The Venza is a perfectly nice five-passenger tall wagon, as far as space, appointments, and utility are concerned. I just don't understand why Toyota is building it. The company already had an overfull quiver of hatchback crossover things, so why add the strange-looking Venza to the bunch? Well, it turns out that Toyota sold a very respectable 54,410 Venzas last year (nearly as many as Scion's 2009 brand total), so I guess there's the answer. It saddens me, though, that consumers apparently prefer the bulky Venza alongside competent RAV4s, Highlanders, Matrixes, 4Runners, et al. instead of a more carlike, more efficient, and no longer offered Camry station wagon.Based on the mediocre fits all over the Venza's dashboard-not to mention the recent recall debacle-Toyota has apparently expended too much energy developing new niche models when the company should have been perfecting and polishing its existing vehicles.A few other comments after driving the Venza:-This cloth interior isn't nice enough for a family vehicle with a $35K price tag.
-Despite its two-ton weight, it accelerates surprisingly quickly.
-The styling of the front end really turns me off, but I do like the side profile, largely because of those cool twenty-inch (!) wheels. Unfortunately, they noticeably compromise the Venza's ride comfort.
I am happy to occasionally forgive awkward styling for highly functional interiors or to forgive a compromised interior for a stunning exterior design. The Porsche Panamera looks awkward in the metal but makes sense once you sit in the back seat. A more affordable Chevy Camaro looks great but has some functional downfalls. Somehow Toyota created a rather large vehicle that neither looks great nor offers any breakthrough interior comfort.I was not easily able to get in or out of the Venza while wearing boots appropriate for the recent dumping of snow we received. Once I did manage to finagle myself into place, I could hardly reach the knob to tune the radio without leaning forward and towards the passenger seat. Why in the world does the radio slope up and away from the driver? Every other automaker seems to have figured out it makes more sense to tilt the radio in the direction of the driver. The Venza's rear seat appears much more functional than its competitors' offerings, though.Unlike Rusty, I thought the Venza needed a considerable amount of input to gain any meaningful speed. If I wasn't flooring the accelerator, the car was very lackadaisical. Oddly enough the brake pedal offered almost no feel and seemed more sensitive to how hard it was pressed than how far it was depressed. The steering was also incredibly vague, but that's nothing unusual for a Toyota or a crossover in general.Despite its shortcomings, I can see how the Venza would be a desirable vehicle for a trip with several other people and a reasonable amount of luggage. The empty nester set that receives no joy from driving will be very happy in a Venza. I can't seem to generate any enthusiasm for this Toyota Venza. It's not ugly, but it's not especially attractive, either. It's interior is bland but acceptable, inspiring in me neither appreciation nor any special critical insights for its design. The driving experience is fine, if your objective is simply to get from point A to point B. If you're looking for a little driving excitement or even a token smidgen of luxury, you're in the wrong vehicle.For the past several years, the main reasons for buying a Toyota were the brand's reputation for build quality, reliability, and resale value, all of which have been compromised in the wake of the recent massive recalls. That means that plain-vanilla cars like the Venza will have to appeal to buyers in more purely emotional terms, which may prove to be a hard sell. 
Holy bad brakes, Batman! Excepting a few hybrids, the Venza's brake pedal is the most unnatural and least confidence inspiring of any I've experienced in a new vehicle. The first nine tenths of its travel seems to do nothing aside from switching on the rear brake light. This is true regardless of whether you're going 10 mph or 60 mph, meaning you always have to slam the brakes, no matter what the circumstances. It almost feels like a car that's spent too much time at the track and run down its pads, but who would be doing threshold-braking tests on a Venza in mid-February? Certainly not us.Aside from that, Phil covered just about everything. The Venza doesn't offer any unique utility or features, which makes it hard to justify its unappealing exterior. Why anyone would walk into a Toyota showroom and pick this over a similarly-priced Highlander or Sienna minivan - both of which look better, drive better, and offer more utility - is completely beyond me. 
I wasn't blown away by the Venza's exterior the first time I saw it, but I think it may have had something to do with color. Toyota first paraded the crossover around in various shades of brown and grey, but in this bright red-- to say nothing of the large 20-inch wheels -- I start to find it rather attractive.I do wish, however, that the interior were nowhere as busy as the exterior. The angled radio is a little unusual, but nowhere as counterintuitive as the climate controls. Squeezed into the narrow space between the shifter and the radio, they're easy enough to read -- but it took me a few moments to realize their settings were displayed on a tiny LCD screen mounted just beneath the windshield (this same screen is also used for the rear-view camera, which, given the display size, is virtually worthless).Unless you're bowled over by the styling or have always longed for a modern take on the Camry wagon, there's little about the Venza that's unique-and considering even the Toyota faithful are now eying other models in light of recent headlines, that may prove to be rather damning.
2010 Toyota Venza AWDBase price (with destination): $30,300
Price as tested: $34,759Standard Equipment:
3.5L V-6 engine
6-speed automatic transmission
20-inch alloy wheels
Vehicle stability control
Brake assist
Dual-zone automatic climate control
AM/FM CD with integrated satellite radio
USB port with iPod connectivity
Bluetooth connectivity
3.5-inch multi-information displayOptions on this vehicle:
Rear seat DVD entertainment system -- $1680
- 9-inch display
- Two wireless headphones and remoteJBL synthesis surround sound -- $1080
- AM/FM/6-disc in-dash CD changer
- XM satellite radio
- MP3/WMA playback capability
- 13-speakersConvenience package -- $860
- Smart key system with push button start
- Power rear liftgate
- Chrome accented door handlesSecurity package -- $570
- Back-up camera
- Anti-theft systemFloor mats & cargo mat -- $269Key options not on vehicle:
Comfort package -- $3449Fuel economy:
(city/hwy/combined)
18 / 25 / 21 mpgEngine:
Size: 3.5L 24-valve V-6
Horsepower: 268 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 246 lb-ft @ 4700 rpmDrive:
All-wheelTransmission:
6-speed automaticCurb weight: 3945 lbWheels/tires:
20-inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels
P245/50R20 Goodyear Eagle RS-A all-season tiresCompetitors: Ford Flex, Honda Accord Crosstour, Volvo XC60
The G??idhealtachd (Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [k??????l????t????xk], English: Gaeldom), sometimes known as A' Gh??idhealtachd (Eng: the G??idhealtachd), usually refers to the Scottish highlands and islands, and especially the Scottish Gaelic culture of the area. The corresponding Irish word Gaeltacht however refers strictly to an Irish speaking area. The term is also used to apply to the Gaelic-speaking areas of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Attempting to put its recalls and unintended acceleration imbroglio into the rear-view mirror, Toyota called upon its deep reserves of cash, launching a bonanza of incentive spending in March which, naturally, obligated other carmakers to do the same. The subsidized leasing and zero-interest financing, combined with a hefty shot of fleet sales, juiced the market, driving new-car sales up 24% over the dismal March 2009 total. The March figures portend full-year new-car sales of 11.7 million, which is a lot better than last year, when industry watcher were speculating whether the year would end up below 10 million (it actually finished at 10.4 million). But step back a bit, and you realize that even 11.7 million is still a long way from the 16.8 million average annual sales the industry was enjoying in the decade ending in 2007. 
MARCH 2010 SALES VERSUS MARCH 2009General Motors +21%, or +43% for New GM (Buick-Cadillac-Chevrolet-GMC)
Nissan North America +43%
BMW Group +3%
The headline number for April new-cars sales is +20%. That figure represents the increase over last April, which you'll remember was a disaster of historic proportions. Still, the increase is another hopeful sign that, for the auto industry, the worst is now behind us. The pace of the recovery, however, is plodding. Volumes actually slipped a bit versus March, but the 11.5-million-unit annual sales rate still looks pretty decent compared to a year ago, when we were staring at a 9.5-million-unit year. No one is expecting a sudden downturn in the months ahead, so cautious optimism rules the day.-Joe LorioAPRIL 2010 SALES, AND PERCENTAGE INCREASE/DECREASE OVER APRIL 2009GENERAL MOTORS +20% (that's New GM: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC)
TOYOTA MOTOR SALES +24%
HYUNDAI-KIA +24%
DAIMLERAG +19%
For nearly two decades, the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Nissan Altima have been slugging it out atop the mid-size car segment. After so many years of close combat, it's only natural that the feud has spilled over into a new arena -- tall wagons.Nissan was to the first to explore this territory in 2003, when it essentially added a tall body and a lifted suspension to the Altima platform and christened it the Murano. It's been so successful over the past seven years that one has to wonder why it took so long for the other two big Japanese carmakers to follow suit. Well, they're here. The Murano, redesigned for 2009, now faces high-roofed versions of the Accord and Camry in the form of the Honda Accord Crosstour and the Toyota Venza.Like their sedan progenitors, these three light crossovers match up very closely, each seating five people and powering the front or all four wheels with a 3.5-liter V-6 (the Venza can be also be fitted with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder). However, the vehicles do differ quite significantly in shape and purpose, ranging in character from traditional crossover (Murano) to luxurious large hatchback (Crosstour). We gathered well-equipped versions of each vehicle to see which mutant mid-sizer best fulfills the needs of this fledgling segment. 
Third Place: Toyota VenzaOn paper, the Venza is the clear winner here. It strikes the best balance in this group between carlike driving dynamics and crossover-rivaling utility, which is, of course, the stated reason for this subsegment to exist. Although it has essentially the same size footprint as the Crosstour, it offers nearly twenty cubic feet more cargo room with the rear seats folded down and even edges out the taller Murano. Toyota engineers did a particularly good job packaging the rear struts so they only barely intrude into the cargo hold (take a good look, Honda).So, why the last-place finish? In a word, execution. The lack of attention to detail is most noticeable inside, where, despite the aforementioned packaging advantages, the Venza's interior ranks dead last. A mess of mismatched, shockingly ill-fitting plastic panels form the Venza's dash, and the controls for the air-conditioning and radio feel five years old. It's not what we'd expect from any Toyota, let alone one carrying a Lexus-like price tag of $34,759.The exterior also seems like it needed a bit more time to coalesce. It has the best basic profile among this bunch (which is, admittedly, not an attractive group of vehicles as a whole), but fussy lines in back and a toothy grille up front give the impression of a Lexus RX that melted in the sun.As noted, the Venza drives very much like a car -- an exceptionally boring car. Under most conditions, body control is decent and steering is reasonably precise. But push the Venza at all on a curvy road, and only the optional 268-hp V-6 feels up to the task, as the cushy brakes and Cool Whip suspension squirm in protest. The garish, twenty-inch wheels do nothing to help in this department, as the soft dampers seem to send them bouncing in four different directions through bumpy corners. Overall, it's not much better than a well-mannered crossover or minivan. Given that Toyota's lineup is chock full of just such vehicles, from the RAV4 to the Highlander and the Sienna, we must wonder what this new model actually brings to the table, aside from added sales volume on the cheap.There's nothing egregiously wrong with the Venza, and yet, there's nothing remotely appealing about it, either. Executed properly, the Toyota could easily be the best in this group, and yet right now, its styling, driving dynamics, and interior quality all scream mediocrity. 
Second place: Nissan MuranoWhereas Toyota has overdosed on crossovers, Nissan finds itself filling the gap with only two. With the smaller Rogue battling the hotly contested compact segment, it's up to the Murano to offer the utility of a larger vehicle to anyone not interested in the brand's aging line of body-on-frame SUVs.That the Murano is attempting to fill larger crossover shoes is clear as soon as you see it parked next to the Honda and the Toyota. Its roof juts out several inches higher than the other two, and its masculine sheetmetal, revolutionary seven years ago, now comes off as almost traditionalist compared with the Venza's tough-wagon aesthetic and the Crosstour's downright weirdness. Not coincidentally, we find its angles and creases the most agreeable of this group, if still not quite attractive.Inside, the Murano made great strides in materials quality with its 2009 redesign, and its new plastics are much better than those in the Toyota. The overall dash layout is a bit drab but ergonomically sound, and the optional Bose radio uses the same driver-friendly interface found in most Infinitis. Our only complaint, from a comfort standpoint, is with our $33,000 test vehicle's foamy, flat seats. As noted, it loses to the Venza in terms of overall cargo room, but it still offers plenty of space for big, bulky items.The problem with the Murano's crossover leanings quite literally become apparentwhen you leave the confines of the city for slightly more challenging roads. It floats and sways unnervingly through turns, the inevitable result of having the group's highest roof and narrowest track. On stretches with more than one bend, it typically fell several car lengths behind the other two vehicles, which were hardly setting a bristling pace. Even the venerable VQ V-6 is outmatched here, as it equals the output of the other two but betrays its advancing age with a nonstop sound track of pained growls and vibrations.The Murano's spaciousness and interior refinement still make it a solid choice, but as other brands have fleshed out their lineups with a crossover for every taste and budget, the Murano feels like it's neither big and useful enough to play with other mid-size crossovers nor nimble enough to run with these tall wagons. 
First place: Honda Accord CrosstourAs we took turns behind the steering wheels of the mind-numbing Venza and the ponderous Murano, we couldn't help but wonder why anyone would choose them over similarly mediocre-to-drive crossovers and minivans. The Crosstour, in contrast, would run rings around most of those big people movers. During most maneuvers, the big hatchback feels exactly like the Accord on which it's based, the distinctively small Honda steering wheel further disguising its girth through tight bends. Only when pushed beyond the norms of sane suburban driving does the Crosstour make clear that it's carrying 600 pounds more than a V-6 Accord, overwhelming its front tires with predictable, easy-to-correct understeer.The Accord connection is strong in the cabin, too, thanks to a familiar dash layout, but there's also a strain of Acura DNA in the nicely bolstered seats and the plush berber carpeting. Like most high-end Hondas and Acuras, the Crosstour's busy center stack suffers from button-itis, but they're nothing an owner couldn't fully decipher in a few weeks. Overall, the cabin feels fully fitting of a $37,000 vehicle, which is more than we could say about the Venza and even the Murano.The chink in the Honda's armor can be found aft of the rear seats, where struts and stereo speakers choke the rear cargo area. These obstacles, combined with the sloping rear liftgate, all but preclude the Crosstour from hauling big-ticket items. Considering Honda's well-earned reputation for excellent packaging, it's something of a disappointment that the Crosstour fails to use its size nearly as well as the other two vehicles in our test.And yet, we have no reservations about naming it the overall winner in this group. Ultimately, we don't it see as the job of these tall wagons to possess world-beating utility. Indeed, Honda's showroom alone offers two strong choices for those seeking maximum cargo space -- the Odyssey and the Pilot (not to mention the significantly less expensive and more compact CR-V and Element).What the Crosstour offers instead is more luxury and a better driving experience than the typical people mover. That's something we can stand behind.
In an attempt to tackle the growing mini-minivan segment in Europe, Toyota will introduce a new model based on a domestic-market favorite at the Paris Motor Show. The Verso-S is barely larger than the Yaris hatchback, but will feature space-utilizing techniques to make the most of its petite size.While details are still thin about the Verso S, the photos shown here indicate that Toyota has taken styling cues from some of the major European marques, such as Renault, in designing its MPV. The chunky 
After driving the Avalon, I returned away unusually nonplussed. Toyota's principal sedan could be neither heart-racingly exciting, nor a slouch during the pants. The 2011 refresh up of the Avalon is thus delicate which I failed to realize it absolutely used to be a revised model.Toyota had a robust pawn once it pitched the original generations of Avalons though Japanese Buick-fighters, taking a slice of market percentage away from General Motors in addition to Ford's large sedans. The sport possesses moved on. The most recent Buicks, such because the Regal, display a renewed specialise in the motive force, plus Ford's reinvented Taurus has a heap added style and sportiness in comparison to the Avalon does.As a 22-year-old, I am not in the Avalon's specialise in market, less than I did not care for the interior. The blistering white-on-white of our tester's interior reminded me of sitting during a dentist's chair, also though I've sat in dentist chairs allowing for better bolstering and lumbar support. I'm undecided concerning the redundant temperature controls on the guidance wheel, either, when the actual controls have a tendency to be a pinky-length away. The typophile in me likes and dislikes the oversize eighteen-point sort on the buttons and gauges -- a less-than-subtle hint at the Avalon's intended target market. The navigation screen is angled toward the keep center passenger, not to driving force or passenger, which brands it challenging to attain and operate buttons by feel alone. (Then once more, if the dimensions of the text hasn't screamed out the button's function FROM A MILE AWAY...)The Avalon behaved simply as I expected: sort of an enormous Camry. A really massive one, at that, with the added bonus of pinky-effort steering and a unusually high level of road noise in the cabin. The engine has more than just enough power and is sufficient to rev to redline if you push it, but why would you? About that sedan is the smooth operator, intended to be savored from the perch of the cavernous back seat, on a tedious highway trip. Skip the back roads with this one. 
It is a brilliant factor that no Avalon owner features a serious foot, because these front tires are awfully straightforward to squeal. It amused me, nonetheless, to imagine dozens of blue-haired ancient ladies or socks-and-sandals grandfathers obtaining pulled over for peeling out hither and yon up and down the Florida peninsula. Unfortunately, that is the legal most effective amusement I were given of the driving the Toyota brand's flagship sedan.The Avalon is a lot prefer its smaller sibling, the Camry: it has solely an appliance for individuals who care nada about vehicles. At the identical previous point, though, the Avalon is a really great, spacious, comfortable, and splendid automobile, especially in the Limited trim that we have a tendency to tested.Toyota's approach with this model is so conservative that it's troublesome to inform that this Avalon has been updated from the auto I wrote about five years ago for a comparison story for this net web site; one big clue, however, is that readily available is no more time a cassette-tape deck in the Avalon's center stack. Speaking of factors at last place out to pasture, the Avalon would possibly be a great taxi and airport-fleet replacement currently that Ford has stopped building its hoary Crown Victoria. 
Driving the Avalon was like a visit down memory lane, but I didn't feel like I utilized to be in an old-fashioned automobile, because ours was provided with one of Toyota's excellent navigation systems, a back-up camera, and even Bluetooth for the 660-watt, 12-speaker stereo. Wait, wait, shall we say that again: a 12-speaker, 660-watt stereo? In a car that is aimed squarely at the AARP set? Wow, what is the planet coming back to?When it projects to cars just like the Avalon, there is no sense in making an attempt to elucidate them to BMW drivers. There are solely a continue to several folks that simply need a big, comfortable, reliable, cushy sedan that does not ask yourself much of the driver. These are the folks who were served for decades by cars like the Ford Crown Victoria. So now they discover equivalent driving dynamics -- isolated ride, lazy steering, considerable body roll -- but combined with Toyota reliability and an on the market portfolio of up to date amenities like the aforementioned navigation and stereo. That said, if my mother or aunt were brooding about purchasing an Avalon, I might recommend that they also check out the Buick LaCrosse.
Where auto sales stumbled in August, September brought a welcome resurgence. Even though fewer automobiles plus truck were sold in September in comparison to August, searching at situations during the legal context from the historic ebb and flow between months, the September sales figure out to an once a year rate of Twelve.2 1000000 units. Compare which to August's 10.8-million rate, and it could be the contented figure indeed. Of course, it has happier compared to the cautiously hopeful pace we tend to were seeing back in spring and early summer, after sales were in the 11-million-unit arena. The industry's performance in September is its the majority of powerful because the government-incentive-fueled Cash-for-Clunkers bonanza persist August.For about that month's run-down, we'll revert to year-ago comparisons. Less than note that during September '09, a lot of the industry was once in a very post-Clunkers lull, that the p.c will increase -- a median of 29% -- somewhat overstate the robustness of the current September. 
SUBARU OF AMERICA +47%
Though a infant up of the legal minivan point in time, I've necessarily respected these vehicles for his or her or him excellent versatility. To wit, I utilized the Sienna to select up a recent dining table plus six chairs, continue to boxed, and the final Toyota swallowed every one contents moderately easily and whereas not having to fold the middle-row seats (which can not fold down back to the floor anyway). After i unloaded the furniture, I marveled at the simplest way a lot the process seats can slide forwards and backwards. Minivans have a tendency to be ideal for families allowing for youngsters, less than if four dads needed to become away for a tedious road trip, the Sienna would excel in which application, too. The blokes during the middle row can slide his or her seats all the long ago for really limousine-like legroom, still coming of the a large amount o room in the approach back for baggage. Additionally better, the middle captain's chairs suffer from La-Z-Boy-style footrests, therefore the guys in back (especially if they are definitely five-foot-six or shorter) can discover a bunch of forged business-class-style sleep while the 2nd one pair drives and navigates. The Sienna's occupants would possibly not feel awfully cool, but they had certainly be comfy.Rusty Blackwell 
I signed out Toyota's new swagger wagon to drive a handful of twenty-something friends all the way down to Detroit for a Tigers baseball game. It might not build a style statement, but the Sienna had them completely galvanized with the backseat comfort and entertainment features. I grew up riding in the back of minivans (my oldsters owned a minimum of four Mercury Villagers) and it had been smartly put in place that your parents' van was once not cool unless it had rear heat and/or audio controls. My Detroit-bound cadre was seriously wowed by the reclining second row and widescreen television. I need to note, though, that Toyota's lawyers have a warning that asserts you can still not make use of the ottomans after the automobile could be in motion. Yeah right.As far as driving is going, the powertrain is robust, the six-speed automatic is polished, the chassis is composed, and the direction is fine. My primary gripe is that you just cannot fold the seatbacks of the second row to for hauling. You either need to cope with them in place or take away them totally.Eric Tingwall 
Nada projects close to a genuine minivan for successfully combining individuals comfort and shipment carrying ability but, as evidenced by General Motors and Ford dropping their minivan offerings, nearly all American citizens assume therefore the uncoolness of minivans outweighs their utility. I suspect I am not most Americans for the reason that I'm not the smallest amount touch embarrassed or apologetic concerning my fondness for the minivan and after driving the Toyota Sienna for a weekend I will be in a very position to be told why it has got one of the segment leaders.Around city, the Sienna is swish, quiet, and comfy. To me, the three.5-liter V-6 appearance as if overkill, but I'm guessing it is the necessity after all the seats are full and the cargo space is loaded to capability. Unfortunately, the interior is a small bit little bit of a unhappiness during about that new Sienna. It looks great from a distance but get a little closer and most surfaces feel and appear plasticky, though most of the controls-radio, nav, and HVAC-feel nice and feature a smart weight to them.The rearmost seats are a cinch to flip down into the floor and the sliding second row seats move forward enough to form the cargo area cavernous. But I did notice a couple negatives. Because the headrests are fastened, the flipped down third row seats carry out not create a continuous, even surface. This constructed it challenging on behalf of me to slide large, heavy boxes across the cargo floor. A closer difficulty is what to perform with the shoulder belt for the 1/3 rear seat when it's stowed. I may gain not realize a location to secure it out of the way therefore I had to figure around it when loading.Jennifer Misaros 
Persist week, the employees of Automobile Magazine gathered up our current crop of take a appear at vehicles and spent an afternoon driving them on a back-road route from Ann Arbor to Kalamazoo. We tend to switched cars each and every Twenty-five miles or so, offering everybody a possibility to drive several cars in one twenty-four hour period. The Toyota Sienna was my ride for the first stint - one of my co-workers saw me climb in and discussed that it looked favor I might drawn the short straw, seeing because the remainder of the crowd were driving cars just like the Audi S4, the Mercedes E350 cabriolet, and the Acura TL SH-AWD.I have to claim, however, that it did not really feel like I'd been shortchanged. On winding Huron River Drive, the Sienna handled kind of well for a vehicle together with a high center of gravity. Body roll wasn't unnecessary, the suspension absorbed pavement irregularities, and the engine had brilliant enough power to keep abreast of the remainder of the cluster.In the cabin, the driving position is sweet and heavy, the gearshift lever on the instrument panel suggests that readily available is extra space in the heart console for storage, and the back seats are very passenger friendly, with a reclining option that features a stowable footrest. One unfortunate detail was the textured plastic on the dash, which both looked and felt downmarket for a vehicle in this value number.Amy Skogstrom 
A Sienna? Stylish? Contemplating Toyota's minivan has always erred on the side of dowdy, it's a fantastic feat. I do be acquainted with some consumers balk at the sight of sliding rear doors, but designers have done a brilliant job of injecting some pizzaz into this third-generation model. After all, I'd argue it's virtually added engaging in comparison to the Venza crossover, which appears to be forced encouraged a large number of features on this minivan (including the unfortunate dash texture Amy mentions).Granted, this full-tilt XLE trim does return with a number of accoutrements, but the Sienna itself seems sort of a solid decision among minivans. The 3.5-liter V-6 provides adequate muscle, and the throttle solution and transmission calibration supply a prompt downshift when you are really shopping for power.I adore the assumption of the sliding second-row bucket seats for after you carry adults - not children - in the second row, but as Eric notes, they are doing not flip, fold, or tumble to make way for cargo. Short of hunting down the seats altogether, your best choice is to move the seat backs as far forward as potential, until they virtually touch the front seats.Evan McCausland
Additionally though the legal FJ Cruiser is the legal stale model in Toyota's lineup, it has got continue to amusing to slap on a recent package which appeals to the off-road enthusiast crowd. About that 
I haven't got access to a worthy rock trail to actually take a appear at the prowess of the present Trail Teams package, but on hand is not every one or any denying the decision cluster adjustments the visual character of the FJ from a cute retro-character to a badass off-road crawler. The ones beadlock-look rims tend to be lovely neat shopping, though are the powder-coated rock rails, the blacked-out grille trim and hood, and the overall shortcoming of the cheesy white roof.I'm told that production of the Trail Teams model is restricted, but if Toyota sells of the this batch, there is a bunch of excellent news for FJ enthusiasts:apart from the cosmetic touches, you are still ready to build a clone. Simply order an FJ Cruiser with the off-road package, and you immediately be afflicted by the Trail Team's locking rear diff, A-TRAC traction management, and enhanced suspension thrown into the combo. Dive into the TRD portions catalog, and you'll be ready to locate exactly the same wheels, rock rails, and myriad other off-road goodies.I'd caution against adding those features if you are planning on spending more previous point on-road compared to off, though. The increased ride height and bigger tires are great for four-wheeling, but the additional road noise and body roll are not enjoyable if you are relegating the FJ Cruiser to tarmac duty.
This particular paint aggregate is therefore, so cool. Really displays off the FJ at its better.This is a purpose-built approach to life vehicle and is still as cool because it had been when it came back out a couple of years ago. Take into account, also, that Toyota is simply not currently known for creating uncommon niche automobiles, and it is a miracle the FJ even exists. For somebody who really likes to off-road and carry out the entire out of doors adventure factor, the FJ is perfect, as long because you can measure with the back half of doors. But after you achieve in, grab the do something positive about, and swing it open, it is simple enough for three rear-seat passengers to climb aboard.The interior styling scheme -- all chunky, blocky, unfashionable shapes -- has aged rather smartly. I appreciated the small rearview camera screen that appears in a very corner of the heart rearview mirror.As for its on-road behavior, I had to changed into two individuals from my own home to the Detroit airport in a hurry, and the FJ easily speeded up to Ninety mph and cruised surprisingly well, with a reasonably comfortable ride.
The FJ Cruiser isn't always almost as fun as a Jeep Wrangler, but it is still to be kind of enjoyable. On my commutes to and from the department, I took a gravel-road detour where I found some pretty massive dirt puddles. Yes, I enjoyed obtaining the FJ prepped for a potential photo shoot.Dirt and grime, nonetheless, can not canopy up the undeniable undeniable reality therefore the FJ has sloppy guidance, a coarse ride, poor body control, terrible outward visibility, and small usable shipment space. Worse nonetheless, you cannot comfortably drive with the windows open at speeds of more than purely Thirty mph or so, lest you buy blasted in the ear with wind. Whereas all Jeep Wranglers supply multiple features for open-roof driving, the new-age FJ offers none. This holds a travesty, as we have a tendency to pointed out once we told the overall story of our Four Seasons FJ Cruiser.Bead-lock wheels?! I utilized to be excited once i first saw these on the FJ, but of course they are definitely fakes, and Toyota decisions them "beadlock-style." You would suppose they had be real for the $6700 price of the Trail Teams option package.
Yes, the FJ Cruiser is kind of old, but it's a unprecedented gem as one of the couple of Toyota product with passion infused in the planning and engineering. With the Trail Teams package, this FJ Cruiser appearance the phase even more by ditching the roof rack, white roof, and Crayola paint colour for an extraordinarily military-like monotone tan paint job. And even though those beadlocker wheels are frauds, they give the impression of being a lot more at home on this off-roader than the customary seventeen-inch wheels.I disagree with Rusty's assessment that the FJ Cruiser delivers a rough ride. Whereas it's no Porsche Cayman, the line manners are appropriate for an everyday driven vehicle. That Toyota has allowed the sizeable quantity of travel between the wheels and body comes by artwork. Keep of installing active dampers or air is derived, you're doubtless not journeying to notice something more confident on the road and more capable on the trail. Rumors (strongly) counsel that the FJ Cruiser are so going to be dead soon. I is enough to imagine Toyota has little incentive to back it around as it sells in so few markets and fewer than 7000 have been sold in the first five months of 2010. For off-road enthusiasts who do not own one yet, though, a fashionable FJ would be a brilliant vehicle to possess. Not only is it something cool to park within your driveway these days, I be expecting it will only become more fascinating once production ends.
The headline number for April new-cars sales could be +20%. Which figure represents the building up over persist April, which you will don't forget was once a disaster up of historic proportions. Continue to, the increase is the added in-depth hopeful sign that, for the auto industry, the worst is currently during the dirt united states. The pace of the recovery, nevertheless, is plodding. Volumes basically slipped a little versus March, less than the 11.5-million-unit once a year sales rate still appearance lovely decent in comparison to a year ago, once we have a tendency to were staring at a 9.5-million-unit year. No one is expecting a unexpected downturn in the months ahead, so cautious optimism rules the solar day.-Joe LorioAPRIL 2010 SALES, Plus Proportion INCREASE/DECREASE OVER APRIL 2009GENERAL MOTORS +20% (that's New GM: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC)
TOYOTA MOTOR SALES +24%
HYUNDAI-KIA +24%
DAIMLERAG +19%
Attempting to put its recalls and unintended acceleration imbroglio into the rear-view mirror, Toyota called upon its deep reserves of cash, launching a bonanza of incentive spending in March which, naturally, obligated other carmakers to do the same. The subsidized leasing and zero-interest financing, combined with a hefty shot of fleet sales, juiced the market, driving new-car sales up 24% over the dismal March 2009 total. The March figures portend full-year new-car sales of 11.7 million, which is a lot better than last year, when industry watcher were speculating whether the year would end up below 10 million (it actually finished at 10.4 million). But step back a bit, and you realize that even 11.7 million is still a long way from the 16.8 million average annual sales the industry was enjoying in the decade ending in 2007.
MARCH 2010 SALES VERSUS MARCH 2009 
Nissan North America +43%
BMW Group +3%