http://www.thecarconnection.com/reviews Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:15:14 -0500 Car Reviews -- Get the consensus and opinions from TheCarConnection and from around the Web on your favorite car. Lifestyle/Fashion http://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-feed.jpg http://www.thecarconnection.com/reviews http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038599_toyota-floor-mat-safety-recall-my-prius-goes-on-notice http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038599_toyota-floor-mat-safety-recall-my-prius-goes-on-notice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0500 You're well aware that Toyota is recalling the 2004-2009 Prius--among a list of vehicles--for an issue with floor mats. Here at High Gear Media, we have at least two vehicles affected by the recall, both 2004 Toyota Prius hatchbacks, both even the same shade of blue. One of them's mine, and in the nearly six years we've owned our Prius, it's ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038556_iihs-picks-the-safest-new-vehicles-for-2010 http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038556_iihs-picks-the-safest-new-vehicles-for-2010 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:24:00 -0500 The coveted Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) used to be quite exclusive--and a way for safety-conscious shoppers to narrow down their possibilities to a few top-rated vehicles in a segment. But since 2007, the number of Top Safety Picks has roughly doubled each year, going from just 23 ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038361_chevrolet-aveo-the-most-toxic-new-car http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038361_chevrolet-aveo-the-most-toxic-new-car Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:41:00 -0500 Do you avoid drinking out of clear plastic water bottles, using antiperspirants with aluminum, or cooking in non-stick pans? Use a water purifier and ionizer everywhere you go, always buy organic, mind your cold-water fish list, and have your tap water checked yearly? If so, we've found either a new source of anxiety in your life or a handy ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038195_2010-toyota-yaris-cheapest-new-car-with-stability-control http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038195_2010-toyota-yaris-cheapest-new-car-with-stability-control Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0500 It's not surprising at all that the smallest, least expensive vehicles typically get short shrift on features. You won't find power windows or mirrors, central locking, air conditioning, or even sound systems on some of the most affordable versions of the cheapest models. But while most automakers also skimp on safety features for these most ..]]> http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/toyota_yaris_2010 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/toyota_yaris_2010 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:32:00 -0500 2010 TOYOTA YARIS STYLING | [7 out of 10] Edmunds: "looked understatedly playful" Car and Driver: "a face only a mother could love" Road & Track: "4-door Yaris sedan looks like the little brother of the Corolla " The Yaris still manages to look quite stylish compared to most other models in its class--especially as a ...
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]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038093_cash-for-clunkers-reveals-weakness-among-detroit-brands http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038093_cash-for-clunkers-reveals-weakness-among-detroit-brands Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:38:00 -0500 It's obvious from the comments on this site and others in the High Gear Media family that Cash-for-Clunkers remains a hot-button issue, and new data about the program is likely to fuel the fire: according to stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most car buyers used Cash-for-Clunkers to swap out their domestic ride ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037931_do-dogs-leave-a-larger-footprint-than-suvs http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037931_do-dogs-leave-a-larger-footprint-than-suvs Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:38:00 -0500 Are dogs worse for the environment than SUVs? You'll find a number of sources trumpeting the widely publicized results from New Zealand researchers, concluding that yes, dogs are worse for the planet than SUVs. But don't kick out the hound quite yet and head for the Hummer dealership; according to the Seattle-based Sightline Institute, the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037883_toyota-posts-first-profit-in-months-lifts-sales-projections http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037883_toyota-posts-first-profit-in-months-lifts-sales-projections Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:51:00 -0500 Detroit's Big Three may have grabbed most of this week's headlines, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the world's automakers have been sitting on their hands. One story that isn't getting much play is the fact that Toyota Motor Company -- which posted its first-ever loss last fiscal year -- returned to profitability last quarter. Although ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037821_raising-the-gas-tax-auto-execs-push-an-unpopular-solution http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037821_raising-the-gas-tax-auto-execs-push-an-unpopular-solution Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:00 -0500 We've been here before. The government mandates more fuel-efficient vehicles across the board, yet the American public continues to gravitate toward what's big and powerful. Barring this era of greater responsibility and restraint, which might pass like a fleeting fancy with the recession, why not pick the bigger or more powerful car, we ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037501_ugliest-cars-of-the-past-50-years-you-might-be-surprised http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037501_ugliest-cars-of-the-past-50-years-you-might-be-surprised Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:59:00 -0400 Think that the design of the Volkswagen New Beetle is more hideous than iconic? Apparently you're not alone. Business Week has posted its "Fifty Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years," including a number of models present and past, and the New Beetle is just one of the newer and still-produced models on the list. Others include the Cadillac ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037478_michael-pollan-eats-words-prius-driving-carnivores-are-ok http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037478_michael-pollan-eats-words-prius-driving-carnivores-are-ok Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:44:00 -0400 Last week, author Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, etc.) made headlines when he said, "A vegan in a HUMMER has a lighter carbon footprint than beef-eater in a Prius". This week, predictably, Mr. Pollan is eating those words: although studies have shown that meat-eaters generate two tons more CO2 per year than their vegan neighbors, the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037394_thefts-down-but-lojack-looks-ahead-to-hybrids-and-electrics http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037394_thefts-down-but-lojack-looks-ahead-to-hybrids-and-electrics Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:45:00 -0400 In any normal vehicle, a slight drain on the battery is no big deal. But if you have a hybrid--or, for that matter, if you have a finicky old British roadster in the garage that needs to be hooked up to a trickle charger all the time--you want to minimize what's tapping into your power. That's why LoJack has announced a new self-powered ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037363_2010-toyota-rav4-sport-cleaner-look-more-convenient-layout http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037363_2010-toyota-rav4-sport-cleaner-look-more-convenient-layout Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:37:00 -0400 Last year the Toyota RAV4 got a little bit of a facelift, with a refreshed front and rear appearance, a stronger and more refined base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and an upgraded feature set. But it was a little surprising--as it had been when the RAV4 was last fully redesigned for 2006--that Toyota didn't address the RAV4's most ..]]> http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/toyota_rav4_2010 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/toyota_rav4_2010 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:52:00 -0400 2010 TOYOTA RAV4 STYLING | [7 out of 10] Kelley Blue Book: "contemporary but conventional good looks" Edmunds: [Sport model has] "a different rear door without the mounted spare tire" Cars.com: "modern-rugged theme" The 2010 Toyota RAV4 is cautious and conservative in appearance, no doubt, but last year Toyota introduced several ...
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]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037169_toyota-develops-a-new-plant-but-not-the-kind-you-think http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037169_toyota-develops-a-new-plant-but-not-the-kind-you-think Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:40:00 -0400 Global warming's a hot topic these days (no pun intended), but there's another that's even hotter: geoengineering, or using technology to decrease atmospheric temperatures rather than forcing changes in human behavior. Most geoengineering plans are a little wacky (e.g. floating 16 trillion mirrors in space), but Toyota's attempt isn't nearly ..]]>