By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Toyota has become well known for its environmentally friendly vehicles.

The best example is the hybrid Prius, which has become an unqualified sales success in the 21st Century. The fuel-sipping Prius is the status symbol of the so-called environmentally correct, one of only two vehicles in 2007 that exceeded 35 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving as measured by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The flags at the top of the ski slope directed us straight down hill, about 2,000 feet of rock-strewn mountain side during the off-season at Big Sky resort near Bozeman, Montana.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Uninspired styling and ordinary gas mileage will not deter buyers from purchasing in large numbers the all-new Toyota Highlander crossover utility vehicle.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Ted Biederman and Jim Meachen

Toyota decided to take the safe road in the long-awaited redesign of its incredibly best-selling Corolla compact sedan.

This 10th generation Corolla edition is instantly recognizable first as a Toyota and then as a Toyota Corolla. And that was surely the intent. Likewise, a new 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine making 132 horsepower is responsive enough to satisfy most people, and its very fuel efficient with just six more horses than the previous engine. Nothing much new there, either.

By Ted Biederman and Jim Meachen

Our first experience with the sub-compact Toyota Yaris nearly two years ago was not a good one. Our 2007 Yaris test car was a modern rendition of the celebrated stripper of the past, a car with four doors, a steering wheel and an engine. A positive impression was not derived from our seven days behind the wheel.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Several people questioned us about the Venza during our recent week behind the wheel of a V-6 model of the new Toyota.

It’s not unusual to get into conversations about a vehicle seen for the first time. It’s legitimate curiosity for shoppers of a family- type hauler or for people just mildly interested in new automotive products.

By Al Vinikour
MotorwayAmerica.com

Mention matrix to someone under 30 and chances are they’ll equate it to the series of hit movies starring Keanu Reeves. Mention matrix to a mathematician and he’ll get all wild in the eyes and start to hyperventilate. Mention matrix to a car guy and he’ll think Toyota Matrix, a compact hatchback developed off the Corolla platform (and often referred to as the Corolla Matrix).

By Al Vinikour
Special to MotorwayAmerica

Full discloser: I’ve been a Toyota Camry fan since they were first introduced in North America as a relatively ugly compact car called the Celica. Over the years the vehicle grew into a mid-sized family car and in 1988, production for North American vehicles began at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant. For more than a decade – with few exceptions – Camry has been the best-selling car in the United States. The mere sight of a Camry doesn’t pose a threat to those with high blood pressure but Camry’s reputation for quality and reliability has been one of its strongest selling points.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

A combination of uncertain gas prices, the severe economic downturn, and a flood of competing crossovers sent the once wildly popular mid-sized Toyota 4Runner over a cliff.

Only 19,675 4Runners were sold in the U.S. in 2009, a far cry from four straight years of 100,000 sales or better earlier in the decade.