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2016 Toyota Mirai launching in US this October

The small-volume 2016 Toyota Mirai is coming to California in October. That's the news from today's announcement of the eight Toyota dealerships in and around Los Angeles and San Francisco that will be the first to sell the hydrogen car in the US. Previously, all that Toyota said was that the first 200 units would be available in the fall of 2015. Toyota expects to sell a total of 3,000 Mirai hydrogen cars by the end of 2017. The eight dealerships are: San Francisco Toyota, Roseville Toyota, Stevens Creek Toyota, Toyota of Sunnyvale, Longo Toyota, Toyota Santa Monica, Toyota of Orange, and Tustin Toyota. If you're interested in buying a Mirai, you can sign up for more info here. The Mirai starts at $57,500. Toyota is still talking about state and federal incentives that can bring the car to under $45,000, but the federal tax incentive for hydrogen vehicles expired in December. Toyota is asking the government to bring the incentive back. The Mirai will also be available to lease for $499 a month for 36 months (with $3,649 due at signing). Both options come with free hydrogen fuel for "up to three years." Related Video: TOYOTA MIRAI: COMING THIS FALL TO SHOWROOMS NEAR...? Eight California Toyota Dealers Announced Mirai Order Requests Begin Summer 2015 Torrance, Calif. (May 6, 2015) – Want a Mirai? All those in favor, say aye! California trailblazers waiting to get behind the wheel of Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, the Mirai, now have a destination for pick up and pre-order. In October 2015, Mirai will roll into select Toyota dealerships in the Golden State. Northern California drivers will meet Mirai at San Francisco Toyota, Roseville Toyota, Stevens Creek Toyota or Toyota of Sunnyvale. Farther south, Longo Toyota, Toyota Santa Monica, Toyota of Orange and Tustin Toyota will welcome Mirai customers. These initial dealers were selected based on advanced technology vehicle sales experience and proximity to hydrogen infrastructure. But why wait until October? Beginning this summer, California customers can request a Mirai, by visiting www.toyota.com/mirai. Production of the Mirai is limited and vehicles will be placed with select, eligible customers. Therefore, drivers are encouraged to make their requests early to save a potential parking spot in transportation history. Customers can visit www.toyota.com/mirai today to sign up for more information and notification of exact order request launch timing in the coming months.

Former NHTSA chief may lead automaker-backed Takata investigation

An automaker-led effort may see the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration take on the probe into the Takata airbag inflator disaster. A coalition of at least ten automakers is in talks with former NHTSA administrator David Kelly, with unnamed sources familiar with the discussions telling The Wall Street Journal he is "among those we are considering to coordinate" the investigation.The Detroit News, meanwhile, is reporting he could be hired "in the coming days." Takata, the Japanese seatbelt and airbag manufacturer, has been the center of a defect scandal since last year. Takata is under fire for air bag inflators that can explode, shooting out metal and plastic pieces. At least five deaths and dozens of injuries have been linked to the problem worldwide. Earlier this year, Honda Motor Co., the automaker with the biggest exposure to the defective Takata air bags, was fined $70 million in the U.S. for not reporting to regulators some 1,729 complaints that its vehicles caused deaths and injuries, and for not reporting warranty claims. It was the largest civil penalty levied against an automaker. Should he take the role, Kelly would be at the fore of an investigation being assembled by an alliance of ten automakers, which includes the Detroit Three and Honda. Toyota first suggested a joint investigation back in December, The Journal reports. Kelly's goals, meanwhile, will be many. The Detroit News reports that questions abound regarding not only the recalled airbag inflators and the conditions that cause them to fail, but the whether the replacement units will have similar problems in the future. The automaker committee is far from the only one analyzing the airbag issue. Takata has assembled its own panel, led by former Secretary of Transportation Samuel Skinner, while NHTSA's deputy administrator, David Friedman, has brought in an outside engineering firm to investigate the inflators, The Detroit News reports. Separately, on Friday Takata Corp., the Japanese seatbelt and air-bag maker at the center of a defect scandal, is expecting more red ink for the fiscal year through March. It is projecting a 31 billion yen ($264 million) loss, worse than the previous forecast for a 25 billion yen ($214 million) loss, despite higher sales expected for the fiscal year. Ten automakers have recalled about 12 million vehicles in the U.S. and about 19 million globally for problems with the air bags.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. midsize crossovers and SUVs: How they compare on paper

In a world full of SUVs and crossovers all competing for similar buyers in similar segments, there are still some models that find their own little niches that lack such fevered fighting. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of those vehicles. It's an oddball in the sense that it's a midsize crossover SUV with a unibody chassis and independent suspension, but it still uses rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive systems and has some off-road capability. It's also a midsize crossover, but only offers two rows of seats. Despite the Grand Cherokee's odd nature, we did come up with a few crossovers and a classic SUV that seem to match the Jeep in size and pricing. We looked at the numbers to compare them on paper. You can find the raw data in the chart below and deeper analysis after that. As always, this is just a comparison of specifications and you'll want to check out our driving impressions of each car if you're getting serious about one or all of these vehicles. And if you want to compare any of these against other vehicles, be sure to check out our comparison tool. Engines and Drivetrains When comparing base engines, the Jeep Grand Cherokee's 295-horsepower is the clear power winner, beating the next most powerful 4Runner by 25. But in torque, the 4Runner takes the laurels with 278 pound-feet, narrowly edging out the Edge's (no pun intended) turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder's 275. That four-cylinder in the Edge will also be picking up another 5 horsepower for 2019, but it still won't win this power contest. Both Ford and Jeep also have another advantage in the fact that you don't have to settle for the base powertrain. Ford has two other engine options, a naturally aspirated V6 and a twin-turbocharged V6, the latter of which outguns the Grand Cherokee's gasoline V6 in both power and torque. That engine will also be bumped up to an impressive 335 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. View 20 Photos The Jeep has the most engine options, though, and it's the only to offer V8 and diesel options. On most Grand Cherokees, the options include a 5.7-liter V8, which is only available with 4WD. It makes 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, outperforming even the 2019 Edge's twin-turbo V6. The diesel engine doesn't make much power with just 240, but it makes up for it with torque at 420 pound-feet. And of course there are the SRT and SRT Trackhawk models with even bigger and supercharged V8 engines respectively.