The outlet Tire Meets Road spotted a leaked document from Toyota on Reddit, sent to the automaker's dealers and general managers in the Southwest region. According to the memo from Toyota's western comms manager, "The Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback will not be available for model year 2021. Model year 2020 will be the last year for Yaris. June 2020 will be the last month of production for the Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback for the US." Reddit deleted the document, but when AutoWise reached out to Toyota, the same comms manager confirmed the information to the site. And just for good measure, when CarBuzz reached out to Toyota, the response was, "The Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback will not be available for model year 2021. Model year 2020 will be the last year for Yaris in the U.S."

So ends a 15-year run in the U.S. of what has, at times, been one of America's spunkiest hatchbacks. In our review of the 2019 Mazda2-based sedan, we called it slow but "pretty entertaining to drive," one of the "better-looking cars in this diminutive class," and were surprised "at how grown up it feels." Such accolades haven't been enough to convince the buying public; since 2008, when shoppers took home 102,328 Yaris models, the Yaris has posted steep declines in all but three years. A burst of sales in 2017, after Toyota absorbed Scion and turned the Mazda2-based Scion iA into the Yaris iA, fell back into substantial declines in 2018 and 2019. Last year, the Yaris hatch and sedan sold a combined 21,916 units. The Honda Fit did 35,414 sales, the Hyundai Accent 25,628. 

TOKYO — Toyota holds a $293 million stake in Uber, as it partners with the ride-hailing company to further expand into new mobility services, Toyota's latest corporate governance report released on Wednesday showed.

The Japanese automaker has also unloaded shares in some of its suppliers, adjusting its portfolio to reflect partnerships with rival automakers and technology firms as it transforms into a mobility services company, the report showed.

Nissan has introduced the facelifted Kicks to its home market, where it will go on sale from June 30, priced from 2,759,900 yen ($24,845).

The nightshade family of plants includes eggplant and potatoes, which have been used to feed humanity. In deadly nightshade form, the plant's uses have included killing people, or seducing them. Toyota has the latter purpose in mind yet again for the 2021 C-HR and Avalon; based on a document CarsDirect says the automaker sent to fleet managers, the dinky crossover and the big sedan will join the Nightshade Edition family next year. The 4Runner, Camry, Corolla sedan and hatchback, Highlander, and Sienna already offer the dark-themed package. The Sequoia, Tacoma, and Tundra are going to join the dark side this summer for very limited engagements. Nightshade versions of the C-HR and Avalon will take the tally to an even 10 models.

The fleet document didn't detail the package changes for the two new fraternity members. On the Camry, Nightshade means a black grille, window molding, mirror caps, door handles, shark fin, spoiler, badges, and 18-inch black wheels. The Corolla twins expand that with black rocker panels and diffuser inserts, and the Corolla hatch goes all the way with a black inner headlight frame and black lower spoiler.

The 2020 Acura RDX is considered a compact luxury SUV, but there's actually very little that's compact about it. When lined up against its competitors, you can see that it enjoys a clear dimensional advantage. In fact, the RDX is pretty close to the Lexus RX, with an identical rear legroom figure and considerably more cargo space with the back seat raised. Obviously, I'll be addressing the latter here.

On paper, Acura provides several cargo numbers calling out specific SAE measurement standards for each one. Basically, it has 31.1 cubic-feet behind its back seat when you include its underfloor storage and 29.5 cubic-feet when you don't. Even that smaller number is superior to everything in the segment save the Volvo XC60 (29.7), while the Lexus RX apparently has a seems-way-too-small 18.4.  

The Toyota GR Yaris is perhaps the most promising hot hatch to launch since the Hyundai i30 N, and while it won’t be sold in all markets, it has the right ingredients to put its rivals on notice.

Before Subaru became best-known in North America for outdoorsy all-wheel-drive machinery (but after it was best-known for extreme cheapness), we got some wild-looking Subarus with strong overtones of science fiction over here. First, the wedge-shaped XT, XT Turbo, and XT6 arrived during the mid-1980s through early 1990s, with their video-game-style digital instrument panels and fighter-jet-joystick gearshifts. Starting in the 1992 model year, we saw the XT's replacement: the joyously weird SVX. The SVX cost plenty, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the super-cheap Subarus of the past, and not many were sold. Still, Coloradans love old Subarus, and I manage to find discarded SVXs here every now and then. Here's a screaming red '96, found in a self-service yard about 50 miles from Cheyenne.

The 2021 Toyota C-HR and 2021 Toyota Avalon are both set to be offered in Nightshade Special Edition forms.

TOKYO — Ryota Kawamata hadn't driven for more than a decade, but as Japan's COVID-19 crisis worsened in May, his employer near Tokyo rented him a car so he wouldn't have to use public transport.

The 32-year old engineer, pictured above, now wants to buy his own car despite describing himself as a "poor driver."

While the 2021 Toyota Supra doesn't really look any different than the 2020 model year car, it does benefit from a series of upgrades that have considerable impacts on how it performs, as Matt Farah recently discovered.

Toyota sold plenty of small pickups prior to the Hilux's introduction in 1968, including the old-timey Stout and cartrucks based on the Crown and the Corona. The Hilux ended up being one of Toyota's all-time most legendary vehicles in company history, if not the most legendary, in large part due to its reputation for durability in low-intensity conflicts around the globe. You can still buy a brand-new Hilux, though not in North America; the commute-friendlier Tacoma replaced the commercial-grade Hilux starting with the 1995 model year here. While the first-generation Hiluxes could be purchased on our shores (and some were), the 1973-1978 second-gen trucks were the ones that really established Toyota as a major truck player in the American market. Here's one of those trucks, a very worn-out '78 in a Denver-area car graveyard.

The 2021 Honda Pilot carries over the same generation that dates back five years now, making it one of the oldest three-row crossovers on the market. Considering how many impressive new or redesigned entries have been introduced since then, it's surprising that the Pilot manages to remain as relevant as it does. Though certainly overshadowed, it's still an ultra-practical choice blessed with an abundance of clever storage, ample cargo capacity and a well-sorted driving experience that nicely toes the line between comfort and response. There's also the matter of Honda's long-standing reputation for reliability and resale value. 

Basically, the Pilot can be considered the most sensible of three-row family crossovers (though the Subaru Ascent sure comes awfully close). Of course, "sensible" often doesn't equate to "desirable" as the makers of plain black running shoes can attest. The Pilot is a bit frumpy to look at, and the rather plain interior design doesn't reach the near-luxury heights of the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Toyota Highlander or Mazda CX-9. Even the Pilot's five-passenger fraternal twin, the Passport, manages to be a bit cooler. But such things are in the eye of the beholder. While we think the Telluride and Palisade in particular are stronger overall choices, the Pilot is nevertheless a well-rounded crossover that'll make sense for many families. 

About a month ago, the 2021 Toyota Venza was revealed, reviving an old nameplate for the U.S. by rebadging the Japanese-market Toyota Harrier. It's a clean, handsome if somewhat inoffensive design. But if you're wanting a small to midsize crossover with more punch, the Japanese branch of TRD is launching a set of body parts to make the Harrier/Venza look more exciting.

The company just revealed its body kit and wheels, and they're branded GR for Gazoo Racing, just like what you'll find on the Supra and GR Yaris. The kit adds a deep, angular front lip spoiler, side skirts and large rear diffuser. The hatchback gets a little spoiler at the base of the window, and the outboard grilles get black panels to make them look larger. Unique 20-inch wheels and a red and black GR stripe down the side complete the package. None of these parts change the driving characteristics except maybe the lateral dampers offered, which TRD says helps eliminate vibrations, though we're a little skeptical.

TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development, but that doesn't stop the performance division from developing parts for Lexus products, too. One of those Lexus products it just released a set of performance parts for is the LC 500. The two-door coupe is our favorite Lexus for sale right now because of its excellent driving dynamics and stunning looks, so adding more performance is a good thing, right?

We'll stop short of saying it's a great thing for appearances in this particular instance. The parts shown here tend to muss up and clutter the LC's otherwise gorgeous design. That large rear wing, aero cowling above the rear seats and aero mirror cover all notch the aggressiveness up a level, but it makes the styling look a bit messier in photos.