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Scion FR-S – Las Vegas Preview and Quick Drive

Adam Moore — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:41:32 +0000

2013 Scion FR-S Sport Coupe by txGarage

We don’t venture out of Texas that often to review a car. We normally like to drive the car here in Texas, on our normal everyday driving roads, so we get a real perspective of how the vehicle behaves for everyday driving. Obviously, we’ll make exceptions like we did with the Scion FR-S. We were invited to fly out to Las Vegas to be one of the first in Texas to get behind the wheel of the all-new sports car from Scion. To be more specific, this is a new sports car from Toyota and Subaru, and if you haven’t heard of it yet, then you’ll probably want to go read one of our reviews of the Toyota Prius because this car won’t be for you. On the other hand, if you’re a car enthusiast like us, you’ve probably heard and read a lot about this car already. This is our experience with the FR-S.

Like I mentioned, we’re in Vegas, but not on the strip. Toyota/Scion put us up in a hotel right on the west edge of Vegas. Looking out east from our hotel room, we saw all the lights and excitement of the “strip”. Looking west, there was nothing but desert and mountains. After hearing a lot of marketing and technical talk from the team at Scion, we finally headed out to the front of the hotel where we were greeted with our ride. Looking at the FR-S, you already know what this car is about. It’s small, shorter than a 370Z, and it becomes more apparent the closer you get to the car. The FR-S is also very low to the ground; you’re butt sits just over a foot off the ground. The styling of the body is made to exude sportiness, but also be functional with low drag and good visibility. The arches over the front wheels stick up above the hood, and are purposely larger so you really can see where your front wheels are hitting the road.

I sat down in the first car that was ready to go as most of the other journalists were still mingling and procrastinating; I was ready to hit the road! Sitting in the FR-S, the first thing you notice is the bolstering in the seat. They’re large, yet quite comfortable, and as we’re headed to the track, I immediately realize that they will really come in handy later in the day. Next, I started paying attention to the detail of work and materials used within this car. Jumping into a Scion usually means hard plastics and unpleasant fabric. To our delight, the FR-S has a great interior. There is only one place on the dash where they used hard plastic to break up the dash, but it’s really done well. The steering wheel is wrapped in leather and has a good width and grip points. Directly behind the wheel, I noticed paddle shifters. I took a second look at the gearshift, and sure enough this was a FR-S equipped with an automatic transmission. The shifter is a little deceiving as it looks like it would be a manual. No worries, it’s time to see how this thing drives!

I took another quick look at our designated route to the track and pulled out of the hotel. Heading west, you quickly lost all signs of being in Vegas and quickly began to climb in elevation. Our route took us through Red Rock Canyon National Conservation, which is only 15 minutes outside of Vegas. This was a big surprise and a great treat. I was ready for one long, endlessly straight road through the desert, but the road heading through Red Rock Canyon was windy and full of elevation changes. Yes, it’s time to play.

The FR-S has a few settings you can play with. The automatic gives you the option of Sport or Snow driving, which affects the shifting of the transmission; obviously, when you’re rowing your own gears, you don’t need this option. We put the transmission into manual mode and pushed the Sport setting. Your next set of options is for traction control and stability control. Push the traction off button once and you kill the traction control, but you still get stability control. Hold that button down again and it kills all systems. To the right of that button, you have one labeled VSC Sport. This is your stability control button. Push and hold that and it disables traction control and puts the stability into a more race focused setting, allowing you to have more sliding abilities without killing the systems completely. That’s the option we went with for these roads.

Now normally, I’d suggest that if you’re buying a sports car, you need a manual transmission. In this car though, with this transmission, I was having a hard time deciding which I liked best. The auto is a 6-speed with some of the best paddle-shifters I’ve used, and you get active rev-matching to make sure you have the right power to match your speed. Going through the twisties in the canyon with this transmission was a great experience. Put your foot down coming out of a corner and you scream up to the next; then downshift – hearing the backdraft in the exhaust and the rev’s pop up as the computer does the work to match them to your speed – hit the accelerator pedal a little too soon and too quickly and push out the rear, quickly countersteer to catch the rearend and straighten back up. Then repeat.

Driving this one-way, canyon road in this car is now on my list of great driving experiences. Enough fun and games though, it’s back to the job at hand as we shoot down the desert road heading toward Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch.

About 40-minutes of driving later, we pulled into the entrance of Spring Mountain. We’ve spent a lot of time in Texas at Texas Motorsport Ranch, and it’s a nice facility, but wow, this place is nice! They had a 1.3-mile section of the track cutoff specifically for us, plus a coned off area for some autocross driving. First thing’s first. I parked the FR-S and headed into the clubhouse to sign an insurance waiver, went through a safety briefing, and waited for the rest of the group to catch up.

After the safety talk, we went back outside. Using the same group of cars we’d arrived in a few minutes before, we headed toward the track; only this time, I found one with a 6-speed manual transmission. We took 4 laps following the track instructors to help us get down the lines and braking points. This was good as the track had many late apex’s and a few hard braking turns.

It was now time to see how well rounded the FR-S really was. We already had a great time on normal road driving, but could this car go straight from the road to the track and really perform? I was in the FR-S with the manual transmission, so I reached down and pushed the traction control button twice to disable all driving aids. Now it’s just me, a steering wheel, clutch, shifter, and rear-wheel drive. Off the line, the 200 horsepower from the 2.0-liter boxer-4 wasn’t quite enough and didn’t feel very fast. Once you get into the higher rev’s, though, you never really feel a lack of power. You can feel the balance of the car, though. It has a very low center of gravity, only weighing 2,758 pounds, and has a weight distribution of 53% front and 47% rear. If you push hard into a corner, you’ll feel the understeer, but using your braking points correctly and turning tight into a corner, you can feel this car gripping, and if anything, it’s ready to give up the rear-end. When you do lose the rear end, which we did on occasion, purposefully of course, it’s easy to control and bring back into line. This car was designed for fun, sideways driving and it shows.

The controllable chassis gives you so much confidence; you’ll be running faster and faster lap times each run. We didn’t record lap times on the big track, but I could feel myself improving each run and it was all made easier by this well-balanced car.

Alas, it was time to move on to the autocross track. There was a fast slalom at the beginning of the course and lots of hard turning throughout the rest. The autocross was timed and we were anxious to see just how well we’d do up against some of the others out there. We were given a few passes to get the feel of the different traction setting, and then were up to post a time. Our first time was 33.8 seconds. The fastest of the day had been in the low 31-second range, so we had a ways to improve. I was a little wide on the slalom, so that was slowing me down. I was also sawing at the wheel too much around some of the back turns. Smooth everything out, get rid of any oversteer or understeer, and be quick but smooth; these are the lessons I’ll always keep with me for fast driving. After calming down and implementing what I knew about track and autocross driving, I was able to get my time down to 31.8 seconds. Given a few more laps, I probably could have gotten that time even lower, but my official time was in so I was ready to head back to the big track and see how much more I could wring out of this car.

After all our track driving, it was time to head back through the desert to the hotel. On the way, we were able to think about just how good this Scion/Toyota/Subaru really is, and just how easily it could have all gone wrong. If they had opted for a cheaper transmission, it wouldn’t have been as good. If they had put a cheaper suspension and a more forgiving frame, it wouldn’t be as good. All models of the FR-S come standard with a limited-slip differential, which is usually an option, if offered at all, on cars at this price. If they hadn’t done that, the car just wouldn’t be as good. For just under $25,000, you basically get a track ready car that is also good for a daily driver.

It’s hard to come up with a real good competitor to the FR-S. It seems that no one is making a truly, unapologetic sports car for this price. The Mazda MX-5 is the first obvious choice. They are both basically the same price, and both lightweight, but the FR-S seems to be more than the MX-5. It has more power and it’s a little bigger of a car. I can actually fit in the car with a helmet on with no problems. Your next choice is the Genesis Coupe, which you might know we like a lot, but the Genesis is actually a lot bigger in size and feel over the FR-S. Also with its new engine tuning for 2013 it has much more power than the FR-S. I think of the Genesis as more of a GT car over a track focused car. Really, one of the cars that comes to mind for me while driving this car was the Porsche Cayman. It’s light and focused and similarly sized. The engine in the FR-S is almost pushed back far enough to call it a front-mid engine layout. Yes, the FR-S is down over 100hp to the Cayman, but it’s also down almost $40,000 in price!

No matter what the proper comparison is, there’s no doubting that it’s a very good car for what it was built to be. If you’re looking for a small, focused sports car that is easy to drive daily and a ton of fun in the corners or out on the track, this is now the car for you.

Toyota Announces Pricing for Limited Edition Tacoma Pickup TRD T/X Baja Series Package

Adam Moore — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:07:20 +0000

2012 Toyota Tacoma Baja

After seeing the success of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor how could any truck maker resist making it’s true own off-roading package? Toyota sure couldn’t and with their heritage on 4×4 trucks and Baja racing this is the perfect match!

We’ve talked about the Tacoma TRD T/X Baja Series Package before but now we have official pricing from Toyota. The Baja Package is offered up at $5,015 over the cost of your Tacoma pickup. You can add the package to either a Tacoma Access or Double Cab 4×4 models already equipped with the TRD Off-Road Package. THe Tacoma T/X Baja Series is equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 engine matched up with either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. The package includes enhanced suspension, graphics, a redesigned hook, grille, headlamps, front bumper, unique center-instrument panel, new steering wheel, and more!

Check out more below!

• Inspired By Toyota’s Baja Racing Heritage
• Enhanced Suspension For Greater Off-Road Performance
• Special Package Adds to Updated 2012 Tacoma

TORRANCE, Calif., April 23, 2012 – - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., announced prices today for the TRD T|X Baja Series Package. Inspired by Toyota’s Baja racing heritage, the truck reveals bold graphics with its name “Baja Series” and enhanced suspension, elevating the capability of Tacoma’s TRD Off-Road pickup to a new level of fun and function. The special limited edition package will be available on select Tacoma 4×4 pickup trucks.

The TRD T|X Baja Series Package provides the customer with a great value and high level of capability that is backed by Toyota’s standard vehicle warranty. The TRD T|X Baja Series Package is offered at an MSRP of $5,015 less a $650 Factory Credit. There is an additional savings because the package the Baja Series is built on top of, TRD Off-Road Package for the Baja Series, is priced below the regular TRD Off-Road Package.

Toyota has a rich Baja racing heritage that dates back nearly three decades and includes numerous titles at the legendary Baja 500 and 1000. Toyota’s desert racing program has inspired the development of numerous TRD off-road focused products and packages over the years including the Tacoma PreRunner and TRD Off-Road packages for both Tacoma and Tundra. Last year, Tacoma’s Off-Road Package was enhanced with the launch of the TRD T|X and T|X Pro packages. TRD now takes Tacoma off-roading to the next level with the development of the T|X Baja Series.

The T|X Baja Series will be available on both the Tacoma Access and Double Cab 4×4 models equipped with the TRD Off-Road Package. The Tacoma T|X Baja Series is equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 engine with either six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions. In addition to an electronically-controlled locking rear differential, Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC) currently equipped on the TRD Off-Road package, the limited edition T|X Baja Series adds BF Goodrich T/A KO tires (LT265/70R16) and bead-lock style off-road wheels with an exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish, TRD Cat-back Exhaust, increased front ride height of nearly two inches and unique Baja Series graphics.

The front suspension has been upgraded to include Ø66mm piston Bilstein race shocks with TRD coil springs that feature a protective zinc plated body and a one inch increase in wheel travel. The rear suspension is equipped with Ø50mm piston Bilstein race shocks with a remote reservoir to increase shock oil capacity for greater heat dissipation and damping sensitivity. The rear shocks also include a zinc plated body and a 1.5-inch increase in wheel travel.

The T|X Baja Series will be part of a Tacoma line that was updated for 2012 with a restyled front end and a refreshed interior in all models. Exterior changes included a redesigned hood, grille, headlamps and front bumper, among other changes. Inside, Tacoma received a new center-instrument panel design with a revised gauge cluster, along with a new steering wheel. A redesigned center stack added new air conditioner/heater controls and power point locations.

The 2012 Tacoma interior also received a new look with a black high-contrast center console, switch plate covers, dash and upper door trim, while the SR5 grade featured a new seat fabric design. Tacoma offers new heavy-duty all-weather flooring option for 2012 on Tacoma Access and Double Cab models equipped with a V6 engine. The more specialized TRD Sport and Off-Road packages also feature new water-resistant fabric protection seats.

All Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series models will be built exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (TMMTX) in San Antonio and will reach dealer showrooms in May 2012. Prices for the Baja Series Tacoma do not include delivery, processing and handling fees (DPH), which are $810. The DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series Features
Off-Road tuned front and rear TRD Bilstein racing shocks
Electronically-controlled locking rear differential
Active Traction Control (A-TRAC)
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
Downhill Assist Control (DAC)
BF Goodrich T/A KO tires (LT265/70R16) with bead-lock style off-road wheels with exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish
TRD Cat-Back Exhaust
Increased front ride height by nearly two inches
Matte Black T|X Baja Vehicle Side Graphics
Exclusive TRD Tailgate Badge

Video: 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatchback

Adam Moore — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:17:10 +0000

Go to – The 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch – for the Full Review.
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Full review of the 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch

Adam Moore — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:46:27 +0000

The 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch by txGarage

At txGarage, we try to focus our attention more toward enthusiasts and enthusiast cars. There’s always something to be said about a small hatch with a short wheelbase and a peppy engine, and as Jay Leno always says, “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast.” We don’t see as many of the “hot hatches” in American dealerships when compared to the rest of the world, and even less in Texas, but that’s starting to change. We’ve reviewed some of the new hot hatches to hit our shores, including the Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500, and many more.

The Yaris is one small hatch that’s been on sale here for a while now, and this isn’t our first experience in one. I’ve driven the 2010 Yaris sedan, and was extremely unimpressed. At the same time, I know many enthusiasts who sing the praises of the 3-door hatch. It seems that Toyota has caught on to the popularity of the hatch. For 2012, the Yaris can only be had in a 5-door or 3-door hatch; the sedan is no longer offered. So now that we have our hands on this 2012 Yaris 3-door hatch, what do we think?

Let’s start with the exterior. As far as Toyota and the Yaris go, it’s not a bad design at all. You can see the new Toyota front end taking shape and it looks like a leaner, sleeker design over the previous generation. When you compare it to the styling of other small hatchbacks on sale now, it’s a little bit of a different story. The Yaris compared to the likes of Hyundai, Chevrolet, or Ford now looks a bit dull.

Inside is a great improvement over the previous generation Yaris. The instruments have been moved into their proper location in front of the steering wheel instead of the middle of the dash. It’s all cheap plastic, but this is a pretty inexpensive car. The interior reminds me more of a Scion than a Toyota though. The stereo is inserted in just a way that replacing it for a better one would be easy. There is decent room inside this 3-door hatch. Driving position is comfortable. In the rear seat, there is a lack of legroom but you could squeeze two adults back there if you had to do so. Open the hatch and you get plenty of room for groceries and day-to-day items. If you need more room, the back seats do fold down.

The biggest problem we found is the cheapness of the car. It might be expected when you’re spending your money on such an inexpensive car, but our tester had just over 4,000 miles and already developed an annoying rattle from the dash. Road and wind noise are pretty harsh as well. It could be excused, but there are so many other options on the market now. They might be more money, but could be worth it if you’re into a quieter ride and better build quality and materials.

So what happens when you’re ready to drive enthusiastically? Our tester was an LE trimmed Yaris. This gave us a 4-speed automatic transmission mounted to our 1.5-liter engine. We also had to settle for the 15-inch wheels. You could turn off the traction control, but as soon as you travel over about 25 mph it would re-engage automatically. There is still something to be said about having a short wheelbase and low weight, though. You could definitely have some fun when throwing it around corners.

If you’re really into the sporty ride, you’ll want to opt for the SE trim. This gives you a 5-speed manual and bigger, wider 16-inch wheels. It’s suspension is also tuned more toward sportiness, so cornering and wheel screeching should be much better in this trim.

The powertrain is the same basic setup as in the previous models. This puzzled me as, like I said earlier, we had a 4-speed transmission. Most of the Yaris’ competitors are now being sold with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. If the Yaris was equipped with such a transmission, this car could easily hit the 40-mpg range. Unfortunately, you have to make do averaging around 32 mpg.

So would I buy one? No, but if I was a high school or college student I wouldn’t be embarrassed rolling in one. This car is made to be cheap to buy and cheap to maintain and it can be pretty fun when you really want it to be. Step up a little in price though and you can get cars with better design, better fuel economy, and much more fun. I’d definitely look at the Fiesta, Sonic, and Accent before pulling the trigger on a Yaris.

More photos on Facebook and Google+

2011 State Fair of Texas Media Reveals

Adam Moore — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:37:44 +0000

: 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor at the State Fair of Texas

Unfortunately we were not able to make it out to the State Fair of Texas Media event this year, but we still have lots of news to share!

Ford:

[SinglePic not found] Ford brought, what else, but the biggest, baddest truck to be revealed at the Texas State Fair. First from Ford at the State Fair this year was the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. If you remember we test-drove the 2011 Raptor a few months back and it’s one capable machine. For 2012, Ford expands on its off-roading abilities. New to the Raptor for 2012 is a Torsen front differential that is said to increase grip significantly on the front end of the truck and improve its capabilities in handling obstacles, steep grades, and altogether slippery conditions. Another great new feature is a front camera system. Ford claims this to be a “class-exclusive, patent-pending” technology, but it seems to be more like what Range Rover has been using for a few years now. Basically, it gives you better visibility when you need to carefully navigate around obstacles off-road. The new 2012 Raptor also adds a little in the styling side as well. New wheel design, upgraded interior packages with aluminum accents, and unique bodyside graphics round out the list. After driving the 2011 Raptor, it was hard to see what Ford could really do to make this more capable, but it doesn’t hurt to try. We can’t wait to get our hands on one of these and see how it measures up.

[SinglePic not found] Next up, Ford showed off the new 2012 F-150 FX appearance package. From what we read and what we can tell from the pictures, it looks really good. The 2012 FX will have stealthy flat-black accents, new 20-inch flat-black wheels, new stylized bodyside graphic, and black badge with read lettering. Inside, look for new black leather with red trim and some brushed-metal accents. They have also added a few new technologies to the 2012 FX including hill start assist, a new automatic 4×4 system, and expanded availability of the electronic locking rear axle.

The other big news from Ford was on their already great Eco-Boost F-150. New for the 2012 Eco-Boost 4×4 model is a 36-gallon fuel tank. This with the great gas mileage produced by the Eco-Boost V6 gives this truck a driving range up to 756 miles on one tank!

Scion:

[SinglePic not found] [SinglePic not found] Scion came to Texas and debuted for the first time the 2012 Scion xD Series 4.0 and xB Series 9.0 along with pricing for both. These are both limited production Scions that will be arriving at dealer showrooms in October this year. The 2012 Scion xD Series 4.0 comes exclusively in a premium Blizzard Pearl color. It’s been upgraded with 16-inch alloys that are finished in a smoked platinum color. The pricing for this “exclusive” xD is $16,250 with a manual and $17,050 with an automatic.

Chevrolet:

[SinglePic not found] Chevy announced the first Silverado HD to wear a Texas Edition badge. What’s included? The all-new 2012 Chevrolet Silverado HD Texas Edition is available in 2500HD or 3500HD in both extended and crew cab setups. You get 20-inch polished forged aluminum wheels, trailering package and automatic-locking differential, dual-zone automatic climate control, six-way power driver seat, Bluetooth with steering-wheel controls, power camper mirrors with integrated turn signals, fog lamps, and chrome door handles and body molding accents. There was no word on the price premium for these Texas Edition HD Silverado’s, but if you live in Texas, it’s the one to get for sure.

Toyota:

[SinglePic not found] [SinglePic not found] The Tacoma is one of the best compact pickups in America and soon it might be one of the only. With all the hype over the Raptor and other manufacturers thinking about contending with the Raptor, Toyota decided to do it their own way. For 2012, Toyota converted a limited number of Tacoma pickups into a special TRD T|X Baja Series, inspired by Toyota’s Baja racing heritage. This TRD T|X Baja Series will be powered by a 4.0-liter V6 engine with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. You will see features like Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), a locking rear differential, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and Downhill Assist Control (DAC). The Baja also adds BF Goodrich T/A KO tires and bead-lock style off-road wheels with an exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish. The interior should also get a new look with a black high-contrast center console, switch plate covers, dash and upper door trim, and a new seat fabric design for the SR5 grade. This TRD T|X Baja Series Tacoma is still undergoing testing, but we can’t wait to get our hands on one!

Ram:

[SinglePic not found] Ram has been it’s own brand now for about a year and has been focused on making great trucks. New for 2012, the Ram 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty model is said to deliver best-in-class towing and payload with a 3/4-ton capability. With it’s 11,500-pound maximum trailer rating and 3,100-pound payload this Ram 1500 Tradesman HD tows and hauls more than any other 1/2-ton truck.

Also from Ram, the new expanded Ram 1500 Express. You can now get your hands on a crew cab and quad cab 1500 Express. This lineup targets first-time buyers and delivers performance with its HEMI V-8 and Ram distinctive looks for a great price. The 1500 Express Quad Cab starts at $28,050 and the Crew Cab at $30,210 while the regular cab bases out at $23,080.

Ram also unveiled a new, longer RamBox. The RamBox is a new Ram trademark that utilizes the dead space in the rear fenders along the bed and makes them into useable toolboxes. The box now extends to accommodate 6-foot-4inch beds and is now available in all trim levels including Ram HD models.

[Gallery not found]
[source: photos and info by manufacture press release]

Quick Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna Mini-Van

Adam Moore — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:46:59 +0000

2011 Toyota Sienna Mini-Van

The mini-van is a vital part of American culture, and although we Texans love our SUVs, we also realize that the mini-van is just as roomy, if not more, and more fuel efficient. The Sienna was the only van we took the time to hop in at the Auto Roundup, although we really wanted to drive the new Grand Caravan R/T.

The impressive part about the Sienna wasn’t really the way it drove, although it was good. It wasn’t really the room offered by the mini-van, although it was good as well. The real impressive part was the comfort and luxury offered by the Sienna. The middle two seats reminded me of seats in a private jet. They had a full leg rest and tilted back for maximum comfort. The rear entertainment system had a huge and wide screen that could display a full widescreen or split the display into two separate screens.

It was all real cool, and I love technology stuffed into cars, but I can’t get over the looks of the Sienna. It’s just not a great looking van, in my opinion. Also, this model fully equipped pushed upwards of $40k and I’m not paying that for a mini-van.

Thanks to our friends at Non-Stock Photography for the photos.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

Texas Auto Writers Name Truck of Texas

Adam Moore — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:30:59 +0000

2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn

Not a big surprise here, but the TAWA has named their 2011 Truck and Truck Line of Texas. Brining in the top award is Ford, with the F-Series of trucks named the Truck Line of Texas. The TAWA pointed out the forever loved Raptor and the all new Eco-Boost V6 in the F-150 as reasons for the superb win by Ford.

The Truck of Texas, however, was awarded to the 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn Edition. This is a bit of an upset to Ford as the F-150 is usually in this top spot as well. The new Ram Laramie Longhorn Edition wins on longest name-plate for sure, but it also packs great “Texan” looks and tons of power.

The Full-Size Pickup of Texas is the 2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Crew Cab 4×4. The Mid-Size Truck of Texas is the great, and one of the only lasting, 2011 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4×2 Texas Edition. The Luxury Pickup of Texas is the 2011 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Edition, also robbed from the F-150 King Ranch. Lastly, they named the 2011 Ram Power Wagon Crew Cab 4×4 as the Heavy Duty Truck of Texas. The Outstanding Truck Feature of Texas was named to Ford for the MyFord Touch.

Check out more TAWA awards right here on txGarage.

2011 Ford F-150

2011 Toyota Highlander

Toby — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:18:03 +0000

2011 Toyota Highlander

Last year, we brought you coverage of the first time reveal of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner at the State Fair of Texas. Then we brought you the review to show you how the new 4Runner handled the Texas off roads, with a bonus video. This year Toyota will be doing it again, only this time with the all new 2011 Toyota Highlander. This year, unfortunately, due to scheduling restraints we won’t be making it to the live reveal of the Toyota Highlander. We will bring you as much information and pictures as we can get though, and be looking for that “txGarage” style review later this year!

So what do we expect to see this year? Well the 2011 Highlander will also debut beside a Highlander Hybrid. You will see a restyled body, to fit more in line with the Toyota portfolio we see today, and distinct differences between the Hybrid and gas models. Also look for new features added to the interior of both models.

Toyota will also be showing off the all new Texas Edition Tundra and the all new TX Edition Tacoma at the State Fair of Texas. If you’re in the area, head out to the State Fair and check out the Toyota display and the rest of the great cars at the auto show!

First Drive: the All New Scion tC

Adam Moore — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:56:16 +0000

2011 Scion tC - First Drive - Austin, Texas

At txGarage, we get offered to attend car events and cover new car reveals all the time. We love the opportunity to go out when we have the free time. Unfortunately, because of time restraints and other issues, we don’t always get to attend these events. When it came to the Scion reveal though, I thought it was really worth making the time to check out a brand that devotes itself to younger enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Scion has been in the US since 2002, introduced as a sub-brand to Toyota aimed at younger buyers. Lots of companies try to target the youth with marketing schemes and clever advertising, and most of the time they fail. Younger Americans know a thing or two about marketing and advertising as they have been pursued since they were in dipers watching Big Bird. The younger generation knows when someone is being real and when it’s an older person pushing marketing onto them. Scion, though, has managed to really stick to their unconventional ways and keeping up with the young enthusiast drivers. In fact, Scion is the “youngest” brand in the industry selling most of it’s vehicles to 18-24 year old men. With over 800,000 vehicles sold in its 7 years in the U.S., Scion is making it’s mark.
The new tC then couldn’t just be an updated body or a lousy attempt at marketing with no real delivery. Scion knows that the tC really has to be a hit and really has to reach out to it’s audience. They have done just that. Focused on making the exterior more masculine, as men make up the largest number of buyers, the new tC has bolder lines. The front has a wider open mouth and a more sharp and pointed nose. The B-pillers are made to blend in with the windows to give you a more cockpit like feel. The C-piller is beefier and more masculine with flared arches over the rear wheel and a swooping hatchback. Don’t forget about that all glass roof, a signature of the tC. All of this is made to be more appealing to the young enthusiast, and putting it beside a Kia Forte or Honda Civic, the car really stands out.

Inside the car, the emphasis is on the stereo. My favorite thing about this car can be found on the inside, but we’ll get to that in a bit. The base stereo, oddly enough, is not only the most powerful offered in the tC, but is one great sounding system! The base stereo includes a 300 watt Pioneer head unit out of a Lexus, but tuned specifically for the cabin of the tC. With 8 speakers, iPod connectivity, and a built in amplifier this car really knows how to rock. The next two steps up, or back depending on how you look at it, are 200 watt systems with navigation and more infotainment features. My suggestion, save your money and go with the base stereo then get yourself an aftermarket GPS. You’ll thank me later. Moving our eyes down from the stereo we see something we long to see in any sporty coupe. This 2011 Scion tC was equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission. Yes, you read that right, the new tC has both a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions. Scion predicts that more than 30% of customers will opt for the manual, which in these times of transmission madness warms my heart to hear. Back over to my favorite part of this car, the one thing you’ll have your hands on the most: the steering wheel. The tC’s new steering wheel is beefy and just about perfect in size. The bottom of the wheel is cut off to mimic those of racing gods like the Ferrari and Audi R8s. Gripping this wheel just begs you to find some twisties!

The car to get is one equipped with the 6-speed manual and then some TRD parts for good measure. We tore off in this great little coupe equipped with TRD big breaks behind great looking 19” wheels. Sway-bars stiffen it up in the bends, and the TRD exhaust makes for a good note. With 180 horsepower on tap from the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine, we just had to find some twisty hill country roads to throw it down. The front wheel drive handled the road well and could even take a little more power. The guys at Scion told us that the TRD car wasn’t equipped with the TRD springs and shocks and once those are sorted out, the sporty ride will get that much better. They also hinted at a supercharger that might be in the works.

All-in-all, I think Scion hit its mark. The new tC looks better, drives better, and is still offered at a great price. The base car with a manual transmission starts off at $18,275 and the base car with the automatic transmission is $19,275. It has more competition today than it did when it was first introduced with cars to cross shop like the Honda Civic or the Kia Forte Coupe. The one car I’d really worry about though is the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0t. For a few thousand dollars more (base 2.0t starts at $22,000) you can get a sporty, great looking, coupe with rear wheel drive and almost endless possibilities. It’s going to be great to see how these all compare and what what Scion has in store for us in the future.

“TOYOTA TACOMA DAY” in Texas

Adam Moore — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:53:33 +0000

Toyota Tundra Day

Rick Perry, in the midst of a heated election, declared August 6th to be “Tacoma Day” in recognition of Toyota’s commitment to Texas. The Toyota Tacoma’s coming of the assembly line in San Antonio are the first ever Texas built Tacomas.

The Tundra is already being built in the Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Texas (TMMTX) plant, and by adding the production of the Tacoma the TMMTX plant, it will be able to push out upwards of 200,000 trucks a year. Toyota’s bringing the Tacoma production to Texas has brought with it 1,000 additional jobs to the plant in San Antonio and $100 million invested into the San Antonio community.

This is good for Toyota, Texas, and the reputation of our Governor by creating a positive impact on the economy statewide. Perry continues to bring companies and products from other states into Texas, keeping our economy one of the strongest in the country.

Toyota’s impact on Texas includes:

· 5,500 jobs at TMMTX
· 11,700 jobs in Texas
· $1.3 billion on San Antonio plant
· $1.2 million direct investments in Texas for 2009

The Toyota Trucks Texas Facebook page will be joining the celebration by posting Toyota Tacoma trivia, technical specs, and exclusive event information, as well as photos and video from launch ceremonies leading up to and on August 6th. Don’t miss a single update; visit facebook and twitter today.

[source: Toyota]