2011 Toyota Prius Ii on 2040-cars

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2014 Toyota Highlander

Midsize crossovers like the Toyota Highlander tend to play a thankless role in the life of today's modern family.
That's really too bad. With the ability to hold several hyperactive kids and tons of cargo while keeping everyone safe and comfortable in all kinds of climate conditions day in and day out, they're true heroes in the lives of hundreds of thousands of families across the country. Yet their car-apathetic owners often immediately forget about them as soon as their work is done. And nearly all midsize crossovers are thoroughly ignored by enthusiasts whose eyes begin to glaze over at first mention of the phrase "third row."
Toyota is looking to soften the blow somewhat by giving its midsize crossover, the Highlander, a big redesign for the 2014 model year. With a bold new look, updated suspension and a refreshed interior focused on comfort and convenience, Toyota aims to make the Highlander sportier to drive and more striking in appearance, because, as the marketing team explains, "families are going places and they want to get there in style."

Translogic 164: Driving the fuel cell vehicles of the 2014 LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show is known for its environmentally friendly vehicle debuts. At last year's show, hydrogen fuel cell concepts from Honda and Toyota joined a lease-ready Hyundai Tucson FCEV to cast a green hue over the convention center. This year, automakers took us a step closer to a fuel cell future by offering drives of their hydrogen-electric hybrids. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley takes a ride in the Toyota Mirai, which is headed for production in 2016. He follows that with a spin in the Volkswagen Passat HyMotion and the Audi A7 Sportback h-tron quattro concept. Which of these fuel cell vehicles holds the most promise? Tune in to find out. Follow Translogic on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to subscribe to Translogic in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley. LA Auto Show Audi Toyota Volkswagen Electric Translogic Videos la 2014 toyota mirai

Paul Walker's Supra sells for $185k

The Fast and the Furious certainly didn't create the import car hobby, but the 2001 film played a role in popularizing it among a mass audience. Among the biggest automotive stars to come from the movie was the customized orange Toyota Supra driven by Paul Walker's character, Brian O'Connor. One of the stunt cars that portrayed that now-famous vehicle recently crossed the auction block at Mecum Auctions' sale in Indianapolis and sold for $185,000. This stunt car was showcased throughout the film, including in the final drag race against Dom's Dodge Charger, according to Mecum's listing. However, don't expect to be successful at living a quarter-mile at a time with this Supra, because under the hood there's a 220-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline six and five-speed manual. It certainly looks the part, with a full body kit, big wing at the back, wild graphics, and orange paint. Two Holley Performance nitrous oxide bottles are in the rear, but they aren't hooked up. For safety, there's a roll cage inside. The auction was estimated to fall between $150,000 and $200,000, which was right on the money. Following Walker's tragic death in 2013, cars related to him and the Fast and Furious franchise seem to be showing up for sale more often. His Nissan Skyline GT-R from Fast & Furious jumped in price afterward, and Barrett-Jackson auctioned his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution from 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2014. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.