By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada

Japan’s Toyota seems serious about changing its image as an appliance maker. After last year’s compact Toyota FT 86/Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ rear-wheel-drive triplets were so well received by driving enthusiasts and the media, a second, larger Toyota sports car now seems imminent. And the automaker’s incoming chairmen, Takeshi Uchiyamada, is pushing hard for that car to be reminiscent of Toyota’s iconic Supra from the 1990s.

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

As the old marketing axiom goes, it costs a lot less to keep a customer than win a new one, and America’s Ford continues to lead in keeping its customers coming back to its showrooms.

According to the U.S.-based Polk research firm, for the fist three months of 2013, Ford continues to win back customers with a brand loyalty rate of 65.1 per cent among new vehicle owners — the best in the industry. Toyota ranked second at 58.5 per cent, with Honda coming in third spot with a 57 per cent score. Chevrolet (56.2 per cent), and Mercedes-Benz and Nissan (tied at 55.9 per cent) rounded out the top six brands.

There always has to be losers in these types of reports. And sitting at the bottom of the surveyed brands was Mazda at 37 per cent. However, that’s a 7.8 per cent improvement from Polk’s rating from the first quarter of 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada

OTTAWA – As our own Mark Atkinson has already written, Toyota is taking some bold steps with its new 2014 Toyota Corolla compact sedan to keep it relevant in a segment chock-a-block with competition from rival top-sellers like the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

Well, the waiting is over. Toyota has taken the wraps off its all-new 2014 Corolla early and at least in certain trims levels and angles, the car is much better looking than we were expecting. The car benefits from a 10-cm stretch in overall length and an equal increase in wheelbase, but thankfully Toyota worked to keep its curb-weight down to just over 1,300 kg.

The sporty S package gets a deeper front grille, 17-inch wheels and foglights, but remains mechanically identical to the rest. That means a 132-horsepower 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine powering the front wheels. Transmission choices are eight a six-speed manual or all-new  'intelligent' CVT that replaces the ancient four-speed automatic of old. There's also a new LE Eco model, which - bizarrely - gets a more powerful version of the same engine (140-hp vs. 132), along with aerodynamic tweaks and low-rolling-resistance tires.

he interior looks to be a complete revelation from the previous generation thanks to more expensive materials and a design that didn't originate in the late '90s. Standard features like Bluetooth handsfree and eight airbags will certainly help in this incredibly tight and competitive market...

We'll have a first-drive article up on the main MSN Autos Canada site reasonably soon, which should give more details regarding how the car drives, along with pricing and fuel-economy expectations.

But just glancing at the pictures, do you think Toyota's done enough with the latest Corolla? Can it start taking bigger chunks of sales away from the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Mazda3? Let us know in the comments.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

We've talked about the kartSTART program before. It's a fantastic way to teach kids as young as 8 years old not only how to drive, but also the importance of vehicle dynamics and safety. Fellow journalist and ex-racer Russ Bond has done fantastic work since the program's launch a few years ago, and has slowly been expanding not only its popularity, but also its reach.

Essentially, the program gives kids one-on-one attention from highly trained instructors with basics like accelerating, braking, turning in a vehicle that's their own size: a kart. And kartSTART also works with the entire family by going through all of the various new safety systems found on new vehicles and how they work in real life.

Now, with Toyota Canada's continued sponsorship, kartSTART is expanding its schedule to five provinces this summer. Starting in mid-July and stretching through the end of August, the program will be visiting karting facilities in Chilliwack, BC; Calgary, AB; Innisfil, ON, Montreal, QC and Halifax, NS. They estimate being able to educate over 1,000 children over the course of the summer.

For a more detailed schedule and information, or to enroll your family in the program, visit kartSTART.ca.

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

As previewed by the Furia concept (seen above) from this year’s Detroit auto show, we already know Japan’s Toyota has an all-new version of its compact Corolla sedan hitting showrooms this fall as a 2014 model. But in a segment chock-a-block with competitive products like the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Jetta, is Toyota doing enough to make its next Corolla a class leader?

 By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

Last week in Paris, Japan’s Toyota revealed its new Me.We Concept. Unlike most show cars these days, the Me.We doesn’t brag about having a gazillion horsepower or is jammed with leather-this or power-that or more infotainment goodies than you’ll find at home. Instead, the Toyota concept is more like what an Apple iPod is compared to your grandparents’ hi-fidelity home stereo system; taking the less is more approach.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

When I was an impressionable teen, cars were cars and trucks were trucks. The only SUVs at the time were based on trucks and were celebrated for their truckishness. Beyond the seminal Jeep Cherokee and full-size offerings from GM and Ford, the SUVs people my age really wanted were the Japanese mid-sizers from Toyota and Nissan. The 4Runner and Pathfinder were cool and capable when things from Japan were just built right and the Big Three hadn't turned the quality corner yet.

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos

It’s been five years since a new automobile plant opened in Canada. And the news this week that Nissan’s North American production expansion plans do not include our country makes us wonder: Will we ever see a new car plant be built in Canada again?

Since the Great Recession of 2008, global automakers have been shying away from Canada when it comes to so-called “greenfield” manufacturing commitments. Honda's new engine plant in Alliston, Ontario and Toyota's RAV4 assembly plant in Woodstock, Ontario in 2008 are the most recent, while Toyota has announced that it will add a new assembly line to its existing Cambridge, Ontario facility to start building Lexus RX 450 gas-electric hybrid crossovers next year. But the idea of an automaker building an all-new automaking facility in Canada seems as ancient an idea as the 1960s’ Auto Pact.

Bing: What is the Auto Pact?

For example, take Nissan’s North American expansion plans. The Japanese automaker currently builds vehicles in the U.S. and Mexico. But as part of a global effort to expand its Infiniti luxury brand, and in addition to producing the Infiniti JX crossover alongside its Nissan Pathfinder platform-mate in a Nissan pant in Tennessee, Nissan says it is considering adding a second production site in North America. But even after federal Industry Minister Christian Parades traveled to Japan to try and persuade Nissan to built the new Infiniti plant in Canada, Nissan Americas Chairman Colin Dodge told Automotive News that Canada is not on the list.

Now, Nissan hasn’t disclosed why its removed Canada from the list. In the past, the high cost of Canadian auto worker salaries and benefits (relative to some of their American and Mexican counterparts) and the lack of taxpayer-funded incentives to entice automakers here, have been cited as the two main reasons why a new auto plant in Canada is simply not going to happen any time soon.

A good example of what Canada is competing against comes from an announcement this week from Toyota. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has approved a $146.5 million U.S. tax incentive package to lure Toyota into expanding its Georgetown, Kentucky factory to start building its Lexus ES sedan there. Since it opened in 1988, the Kentucky pant has been the main production site for Toyota Camry sedans. With Toyota kicking in $531.2 million, the plant expansion could add up to 750 jobs on top of the 6,600 current workers.

Compared to the Kentucky, Toyota’s recent arrangement with the federal and Ontario governments for the new RX 450 hybrid expansion looks less attractive. Instead of outright tax breaks, Toyota is receiving $34 million Cdn. in “repayable contributions” after investing $125 million of its own money.

So what do you think? Do you feel Canadian governments should use taxpayer money to offer more subsidies to automakers to lure them to Canada? Should the autoworkers take lower salaries? Or are these sacrifices too high for the benefits of more manufacturing jobs?

Source: Automotive News

By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos 

All of its rivals have a head start. Some are already in their second-generation models. But from the What the Heck Took So Long department, it looks like Toyota’s premium Lexus brand has finally decided to jump into the exploding small SUV/crossover market.

A report from Automotive News says Lexus will unveil a concept of a new compact crossover at this fall’s Tokyo auto show, followed by the unveiling of the production version at the 2014 Geneva show, next March. The new-for-Lexus luxury cute-ute should then go on-sale in late-2014 as a 2015 model.