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Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Japan, Toyota

Joe Camel spends a night with an R Class, and what do you get? The Toyota Mark X ZiO. Surprisingly stylish, the "new class vehicle" from Toyota is further proof that the rest of the world gets their interesting stuff while we're stuck with the geriatric Corolla, fugly Solara, and various bulbous Utility Giants. The production realization of the FSC concept from 2005, the ZiO is available in two versions, the four-cylinder 240G, or the more sprightly 350G with a 3.5-liter V6. With four large doors and a well appointed interior, not to mention the car-like demeanor, this is a far more useful and practical vehicle than, say, the Highlander. Its pricing puts it in the mid-to-high $20,000s for Japanese consumers -- RAV-4 territory. The target customers are up and coming 30 and 40 year olds, and were it to ever come Stateside, there might be family appeal for people that'd buy a Camry wagon if afforded the choice. Not everyone wants to pretend they're Ivan Stewart.

[Source: Winding Road]

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Toyota, Australia

below image for TRD Aurion gallery. See here for more, too.

A year after it was initially shown in Sydney as the Toyota Aurion Sports Concept, and a few months after a closer-to-production version was displayed in Melbourne, Toyota Australia has officially launched the long-awaited TRD Aurion. While TRD-editions of existing Toyota vehicles have been available in many markets over the years, the TRD Aurion is the first vehicle worldwide to be sold as a TRD -- now established as a new, separate brand under Toyota, like AMG is worldwide for Mercedes, and HSV and FPV are for GM and Ford in Australia.

Viewed as a step up from the Toyota Aurion Sportivo in terms of both equipment, appearance, and performance, the TRD Aurion's greatest asset is its Eaton TVS (Twin Vortices Series) Supercharger, which sees its first production car application here. The blower gives the TRD Aurion over 323 horsepower and a torque peak of 296 lb-ft, which is channeled forward via a six-speed automatic with sequential shift. 0-100km/h (62 mph) takes 6.1 seconds, and the car is limited to a top speed of 155 mph. Neither number is particularly earth-shattering compared to other specialty models, but TRD says that the goal was to achieve all-around balance rather than all-out performance. Combined-cycle fuel economy for the TRD Aurion is 21.5 US MPG.

Follow the jump for more, including multiple press releases from Toyota Australia.

[Source: Toyota Australia]

Softer style, upgraded engine make Scion xB cool for all ages!

2008 Scion xB

Type: A front-wheel drive five passenger vehicle
Retail price*: $15,650
Engine: 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, 158-hp, 164-lbs-ft torque
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, with clutchless shifting
EPA mileage
22 mpg city / 28 mpg highway (both transmissions)
Notes: Be careful with so many ale carte options, the price can quickly climb. *Includes shipping

Report card

Overall: ***
Performance: Good New 2.4-liter engine provides more power and longer wheelbase and wider track create better handling.
Exterior: Good The xB wears its softer edges and bigger size well.
Interior: Good Very nontraditional. Increased space makes it more comfortable but over use of plastic feels low grade.
Safety: Excellent Standard side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, antilock brakes and electronic stability control.
Pros: A well-priced multipurpose vehicle.
Cons: New xB loses some of its funk factor.

The xB is one of the few vehicles you can say has nicely matured and still insult someone who drives one. So Scion owners, please don't take this the wrong way, but the new xB shows signs of growing up.

It's bigger in nearly every dimension compared to the first-generation xB, which created a buzz when it arrived in America from Japan three years ago with a body that seemed carved by a meat cleaver and a too-cool-for-school attitude.

The new xB, rolling into Scion dealerships now, has refined its look with softer edges that make it look like a glamour shot of its former self. The flat-side panels and bay windows have been replaced with more bulging fenders and smaller windows.

This is still not an average-looking vehicle, just a more sophisticated one, especially with its smoother ride, crisper handling, more comfortable interior and an upgraded engine.

At Scion headquarters in Torrance, Calif., executives of Toyota Motor Corp.'s youth oriented brand tout the xB as ugly and brash, as if it were the anti-hero in the prosaic world of sedans, vans and pickups. They may be overstating their case. But this second-generation model looks more mainstream than cult classic -- and could wind up hauling just as many AARP members to early bird specials as its predecessor carried college students to underground German techno parties.

Whether delivering the hip or those with hip replacements, the xB offers passengers lots more when it comes to size. The xB's new platform adds four inches to the wheelbase, 12 inches to its overall length, 2.8 inches to its width and 3.5 inches to its rear track.

The longer wheelbase smooths out the ride, the wider track enhances handling and stretching its overall length adds lots of interior space.

The passenger volume is up more than 10 percent -- to 100.8 cubic feet -- and there's a larger rear storage area. Basically, the xB's shape has gone from toaster to a toaster oven.

Inside, the xB is comfortable and different -- maintaining some of the funkiness that could dissuade more conventional consumers, which should be reassuring to many current Scion drivers.

On the instrument panel, for example, the speedometer and three other gauges are mounted in the center of the dash, replacing the cheaper-looking single gauge in the first-generation xB. That's a big improvement, even though the dash still features large open spaces of plastic and the plastic silver trim feels a bit cheap.

The digital speed readout is another twist that seems at home on this vehicle. Additionally, the gear shifter seems to float out from the bottom of the dash, giving the xB a different feel than other vehicles. It's an interesting presentation

Like all Scions, the xB comes with an assortment of amenities, including electric windows and locks and a six speaker stereo system that can connect to an iPod or other music player. The new xB adds a few more standard features, such as self-locking doors, a cruise information display that gives the driver the outside temperature, current miles per gallon, average speed and a host of other bits of driving information.

From there, Scion encourages buyers to customize the vehicle any way they want, adding everything from 19-inch tires to a supercharger. Scion executives promise at least 40 accessories for the new xB, and additional after-sale items will, no doubt, become available quickly. The xB comes in only one trim level, but it can be upgraded a la carte to the owner's content, limited only by the buyer's budget.