Toyota: 19 New Models in 2012

Toyota had a rough year in 2011. Safety investigations and natural disasters presented challenge after challenge and wounded the company’s supply chain, sales figures and brand image. It's a new year, and it sounds like Toyota plans to stay busy.

The automaker is planning to launch 19 new vehicles in 2012 across its Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands, according to the Detroit Free Press. Executives detailed the plans to dealers last weekend at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.

2013 Scion FR-S: Photo Gallery

During the last couple of years, we’ve seen a ton of concept versions of Scion’s new sporty car, the 2013 FR-S. Finally, the production model was unveiled in Detroit.

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Scion’s new-for-2013 FR-S promises to be the brand’s sportiest car ever. Sleek good looks and a rumored price tag of around $25,000 broaden its appeal.

2013 Subaru BRZ and 2013 Scion FR-S Video

Pretty soon, Scion and Subaru will have something neither brand had previously: a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Both vehicles look remarkably similar because Toyota (parent of Scion) and Subaru worked closely on the vehicles. There are subtle differences, though, as Cars.com editor Joe Bruzek points out in the video above.

2013 Scion FR-S: Up Close

Scion’s FR-S sports car has a chance to be the next big hit in affordable performance with its promise of nimble handling combined with a driver-oriented cockpit and Jenny-Craig-like weight management. Like many sports cars, a big tachometer rather than a speedometer sits front and center in the FR-S’ gauge cluster to monitor engine revs.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Other bits on the inside help the Scion pull off a driver’s car feel. The show car I inspected had red stitching on the steering wheel, gear selector, hand brake and seats, which were bolstered tightly to my sides. The quality of stitching and materials look and feel good for its rumored price of around $25,000.

2013 Scion FR-S: First Look

• Competes with: Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Nissan 370Z, Subaru BRZ
• Looks like: The first legitimately sporty Scion
• Drivetrain: 200-hp horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine; six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

Look familiar? We showed you a first glimpse of the 2013 Subaru BRZ yesterday, and besides some aesthetic differences, the 2013 Scion FR-S will be a nearly identical offering in the sports coupe category.

The vehicle you see is the result of a partnership between Subaru and Toyota. Subaru’s counterpart will be marketed as the just mentioned BRZ in the U.S. In the rest of the world, the Scion FR-S will be known as the Toyota GT 86, or simply “86” in Japan.

FR-S stands for “Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport.” Along with the basic, sporty rear-wheel-drive layout, the coupe comes standard with a 200-horsepower horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Premium fuel is required.

Japanese Automakers Show Signs of Recovery

A natural disaster can have a devastating impact on not just a country's people but also its economy. That's certainly the case with March's earthquake and tsunami in Japan that hampered the health of the country's automotive industry.

Last month, we saw the strongest signs yet that Japanese automakers are recovering, but there are still obstacles to overcome.

Ford Drops; Lexus, Mazda and Jeep Improve in Latest Consumer Reports Survey

Ford's dashboard doldrums persist. The automaker's buggy MyFord Touch multimedia system, rolled out in summer 2010, contributed toward a steep decline in J.D. Power and Associates' 2011 Initial Quality Study. Now it has become a sore spot for Ford owners responding to Consumer Reports' latest reliability surveys.

Problems with the dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Fiesta and Focus also tarnished the brand, which tumbled 10 spots in overall reliability to 20th among 28 major carmakers. Ford's Lincoln division, whose MKX SUV uses a variant of MyFord Touch, improved one spot to 14th place. Other movers included Lexus (up seven spots to second place), Mazda (up eight spots to third) and Jeep (up seven spots to 13th).

The survey, based on responses from the magazine's 1.3 million subscribers, covered cars from the 2002 to 2011 model years, from which Consumer Reports predicts reliability for 2012 models. Consumer Reports says other Ford models, most notably the Fusion Hybrid sedan, remain as reliable as ever. And Ford appears committed to MyFord Touch, with plans to introduce it in the 2013 Taurus.

2012 Scion iQ: First Drive

With a starting price of $15,265, the 2012 Scion iQ "micro" car will join the likes of other miniscule people movers the Fiat 500, Smart ForTwo and more expensive Mini Cooper when it begins a gradual U.S. rollout in California this December. Scion expects it to hit the East Coast and Midwest last, by March 2012. Ahead of a more detailed review to come, below are some first impressions from my drives of two test models in Detroit.

I like the iQ's dimensions — or perhaps I should say proportions — on practical grounds. When sitting in the iQ's front seat, it feels like a small car, but not a dinky one, unless you turn around and see the rear window so close to your head that it recalls a roadster. At 120.1 inches long, it's longer than the ForTwo but shorter than the 500 and Cooper hatchback. However, it makes no sacrifice in width, measuring 66.1 inches, putting it on par with the Cooper and a few inches wider than the other two.

2012 Scion xB, tC: Ch-Ch-Changes

Mild is the word for the 2012 Scion xB and Scion tC in terms of updates. Both get a new stereo and Bluetooth connectivity standard, while prices are held in check for the model year. 

The new Pioneer head unit can handle HD radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming. The system also features iPod/USB connectivity, auxiliary port and a subwoofer RCA output. The xB’s six-speaker stereo produces up to 160 watts. On the tC, the eight-speaker system makes 300 watts.

Both trims also have a new optional premium stereo with a 5.8-inch touch-screen, iTunes tagging and Pandora radio output via an iPhone. Sound quality is also improved with the uprated radios.

Affordable, Fun Cars Take Off in July

While car sales were flat in July overall, some specific models started selling faster than bug spray in the summer.

Many of the nation’s most popular cars — from the Ford F-Series to the Honda CR-V to the Toyota Camry — were in decline last month, but the same cannot be said for fun-to-drive cars with attractive price tags.

Few vehicles are more ideal for taking friends and skimboards to the beach than Kia's Soul, sales of which jumped 26% in July. That's not to say buyers only seek the front-wheel-drive Soul for summer purposes. The Soul's January sales were up 149% year-over-year with 5,345 units. July's new-vehicle market was 30% bigger than January's. But compared with January, the boxy Kia's volume was up 90% in July. With its low $13,300 starting price and modest engine, the Soul is also attractive to first-time drivers looking for a new car before heading off to school or that first job.

Toyota sales are still suffering in the aftereffects of the Japanese earthquake and recall woes, yet mixed in with the drastic declines was positive news regarding the Scion tC. No other Toyota passenger car — not at the Toyota brand itself or at Lexus or Scion — posted a year-over-year improvement.