Car and Van News

Toyota is to release a version of its Auris Hybrid family hatch with CO2 emissions cut to 84g/km.

The 6g/km shaving will enable the Auris to claim the lowest emissions figure in its class.

Japan’s top four car manufacturers are to recall 3.4 million cars to fix a potential problem with their airbags.

The airbags, all supplied by parts manufacturer Takata Corporation, could potentially be too powerful, causing the inflator to break when the bag is activated.

Toyota has revealed prices and specifications for its new mid-sized van, the Proace.

The van will be available in 10 versions, nine of them panel vans along with a crew cab.

Kia has unveiled its second-generation Soul supermini at the New York show, and predicted it could become the brand’s MINI.

That’s according to Tom Kearns, who headed the design team that created the new Soul.

Toyota ended 2012 with a profitable European automotive business for the first time in five years – despite selling fewer cars.

According to Toyota Europe president Didier Leroy, the brand sold 1.143 million cars in 2008 but lost “hundreds of millions of euros.” In 2012 a profit has resulted from selling 838,000 cars.

Toyota’s GT86 is already coveted by many a performance enthusiast so a cabrio version will likely be even more popular.

However Toyota is not yet convinced and the FT-86 cabriolet unveiled at Geneva is a concept to gauge reaction to a drop-top model.

The Volkswagen Golf has been crowned European Car of the Year 2013, winning the contest by the largest margin for many years.

The Golf secured 414 votes in the award, which is decided by panels of leading motoring journalists from across Europe and presented on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show.