2007 Toyota Rav4 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Legal approach in $1.2 billion Toyota settlement could impact handling of GM recall cases

In the past, if an automaker did something wrong, they were usually prosecuted by the US government through something called the TREAD Act. Short for Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act, it basically requires automakers to report recalls in other countries, along with any and all serious injuries or deaths, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Failing to report or attempting to conceal anything when there's been a death or serious injury constitutes a criminal liability. The idea is that this setup puts the onus on manufacturers to keep NHTSA apprised of safety related issues before they become a problem in the US, thereby allowing the regulator to better protect consumers.
In theory, it sounds like a relatively airtight set of rules for dealing with misbehaving automakers. That didn't stop the US Department of Justice from ignoring TREAD in its prosecution of Toyota's handling of the unintended acceleration recall, though. The result of this new approach, which charged Toyota with wire fraud, was a $1.2 billion settlement. Now, the wire-fraud approach could be used for the expected case between the US government and General Motors, based on the statements of Attorney General Eric Holder, who specifically mentioned "similarly situated companies" when discussing Toyota.

2014 Toyota Tundra gets five grades priced from $25,920*

Toyota has announced pricing details for its refreshed 2014 Tundra, with the fullsize pickup offered in five grades. Naturally, that doesn't include the buyer's choice of three cab styles, the option of two- or four-wheel drive, and a choice of a 4.0-liter V6 base engine or 4.6-liter and 5.7-liter V8s.
The base SR starts at $25,920, while the volume SR5 model starts at $29,465. Toyota notes that all SR5s ordered with the big V8 hold the line on pricing from 2013 while including a further $650 in standard equipment. The first of three high-end trims, Limited, starts at $36,940, while the Platinum and 1794 Edition both start at $44,270, with all prices subject to a $995 destination charge. Also noteworthy on the cost-savings front, Limited CrewMax 4x4 models are priced $2,000 less than their 2013 equivalents, (4x2 buyers save $1,900).
As is typical for a model as as customizable as a pickup, Toyota's pricing structure is far from simple. Adding the 5.7-liter V8 at one trim level can cost several hundred dollars more or less than another trim level - the same goes for adding four-wheel drive. So, rather than break out the Enigma Machine to try and decipher what options cost what on which trim, we've just rolled the whole pricing chart in. Scroll down for a look, including Toyota's full press release, and then check out our recent First Drive feature of the truck.

Toyota previews next Lexus RX with Tokyo-bound JDM Harrier

The Lexus RX shares much with the Toyota Highlander, but its more direct counterpart is the Toyota Harrrier. Never heard of it? That's because Toyota only sells it at home in Japan, and now it's revealed a new one. So if the Harrier is essentially a Toyota-badged version of the RX, then what's the big deal, you ask? The big deal is that the new Harrier which leaked in July, set to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show next week and which you see here isn't quite the same as the Lexus, and those differences could (and in most cases likely will) make their way over to the RX as well.
For starters, the styling is different. Granted that the Lexus version will almost certainly get a spindle-shaped grille, but even so, the Harrier's nose seems to protrude further than the RX's and the headlamps are a notably different shape. The greenhouse is also a different shape, coming to a sharper point at the back, and the mirrors are fixed to the A-pillar not to the door panel. The taillamps are revised, the tailgate has a new profile and there's a pseudo-diffuser at the bottom of the rear bumper. Subtle changes, to be sure, but then Toyota and Lexus are known for their evolutionary approach to styling. The interior has apparently undergone some updates as well, with a more dynamically styled dashboard, a more symmetrical center stack and different seats, steering wheel, door panels... the works. The infotainment display screen has also moved further down from its position in the current RX.
Toyota will offer the new Harrier with a 2.0-liter four mated to a CVT and driving either the front wheels or all four, and a hybrid setup with a 2.5-liter married to a 140-hp electric motor. The RX is offered here with a 3.5-liter V6 either on its own or with an electric assist. We wouldn't expect Lexus to go swapping the larger engines for the smaller ones, at least not for the US market. There's plenty more to the Harrier, of course, than the similarities and differences to the Lexus RX, and if you're buying a premium crossover in Japan, you can delve into the full details in the press release below, together with the images in the gallery above.