Auto news on Youtube Feb 19 2019

Small cars, big value  The Toyota Yaris and Kia Picanto are well respected light cars

Priced here at $16,920 (plus on-road costs) for the Yaris Ascent and $17,290 (plus ORCs) for the Picanto AO Edition they're cheap and cheerful hatchbacks that exist to bring new, usually younger customers to their respective brands – and hopefully keep them on as faithful buyers for life

 Based on 2018 Kia Picanto, but with a little more kit, the special edition Picanto AO Edition adds goodies such as raised suspension and a body kit adding 'SUV attitude', Kia says

Truth is Kia's micro car could probably fit in the back of some large SUVs . the sales leader in its micro car segment; the Picanto is taking on the slightly bigger but similarly priced light car, the Toyota Yaris

 The Yaris Ascent is the entry-level example of Toyota's smallest vehicle in Australia

Higher spec Yaris SX and ZR variants are available for a price. It's a strong seller in its light car segment, and competes against the likes of the Mazda2 and Hyundai Accent, to name a few

Why are we comparing them?  Divided by just a few hundred dollars, and best suited to city-car duties, the Toyota Yaris and Kia Picanto will likely be cross-shopped by buyers on a budget who are not in the market for drama and dynamism, but reliability and affordability above all else

 Despite their many on-paper similarities, in the metal our rivals could not be more different

The Yaris brings a reputation for reliability, while the Kia Picanto AO Edition has a punchy personality; but also a significant seven-year warranty, which should (in theory) improve longevity and reduce running costs

 In an era where budget cars now boast decent equipment lists, modern safety inclusions and genuine bang-for-your-buck, we're keen to see which of these two does it better

Both cars are powered by small, efficient four-cylinder petrol engines hooked up to automatic transmissions

They're unintimidating and easy to drive. Both have five doors (we count the boot as a door) and five seats, although fitting five adults in either of these car may prove challenging

Who will the Kia Picanto and Toyota Yaris appeal to?  Small capacity engines, four-speed automatic transmissions and small proportions see the Toyota Yaris and Kia Picanto best suited to drivers with an urban lifestyle and zero carpool responsibilities

Affordable and reliable, they're ideal for first car buyers on a budget. The Picanto AO Edition brings a bit of youthful razzle-dazzle that lends itself to younger buyers looking for a bit of personality, while the Yaris says look away, I'm conservative

 The Yaris definitely gets you more real estate, making this the more versatile of the two, its second-row leg room and more usable boot space are a key differentiator

You could probably manage a camping trip or weekend getaway with two people in the Yaris but the Picanto might require some clever packing to get that last tent pole in

 The Picanto has a bag hook in the boot, the Yaris has none, but it does have a split-deck boot floor with a hidden cavity to secret things away

How much do the Kia Picanto and Toyota Yaris cost?  The prices for these models are pretty close, the Yaris priced at $16,920 the Picanto costing $17,290 The Kia Picanto comes standard with six airbags covering front and rear passengers and autonomous emergency braking, or AEB

While the Yaris gets an extra airbag – for the driver's knees – you have to pay an extra $650 to get AEB

We'd definitely recommend ticking the box the Yaris' safety pack (which also adds lane departure warning, forward collision warning and high-beam auto dipping) but the extra premium stings a little

 Despite coming standard with AEB, the Picanto only gets a four-star ANCAP safety rating, while the Yaris gets five

Both were tested in 2017.  Both vehicles come with a range of standard features, including Bluetooth audio streaming and phone connectivity, reversing cameras, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors, one USB port, one auxiliary input, and one 12-volt power outlet

 The Yaris has a CD player but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which could be a deal breaker for some buyers

Another big difference between the two is the interior ambience. The interior design of the Yaris has about as much character as an inanimate carbon rod, while the Picanto has a lot more attitude by comparison

 The Kia Picanto has overt red stitching, the gear-shifter and steering wheel look cool, and have a higher quality feel

It has a central arm rest with concealed storage and adjustable cup holders. The Yaris gets none of this, trading instead on its reliability and low running costs

What do the Kia Picanto and Toyota Yaris do well?  The Toyota Yaris' strong points are its extra spaciousness throughout, better seat comfort and expected lower lifetime running costs

It's a more conservative choice but if you don't care about looks it'll serve well

 The Kia Picanto has a more advanced infotainment system compatible with Apple and Android enabled smartphones, it has a modern aesthetic inside and out and longer warranty and 12-month, 15,000km service intervals where the Toyota has six-month 10,000km service periods

 Fuel economy was roughly the same on test 6.1 for the Kia and 6.2L/100km for the Toyota

What could the Kia Picanto and Toyota Yaris do better?  The Toyota needs a better infotainment system – it's about as modern as a gramophone and the six-month service intervals are harsh

Although it will be cheaper to service overall, with the first four services costing $140, your car will be off the road twice a year opposed to once for the Kia

 Thankfully Toyota has now switched to a healthier five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty

 The Kia's safety credentials need work. It scored poorly for child occupant protection in the back seat which results in a four-star ANCAP safety rating

This can sometimes be the difference between a sale won or lost. Which wins? Kia Picanto or Toyota Yaris?  Overall, the Kia Picanto wins – by a cat's whisker

Both are easy and economical to drive and own and although the Toyota has slightly more space, better perceived reliability and potential resale value, the more stylish Kia is simply more enticing to drive

 The Kia Picanto looks and feels more sophisticated and every time you hop into its stylish cabin you feel a bit special

Hopping into the Yaris makes you feel numb. The Toyota's lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a significant oversight too and unless you plan of regularly carrying passengers and large loads, the Picanto is the better pick

 How much does the 2019 Kia Picanto AO Edition cost? Price: $17,290 (plus on-road costs) Engine: 1

25-litre four-cylinder petrol Output: 62kW/122Nm Transmission: Four-speed automatic Fuel: 5

8L/100km (ADR Combined) CO2: 134g/km (ADR Combined) Safety Rating: Four-star ANCAP (2017) How much does the Toyota Yaris Ascent cost? Price: $16,920 (plus on-road costs) Engine: 1

3-litre four-cylinder petrol Output: 63kW/120Nm Transmission: Four-speed automatic Fuel: 6

4L/100km (ADR Combined) CO2: 147g/km (ADR Combined) Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)

For more infomation >> Kia Picanto v Toyota Yaris 2019 Comparison - Duration: 4:16.

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2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro yearns to get lost, and found - Duration: 5:23.

The 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro is the escape vehicle I need to the mountains today.Thanks for coming, folks, but I need to get away..

I'm upfront with my bias for Tacos: Formative years for me were spent sloshing around in my big brother's 1996 Tacoma, extended cab, red, 5-speed, gutless and perfect.

Not much has changed in more than two decades. That's good or bad, depending on who you ask.

Our first taste of the 2019 Tacoma TRD Pro was in the 2017 version when we declared it an "everyman's Raptor."

That's truer than the dirt I dug up in the high hills, south of Denver. I dug up some more interesting bits, too:

It's comfortable to drive, relatively speaking.... Among rough-and-tumble pickups that double time as passenger paint shakers, the 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro is comfortable around town.

At speeds slower than 50 mph, the Fox shocks and tall tires soak up what the chassis can't, and the typical Toyota ride quality shines (read: it's easy to drive)

Speed up and the TRD Pro bucks a little at highway tempos and its trucky off-road bent begins to bleed into the cabin.

The optional desert air intake—Toyota insists it's not a snorkel—drones at highway speeds, too.

Among off-road trucks, only the Colorado ZR2 rides better on the highway than the Tacoma TRD Pro, thanks to its Mulitmatic shocks with variable damping, and probably, magic.

...but not comfortable in the places it needs to be. No tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and no height-adjustable seats in a $50,000 vehicle; no kidding.

That's something that Toyota's fixing with next year's Tacoma pickup, but that's short change for this year's buyers.

For now, tall drivers will struggle to find a good seating position, and short people should sit only in the rear seat, please.

Premium JBL audio finally found its way into the cabin and it fills the four-door pickup with good tunes that our last tester lacked; two USB ports and a wireless smartphone charger were common-sense additions.

Persnickety snout. The $725 desert air intake has a $7 secret: it doesn't like automatic car washes.

Disassembling the top that can be damaged in car washes doesn't take long, but I'm not sure I'd remember to do it every time after a long day of mud-plugging.

It doesn't feel like leather—for some, it's better. We griped last time that the hides in the TRD Pro didn't feel up to snuff

Compared to other leather seats, they don't.. However, after a long afternoon on snowy trails, we appreciated the hard-wearing feel of the upholstery—it's nearly vinyl.

It's also $50,000...we hear you.. Your new pledge name is "Stickers". I love my friends who have tattoos—I have tattoos

The 2019 Tacoma TRD Pro I drove has many tattoos. Nothing says "I take myself very seriously" like high-contrast ink everywhere.

My TRD Pro tester showed up with a $699 sticker package that it wore worse than a Kid Rock concert tee in your wedding photos.

Active safety needs help. Like most other Toyota vehicles on sale, the 2019 Tacoma TRD Pro features automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control, which are all life-saving, superhero stuff.

Mud's kryptonite for those sensors, unfortunately.. Toyota's nerve farm is planted in the grille, the front lines for mud—dirt, snow, and sand, too

My first turns behind the wheel were in a snowstorm (precisely when I need the help)

Getting rid of the error message for good required me to pull over and disable the system in the car's menus.

Routing washers to the sensors would be expensive, but worth it for the rides to and from the trail.

It's a great getaway. Two-tracks, hard trails, and small forests make for ideal places to hide from the real world. Ask me how I know.

For more infomation >> 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro yearns to get lost, and found - Duration: 5:23.

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Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Bi-Tone Plus | Panoramadak - Duration: 1:24.

For more infomation >> Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Bi-Tone Plus | Panoramadak - Duration: 1:24.

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Toyota HiAce 2019: Australian details confirmed - Duration: 11:07.

Toyota HiAce 2019: Australian details confirmed

Toyota has finally put to rest the fevered speculation sweeping. (complete with leaked pictures) about the next Toyota HiAce van,. confirming that it will arrive in Australia this year,. with new engines, a longer wheelbase and,.

possibly, a five-star safety rating. It's the first time in 15 years. that Toyota has revealed an entirely new generation. of the huge and hugely popular van and bus range.

As you can imagine, technology has moved on a lot in that time,. so HiAce buyers can expect improvements. measured in leaps and bounds,. including more power, more fruit in the cabin.

and even enhanced ride comfort. The new HiAce will shift to the "semi-bonneted" design. we've all goggled over in the spy pics,. and the new design - maintains the much-loved cargo space.

while also providing a stiffer frame,. greater stability and manoeuvrability and more pliant suspension. The sixth generation of Toyota's big bus,. expected to go on sale in mid 2019,.

will offer a choice of two-seat vans in long wheelbase (LWB). and super-long wheelbase (SLWB) configurations,. as well as five-seat LWB crew vans. and the 12-seat SLWB Commuter buses so beloved of footy teams.

Toyota Australia's vice president. of sales and marketing Sean Hanley predicted. the all-new HiAce would be a hit with both private buyers. and fleet and corporate customers.

"All-new HiAce is the total solution. for transporting cargo, tourists, workers and families," Mr Hanley said. "Beyond expanding the vehicle's core mission as capable,. durable and reliable transport,.

it has now stepped up to deliver the comfort. and safety that today's motorists demand for private use. Hanley also pointed out that the new semi-bonnet design,. which gives the HiAce a more modern.

and roguish front end,. will also make maintenance faster and thus cheaper,. because it is far easier to get to and replace things like oil,. air filters, the battery and coolant.

The new HiAce range will feature two new engines;. 5-litre naturally aspirated petrol,. both a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

Cargo capacity has been maintained - at 6. for the LWB or a whopping 9. 3 cubes for the SLWB - thanks to a new, longer wheelbase.

Towing capacity is also up by as much as 500kg,. with a maximum of 1900kg on some variants. For those who'll use the HIAce for hard work,. the SLWB two-seat van is capable of accommodating Australian.

standard pallets (1165mm x 1165mm) through its wider side doors. Toyota is tipping the HIAce to achieve the maximum five-star safety rating,. thanks to its highly rigid structure and updated safety technologies,. including AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection,.

plus a reversing camera and nine airbags. The reversing camera will be displayed on the media screen. The reversing camera will be displayed on the media screen. There's even a clever, but optional,.

that "provides a wide field of view unobstructed. by headrests, occupants or cargo". Aussie customers, who've bought more than 330,000 HiAces over the years,. many of which are no doubt still running,.

will be particularly thrilled to hear that new MacPherson struts. for the front suspension and new leaf-spring suspension.

at the rear combine to improve handling, stability and comfort. This, truly, is a whole new van. And it looks like it's been worth the wait.

Will the new HiAce rattle the cages of the Ford Transit,. Hyundai iLoad and Renault Trafic? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Toyota has finally put to rest the fevered speculation sweeping. (complete with leaked pictures) about the next Toyota HiAce van,. confirming that it will arrive in Australia this year,. with new engines, a longer wheelbase and,.

possibly, a five-star safety rating. It's the first time in 15 years. that Toyota has revealed an entirely new generation. of the huge and hugely popular van and bus range.

As you can imagine, technology has moved on a lot in that time,. so HiAce buyers can expect improvements. measured in leaps and bounds,. including more power, more fruit in the cabin.

and even enhanced ride comfort. The new HiAce will shift to the "semi-bonneted" design. we've all goggled over in the spy pics,. and the new design - maintains the much-loved cargo space.

while also providing a stiffer frame,. greater stability and manoeuvrability and more pliant suspension. The sixth generation of Toyota's big bus,. expected to go on sale in mid 2019,.

will offer a choice of two-seat vans in long wheelbase (LWB). and super-long wheelbase (SLWB) configurations,. as well as five-seat LWB crew vans. and the 12-seat SLWB Commuter buses so beloved of footy teams.

Toyota Australia's vice president. of sales and marketing Sean Hanley predicted. the all-new HiAce would be a hit with both private buyers. and fleet and corporate customers.

"All-new HiAce is the total solution. for transporting cargo, tourists, workers and families," Mr Hanley said. "Beyond expanding the vehicle's core mission as capable,. durable and reliable transport,.

it has now stepped up to deliver the comfort. and safety that today's motorists demand for private use. Hanley also pointed out that the new semi-bonnet design,. which gives the HiAce a more modern.

and roguish front end,. will also make maintenance faster and thus cheaper,. because it is far easier to get to and replace things like oil,. air filters, the battery and coolant.

The new semi-bonnet design gives the HiAce a more modern and roguish front end. The new semi-bonnet design gives the HiAce a more modern and roguish front end. The new HiAce range will feature two new engines;.

5-litre naturally aspirated petrol,. both a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Cargo capacity has been maintained - at 6. for the LWB or a whopping 9. 3 cubes for the SLWB - thanks to a new, longer wheelbase.

Cargo capacity is rated at 6. 2 cubic metres for the LWB or a 9. 3 cubes for the SLWB. Cargo capacity is rated at 6. 2 cubic metres for the LWB or a 9. 3 cubes for the SLWB.

Towing capacity is also up by as much as 500kg,. with a maximum of 1900kg on some variants. For those who'll use the HIAce for hard work,. the SLWB two-seat van is capable of accommodating Australian.

standard pallets (1165mm x 1165mm) through its wider side doors. Toyota is tipping the HIAce to achieve the maximum five-star safety rating,. thanks to its highly rigid structure and updated safety technologies,. including AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection,.

plus a reversing camera and nine airbags. The reversing camera will be displayed on the media screen. The reversing camera will be displayed on the media screen. There's even a clever, but optional,.

that "provides a wide field of view unobstructed. by headrests, occupants or cargo". Aussie customers, who've bought more than 330,000 HiAces over the years,. many of which are no doubt still running,.

will be particularly thrilled to hear that new MacPherson struts. for the front suspension and new leaf-spring suspension.

at the rear combine to improve handling, stability and comfort. This, truly, is a whole new van. And it looks like it's been worth the wait.

Will the new HiAce rattle the cages of the Ford Transit,. Hyundai iLoad and Renault Trafic? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.