Archive for the ‘2004’ Category

You're well aware that Toyota is recalling the 2004-2009 Prius--among a list of vehicles--for an issue with floor mats. Here at High Gear Media, we have at least two vehicles affected by the recall, both 2004 Toyota Prius hatchbacks, both even the same shade of blue.

One of them's mine, and in the nearly six years we've owned our Prius, it's been relatively fault-free. Early on, we replaced the navigation screen under warranty. Two accidents cost about $3500 each, though they were parking-lot scrapes--the price of very light wheel spindles, suspension A-arms and lots front-end plastic.

Every car company has recalls, and Toyota is no...

On Friday, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned NHTSA to initiate a defect investigation that could potentially cover hundreds of thousands of Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs from model years 1993 through 2004.

According to the group, on these older Grand Cherokee models, the plastic fuel tank actually extends below the bumper, so it's more vulnerable to being punctured in an rear-end or rollover accident. The rear sway bar link bolt is just over an inch away from the tank, according to research from the Motor Vehicle Fire Research Institute (MVFRI), and could puncture the tank in a crash.

"The design is so bad that Chrysler frequently settles...

A new Lotus Esprit is in the works, and reports suggest that like the Evora coupe, the Esprit will get its power from Toyota.

Last year, we brought you the first live photos of the 2009 Lotus Evora from the London motor show. That new 2+2 coupe sports a version of Toyota's corporate 3.5-liter V-6, chosen for reliability and flexibility, Lotus directors said at the world debut.

The Evora is a linchpin in Lotus' strategy to spin off a lineup of vehicles from a single aluminum-body architecture, akin to Aston Martin's strategy. Over the course of the next four years, Lotus promises two more new vehicles--including a replacement for the Elise...