Look: Toyota have released the first ever pictures of their new Yaris Hybrid – months ahead of the  public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Oh, you lucky lucky internet user.

The new model proclaims to bring together the “ingenious packaging and agile handling” with the “high efficiency and refined driving experience” of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy powertrain.

But the Hybrid Synergy Drive has been downsized for Yaris – combining a new 1.5-litre petrol engine with a more compact electric motor, transaxle, inverter and battery pack, the result is a system that’s 20% lighter than that used in the Auris Hybrid.

And lighter cars tend to be more fuel efficient in any case.

This is looking good, yes?

But how good?

Wait ’til March, if you can!

Few competitions combine speed and strength like the Le Mans 24-hour race. In many ways the two words define the very essence of the sport since its 1923 beginnings. A great deal of evolution has occurred since than, with teams continually improving their vehicles in any way they can. It appears that now Toyota is ready to reveal its newest addition to the historical battle, presenting us with its latest racer to grace the circuit.

The team has collaborated with various parts of Toyota’s world team in order to make this dream a reality. It is using the Cologne headquarters as an organization centre. Around this they are collaborating with limbs in Japan as well as other parts of Germany in order to produce the newest addition to the family: the LMP1 car.

The car manufacture is moving to implement hybrid technology well within its key hardware. A move that has been popular with many Le Mans players, certainly those competing in the US version, it is a concentrated effort to make the race appear Greener than ever before.

Not to be underestimated, this type of change means a great deal for the Prius making player. The motor sport senior manager Tadashi Tamashina is adamant about starting a new page in history. He wants to see Toyota succeeded in areas previously untouched and green technology is a good start.

Le Mans is the oldest endurance race in the world. Known to many as the Grand Prix of Endurance, teams have to balance fuel, tyre as well as breaking materials over a 24 hour period. Taking place on the Cruicuit de la Sarthe, the race pushes the limits of both engineering and driver capabilities. With such a strong reputation it is obvious why Toyota is placing such an emphasis on getting into the right gear to win.

Toyota last competed in Le Mans in 1999 with its GT-One prototype. A rather fast vehicle for its time, Toyota was never lucky enough to win the race. Let us hope that they manage to pull it off this year, it’ll be a victory not only for them for hybrid cars everywhere.

Coming soon are all the small electrics, but also arriving soon are three new small motors all about to play a rather large part in the future of three of the major players in automobile manufacturing, all aiming to be dominant in their field.

Toyota’s new Yaris aims to win back sales lost in their global recall crisis and by the chaos that Japan suffered with the earthquake and tsunami. And next year they launch a hybrid version with a rumoured 75mpg.

But this new one comes with a 5 year/100,000 mile warranty, and starts from a very competitive £11,170 for a 1 litre 3-door T2.

Volkswagen  release the Up! (not to be confused with the film) which they see as a bit of a pioneer in their ambition to take over from Toyota as the world’s number one car maker. Available from early next year in the UK at the lowest price of £8,000 for the Take Up! (The Move Up! costs a bit more), VW would like it to be considered for the title of ‘the people’s car’ as it, at a push, culd be considered a family car – for a very small family.

And then thre’s the Kia Rio, aiming to consolidate Kia’s fast-growing reputation as a soon-to-be manufacturing giant alongside Korean partners Hyundai.

This is, of course, a NEW Rio, replacing the original that was, in all honesty, disappointing. But this one is a bit of a sophisticat, something reflected in its opening price of around £10,595 for a 1.25 litre.

All 3 cars have a host of standards from electric windows to ipod generation sound systems and, naturally, they are all economically and ecologically sound.. After all, they will soon be fighting it out for city drivers’ hearts against the promised electric invasion.

And they all join the tiny revolution that  also includes Suzuki’s Alton, SEAT’s Ibiza Copa, Hyundai’s 110, Ford’s Fiesta Studio, Vauxhall’s new Corsa and Chevrolet’s Aveo, amongst others.

The small revolution is underway.

So, obviously Toyota thought that it was time to update their economical superstar in the light of competition from the likes of the Renault Clio, Peugeot 207, the cheaper Skoda Fabia, and Vauxhall Astra so it was back to the drawing board for our little friend.

So, what’s new? Well, pretty much everything.

• New alloys and flared wheel arches for a touch of sexiness.
• New grille, angular headlights for a sporty look.
• New Touch and Go system from Toyota that includes Bluetooth Connectivity, sat nav, reverse parking camera, music and info (which is all of course optional and only available on certain motors, but according to Toyota, you’d be a fool not to have it.)
• High panoramic roof (again on certain models) that makes it feel lighter and bigger inside.
• Reversing camera to make reversing easier (No sexist comments in here please)
• Super-efficient engines. All sizes (1.4, 1.33 and 1.0) are all designed to emit low CO2 and give exceptional fuel economy. So, less pollution, more fuel and the same power and acceleration that you’ll get anyway from a small car (as long as you don’t expect too much.)
• Loads of life-saving, skid-avoiding, brake-assisting and airbag-inflating safety features.
• And an advanced Sat Nav (certain models.) So no more “Which way”s, and no more “Where did that traffic come from?”s

There’s petrol and diesel versions available and, in 2012 you should be able to get a petrol-electric hybrid version as well as, wait for it, a 1.5 litre one too. Can you wait for that?

If not, you can order the new one now, and get it in September.

What else? Oh yes; it’s a bit bigger than before but still small enough to nip in and out of traffic in the city – which is what it’s designed for, so don’t expect to be racing people at the lights when they look sideways at you. It’s a bit spacier, although a bit bumpy on rough roads but is covered by the ultra-efficient 5-year Toyota warranty (or 100,000 miles) for reassurance.

The Yaris is designed, according to Toyota, “under the words agility and sophistication” and it does exactly what it says on the tin. In fact, it’s exactly what it says it is and is aimed at who you think it’s aimed at, so if you aren’t one of them, just accept it.

And respect it. For your own safety.

The Toyota Yaris has been released for sale in its third incarnation and is looking to build on the incredible success the model has had so far in the UK, with the Yaris being one of the most seen cars on British roads.

Praised for its comfort, space, durability and its adaptability the third generation Yaris looks to take these features and build on them to make the Yaris not only practical but stylish and of even higher quality.

The entry level Yaris shows why the make has been as successful as it has, housing compact yet efficient engineering expressed in the form of a 998cc engine which produces 68bhp at 6000rpm, not bad for a car of the Yaris’ size, and the engine also produces a torque of 93Nm at 3600rpm and this is coupled with a 5 speed manual transmission. For the environmentally minded the Yaris produces a reduced 111g/km of CO2 and manages a respectable 58.9mpg, both significant improvements on previous models, which look to make the new Yaris the perfect answer to both the city runabout and the city/ urban runner.

Starting at the meagre price of £11,170 for the entry level T2 3 door model the Yaris offers a lot of bang for your buck offering new features such as the Yaris Touch and Go system to appeal to the more technologically minded of Toyota owners. The Touch and Go system starts as just the Touch system, which includes exciting features such as Bluetooth, USB port and a rear parking camera which are included as standard on all but the entry level model. The Touch system can also be upgraded to a Touch and Go system which sees the addition of a myriad of connected information services as well as a full map satellite system, sure to make sure that the new Yaris has something to please everyone.

Nissan has invested nearly $5 billion in the electric powered “leaf” car. With a waiting list extending months for little $30,000 car, it has become a favorite of the passes. While it is completely zero emission, it doesn’t’ have much of a distance range, especially if you plan on travelling cross-country.

For every call there is an answer and the exotic and speedy Tesla Motor Model S has a 300 mile-per-charge distances that blows most of the competition away. With the even quicker charge rate of 25 minutes to full and the ability to swap out the batteries within minutes, it’s certain a chosen vehicle among electric car lovers.

However, when it comes to buying hybrid cars none can take the crown away from Toyota. According to recently conducted surveys done by Automotive Business Intelligence, Toyota is the most recognizable public company and a leading dominating force both in perfection and in realty.

The Prius was not only Toyotas most recognizable car but also, according to statistics, considered to the most open to usability and costumer friendliness.

Millions sold worldwide the Pius continuously improves upon itself, offering new and more effective innovations. The Prius + was recently revealed and boasts a seven-seat incredibly effective economic resolve.

The world has begun interaction with the vehicles more and more, with large cities providing power stations to charge the new modern of transportation. No small part due to Toyota, London as well as cities like Los Angeles have already implemented them, paving the way to a greener future.

For whatever your need there is a car to provide for it. While the market may still be small, the increasing competition within the firms will greater great new vehicles capable of quick power-ups as well as the ability to travel great distances.

Ice, Ice, Baby..

If you’re looking for a hot new city car this year there’s only one answer: The Toyota Aygo Ice which joins Toyota’s urban – friendly range. The Ice includes an all new leather friendly interior with leather/Alcantara seat trim, leather steering wheel and gear knob as standard; good for those who enjoy their luxury, less good for vegans. The Ice also includes air conditioning and all of these features come as standard.

The Ice also has three exotic exterior metallic finishes, namely ‘dark forest’, ‘vermillion red’ and ‘crystal silver’ and side protection mouldings to “to guard against the rough and tumble of city motoring” in Toyota’s own words. The new model is available in three or five door variants from a very reasonable £9750 for the three door version and £10,615 for the five door.

The Aygo Ice is a newer, more stylish and fun version of the entry level Aygo which Toyota first released to tackle the problem of an urban car for the everyday driver. The Ice extends on the Aygo’s popularity and success with features such as the leather interior but it also boasts a six speaker audio system and electric windows making the Ice not only a stylish but practical upgrade. The car is powered by Toyota’s multi-Engine of the Year Award-winning 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol powerplant, with a choice of manual or Multimode transmissions to make sure the car runs smoothly and yet has enough power to be practical and reliable.

The new Aygo Ice isn’t just a practical and stylish option, however, but also cheap with all theses changes available for only £655 more than the original Aygo. The Ice offers an official fuel consumption of 61.4mpg (combined cycle), Band B road tax (VED) classification and a 3E insurance group rating, meaning that the savings don’t just end with the price but rather the Ice offers good values in all aspects.

So if you’re in the market for a cool, cheap option to simultaneously look good and save some money the Toyota Aygo Ice is surely the answer.

Toyota are proving themselves to be a manufacturer after my own heart. See, talk of speed and engines only interest me to a point. When that point arrives, I’m always left wondering – just what can a car offer in terms of entertainment?

Well, today Toyota launched a high-spec version of their AYGO city car. And the announcement is leaden with gadget talk!

The inclusion of a removable TomTom satellite navigation unit with touch screen controls and a voice recognition function will come as standard. This alone is excellent news, as I’m yet to find a superior sat-nav to those made by TomTom.

But this won’t just be any TomTom. Ho no. It seems that in addition to the usual navigational aids, it will also tell you what the weather will be like upon your arrival and will even flag-up “points-of-interest” along the way. These include filling stations, but I love the idea of your car gleefully pointing out museums and Roman Forts like a culturally-minded KITT.

This sat-nav will also come with Bluetooth and a USB port for connecting MP3 players to the in-car audio system which in itself will be capable of playing MP3 files from disc.

See, this is the sort of thing to get me excited.

The 4.3 inch navigation system screen will offer a bird’s eye route view and will also be able to display playlist and album details and – get this – SMS messages! With a handy speech-to-text facility if required.

What follows is a discussion of more “traditionally exciting” features – new-design alloy wheels, dark-tinted rear privacy glass, leather trimmed steering wheel, two new exterior colours (Chilli Red, Citrus White).

It’s available in both three and five-door body styles and is powered by the International Engine of the Year award-winning 1.0-litre three cylinder VVT-i petrol engine with manual or MultiMode transmission.

Prices start at £9,750 for the standard 3-door M/T. Expect to pay £10,105 for the 5-door M/T model, and in both cases air conditioning will cost you an additional £1,010.

Or, you could click here for the latest in Nationwide’s AYGO offers.

A new survey has revealed that almost two thirds of motorists (60%) either “agree or partly agree” that electric vehicles have the potential to replace their family cars.

Of this figure, 23% agreed that electric and hybrid vehicles could fully replace their household’s cars, whilst the remaining 37% entertained the notion that electric and hybrid vehicles could replace their second cars. Fuel by day, green by night!

I find this encouraging, but it’s not all good. When asked if they could name a model or make of electric or hybrid vehicle other than the Toyota Prius, 57% could not. What about the Nissan Leaf, guys? The Honda Insight? The Tesla?

53% of those questioned view electric cars as “the future of motoring”, whilst 28% sneered that they’re little more than a “marketing gimmick”. Yeah, ’cause our kids don’t deserve a future, right? Grumble, grumble.

Shockingly, only 9% of of motorists said they would actively consider buying an electric or hybrid vehicle as their next car purchase. If this statistic is broken down further, we find that people feel more confident with hybrids (8.7%) than with EVs (0.5%).

It seems, therefore, that whilst the push for green is working to an extent, there is still quite a bit of a way to go before a safe majority feels safe and confident with the idea of investing in an electric or hybrid vehicle. Still, things are looking bright! Did we mention that in November of this year, the Nissan Leaf became the first electric vehicle to win the Car Of The Year Award? Because it did. Yeah.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whopping 10 years when the Toyota Prius first burst onto the UK scene. When the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle came to our shores, car sales were at an all time high, petrol prices were set at a fairly reasonable 77.9 PPL and the thought of a recession seemed almost laughable. Doesn’t time fly? 

To celebrate its 10th Anniversary in the UK, Toyota has unveiled a new special edition Prius Generation X model – the most exclusive Prius yet! The super-cool Prius Generation X boasts a striking new exterior with street-sharp front, rear and side skirts, 17’’ smoked-finish alloy wheels and dark-tinted privacy glass. Forget your fuel guzzling supercars, it appears hybrid-electric is the new cool!

Whilst the Prius is thrifty with its fuel, Toyota certainly hasn’t skimped when it comes to the details. The new special edition model shares the same equipment specification as the top-of-the-range T Spirit model, including HDD satellite navigation, rear parking monitor, Bluetooth, Intelligent Park Assist, cruise control, smart entry and start, rain-sensing wipers and head-up display. For that extra special touch, the birthday edition Prius is also kitted out with high-quality black leather upholstery, embossed with the 10th anniversary logo.

The new Prius 10th Anniversary is every bit as fuel-frugal and tax-friendly as its more sober-suited stablemates, with 70.6mpg and 92g/km combined cycle consumption and CO2 emissions. But you’d best be quick if you fancy getting your hands on one as Toyota has confirmed that the special edition Generation X model is strictly limited to 1,000 units.

On the road prices for the special edition Toyota Prius Generation X start from £26,150 with first deliveries expected this winter.