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Category: Toyota

Reviews on latest Toyota cars and used Toyota cars. Test drive and some sharing on driving experience.

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Top 10 Cool Girl Cars

Ladies, l-l-ladies, baby, honey, tell me where you get these cool girl cars? Being a teenage girl, it is a must to get a cool car that suits your look, your age, and your needs. There are so many types of cars out there and you don’t want to drive a car that makes you look ugly. Drive a cool car that makes you look as good as in bikini. If you have no idea of what the cool girl cars are, starts with the list below. On the other hand, you should read our car buying guide too. It is a ten-step guide that will lead you to buy the right car for your life.

Top 10 Cool Girl Cars Attract Ladies

Girls are very particular to everything they own. According to our research, a girl wants everything look good from her head to her toe including the car she drives. Take a look at the street in New York, London, or Morocco, you will see many girls are driving small cars with top interior comforts such as nice leather seats and beautiful dashboard.

1. MINI Cooper

Regardless of hatchback, convertible, coupe or crossover, girls love the MINI Cooper because of its appealing. The MINI Cooper has a fuel economy rating of 29/40 mpg, making it one of the best gas mileage cars available today. Do you know that the pop star Britney Spears and Kristen Stewart are also driving a MINI?

2. Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle has an aggressive look. It’s like a giant turtle running on the road. Inside the car, it features flower vase, vertical windshield, and a color-keyed dash that looks very cute to ladies.

3. Audi TT

The newest Audi TT is so beautiful and highly distinctive. Uniqueness is one big consideration for women when it comes to buying a new car. Furthermore, the Audi TT features all-wheel drive with a very reasonable fuel economy of 23/30 mpg. Gal Gadot and Kate Gosselin are two sexy girls that drive Audi TT.

4. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a little convertible with sports car look. This car accelerates with an inspiring roar from its 167 horsepower four-cylinder engine. It is capable to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds. Girls will fall in love with the speed for sure.

5. Toyota Prius

People love the Toyota Prius because it has a space-efficient body with roomy backseat and cargo area. It also gives the owners an outstanding fuel economy of 51/48 mpg. The price tag of a brand new Toyota Prius starts from just $23,000, making it one of the best-selling cars in the United States. Do you know that Cameron Diaz owns a Prius too?

6. Chevrolet Sonic

The Chevrolet Sonic is one of the cutest car you can buy in the United States. It is small but it is powerful. There are two types of engines for the Sonic – the sporty Ecotec 1.4L turbo or the Ecotec 1.8L. The turbo version is pumping 138hp and 200Nm of torque which is very impressive.

7. Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 is more than just a car. It looks sweet and it will make any girl drive look sweeter. From power to comfort, the Fiat 500 has everything. The base model is providing 101hp and 98 ft-lbs of torque. Speaking about practicality, it scores a fuel economy of 28/34 mpg.

8. Kia Soul

Our team run to the town and interviewed 10 ladies who are driving Kia Soul. Six of them told our reporters that they love the car because of the name “Soul”. It sounds funky and cool. This has once again proof that car names are very important. Nobody wants a car with funny name (see also funny car names).

9. Nissan Juke

For some reasons, there are many websites comment the Nissan Juke as one of the ugliest cars ever built. However, there are many of them on the road and most of them are driven by women. It might be odd for guy but not for women.

10. Honda Fit or Honda Jazz

In the U.S., it is known as Honda Fit. In some Asia countries, it is called Honda Jazz. It doesn’t really matter because both names are nice to hear and girls love the look of this car. The Honda Fit is a fun car to drive with powerful engine and high fuel economy of 29/37 mpg.

In a nutshell, girls prefer something cool, beautiful, and cute. Sensation, temptation, and reasonable vibration are the features that should be found in all the cool girl cars.

September 7, 2015
Weirdest Old Car Features

If you have already seen the top 10 strangest new car features, it is time to see the top 10 weirdest old car features. You will be surprised with these bizarre features because some of them shouldn’t be appeared in the old times. They are like Back To The Future cars popped up in the 50s. Those features were so futuristic that you might not even be able to see them in modern cars in the next few decades. However, these odd features were there many years ago for some reasons. Let’s check them out.

Top 10 Weirdest Car Features Found On Old Cars

To be honest, some of these features are innovative and practical in certain situations but somehow they just appeared once and then disappeared forever.

1. Highway Hi-Fi Phonograph

Starting in 1956, the Highway Hi-Fi Phonograph was offered to a few popular cars such as Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto and Plymouth. The name “Highway Hi-Fi” is referring to a built-in record player manufactured by CBS/Columbia. It was considered a very high-tech features in the mid 50s although the roster of artists available were limited.

2. Rotating Front Seat

The 1961 Buick Flamingo features a rotating front seat where you can revolve it to 180 degree. This allow you to sit face to face and talk to passengers at the back. It feels like sitting in a train, isn’t it?

3. Swing-a-way Steering Wheel

The 1961 Ford Thunderbird features a notable T-bird swing-a-way steering wheel. This is definitely a brilliant idea for easier entry and exit for the driver especially those who has a big belly. Perhaps Mercedes-Benz should consider this features for the newest S-Class?

4. Canvas Dog Sack

The 2010 Honda Element features a Dog Friendly Package that costs $995. In 1935, you can get a canvas dog sack to carry your dog wherever you go. It fits neatly on the running board on most of the old cars. Fortunately, it was never featured on any car.

5. Water-balloon bumpers

There are no such things as airbags back in old times, however, there are water-balloon bumpers. Water-balloon bumpers are one of the weirdest old car features. They are built to collapse and absorb energy force when accident happens. During that time, many vehicles were equipped with water-balloon bumpers. If you see two cars stick together with lots of water on the floor, it means there is a crash had just happened.

6. Headlight Wipers and Washer

If you do notice, there are still some cars on the road come with headlight wipers and washers especially European cars. Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and BMW are a few car brands that features headlight wipers. Are they really practical? I will leave the comment to those who used to drive a car with headlight wipers.

7. Wrist-Twist Steering System

In 1965, Ford brought Robert J. Rumpf, an aerospace engineer, to work on experimental auto designs. The Wrist-Twist steering system was what he came up with. Suppose it is to give the driver a better view of the road and a more comfortable driving experience. In certain situation, this wrist-twist steering system would make parallel parking easier but you should know this design is obviously failed.

8. Automatic Seatbelts

In late 1970s, automatic seatbelts was introduced. Toyota was the first car maker to make automatic seatbelts as standard on the 1981 Toyota Cressida. Automatic Seatbelts are attached to the door and it will automatically move into position around the driver or front passenger once the door is closed. You will definitely get frustrated with the automatic seatbelts if you were living in the early 80s.

9. Swivel Front Seats

The idea of having a swivel seat is to allow the driver or passenger to get in and out to and from the car easier. The 1974 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna Type S-3 is one of the most popular car that comes with two front swivel bucket seats.

10. Cars with Three Wheels

In 1973, a motorbike-look-alike car was introduced, the Reliant Robin. It looks like a bike but it also looks like a car, making it one of the weirdest old cars. It only has three wheels but the rest are a car. The biggest problem of this car is it actually flips over whenever it makes turns.

September 4, 2015
Best Used Cars under $10,000

Looking to buy an inexpensive yet reliable used car? Check out the top 10 best used cars under $10,000 dollars here. These cars are chosen among hundreds of different types of cars available in the U.S, UK and Australia. They are cheap to drive in terms of low running costs such as cheap spare parts, low yearly insurance costs and road tax. Of course, most of these cars come with good gas mileage (miles per gallon) and good safety rating too. Before you begin, you might want to go through our Car Buying Guide.

Toyota Camry (6 Years Old or Older)

A brand new Toyota Camry costs MSRP from $22,970. However, you can get a 6-7 year old Toyota Camry under $10,000 in the market. The name “Camry” is as popular a household car name as you will find. Six or seven years old Camry, it is highly recommended if you are looking for a five-passenger sedan with budget under $10,000. It is good for short or long distance drive.

Honda Civic (5 Years Old or Older)

Thanks to its superb fuel economy (44/47 mpg) and appealing performance, the Honda Civic has been one of the most popular compact cars sold in the America since 1973. Price wise, a new Civic is under $20,000 but a 5-year old Honda Civic is exactly below 10 grand. Inside, the dashboard is made with high quality material and it definitely looks new even it is a used car. See also: 2012 Honda Civic.

Nissan Versa (2 Years Old or Older)

The Nissan Versa is one of the best choices for those who want a close-to-new car. A brand new Nissan Versa Sedan costs around $12,000, thus, you can get a 2-year old Nissan Versa for under $10,000. The Versa is available in sedan and hatchback and both body styles come with first-rate fuel economy, comfortable interior, high resale value, affordable, low running costs, cheap car insurance and more. With all these good ratings, the Nissan Versa is one of the best used cars under $10,000 dollars for anyone.

BMW 3 Series (8 Years Old and Older)

The BMW 3 Series offers a large amount of interior space and great fuel efficiency. It is broken down into 320i, 328i, 328d, 335i and ActiveHybrid 3 models. A brand new BMW 3 Series Sedan costs more than $30,000 but you can get a 8-year old BMW 3 Series just under $10,000. Well, the only drawback with the BMW 3 Series is the short-lived outlook.

Ford F-150 (6 Years Old or Older)

Regardless of Ford F-150 Regular Cab, SuperCab or SuperCrew, a 6-7 year old Ford F-150 costs under $10,000. Thanks to its reliability and powerful engine, millions of F-150s have been sold in the United States and worldwide. Without doubt, it is one of the best used cars under $10,000 for those who are hunting for a superb all-around truck or pickup truck. See also: Ford F150 Repair Manual.

Ford Mustang (6 Years Old or Older)

With a 3.7-liter V6 engine under the hood, the Ford Mustang is probably the fastest cars under $10,000 dollars budget. This is a great option for those who want a fast car with limited budget. The only draw back is the gas mileage is not as good as the other cars in this list because that’s the price to pay for a 300 horsepower car with 270 pound-feet of torque.

Chevrolet Colorado (5 Years Old or Older)

With the same budget, you can also consider a 5-year old Chevrolet Colorado. You can consider Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab, Regular Cab or the Crew Cab. This American-made compact truck comes with a reasonable amount of hauling capability. It could be a value buy for those who need a truck for basic work. Three words – cheap, big, and good.

MINI Cooper (5 Years Old and Older)

The Mini has a long story to tell but you only need to know the changes within the past 5 years because that’s between the buying budgets. With $10,000 or less, you can get the second generation Mini which is R56. The Mini Cooper R56 is available as a two-door hatchback car but it seat four people. With 29/40 mpg, the Mini Hardtop is ranked no 8 in the best gas mileage car list. What you buy is not just comfort and amazing fuel economy but also a superb handling that couldn’t find it in other cars.

Toyota Corolla (5 Years Old or Older)

We have seen the Toyota Corolla in the U.S. since 1968. With almost half a century in the business, the Toyota Corolla is one of the most wanted cars regardless or new or used cars. Consumers on a budget definitely love the Corolla because it is inexpensive, reliable and fuel efficient. A five-year old Toyota Corolla Sedan is just right below ten thousand dollars. Also, the Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car in automotive history and therefore it is chosen as one of the best used cars under $10,000 dollars.

Mazda 3 (4 Years Old or Older)

For $10,000 you can get a close-to-new Mazda 3 compared to other cars in this list. A 4-year old or older Mazda 3 Sedan or Hatchback can be purchased under $10,000. No doubt the Mazda 3 is a small car but you will love the sharp handling. It is an affordable and practical car for teens or for those who just need a car for short distance use.

You might be able to find your next car in the top 10 best used cars under $10,000 list above. Read these tips if you are buying a used car because there are too many things to learn especially if this is your first time buying a car. Also, read the best cars for teenager if you want something else. Instead, if you have a question about buying your next car, share your comment here.

June 3, 2015
Top 10 Best Selling Cars in China 2014-2015
This is the list of top 10 best selling cars in China from 2014 to 2015. The ranking is based on search index provided by China’s leading search engine, Baidu. Therefore, the list of best selling cars in China is 99.99% accurate as Baidu is used by millions of Chinese car buyers almost every day. Among the top 10 highest searched car brands, we don’t see any Chinese car brands although there are about 48 Chinese car makers in today’s China. Also, we don’t see any British car manufacturers in the list too. So, what’s in the list? Are there any car brands Americans love? Yes, there are some and let’s take a look at the list here.

Best Selling Cars in China

1. Volkswagen

If you happen to travel to China, especially big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, you can see Volkswagen almost everywhere. Volkswagen is known as ??, pronounce as Da 4 Zhong 4 in Chinese, which literally means “Public”. No surprise! It is really used by public.

2. Kia

Kia is ranked number 2 for 2015 with 722,902 searches. It is the earliest known Korean car brand founded in 2000. Thanks to the fuel saving technology on all Kia cars, this brand is growing very fast over the years.

3. Toyota

It is Toyota, still need further explanation?

4. Audi

With 538,359 searches, the Audi comes in number four. For sedan, the Audi A4L, A6L, A3, and A8 are most popular. For SUV, the Audi Q5, Q3 and Q7 are popular in China. As for Audi sports cars, the Audi R8, Audi TT and TTS top the list.

5. Ford

One of the longest American car brands Ford comes in number 5 with 528,338 searches. Ford Motor Company is one of the biggest car makers in the world and it is not surprise to see the people in China love Ford.

6. BMW

The German car maker BMW has 507,004 searches in first and second quarter in 2015. BMW fans in China mostly buy BMW 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series for sedan cars. BMW X1, X5, X3 and X6 are made for SUV lovers. As for sports cars lovers, the BMW i8, BMW Z4 and BMW 1 Series are quite popular in China.

7. Peugeot

Peugeot is the only French automaker appears in the list of top 10 best selling cars in China. Peugeot logo is a standing lion and it was founded in 1858 as a bicycle manufacturer. Peugeot 408, 508, 308S, 2008, 3008, 4008 and the RCZ are a few most wanted Peugeot cars in China. See also: List of car brands.

8. Honda

Honda is one of the longest car brands in Japan and it is not surprise to see many of them on the road in China. Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda CR-V, Honda XR-V, Honda HR-V and Honda Civic Type R are those common Honda cars you can see in China. The Honda Civic Type R is loved by younger generation who would bring the car to racing track.

9. Hyundai

Other than Kia, Hyundai is another Korean car maker that enters the China market. The Hyundai ix25 and ix35 are two very popular SUV in China.

10. Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz, the pioneer in automobile history has 417,338 searches in Baidu. There are A to Z of Mercedes-Benz models available in China and people definitely love it due to the safety features. Mecedes-Benz A class, Mecedes-Benz C class, E class, GLA class, GL class, M class, R class and the special Mercedes-Benz SLS, you name it.
1. Chevrolet
2. Buick
3. Changan
4. ChangCheng (Great Wall Motors)
5. Nissan
6. Mazda
7. BYD
8. Porsche
9. Chery
10. Land Rover
Buying a car? No experience? Don’t know what car to buy? Check out our Complete Car Buying Guide for free.
May 18, 2015
Best Six Speed Manual Transmission Cars

Nowadays, there are lesser and lesser manual transmission cars on the road. For stick shift lovers, it is sad to see this situation because there are not much of choices as automakers are cutting down manual transmission cars due to the market needs and traffic regulations. However, it doesn’t stop some car makers to build good cars with three pedals. If you have passed old school driving classes (learning to drive a manual car) and have passions in driving six speed manuals cars, check out the delicious A-list of top 10 best six speed manual transmission cars you can go for.

1. Toyota 86 a.k.a Subaru BRZ a.k.a Scion FR-S

The Toyota 86 (also known as Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S in the US and Canada), is a rear-wheel drive sports coupes developed by Toyota and Subaru. This car is inspired by the legendary Toyota AE86 from 1983 to 1987. Under the hood, it features a 2.0 liter Boxer engine produces 200 PS at 7,000 rpm. Both manual transmission and automatic transmission are available but the six-speed manual transmission accelerates slightly faster. See how a Toyota 86 Drift.

2. Mini John Cooper Works JCW

No doubt the Mini John Cooper Works GP is the faster Mini ever produced but the production is limited. In fact, six speed manual transmission car hunters can go for the Mini John Cooper Works (Mini Cooper JCW). Mini John Cooper works are bred for the track with a 208-hp turbocharged engine. The fun to drive this car is twice as much as the normal Mini Cooper and the handling is superb with a six-speed gearbox.

3. Honda Civic Type R

Honda Civic Type R is Honda’s most powerful car that you would see on the road. It definitely makes everything work for your speed. The close-ratio six-speed gearbox is one great example of this methodology. The latest Honda Civic Type R is powered by a new direct-injection 2.0 liter turbocharged VTEC petrol engine with 306bhp and 400 Nm of torque. The engine red lines at 7,000 rpm and it is definitely one of the best six speed manual transmission cars you can get today. See also: Honda Civic: 100K km does no harm.

4. Ford Fiesta ST Six Speed Manual Transmission

The 197-hp Ford Fiesta ST will never let you down in any situation. Fun, power, handling or cornering, you name it! It is a fun-to-drive car with high quality cabin. Just like the Ford Focus ST, there is a six-speed stick located in between the front seats of the car. Both of them are the few six speed manual transmission cars built by Ford today. If you are looking for an economy small car that feels like a sport car, go for it!

5. Audi R8 Six Speed Manual Transmissions

The incredible Audi R8 comes with an excellent 7-speed S tronic transmission. However, Audi also offers R8 buyers a stick between the front seats. Moreover, you can pair this stick with either a 430-hp V8 or the crazy 525-hp V10 engine. Every shift to the manual gearbox will absolutely give you a “Click” feel.

6. Subaru WRX STI

The Subaru WRX STI features a 2.5 liter that produces 305 hp. With such power that feels like a supercar, the Subaru WRX STI gives you 23 mpg highway and 17 mpg City. For people with the budget below $35,000 dollars, you can access to Subaru official website and use the Build Your Own WRX STI page to build a Subaru. For both Subaru WRX STI and WRX STI Limited, a 6-speed manual is the only transmission Subaru offers.

Other Cars with Six Speed Manual Transmissions

Some other three pedal six speed manual transmission cars that have good reputation:

7. Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – The Cheverolet Camaro Z/28 offers not only maximum comforts but also maximum performance. Unlike some other cars in the list above, a six speed manual is the only transmission offered by Chevrolet.

8. Audi TT RS

9. Honda Civic Si

10. Nissan 370Z NISMO

11. Acura ILX 2.4

12. SRT Viper

13. Chevy Corvette C6 Z06, ZR1 and 427

14. Volkswagen Golf R

15. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

April 1, 2015