During the middle to late 1980s, American car shoppers looking for an economical-yet-sporty two-seater for non-oligarch money had plenty of interesting choices. From Detroit, they could choose a Ford EXP/Mercury LN7 or a Pontiac Fiero. From Europe, Malcolm Bricklin made the Pininfarina-badged Fiat 124 Sport Spider and Bertone-badged Fiat X-1/9 available over here (the Alfa Romeo Spider sold for Corvette money, so we're not including it here), while ships crossed the Pacific carrying Honda CRXs and Toyota MR2s. The latter car, with its light weight and mid-engined design, developed a cult following during its first generation (1985 through 1990 model years in North America) but didn't seem to make as vivid an impression after the second generation debuted for 1991. I've documented first- and third-generation MR2s for this series, and now I've found a good second-gen example in Denver.

Can a self-driving vehicle ever really be as aware of its surroundings as a human being? It would mean for computers to actually learn from past experiences and recognize patterns in order to navigate new and/or unpredictable situations.

Around the turn of the last century, Toyota decided to try to entice more young American car shoppers into their showrooms by offering a cute, cheap subcompact based on the big-selling (in Japan) Vitz and closely-related Platz. This effort led, eventually, to the creation of the "youth-oriented" Scion brand and — because young Americans lusted after trucks more with each passing year — didn't result in the hoped-for firehose-like torrent of yen aimed at Toyota's coffers. Starting in the 2000 model year, the Platz two-door became the Echo Coupe over here, and not many were sold. Still, I think these tough little commutemobiles are interesting, and so I documented this '02 when I saw it in a Colorado yard.

It's not very often that a Formula 1 car hits the market, but later this month, a 2009 Toyota TF109 F1 car will cross the auction block.

Back at the SEMA Show in late 2016, professional drifter Ryan Tuerck unveiled a crazy Ferrari 458 Italia-powered Toyota 86. Professional photographer and YouTuber Larry Chen recently had the opportunity to speak with Tuerck about the epic project and just what makes the car so special.

The Toyota Corolla hatchback has sponged up all the headlines lately thanks to the imminent Corolla Sport GR and "Special Edition." Product planners haven't forgotten about the sedan, according to a piece in Car and Driver, although the goodies on the way are suited for the more conservative sedan buyer. The Apex Sport Package is a cosmetic suite for the mid-grade SE and top-grade XSE trims that should become available "within the next few months." We don't much information on it at the moment, leaving the specific bodywork changes in the category of known unknowns. What is clear is that the 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque won't be touched. Opting for the SE trim opens up the chance to take control with the six-speed manual, but the CVT-equipped SE and XSE are also on the menu.

A set of summer performance tires is how a Corolla fitted with the Apex Sport Package will get more out of its standard mojo. At the moment, the SE and XSE trims come with 18-inch wheels on Michelin or Yokohama all-season tires. Certain Corolla hatchbacks come with asymmetrical Dunlop high-performance all-season tires; a set of extra-sticky summer rubber on the sedan would outdo those.       

Already on sale in North America as the Toyota RAV4 Prime, the plug-in hybrid RAV4 debuts today in the automaker's home country.

Alongside the unveiling of the globally marketed Toyota Hilux, a new Toyota Fortuner SUV also debuted this week with refreshed looks, increased power, and better efficiency. Aiming to balance daily refinement with rugged capability, the updated 7-seater will hit showrooms later this summer In markets such as Australia, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among others.

The Fortuner rides on the same platform as the Hilux, and in Australia, it sits next to the Kluger (Highlander, in America), Prado (Lexus GX, in America), and Land Cruiser 200. The lineup stands as proof that adventure-ready SUVs are currently incredibly popular around the globe and not just in the U.S.

The current Toyota RAV4 already sports quite an edgy and striking design but this particular RAV4 is more head-turning than most thanks to a series of styling changes.

Having over 150 HP in a compact hatchback back in the day meant that you were driving a hot hatch. Today, though, this number has more than doubled, with models like the Honda Civic Type R and Ford Focus RS, to name just two.

Welcome to the interior of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro, Toyota's largest SUV in its lineup. We're in the fancy off-road-ready TRD Pro (new for 2020), but that doesn't make a difference when it comes to the Sequoia's interior storage solutions. 

This truck is huge, both inside and outside. It's imposing and utilitarian, and there are many cubbies and slots for you to put your life's treasures. The video at the top of this post will give you a tour of the various places to put things, but keep reading for testing of said storage compartments.

Toyota updated its popular Hilux pickup with a new look, a more car-like interior, and a more powerful engine. The changes reflect the fact that, even overseas, motorists are increasingly buying trucks as daily drivers.

In the United States, the Hilux is a forbidden fruit. It's tremendously popular in many global markets, however. It has stood proud as Australia's bestselling vehicle regardless of body style since 2016, for example. The competition is getting fiercer, so it needs to stay fresh to remain on top. Although it's not entirely new, the 2020 model receives a long list of visual updates that include a redesigned front fascia with a new grille and LED lights, plastic cladding over the wheel arches, and, on the Invincible X trim, INVINCIBLE lettering on both sides of the bed and on the tailgate, a proclamation that we imagine many owners will gladly put to the test.

Ignore the noise about where the engine and most of the parts come from — BMW. Never mind the comparisons to the last Supra, which was born in a different era and carried a much higher relative price. The 2021 Toyota GR Supra is a phenomenal sports car. Powerful, agile and communicative, it's a genuine performance machine capable of keeping up with more expensive cars on a track or your favorite winding road. Yet, it's also playful and full of character, eagerly wagging its tail around corners and sounding sensational in the process. And although its looks aren't universally adored, our time spent in various Supras would indicate the general public likes it enough to draw impressed stares and thumbs up.

And as we go into below, the Supra lineup expands for 2021. The new four-cylinder model lowers the price of entry, and although it certainly doesn't provide the thrills or speed of the six-cylinder (which was given a significant bump in power this year), it should nevertheless be priced well below similarly powerful luxury-branded sports cars, including its BMW Z4 platform-mate and the Porsche 718 Cayman. Of course, the six-cylinder Supra makes its own compelling value proposition, but it also drives so well that it doesn't have to lean on its price tag to get noticed. 

Premiering alongside the facelifted Toyota Hilux is the refreshed 2021 Toyota Fortuner and while it isn't sold in the U.S., it brings with it some minor revisions that should help it keep pace with the competition in markets including Australia.