NHTSA Investigates 2005 Toyota Steering Recall

If you thought all of the federal government investigations into Toyota were over, guess again. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a fresh investigation into a 2005 recall of 977,000 Toyota 4Runner SUVs and T-100 pickup trucks. If you own one of these vehicles and have already had the recall work done there’s nothing to worry about. This investigation is about the amount of time it took Toyota to report the problem to the government.

NHTSA claims the company issued a recall of Japan-based trucks in 2004 and assured the U.S. agency that the same problem did not affect U.S. models.  It took another year before U.S. vehicles were recalled. NHTSA requires notice of a recall within five business days of the discovery of the safety defect.

Toyota faces new probe (Detroit News)

Toyota Testing More SUVs

In the wake of Consumer Reports’ recent “Don’t Buy” finding on the Lexus GX SUV, Toyota is now re-examining and retesting all of its SUVs. The company announced that it would conduct tests similar to the one that Consumer Reports did, which found a flaw in the time it took the GX’s stability control system to engage during hard cornering.

As we reported earlier, Toyota’s own tests are slightly different in terms of speed and angle. The company is not recalling or stopping the sale of any of its other SUVs at this point. Also, Consumer Reports and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have tested the company’s more mainstream offerings in the past, like the RAV4. We list all of the company’s SUVs and NHTSA rollover ratings below.

Toyota Conducting Safety Tests on All SUV Models (USA Today)

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Toyota 4Runner

The truck-based SUV has quickly become a shrinking species in our increasingly mileage-conscious world, which makes Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder think of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner as something of a ready-made throwback. Crossovers are king now, and that makes the 4Runner a tougher sell to all but the faithful. Check out Wiesenfelder’s full review to see how the 4Runner manages in this new kind of car market.

2010 Toyota 4Runner Review

Cars.com Podcast: 2010 Toyota 4Runner, 2010 Hyundai Tucson

We finally get more time with Toyota’s latest off-road-capable SUV, the redesigned 4Runner. Senior editors Joe Wiesenfelder and David Thomas discuss its pluses and minuses and just how big it is. The two also revisit the Hyundai Tucson, which was also redesigned for 2010.

You can download the podcast via iTunes here or listen in the player below.

Cars.com Podcast #42

2010 Toyota 4Runner Video

Cars.com recently headed to Dallas for the 2009 State Fair of Texas and used the opportunity to check out the 2010 Toyota 4Runner. Cars.com’s Patrick Olsen takes you through the 4Runner in this video, giving you a tour of everything from the flared headlights to its cool tailgating and camping options, including a button called “Party mode.” Yes, “Party mode.”

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2010 Toyota 4Runner Pricing Announced

Besides announcing the 2010 Venza’s USB upgrade, Toyota also announced pricing on the redesigned 2010 4Runner SUV that goes on sale in late October or early November. For the first time, the 4Runner’s base model will feature a four-cylinder engine; it starts at $27,500 before an $800 destination charge.

Overall, prices remain in line with the previous generation even though the SUV has been completely redesigned and adds more standard equipment.

V-6 models will be available this fall while the SR5 four-cylinder won’t go on sale until early January 2010. Full pricing can be found below.

2010 Toyota 4Runner: More Photos

Cars.com and PickupTrucks.com were on location at this year’s State Fair of Texas to check out the tough-guy vehicles on display. Toyota rolled out its new 4Runner, which we tested, and we have a slew of new photos — 50-plus — that show off the SUV’s different trim levels and interior and one model that was put through the wringer. You’ll find them below.

2010 Toyota 4Runner: First Drive

By John Stewart for Cars.com

The 2010 Toyota 4Runner debuts today at the State Fair of Texas, and it’s one of the last body-on-frame midsize SUVs on the market.

We spent a week in the 2010 4Runner Trail Edition, covering more than 800 miles, mostly on the highway with a few hours of commuting, mountain roads and trail driving thrown in.  The Trail Edition would be the most mechanically specialized 4Runner, trading on-road comfort for maximum off-road capability. Even so, we can vouch that the 4Runner is a comfortable cruiser and daily driver. In one day we logged 13 hours on the highway without feeling the least bit deprived.