Toyota Tacoma V6 First Review: More Modern, More Efficient, More Capable 2016

Ever since Toyota's little truck was actually little, it has earned a strong reputation for rock-solid reliability and tough, capable off-road performance. When it became the Tacoma, that reputation -- and the size of the truck -- grew. The Tacoma has a fantastic resale value, earning the top spot in Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards. It dominates sales in its segment -- the current generation of Toyota's midsize pickup makes up about half of all midsize pickup sales. But as new competition comes to the segment, and the Tacoma continued to age, it was time for an upgrade. And it got a big one for 2016

The Tacoma already had a solid foundation. Its frame is tough enough to handle fairly serious off-roading, and the truck manages to have a nice balance of being easy to park yet offering enough room to carry five passengers and gear. Toyota retained the same frame design, using more high-strength steel, a move that reduced weight while increasing rigidity. The wheelbase is the same, but the truck is longer and wider. Toyota took advantage of the new dimensions to improve interior packaging, increasing leg-, shoulder and hip room in the Access and Double Cabs

New look

The Tacoma's cool new look was inspired by Toyota's off-road race truck heritage. While it still has visual cues that align with previous Tacomas, the new muscular, bold style sets it apart. LED daytime running accent lights are available and there are four wheel and tire combinations, ranging from 16- to 18-inch, and eight exterior colors, three of which are new

We started our drive in the 2016 Tacoma by taking it on the roads near Tacoma, Washington. Our Double Cab is powered by the new Atkinson cycle 3.5-liter V6 with direct and port injection (Toyota's D4S system), which has a self-cleaning feature to remove deposits from the high-pressure fuel injectors. The V6 uses an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission and puts out 278 horsepower, 42 more than the previous 4.0-liter V6 did (with a nominal reduction in torque). Fuel economy is considerably better (the best is an estimated 19 city/24 highway versus the best 2015 V6's 17 city/21 highway). Acceleration is strong and linear, and while mashing the throttle won't snap your head back, there is a clear improvement in power over the 2015 model. The V6 is also available with a 6-speed manual. The 2.7-liter I4, still with 159 horsepower and fuel economy of 19 mpg city/23 highway, carries over. Most 4-cylinder Tacomas will come with the 6-speed automatic, but a 5-speed manual is also available

Changes to the suspension plus the tweaks to the frame make the 2016 Tacoma feel more planted and more stable on-road. Handling feels better, and the ride is comfortable and compliant. The brakes, still discs in front and drums in the rear, use an all-new braking system that has a confident and linear feel

Ready to Work

Toyota has made the Tacoma more capable and easier to use. The lockable tailgate is damped, so it opens quietly and with ease. A new lockable 3-piece hard tonneau cover is available. Buyers still have a choice of 5- or 6-foot beds, but the bed is now deeper, so it can accommodate more cargo. Both towing and payload capacities are higher, the former is now 6,800 pounds up from 6,500, while the latter is 1,620 pounds, up from 1,500

Off-road, the highly capable Tacoma has new features that make trail rides less stressful. Ground clearance is now 9.4 inches at the rear axle, up a bit from 2015. Cool new optional features, such as Crawl Control, works with the 2-speed transfer case to make for fun forays into the backcountry. With this, you set the speed (always low), and the system controls engine and brake torque at each wheel. You don't touch the throttle or brake; Crawl Control takes care of it for you while you focus on steering. We used it on steep grades, both up- and downhill, and it worked beautifully. The new Multi-Terrain Select system, another first in a midsize truck, lets you choose the mode based on the ground you want to drive on, including loose rock, mud and sand, and rock

Tacoma vs. Colorado/Canyon

The new Tacoma doesn't make as dramatic a splash as the Colorado and Canyon did in 2015, but it doesn't have to. It was already a strong competitor; Toyota worked on what needed to be improved, making a relatively old truck new again, and even more competitive. When it comes to cross-shopping the three newest members of the midsize truck segment, buyers will discover each has different priorities. The Colorado and Canyon have interiors that are more like a small SUV or a crossover. They can tow a bit more; have better fuel economy and more horsepower in the I4 and V6. But the Tacoma offers fantastic resale value, tried-and-true reliability, excellent off-road prowess, better payload capacity and convenience and safety features that aren't available in the Canyon and Colorado

When it goes on sale in September, pricing for the 2016 Tacoma will start at about $24,000 for the SR (the work truck), and the 4WD V6 Double Cab will start at around $38,000. People who like the current Tacoma will be thrilled with what Toyota has to offer

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Volvo S60 2016

Broadening the scope of its original on/off-road-oriented wagons, the 2016 Volvo S60 Cross Country will be the automaker's first luxury sedan to wear that iconic name - and to offer the same level of active-lifestyle capability. Getting its global unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show, Alain Visser, Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing and Customer Service says Volvo created the S60 Cross Country to fill an empty niche in the market for a luxurious crossover sedan that combines rugged design cues and a high profile that can deliver the kind of benefits found in a conventional crossover

Like its wagon counterpart first seen last November in Los Angeles, U.S.-spec versions of the 2016 S60 Cross Country will feature standard all-wheel drive and have suspension revisions raising its ride height by 2.5 inches. Other visual include a restyle grille insert and lower front fascia details, plastic fender spats, a unique side sill treatment and a choice of aggressively styled 18-inch and 19-inch wheels wrapped in high-profile tires that help protect the rims from damage while adding comfort and reducing road noise

At launch, the new S60 Cross Country will be fitted with Volvo's inline-5 gasoline engine rated at 250 horsepower and mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Like all other members of the automaker's lineup, expect to see the new family of Drive-E 4-cylinder turbo engines backed by an 8-speed autoshifter eventually added. Pricing for the 2016 Volvo S60 Cross Country will be announced closer to its on-sale date, but is expected to start around $40,000

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Toyota Mirai 2016

Toyota's Fuel Cell Vehicle, which was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last year, now has a name: Mirai, which means "future" in Japanese.  This new production model lays out Toyota's vision for hydrogen as the future fuel for automobiles. The Mirai is a midsize 4-door sedan said to have a range of 300 miles on a single tank of compressed hydrogen. Designed to be fun to drive, Mirai's fuel cell stack produces 153 horsepower enabling it to reach 60 mph in about nine seconds. It's also expected to be as quiet as a Lexus hybrid. An interesting feature of the Mirai is that in the event of an emergency, the car can serve as a generator. There's an outlet in the trunk for that purpose, and the Mirai can power appliances in a home for up to a week

It takes about five minutes to fill the tank, and the only emission from the fuel cell is water vapor. Toyota is helping companies that are developing the hydrogen infrastructure, so the number of refueling stations will continue to increase

High style

One of the biggest standout features of the 2016 Toyota Mirai is its styling. When the Prius arrived in the U.S., the reason for its looks was twofold: functional necessity, plus the goal of making the Prius look unlike anything else on the road. The Mirai uses a similar mix of form and function. The front end's shape helps draw in air. Both the roof and underbody ensure air flows smoothly over and under the car, improving aerodynamics. And you can't confuse the Mirai for any other car out there

That mix of form and function is also apparent inside. Along the top of the dash there's a widescreen showcasing several key pieces of information, including range, speed and the "Ready" indicator that indicates the car is running. For one section of the display, you can toggle through different screens by using buttons on the steering wheel. The most useful is the power/regeneration screen, which is similar to the one you'd find in a Prius. As your eyes move down the center stack, there are unique swooping flourishes that break up the black dash. The car's shifter is nearly identical to the Prius. Below that is the climate control, which doesn't use knobs or buttons. There are two sliders, one for the driver and one for the passenger. You run your finger along the slider to raise or lower the temperature. Despite some similar components, this isn't a Prius interior; it's more luxurious. The dash and doors use generous amounts of soft-touch materials, the seats are covered in exceptionally soft leather and there are carbon fiber accents

24/7 support

The 2016 Mirai will come with concierge service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Three years of Toyota Care maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance are included, and the warranty on the fuel cell components is for 8 years/100,000 miles. On sale first next month in Japan, Mirai sales roll out in regionally in the U.S. a year from now with about 200 units in California, followed by the Northeast in 2016 as production ramps up. Shoppers will have a choice of buying or leasing the $57,500 Mirai. Toyota expects most customers will opt for the $499 per month for 36 months lease plan.  However, that price is before incentives, which could bring the price down to under $45,000

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Scion iM 2016

Unveiled at last April's New York auto show, this addition to the Scion lineup is presented as all-new for 2016, which is true-as far as the U.S. market is concerned. In other markets-Europe, for example-it's some three years into its product cycle, it's known as the Auris, and it wears Toyota badges. The Scion brand, of course, was created for, and is limited to, the U.S

Scion classifies the iM as a subcompact, but this 5-door is only slightly smaller than the hatchback version of the compact Ford Focus, a car that Scion cites as a key iM marketing target

Save for the addition of a body kit and 17-inch alloy wheels (standard), the Scion team hasn't altered the iM's styling in preparation for the U.S. market. This is not a bad thing-the exterior has a sassy, sporty look. It doesn't exactly turn heads, but it's no wallflower

Seductive interior

The interior is more seductive, with supportive seats, an attractive control layout, a 7-inch info screen, a 6-speaker Pioneer audio system, quality materials, soft touch surfaces, and an extensive array of standard features including air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel with a tilt/telescope column, pushbutton start,  Bluetooth, a USB port and a rearview camera

The iM is supported up front by MacPherson struts, an all-but-universal setup in this class. But there's a multilink arrangement at the rear, another element that's a notch above basics among compact hatchbacks

Power is supplied by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder, essentially the same engine that propels the Toyota Corolla. In this application, it's rated for 137 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. There are two transmission choices-a 6-speed manual (standard), and a continuously variable automatic (CVT)

More than 30 mpg combined

Officially a CVTi-S 7-speed A/T in Scion-speak, the automatic has seven simulated shift points programmed into its computer control, diminishing the slipping clutch sensation that's been a CVT turnoff to many in the past. With the standard 6-speed, the iM is EPA rated for 27 mpg city, 36 on the highway, 31 combined. The CVT version is projected one mpg better across the board

While the iM's powertrain generates respectable mpg numbers, the acceleration that goes with the economy-oriented engine tends toward ho-hum, in tepid contrast to the standard engines in compact hatchback top dogs. The 2.0-liter four in the Focus, for example, is rated for 160 hp. The 1.8-liter turbo 4-cylinder in the VW Golf churns up 170 hp. The 2.0-liter SkyActiv four in the Mazda 3 is rated for 155 hp, and the base engine in the Kia Forte makes 148 hp. There are others, and most of the cars in this class offer upgrade engines with even more muscle

Solid chassis

On the other hand, the iM gives a good account of itself on the road. Chassis solidity measures up with the best in class, and the iM's responses are athletic, with the right level of damping to smooth out all but the sharpest bumps. The electric power steering could be a little more precise, as could the engagements of the manual transmission. Still, it's hard to imagine anyone being dissatisfied with the iM's dynamics

Like other Scion vehicles, the iM comes in a single trim, with almost no options. The MSRP for the manual transmission version is $19,255, add $740 for the CVT. While there are other compact hatchbacks with lower base prices, none offer the iM's array of standard features. Overall, the 2016 Scion iM has a strong value story

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Scion iA First Review 2016

The auto industry has a long history of pragmatic alliances, often resulting in surprising marketing arrangements. And the new Scion iA provides an excellent example of the phenomenon. It's built by Mazda, in Mexico, and it's basically a Mazda 2, the company's subcompact sedan

Mazda sold a hatchback version of the 2 in the U.S. but disappointing volumes led to its disappearance. Mazda refrained from offering the sedan version to American buyers, but Toyota's Scion division is poised to do so

The car that will roll into showrooms is essentially all Mazda. The front fascia is supplied by Toyota, and Toyota consulted with Mazda regarding interior appointments. But beyond that, it's Mazda's chassis, sheetmetal, and powertrain

Fiesta fighter

At 171.7 inches in length on a 101.2-inch wheelbase, the iA is similar in size to Ford's Fiesta sedan, though the Fiesta is almost two inches longer and nearly an inch wider. Like almost all cars today, regardless of size, the iM is rated as a 5-passenger vehicle, and like all the cars at this end of the spectrum the center rear seat is uninhabitable for any human much over three feet tall

Similarly, though there is actual legroom in the outboard rear seats, there isn't much of it, and putting a couple adults back there requires considerable cooperation from those up front. But this, too, can be said of many subcompact automobiles

However, if passenger volume is typical of the class, a couple other elements are not. For one, interior materials are a cut or two above what one might expect to find in a car priced under $17,000. For another, the standard equipment inventory includes a rearview camera, automatic climate control, push-button start, tilt/telescope steering, a pair of USB ports, 6-speaker audio, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a 7-inch touch screen display set up for navigation, one of very few iA options. A tachometer is conspicuous by its absence, but with this powertrain it's pretty much extraneous

Styling a cut above

Like the interior, the iA's styling looks a cut or two above its class and price. The front fascia looks more like contemporary Toyota than Scion, but it lends a sporty touch to a slick package, and the standard 16-inch alloy wheels-as distinct from the more common steel wheels with plastic covers-raise the car's curbside appeal

The suspension components-MacPherson struts front, beam axle at the rear-are standard fare for most subcompacts, but the combination of firm tuning, a solid chassis, and a sharp electric power steering system add up to a level of agility that rates with the best in this class

It may be that some will find the ride quality a little stiff. But be that as it may, the iA is nimble. The badge may say Scion, but there's Mazda zoom zoom in the reflexes

Pre-collision system standard

The safety inventory includes yet another feature you wouldn't expect in this class-Scion calls it the Low-speed Pre-Collision System. Like other similar systems, sensors determine whether the driver is paying attention in sluggish urban traffic (between 2 and 18 mph), and if system brain concludes that intervention is warranted, it's capable of stopping the car

If there's any soft suit in the iA resume, it's power. Mazda's 1.5-liter engine is tuned for fuel economy, and it delivers: 31 mpg city, 41 highway with the standard 6-speed manual transmission, according to the EPA, 33/42 with the optional 6-speed automatic. The automatic has a sport mode, raising shift points for a little more go power. But manual or automatic, 106 hp doesn't generate much in the way of haste, even in a car weighing around 2400 pounds, and back road passing requires careful planning

The iA enters the subcompact derby with an MSRP of $16,495, $17,595 with automatic transmission. It's a one-size-fits-all price-a single trim level with a couple of options (automatic transmission, navigation). It won't be perceived as a thrill ride, but the iA's combination of good looks, fuel economy, athletic dynamics, and exceptional standard features add up to a strong value proposition

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