Consumer Reports

TORONTO, ON., [Oct. 29, 2013] – We're pleased to report that in its annual Consumer Reports vehicle reliability rankings, Lexus took the top spot, up from third place last year, and Toyota retained its No. 2 ranking.

The five most reliable vehicles in the rankings are: Toyota Prius, Lexus ES 300h, Scion xB, Toyota Prius c and the Subaru Forester with the non-turbo-charged engine.

Ten of the highest scorers in the survey were Toyotas. Of the eight Lexus models in the survey, six got top marks. All Lexus models earned an above average reliability score, while all Toyota models earned an average or better reliability score.

To be recommended by Consumer Reports, a vehicle must perform well in a battery of its tests, have average or better reliability in its annual Auto Survey and perform well in government and industry crash tests.

During its annual reporting, Consumer Reports said it will no longer recommend vehicles that receive a “poor” rating in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) crash tests or for poor scores on reliability. As a result, the publication revoked its recommendations for Toyota’s Camry, RAV4 and Prius v based on small offset crash test results.

The new IIHS small offset crash test involves only a front corner of a vehicle and goes beyond federal requirements. It is not currently part of IIHS' Top Safety Pick designation.

The Camry, Prius v and RAV4 are on the current IIHS “Top Safety Pick” list which includes 21 Toyota vehicles, more than any other manufacturer.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) periodically develops new, more severe or specialized tests that go beyond federal requirements. With the small over-lap test, the Institute has raised the bar again, and we are responding to the challenge. We are looking at a range of solutions to achieve greater crash performance in this area. Toyota has made changes to the Camry to improve its performance in the crash test, and IIHS is planning to retest the car in December.

iQ and xD Achieve Top-Five Honours in 2013 Green Car Guide

Drivers looking for a green vehicle at a good value need look no further. Toyota, Lexus and Scion took top honours in the 2013 Green Car Guide. Six of the top ten overall green vehicle and "best value" scores are held by the Toyota family.

The Scion iQ micro-subcompact and xD subcompact achieved top-five honours in the cost per point or "best value" rankings.

The Green Car Guide is annually produced by the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. The 2013 guide contains information on nearly 80 hybrids, battery electric vehicles, partial zero emission vehicles, compressed natural gas powered vehicles, clean diesels and fuel economy leaders. The guide is designed to help new vehicle buyers with reviews and rankings of low-emission and fuel efficient vehicles.

"Anyone who has a passion for fun, affordable and environmentally friendly vehicles will find what they're looking for in this guide," said Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. senior vice president of automotive operations. "Customers are interested in this type of unbiased data and we're proud to see our Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles recognized in such a prominent way."

Scion iQ wins second Vincentric Award in a Row

TORONTO, ON., (September 23, 2013) – When Vincentric presented its inaugural Best Value in Canada awards last year, Toyota claimed the brand award for passenger cars while also being recognized with best value awards for 10 individual vehicles. Several of those vehicles have reached the tall podium this year including last year’s winner, the Scion iQ. In a fiercely competitive compact market, the 2013 Scion iQ has been named the Vincentric Best Value in Canada (Micro) for the second consecutive year.

To determine the 2013 Vincentric Best Value in Canada awards, Vincentric analyzed over 1,800 vehicle configurations measuring cost-of-ownership using eight different cost factors: depreciation, fees & taxes, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost, and repairs. Using a statistical model, the company identified the Vincentric Best Value in Canada winners by measuring which vehicles had lower than expected ownership costs given their market segment and price. With its low maintenance, fuel and nearly 5% lower than expected ownership costs, iQ bested all competition in 2012 and has remained victorious in 2013.