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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Prius

Prius stories: 19 news summaries

 Nissan Leaf Wins Name Game 

Not dirty, sexy, or violent, brand is 'a minor miracle'

(Newser) - Nissan already had its work cut out in designing a hybrid—whatever it made had to measure up to Toyota’s hugely successful Prius. Then it needed a name, which came at the end of a process blending business, culture, and the law. Possibilities must be cleared in hundreds of... More »

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Japan Toyota Nissan Mazda Toyota Prius Prius auto industry hybrid car vehicle automobile auto imports Leaf Nissan Leaf Daihatsu

WHAT'S IN YOUR GARAGE?

 Why This Hot Rod Is Greener 
 Than a Prius 

You'll drive less frequently but enjoy it more

(Newser) - So, conventional wisdom tells us, if you want to help the environment, ditch those dreams of a hot-rod, get a hybrid, and commute knowing you’ve done your part to save the environment. Nonsense, writes Joe Eaton , who did precisely the opposite. “Giving up your Prius and putting a... More »

(Newser) - Toyota plans to keep its lead in the environmentally friendly vehicle market with a new car to be released in 2011, Bloomberg reports. The vehicle, to be based on the company's Vitz compact, will be around 5% more fuel-efficient than its Prius and will sell for around $15,600, according... More »

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Toyota fuel efficiency fuel economy Prius auto industry hybrid car

Hybrid Owners Have More Accidents, Get More Tickets

Environmentally-conscious motorists also drive more, study says

(Newser) - Owners of hybrid vehicles tend to drive more, have higher repair bills, and get more tickets than their gas-guzzling counterparts, the Car Connection reports. A study of the behavior of 360,000 motorists found insurers pay 17% more for comprehensive coverage of hybrid owners compared to owners of conventional models.... More »

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insurance Toyota Prius accident driving Prius hybrid car vehicle cars gas mileage automobile traffic violation gasoline

ANALYSIS

How Taxpayers Can Profit From the New GM

A change in the automotive paradigm would be worth more than any dividend

(Newser) - Tomorrow will see the death—and rebirth—of General Motors. And with the government taking a 60% stake, it's reasonable to wonder whether taxpayers will ever see a return on their investment, writes Matthew DeBord for the Big Money on Slate. But the focus on money might be "short-sighted,... More »

Prius Owners Sue
Over Faulty Headlights

Owners suing Toyota over expensive repair

(Newser) - Toyota’s Prius, now in its third generation, remains the dominant hybrid car. But an increasing number of older Prius owners are finding that the autos have a potentially dangerous flaw—failing headlights. What's worse, the so-called high-intensity discharge lamps, which are optional ugrades, can cost more than $1,000... More »

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Toyota Prius recall repair NHTSA Prius auto industry hybrid car

 10 Cars That Changed Our Lives

Forbes compiles autos that changed the world

(Newser) - Cars can create or symbolize profound change—in lifestyle, financial status, and even forms of government. Forbes looks at 10 that changed the world:
  1. Toyota Prius. The flagship model for all hybrids, the Prius opened people's minds to the ugly environmental impact of driving. It remains the world's best-selling
... More »

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 Plush New Prius Will Hit 50mpg 

As hybrid market goes mainstream, so does iconic car

(AP) - Toyota's sleeker, more fuel-efficient update to its iconic Prius, already the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, offers a city-highway average of 50mpg—up from 46—and a bunch of new amenities. Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the 2010 model comes with a more powerful engine, a moonroof, and... More »

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Mighty Toyota Posts Its
First Loss Ever

Even Prius can't overcome flagging demand, soaring yen

(Newser) - Toyota will post a loss for the first time in its history, the victim of plummeting sales and multi-year highs in the value of the yen, the company warned today. The Japanese automaker, which has enjoyed a reputation for profits even in bad times, announced that it would suspend executive... More »

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Japan Toyota yen Prius auto industry Japanese auto industry

 Toyota Weighs Spinning Off Prius Brand 

Larger, smaller versions of popular hybrid would fill out lineup, exec says

(Newser) - Toyota may create a separate brand for the Prius, filling it out with new larger and smaller versions of the popular hybrid, the New York Times reports. Advocating for the creation of the brand is James Lentz, president of Toyota’s US sales, who argues that Prius is already a... More »

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Toyota fuel efficiency Toyota Prius Prius auto industry hybrid car

(Newser) - Toyota’s Prius may hold the crown for fuel-efficiency, but that doesn’t mean it’s lonely at the top. BusinessWeek takes a look at the 15 cars with the best mileage—30 mpg combined city and highway or better.
  • Mercury’s 2009 Mariner Hybrid offers mileage better than
... More »

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Used Prius Prices Soar
on Surging Demand

Used cars selling even higher than new

(Newser) - Demand for Toyota's fuel-efficient hybrid Prius is so high that used models are fetching more on the open market than dealerships charge for a new one, reports Advertising Age. Buyers are in a frenzy to get their hands on a Prius immediately, but new cars are often on back order... More »

 Gas Crunch Steers Soaring Hybrid Sales 

Some 62% of new car buyers look to the gas-sippers

(Newser) - Sales of hybrid cars could soar to 2 million a year by 2013 as higher gas prices and concerns about global warming spark surging interest in fuel efficient vehicles, Wired reports. Well over half—62%—of new car buyers are already considering a hybrid, according to a recent survey. Consumers... More »

 Toyota Will Make Prius in US 

Swap at SUV plant shows how fast industry is adjusting to fuel costs, demand

(Newser) - Toyota plans to start producing its super-popular Prius hybrid in the US, Wired reports. With inventories overwhelmed by demand, the firm will move production lines to a Mississippi plant intended to produce SUVs. The factory won’t make its first Prius until 2010, but with no sign of abating gas... More »

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fuel efficiency Toyota Prius SUV factory Prius auto industry Japanese auto industry cars

He Can Stop Terror; Carbon's Another Story

Writer checks up on
24's new eco-mission,
finds mixed results

(Newser) - Fox's 24 has its share of problems—Kiefer Sutherland's DUI imprisonment, rewritten scripts, the writers strike—but one writer still won’t give Jack Bauer a break, hitting the set to probe the show’s promise to reduce its carbon footprint. One exec congratulates himself on picking “our toughest... More »

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carbon footprint Jack Bauer biodiesel Fox Prius Kiefer Sutherland electronic scripts

OPINION

New Tech Sinks or Swims Based on Whims

Users react to devices in surprising ways,
NYT scribe says

(Newser) - Innovations like the iPod and Prius usually require new user skills, and acceptance can depend on one's willingness to adapt, writes G. Pascal Zachary in the New York Times. “You throw technologies into the market and see what sticks,” he quotes one analyst as saying. Revolutionary stuff... More »

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technology business iPod innovation Prius product development gadget

Green Cars Race for Funding

Hydrogen and hybrid electrics are competing to replace gas

(Newser) - Makers of two green technologies—hydrogen fuel cells and plug-in electric hybrids—are racing to become the alternative energy of choice for buyers thinking beyond gasoline. They are competing for public attention, space on manufacturer’s production lines, and federal support, reports the Los Angeles Times. Electric cars,like Toyota’... More »

Toyota: Not Easy Seeming Green

Green activists turn against Toyota over opposition to fuel economy laws

(Newser) - Toyota set a new green standard ten years ago with its ahead-of-its-time Prius hybrid and projects an image of environmental responsibility. But now the green community is using Toyota for target practice, Newsweek reports. The Japanese carzilla is generating fury with its new low 14 mpg Tundra and Sequoia models,... More »

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greenhouse gases global warming Toyota fuel economy Prius Tundra Sierra Club

Honda Hybrids Dying to Catch Up with Prius

Toyota's green car stands out as more enviro-friendly

(Newser) - Honda rolled out America's first hybrids a few years ago, but now they're scrambling to reclaim the roads after Toyota out-greened them with the enviro-hip Prius. What happened? Honda’s stylin’ was so “Civic” that nobody knew their drivers were commuting to save the world. If you can't show... More »

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environmentalism Toyota Honda Prius hybrid car cars

19 Stories