Carsut – Understand cars and drive better

Category: Toyota

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

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  • Toyota AE86

    Toyota AE86
    Although the production of Toyota AE86 has only last for five years from 1983 to 1987, the car has unfinishable story to tell. It has been more than two decades since the production stopped but there are still many people sought after this car crazily today. If you own an old Toyota AE86 with or without any modification, one door may open by itself when you go through a hump; the interior smells like cockroach; the car hesitates when accelerating; several mosquitoes flying around inside the car when the door is opened, it doesn’t matter at all. The car is still able fetch a good price with all these defects.

    Toyota AE86 rear view
    Toyota AE86 rear view with ducktail spoiler

    Why? The main reason is because the Toyota AE86 has several stories that make it so popular and sought after by car collectors. In 1983, Toyota launched the AE86 as “yet another Toyota Corolla” without expecting that the car will become so famous. The AE86 comes in two body styles – Toyota Sprinter Trueno and Toyota Corolla Levin. The word Trueno means thunder in Spanish and it has a retractable headlight which is more popular compared to Levin. Levin means lighting in Old English and the headlight is fixed just like the Toyota Corolla E80. They are often called Toyota AE86 Trueno, Toyota AE86 Levin, Toyota Levin AE86, or whatever you call it.

    Toyota AE86 Levin
    Toyota AE86 Levin

    Under the hood, the AE86 is powered by a four-cylinder 4A-GE engine producing 130 PS and 150 Nm of torque. The lightweight body, high torque engine, rear-wheel drive setup and LSD make it one of the best cars to drift. Thanks to the anime and manga Initial D, the AE86 Trueno becomes more and more famous. In 2005, Hong Kong released an Initial D film featuring Jay Chou as Takumi. The film once again makes the AE86 Trueno more popular. See: Toyota 86 drift around two Toyota AE86

    Toyota AE86 gathering
    An original Toyota AE86 gathering

    Other than Initial D, an important person who makes this car popular is our Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya. Tsuchiya creates many motoring series featuring the AE86 and often the AE86 outraces many other famous sports cars including Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda RX-7, and Nissan 180SX.

    Toyota AE86 seat
    An original Toyota AE86 seat

    Today, we can almost see the AE86 in many drift shows and competitions. It is one of the best drift cars ever since the 80s. Don’t blame if your father or grandfather didn’t buy a Toyota AE86 20 years ago because you can now buy a Toyota 86 which inspired by the AE86.

    Now here are some of the Toyota AE86 pictures. You can see some of the cars are painted in different colors although most of them are painted with the famous panda color (black and white). You can also see different types of engines under the hood including 4A-GE 16V, 4A-GE 20V, and 4A-GZE. Some of the engines are NA, some are supercharger, and there is one in the pictures here is powered by a 3S-GE turbo engine. Enjoy!

    Toyota AE86 gallery

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  • World’s fastest car – a Toyota Corolla?

    World's fastest car
    World’s fastest car isn’t the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport or Lamborghini Aventador LP700 but indeed a 1980s Toyota Corolla? This Toyota Corolla DX KE70 has modified with an extra-ordinary exhaust system. It has an eye-catching exhaust tailpipe that come out from underneath of the car and all the way up to the sky. Scary isn’t? Okay, we are joking. Here’s the actual fastest car in the world (2013) list.

  • Toyota 86 Drift Around Two Toyota AE86


    You don’t see this often. This is probably the first time for a Toyota 86 to drift around two Toyota AE86. The drifting was a demo done by a Malaysian drifter Tengku Djan during the 2012 TIMETOATTACK Round 2 at Sepang Circuit. It is electrifying to see a 200hp Toyota 86 to drift in, out, and around the two classic Toyota AE86s. The donut drift and figure eight drift in between two AE86 makes all the audience don’t even flip their eyes! Guess what, this is a stock, unmodified Toyota 86.

  • Honda Insight vs. Toyota Prius

    Honda Insight vs Toyota Prius
    Ladies and Gentlemen, the battle of Honda Insight vs. Toyota Prius is now begins! On the top, both of these cars have a lot look-a-like but under the hood, they have plenty of differences. The Toyota Prius has dominated to the hybrid car market since 1997. It was first launched in Japan in 1997 and went on sales worldwide since 2001. On the other hand, the Honda Insight is a new comer to hybrid market since 2010. Both of them are currently the most interesting and hottest mid-size hybrid cars available in the market and it will be fun to compare them from head to toe.

    Round 1: The Design

    Cargo room: Compare the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight side by side, the Prius has more room for the front seats, back seats, and boot. One of our drivers is 170cm (5’6’) and he is complaining the head room isn’t enough for him when he sits on the driver seat. As for the back seat, Prius tends to have more legroom compared to Insight. When we checked out the back seat of the Insight, we found the low roof line makes the access a little bit tricky. Passengers need to stoop a little bit in order to get into the car to avoid hitting the roof.

    Trunk: At 21.6 cubic feet, the Prius’ trunk is slightly bigger compared to the Insight which has a much smaller backside of 15.9 cubic feet.

    Round 2: Fuel Economy, Performance, and Safety

    Fuel Economy: While the Insight is smaller, it is suppose to be more fuel efficient. It did get 41 city/44 highway mpg but the Prius perform better at 51 city/48 highway mpg.

    Engine: The heart of the Insight consists of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. The combination produces a maximum output of 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. While we take the car up hill with four passengers inside the Insight, the car suffers a little bit at sloppy hill. The Prius is powered by a bigger engine – a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine married to a pair of electric motors. The combine power sends a total output of 134 hp.

    Curb Weight: Honda Insight is 1,237 kg (2,730 lb) and Toyota Prius is 1,380 kg (3,042 lb)

    0-60 mph: The Honda Insight accelerates from 0-60 mph in 10.9 seconds while the Prius did the same in 10.1 seconds. A few tenths slower than the Toyota Prius.

    Round 3: Safety

    Honda Insight: Front airbags, Side airbags, Head airbags, 4-wheel Antilock Brakes System, Electronic Brake Enhancements, Traction Control (Not available on LX model), Stability Control (Not available on LX model), Tire-pressure monitoring system.

    Toyota Prius: Front airbags, Side airbags, Head airbags, Knee airbags for driver, 4-wheel Antilock Brakes, Traction Control (Standard), Stability Control (Standard), Tire-pressure monitoring system.

    Round 4: Interior

    Honda Insight vs Toyota Prius Interior
    The interior of the Prius features a multifunction display which the graphics look like the video games from the ‘80s. When the driver use the steering wheel control, there will be a display appear in the dashboard. Overall, the driving experience is very good and the car is very quite but not until the driver step hard on the gas pedal.

    The interior of the Insight is quite simple and straight-forward compared to the Prius. It features a standard automatic climate control, visual aids, and a speedometer with changeable background color.

    Round 5: Price

    • Honda Insight: MSRP from $18,500 to $21,965
    • Toyota Prius: MSRP from $24,000 to $29,805

    Round 6: Fun Or Not?

    The turning circle diameter is one of the factors to determine whether a car is fun to drive or not. Honda Insight is featured with an electric power steering with a turning cicle of 34 ft. On the other hand, the Toyota Prius has 34.2 ft turning circle diameter for Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Four, and 36.0 ft turning circle diameter for the Prius Five. The Insight is slightly tighter than the Prius but both of the cars are fun to drive and it kills every corner on the road.

    Round 7: What else except Honda Insight and Toyota Prius?

    Other than Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, there are some other hybrid cars in the market that constantly received good reviews from automobile enthusiasts. These cars are Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Civic hybrid, Lexus CT200h, Toyota Camry hybrid, Toyota Prius C, Honda Jazz hybrid and some other vehicles in the Hybrid car list.

    Conclusion

    The Toyota Prius is without doubt a recognized good hybrid car in the market with over millions of units sold. However, consider the economy we are in today, buyers who feel the price of a Prius is high may consider the Insight as an alternative which is nearly as good as the Prius. As for the look, one man’s meat is another man’s poison, we will leave this to the buyers.

  • Toyota Sienna Recalls

    Toyota Sienna
    Here you can find the list of Toyota Sienna recalls from 2009 to present. The list here includes the recall reasons, defects, problems, and potential units affected. Millions of Toyota Sienna have been recalled back to the dealer due to several problems over the years. It is good to know when are the recalls, what are they, and how they are treated especially for those who are looking for used Sienna.

    2012 Toyota Sienna Recalls

    Recall Date: March 23, 2012
    Model Year Affected: 2012
    Defect: About 363 units of Toyota Sienna are suspected to have electrical problems. A malfunction on the remote engine starter could cause the ABS and stability control lost. This will increase the risk of accidents. However, drivers should be noticed by the warning lights on the dashboard whenever a malfunction happens.
    Solution: Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars. Dealers will replace the remote engine starter for free. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-444-1074.

    2011 Toyota Sienna Recalls

    Recall Date: Nov 30, 2011
    Model Year Affected: 2011 – 2012
    Defect: About 210,000 units of Toyota Sienna are recalled for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 110. The reason for the recall is these cars display the wrong placard and may lead to overloading and increase the risk of accidents.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars and mail the correct playcard to every owner whose car is affected. Owners can bring their car to the dealer for a free replacement. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-331-4331.

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    Recall Date: Nov 22, 2011
    Model Year Affected: 2011
    Defect: About 518 units of Toyota Sienna are recalled for damaged A-pillar trim panel retention clip. It may cause the trim panel to come loose and increase the risk of injure to occupants in the event of a crash.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars. Dealers will examine the A-pillar trim panel retention clip and have it replaced for free if it is damaged. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-301-6859.

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    Recall Date: Jun 01, 2011
    Model Year Affected: 2011
    Defect: About 50 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between March 7 and March 10, 2011 are suspected to have problems with the drive shaft. The front, right, drive shaft may break due to insufficient heat treatment. If the drive shaft is break during driving, driver may loss the motive power to control the car. It will increase the risk of accidents.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars and have the drive shaft inspected by technician. It will be replaced FOC if the drive shaft is not correctly manufactured. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-331-4331.

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    Recall Date: Dec 13, 2010
    Model Year Affected: 2011
    Defect: About 94,126 units of 2011 Toyota Sienna are potentially affected. A bracket which mounts the brake stop lamp could be damaged and this could result in brake drag, brake noise, vibration, or a possible illumination of the brake warning light. It is important to have it fixed to reduce the risk of a crash.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars and have the bracket replaced for free. Owners will get notification once the parts are available. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-331-4331.

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    Recall Date: Feb 03, 2010
    Model Year Affected: 2011
    Defect: About 153,418 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 are suspected to have wrong label for the loading weight. Any cars are dangerous to drive if they are overload.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars and mail them the corrected label. Owners can also drive in to dealers to replace the label for free. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-301-6859.

    2010 Toyota Sienna Recalls

    Recall Date: Apr 20, 2010
    Model Year Affected: 2010
    Defect: This recall affected about 600,000 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between August 7, 1997 and Jan 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Affected cars are suspected to have bad spare tire carrier assembly cable. A crash may occur if the cable is break and the spare tire may separate from the car.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-331-4331.

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    Recall Date: Feb 03, 2010
    Model Year Affected: 2010
    Defect: About 271,417 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between 2005 and 2010 are affected. The recall is due to these cars are sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels. Overloading may increase the risk of a crash.
    Solution:Toyota will mail their consumers the corrected label and also correct the owner’s manual. Owners can also drive in to nearestToyota dealers to replace the label for free. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact Gulf States TOYOTA at 713-580-3300.

    2009 Toyota Sienna Recalls

    Recall Date: Jun 15, 2009
    Model Year Affected: 2009
    Defect: About 27,080 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between 2005 and 2010 are recalled. The reason of the recall is these cars were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels. Overloadding could increase the risk of a crash.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars and mail them the corrected label free of charge. Owners can also drive in to dealers to replace the label for free. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA Motor North America at 1-888-270-9371.

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    Recall Date: Apr 20, 2010
    Model Year Affected: 2009
    Defect: This recall affected about 600,000 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between August 7, 1997 and Jan 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Affected cars are suspected to have bad spare tire carrier assembly cable. A crash may occur if the cable is break and the spare tire may separate from the car.
    Solution:Toyota will notify owners of the affected cars. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-800-331-4331.

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    Recall Date: Jun 25, 2009
    Model Year Affected: 2009
    Defect: About 2,204 units of Toyota Sienna manufactured between 2006 and 2009 are recalled due to the incorrect GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) label. Overloading a vehicle could result a risk of a crash.
    Solution:Toyota will notify their customers. Owners of the Toyota Sienna or Lexus can return their vehicle to the nearest dealer and have the label replaced. A correction to the owner’s manual will be provided too if it is necessary. Owners who suspect their car is affected may contact TOYOTA at 1-888-270-9371.

    Conclusion

    There are known recalls for Toyota Sienna model year 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 ever since the model launched in 1998. Some are serious defect while some are not. Although some recalls aren’t serious issue but it seems ridiculous especially the load carrying capacity label which has several recalls over the years. For more information, please click here for Toyota Sienna recalls from 1998 – 2008.