Toyota has really been issuing the recalls left and right lately — Their latest recall affects 95,700 vehicles including the 2009-2010 Corolla and Matrix along with the 2008-2009 1.8-liter engine touting Scion xD.

The recall deals with braking problems caused by condensation and ice formations that could lead the power assisted brakes to malfunction. This malfunction can lead to an increased stopping distance and ultimately brake failure.

Below is the like of 19 states that the recall is valid in:

Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

As always, Toyota says to head to your local dealership to get the problem looked at.

via Press

Tags: brakes, cold, condensation, corolla, failure, Recall, Scion, Toyota, xd

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Way back in October of last year was when we got our first official word that Scion’s iQ would be headed for North American dealerships at some point in the future. At that point, the iQ was slated for a late 2010/early 2011 release. Today however we bring you news from an anonymous Scion dealership who says the vehicle will in fact makes its American debut a few months ahead of its previously announced release date. In fact, the car is now reportedly expected to hit the street sometime in September or October of 2011.

On an alternative note, Toyota has said that they will focus most of Scion’s efforts towards improving the popular tC, effectively explaining why the iQ won’t see the market any sooner.

via autoweek

Tags: dealership, iQ, north america, Scion, Toyota, USA

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Don’t be surprised if you start seeing some new advertisements from Toyota Motors. If you do, this is perhaps the advertising mediums aimed at enticing people to avail of the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Under the Toyota wing, there are 25 models that are said to qualify for rebates ranging from $3,500 to $4,500.

The program will start today until November 1 or until they last. All Toyota and Scion passenger cars and most Toyota trucks, vans and SUVs are eligible for government incentives under the program. In addition, some Lexus models also qualify.

For the interested parties, you can check out the Toyota website to see the complete list of qualifying models. You can also make the necessary computations for what car you are trading in versus the Toyota model you plan on buying or leasing.

(Source) Press

Tags: advertisements, advertising mediums, complete list, computations, government incentives, interested parties, leasing source, Lexus, lexus models, november 1, passenger cars, rebates, Scion, suvs, Toyota, toyota motors, toyota website, vans

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Facebook has become a great way to promote businesses and apparently Toyota of South Florida wants to check out what they can get if they try out the popular social networking site in relation to their business operations. Now, Toyota is offering its customers twenty-four hour accessibility through the use of social networks, Facebook and Twitter.

Toyota of South Florida is using social networks for more than just answering customers’ questions; they plan to use it as a way to build and foster ongoing relationships with its customers. Customers will be invited to join the member group through a Social Network Kiosk, found in the dealership show room. This move is a great way to build healthy interaction which can be later on used as a form of leverage in improvement and customer feedback and support.

“Social networks like Facebook and Twitter give us an opportunity to stay in contact with our customers beyond their automobile purchase. We want to see them enjoying their Toyotas on a day-to-day basis. Toyota of South Florida is always seeking new and improved ways to be accessible in ways that are convenient to our customers,” says Marc A. Kahn, President of Toyota of South Florida. “Social media is a natural choice for the new, tech-savvy generation of Toyota and Scion buyers.”

(Source) Press

Tags: accessibility, automobile purchase, business operations, customer feedback, facebook, interaction, leverage, member group, natural choice, network kiosk, relationships, Scion, social networking site, Toyota, toyotas, twitter, using social networks

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Toyota of South Florida announces its own contribution towards eco-friendly issues today. To help address the lack of trees which are diminishing in numbers, Toyota has announced that they will be planting one tree for each car sold last April.

For the record, Toyota of South Florida sold 310 cars meaning that they will be donating 310 trees to American Forests, the world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration. Now this eco-friendly initiative should be something that environmentalists will surely praise. We are all aware that trees have been dwindling in numbers due to illegal logging and chopping and hopefully this effort translates into something better for the environmental needs today.

Cars sold in April in honor of Earth Day included the Corolla, the Camry, the Yaris, the Matrix, the Solara, and the Scion XD which are all vehicles available at Toyota of South Florida that provide more than 30 highway miles per gallon.

(Source) PR Web

Tags: 310 cars, american forests, Camry, corolla, earth day, environmental restoration, environmentalists, illegal logging, initiative, matrix, planting trees, Scion, scion xd, solara, south florida, Toyota, world leader, Yaris

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In an effort that is aimed to promote car sharing and environmental-friendliness, Zipcar, has expanded its University of Michigan program by partnering with the getDowntown Program, the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to bring car sharing to the downtown community as an environmentally-friendly transportation alternative.

The partnership continues the city’s commitment to invest in sustainable solutions and brings the successful University program to more Ann Arbor residents, students and businesses.

Beginning today, four self-service Zipcars — Toyota Matrix’s and two Scion xD’s — will be available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be located at the Fourth and Catherine parking lot, near the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market, and at the surface parking lot at Main and William, next to Palio Restaurant.

This will bring a total of 17 Zipcars to the Ann Arbor community (with 13 already located on the University of Michigan campus). All local residents 21+ can join the service, with gas, maintenance, insurance and reserved parking included in low hourly and daily rates. All University of Michigan students 18+, faculty and staff will also be able to use the four vehicles located off campus.

(Source) Press

Tags: ann arbor area, ann arbor area chamber, ann arbor community, ann arbor residents, area chamber of commerce, car sharing, day seven, environmental friendliness, maintenance insurance, michigan campus, michigan program, michigan students, s market, Scion, scion xd, sustainable solutions, toyota matrix, zipcar, zipcars

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Kia Motors North America has officially launched the 2010 Kia Urban in Miami. The 2010 Kia Soul Urban passenger vehicle is on sale at dealerships across the United States. Available in Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport, pricing for the versatile five door begins at $13,300(1) for the base model, while Soul+ starts at $14,950 and tops out at $17,100 with all options. Soul! begins at $16,950 and peaks at $17,900 with all available options, and Soul sport starts at $16,950 and tops out at $18,600 with all options included.

Built on an all-new front-wheel drive platform, Soul features a high roofline and wide, distinctive stance. With a wheelbase of 100.4 inches, length of 161.6 inches, width of 70.3 inches and height of 63.4 inches, the five-passenger Soul offers a comfortably roomy interior.

Soul is available with two engines – a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder mated to a five-speed manual transmission (base only) and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is available with either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission (Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport). The former produces 122 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque while the latter produces 142 horsepower with 137 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy for the 1.6-liter manual is 26/31 mpg (city/highway) while the 2.0-liter offers a fuel-sipping 24/30 mpg for both the automatic and manual transmissions(2) , besting the Scion xB.

(Source) Press

Tags: base model, cylinder engine, fuel economy, horsepower, KIA, kia motors, manual transmission, manual transmissions, north america, roofline, Scion, scion xb, united states

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Toyota will be unveiling a new entertainment-based model of the 2009 Scion xB hatchback at the Detroit Auto Show later this month, the 2009 Scion XB 5.0. The xB 5.0 features dazzling Gold Rush Mica exterior paint inspired by last year’s Chicago Auto Show, a KenStyle® body kit, new Release Series wheel covers, and a moonroof. A color-keyed rear spoiler will be offered and one sport option, not that the 5.0 series lacks for style, even at the entry level price point.

The Series 5.0 2009 Scion xB will carry an MSRP of right around $18,900 for the automatic version, about $2500 more than the standard xB series. Scion has is Toyota’s heavily advertised brand targeted at the first-time buyers and buyers under the age of thirty, and as such has always been cutting edge when it comes to sports design and great media features at an affordable price point. Expect bigger at better things from the 5.0 line at the Auto Show, with resultant triumphant sales figures.

Tags: Scion, xB hatchback

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When Scion first introduced the tC sporty coupe, questions were raised about how it would fit into a range of vehicles aimed at younger urbanites. A low-slung sporty coupe seemed at odds with the boxy xA and xB that, along with a hefty marketing campaign, ushered Toyota’s youth brand into North America for the 2004 model year.

Scion was designed to inject a much-needed dose of youth into Toyota’s portfolio and, at least according to Toyota, the brand has by and large succeeded. Perhaps not quite as funky as their marketing campaigns have made them out to be, the xB and xD (which replaced the xA) have helped create a niche that other Japanese automakers – namely Honda, Nissan and now Kia – scrambled to fill.

Yet the two-door coupe tC shares nothing with its brothers – in fact, many an enthusiast has quipped that the other two Scions look like the boxes the tC should come in.

Tags: 2009, Scion, tC, Toyota

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It looks like this mini car from Toyota is coming to the U.S. The iQ seems like a scooter with doors to me but it might get you places. It will arrive at the LA Auto Show in November and the Toyota will be wearing Scion badges.

The iQ was designed for Japan and Europe initially. It has a weird 3+1 seating arrangement and it’s powered by a 1.0 liter three-pot or a 1.4 liter diesel engine. We might see Yaris’ 1.5 liter engine mounted on the iQ designed for the States.

So the Scion iQ might get a price tag of only $15,000. Pretty expensive for a scooter, but it has space for 3+1 inside.

via motortrend

Tags: Autoshow, Los Angeles, Scion, Toyota, USA

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