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Toyota plotting WRC-inspired Yaris hot hatch

The emergence of the new Honda Civic Type R goes to show that the Japanese can make hot hatches every bit as good as the Europeans. But though it's been a while since Toyota had a serious contender in the game, word has it that it's about to jump back in. The impetus for Toyota's (re-)entry into the hot hatch segment is its impending return to the World Rally Championship. The company announced just a couple of months ago its intention to run a Yaris-based (or at least -styled) rally machine in the WRC by 2017, and now the latest reports indicate a road-going version won't be too far behind. Though the competition-spec model is expected to pack a 1.6-liter turbo four built by Toyota Motorsport GmbH specifically to comply with FIA regulations, the street-legal Yaris hot hatch is tipped to carry the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Lexus NX 200t. Though the jury's still out, it'd likely stick with front-drive instead of a more complex all-wheel drive system, but with a six-speed manual and a limited slip differential, it has all the potential to be a real firecracker. Only a limited number will likely be offered, ostensibly to meet FIA homologation requirement – in the same vein as the Citroen DS3 Racing or the Volkswagen Polo WRC Street – and likely to carry a similarly premium price tag in the neighborhood of 34,000 euros. We'd be pleasantly surprised if any of them were to make it to North American showrooms, though.

Toyota recalls 52k units of 2011-2012 Avalon for potential short circuit

Toyota is issuing a recall for roughly 52,000 examples of its 2011 and 2012 Avalon sedans in the US because a possible short circuit in the wiring for audio system's subwoofer may cause a fire. According to Toyota, it's possible for the subwoofer's wires to move out of position if contacted by cargo in the trunk. If one of the wires then contacts the metal frame of the speaker, it could trigger a short circuit. "If this occurs, the subwoofer could overheat, increasing the risk of a fire," according to the automaker. "There were two reports of thermal events – no outright fires," said Toyota spokesperson Cindy Knight to Autoblog. Toyota reports there are no reports of injuries, fatalities or crashes from this problem. Dealers will repair this problem at no cost, but until then, they will immediately disconnect the rear subwoofer as a precaution for owners. The recall notices will be sent out in mid-February, according to Knight. TOYOTA RECALLS CERTAIN 2011-2012 MODEL YEAR AVALON VEHICLES TORRANCE, Calif., January 28, 2015 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today announced plans to conduct a safety recall of approximately 52,000 Model Year 2011-2012 Avalon sedans. In the involved vehicles, cargo could contact one of the audio system subwoofer wires located inside the trunk, and move the wire out of its normal position. If one of these wires contacts the metal frame of the subwoofer, it may result in an intermittent short circuit. If this occurs, the subwoofer could overheat, increasing the risk of a fire. Toyota is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities caused by this condition. Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will provide a repair for the audio system. Until the remedy is available, as a precaution, Toyota dealers will disconnect the rear subwoofer. Detailed information is available at www.toyota.com/recall and by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331. ###

Compact SUV Comparison: Specs, pics and reviews of every brand's crossover

Honda CR-V vs Toyota RAV4. Chevy Equinox vs Ford Escape. Mazda CX-5 vs Subaru Forester. Whichever combinations of compact crossover SUV you're considering, there's probably a comparison test or chart out there to read. Heck, you can even create a three-car comparison yourself here at Autoblog. However, if you want a bunch of that information all in one convenient place, well, here it is. Our mega comparison of specs, features and photos of compact SUV entries from every mainstream manufacturer that sells them. That includes the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, 2018 Ford Escape, 2018 GMC Terrain, 2018 Honda CR-V, 2018 Hyundai Tucson, 2019 Jeep Cherokee (it's already on sale with notable changes from 2018), 2018 Jeep Compass, 2018 Kia Sportage, 2018 Mazda CX-5, 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (none of Mitsu's SUVs are perfect fits for this segment, so we deemed the MEC the most competitive fit), 2018 Nissan Rogue, 2018 Subaru Forester, 2018 Toyota RAV4 and 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. We can update this comparison as more information about 2019 models is released, most notably the Forester and RAV4. Now, there are certainly some models that are smaller (Nissan Rogue Sport) or larger (Kia Sorento) that could also be considered, but we figured it was wise to stick with those in this sweet spot of comparable size and price. We also included links to Autoblog reviews, buying guides and smaller comparisons. Engines and Transmissions With rare exception, this segment features four-cylinder power. Sometimes it's turbocharged, often its not, but standard engine outputs are generally in the same ballpark. Therefore, we'd recommend focusing on torque output, as it's what will make a difference around town or when passing, and weighing that versus fuel economy (the Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 make particularly strong cases in this regard). Many drivers aren't too fond of continuously variable transmissions (CVT), either, so that's another thing to consider and note during a test drive. As you can see, several models are available with performance upgrades. Besides the Jeep Cherokee's available V6, all are more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The exception to this would be the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, as their 1.5-liter turbo engines don't prioritize performance. Instead, they serve as overall upgrades to the base naturally aspirated engines standard on only their base trim levels (CR-V LX and Escape S).