Independent Reviews of Toyota New and Used Cars

In MK4 form, Toyota's Prius finally made real world sense. A car you can justify buying, even if you're not trying to make some kind of environmental statement. True, it isn't cheap but it's decent value for what you get, especially if you compare against comparably-specified high-efficiency diesel rivals featuring engine technology that by comparison, dates back to the Ark. With enhanced driving dynamics, a roomier cabin and more user-friendly design, this fourth generation version dealt with many of the drawbacks which used to be part and parcel of Prius ownership. As a result, Toyota created a model that used car buyers looking for a family hatch hybrid from this period might find difficult to ignore in the gloomy times we live in. A Prius for the people then? That's about the size of it. Toyota's hybrid revolution continues to gather pace.

Toyota's Corolla Saloon blends an old-school look with modern tech. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Toyota's Yaris Cross could be hugely significant for this Japanese maker, thinks Jonathan Crouch

Could this car be any better? Of course, it could be faster, grippier, quieter and of better quality inside. But we wouldn't really want it to be. All of those things would dilute the very qualities that make this GT86 what it is. Sportscars always used to be this way, light, low powered and modestly rubbered. We had fun in them then and we can have fun in this one now. The chassis is excellent, the controls are brilliant, the driving position nigh-on perfect and the engine, if not aurally exciting, is revvy and fun. As for the changes made to this revised model, well, they were welcome but if you didn't like this car previously, they won't be enough to make you desire it any more. For the record though, when we tested this updated version, we liked the steering even more than we did before and felt that the cabin no longer looked and felt quite so low-rent, so that was progress of a sort. Overall, what we have here is something to savour; one of those rare machines that involves you so much that you don't need to be travelling at three figure speeds to have fantastic fun. Factor in the affordable running costs and high residuals and this becomes a very tempting proposition indeed. In years to come, it'll be seen as a landmark car for Toyota.

Toyota's Highlander Hybrid offers something new in the mid-sized 7-seat SUV segment. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.