexus RX400h was a runner [...]

Too much pressure on US automakers?
Why doesn’t the Toyota Prius qualify for a tax credit? Why not the Honda Insight?
If it were the Ford Prius that was today’s king of hybrid cars, would the government have extended tax credits on such vehicles long ago?
Today, automakers use EVs as an excuse not to build hybrids much [...]

Could it be true?
I remember several years ago, when I covered Southern California real estate on the side, how a number of experts warned that a real estate bust was looming. 20, 40 even 50 percent declines in real estate values were predicted several years before the current crisis hit.
A few years ago I rushed [...]

Is plugging it in worth it?
In “real world” driving, Toyota plug-in Prius testers are achieving about 65 mpg when driving exactly as they would in a conventional Prius.
According to Bill Reinert, Toyota Motor Sales, the way you drive has a far bigger effect on plug-in hybrids compared to conventional hybrid cars. “That difference is just [...]

Toyota working on solar powered EVs
According to unconfirmed reports, Toyota is “secretly” working on solar powered electric vehicles. To start, the vehicles might only be partially powered by solar power, while offering the ability to fully charge via roof top solar panels. The long term goal, however, is to have the solar cars achieve all [...]

The good ole days, at least for hybrid sellers
Change. Talk about what a difference a few months makes.
Just six months, you couldn’t find a Toyota Prius on a dealer lot. In December, however, Prius sales fell 45 percent according to the AP. But it isn’t just hybrid cars that are getting hit hard, but fuel [...]

NiMH-only until fourth gen Prius?
Due to costs and reliability concerns, Toyota has decided that the third generation Prius will never use lithium-ion batteries during its lifetime. Instead, the third generation of the Hybrid Synergy Drive will continue to use NiMH batteries – at least for the Prius – until at least the fourth generation Prius [...]

US Prius production on hold?
CNBC just reported that there is an unconfirmed story coming out of Japan that Toyota is putting plans for its Tupelo, MS plant on hold. Now, before you say, the 2010 Toyota Prius is supposed to be built in Blue Springs, MS, not Tupelo, recognize that Blue Springs is a tiny [...]