Lexus Hybrid 2012

Lexus Hybrid 2012

Due to the constant rise in fossil fuel prices, hybrid cars are getting more and more popular these days. A hybrid vehicle uses the combination of the traditional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The result of this combination is a vehicle with better fuel economy and even better performance compared to conventional vehicles. Hybrid vehicles exist in the form of hybrid cars, trucks, as well as buses.

Lexus is one of the several car brands that have implemented this green technology into their cars. Lexus is a luxury vehicle division of the Toyota Motor Corporation, which happens to be the world's largest car manufacturer. The first Lexus hybrid car was introduced in the year 2004. Ever since, this marque has committed to produce more hybrid cars for the auto market. As a matter of fact, in 2009, Lexus sold more hybrid cars than conventional petroleum-based cars in the European market. Shortly after that, the company announced plans to become a hybrid-only brand in Europe.

According to Takeshi Uchiyamada, the Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Company, the company plans to release six new hybrid vehicles by the end of 2012: four under the Toyota brand, and the other two are from Lexus. The 40-mpg-plus 2012 Lexus CT 200h sporty compact hybrid is strongly predicted to be one of these two Lexus hybrids.

Lexus Hybrid 2012 - Features

First introduced in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show as the 2011 model year, the CT 200h is one of the latest petrol/electric hybrid cars from Lexus. The 2012 edition of the CT 200h, however, will not feature any major changes from its predecessor. This hybrid compact car is smaller than the other Lexus hybrid, the HS 250h. The 2012 CT 200h is classified as a 5-door compact hatchback with front engine, front wheel drive engine layout. It comes equipped with a 1.8 liter VVT-I 4-cylinder petrol engine, the same engine used by the highly popular mid-size hatchback Toyota Prius. This engine can generate up to 98 horsepower and 142 Nm of torque. When combined with the electric generator of the hybrid rive system, both engines can produce 134 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque. According to a study done in Australia, the 2012 CT 200h only consumes 4.1 liter for 100 km use. Imagine how much money you could save!

A driver can choose whether to drive the car with either one or the combination of the petrol/electric engine. Each option contributes to acceleration balance and fuel economy. This car does not require plug-in charging, because the electric engine recharges as the car moves. A driver can choose one of these four different powertrain modes: Normal mode for daily driving, Eco and Sport modes for high-economy, sporty driving, and EV mode which allows the car runs at 28 mph per 1 mile using electric power only.

The 2012 Toyota Camry: More Than Manufacturer Hype?

Camry lovers across the world agree that Toyota has been very complacent over the last few years when it comes to this model. It seems as if Toyota's darling, the Prius, was getting all of the attention and media buzz. You can't really blame the automotive editors or the consumers they serve; the company did very little to keep the Camry fresh or interesting to buyers. Of course, sales began to slip as you might expect. Buyers began to bail to the new Accord, Fusion, and Malibu, all of which offered significant updates in terms of both form and function. The 2012 Camry is sure to bring a few back to their brand of preference, however.

For 2012, Toyota thought that a complete overhaul was in order. They were right. The Camry L and LE are exactly what Toyota needed to give the American car market: a well-appointed, comfortable family sedan with fuel efficiency that tops 35 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in the city. That is very impressive fuel economy for a non-hybrid sedan of this size. Consumers might worry that luxury or performance were sacrificed to reach these EPA fuel ratings, but they needn't worry. Neither car is underpowered or under-appointed. If you want sporty, skip over the SE and head to the V6 XLE. The additional appointments and comfort mask a frisky six that makes it hard to stay within the legal speed limits.

The redesign did not stop with the gasoline only models. Toyota went for a revamp of the Camry Hybrid as well. In the past, the regenerative braking felt somewhat "out of body" and the sudden shifts from gasoline to electric could be too abrupt, shocking the driver. For 2012, Toyota has smoothed and refined these systems. The new model offers seamless changes from gas to electric without sacrificing the fuel efficiency for which you buy a hybrid in the first place. The old model offered 31 mpg around town and 35 mpg on the highway, while the new version gets 39 mpg on the open road and 43 mpg around town. The XLE falls a little short of that at 41/38 city/hwy mpg for the XLE model.

Hopefully, the new upgrades and styling will save the Camry from the fate of models that failed to stay current in our increasingly dynamic automotive marketplace. No one wants to see the Camry on the list of discontinued cars.

Best Toyota FJ Cruiser Features

The Toyota Motor Company makes some great SUV and off-road vehicles and the FJ Cruiser is one of the stars of that lineup. The car starts at a base price of $24,180 and offers some great features to potential buyers. There are three different varieties of the FJ Cruiser available which include a 2WD auto version and 4WD version available in both auto and manual. We have taken a look at these features and have chosen which ones we think stand out the most.

My favorite feature of the FJ Cruiser has got to be its unique styling. This car does not look like any other car on the road and I really think a lot of customers are drawn to this very unique look. The exterior is covered with a two tone paint job with the main body one color and the roof being colored white. With only two normal sized doors on the car it also has a very sporty look for a large car like this. The front and rear lights are unique as well as they protrude a great deal from the body of the car and offer some added styling to the overall look.

Another great feature is the water resistant seat that comes standard on all FJ Cruiser models. Having these water resistant seats is an excellent idea and almost a must on an outdoor off road vehicle like this. With these seats drivers and passengers won't have to worry when they are entering and leaving the vehicle during harsh weather conditions.