That 2.3 million recall would surely hit Toyota hard. That’s on top of 4.3 million that they previously announced.

Sales of the RAV4, Matrix, Camry, Corolla, Avalon, Highlander, Tundra, and Sequioa are all suspended until they can figure out the accelerator pedal problem that has caused the massive recalls.

Toyota initially announced that removing the driver side matting surrounding the pedals is a temporary fix but it appears that the issue is with the accelerator mechanism. Reports of collissions and injuries have already been filed prompting the initial recall.

Just when Toyota is trying to position itself to make a profit this year. Looks like Volkswagen will surely be happy to trim away at Toyota’s lead as the world’s biggest automaker.

For a Toyota fan, this surely is a disheartening. We could all just hope that Toyota gets its act together.

No doubt about it, I’m a Toyota fan. Their mass-production cars might not be the slickest ones to drive for fun, but they will get you around. And they’re virtually indestructible. Selling my old Corolla and swapping it with my now junk of a Sentra has got to be one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made.

But thanks to the accelerator problem that affects 4.3 million vehicles, Toyota’s reputation of dependability has now been tarnished quite badly.

Now, Toyota announced that it will be recalling around 2.3 million vehicles in the US to fix the problem. Mind you that this is separate from the initial 4.3 million that they’ve already recalled last year. Toyota claimed that it was initially a floor mat problem but reports have been sent in that the accelerator pedals keep sticking even without the mats.

The vehicles included in this round of recall: 2005-’10 Avalon, 2007-’10 Camry , 2009-’10 Corolla, 2010 Highlander, 2009-’10 Matrix, 2009-’10 RAV4, 2008-’10 Sequoia and 2007-’10 Tundra.

US owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331.

There’ll be a new trim for the new Toyota RAV4 when it starts selling this September. The range will now include a RAV4 equipped with the Avensis’ 2.2-liter D4-D 150 diesel engine.

The engine will be mated to either a manual or an automatic transmission, both with six speeds. The automatic transmission on this one makes it the first for a RAV4 diesel. It will also have a sport mode and something called Sports Direct Shift, a sequential manual mode. With the manual, potential owners will get 11 percent less emissions compared to the standard 2.2-liter diesel RAV4. Power is also better, from 134 brake horsepower from the standard to 148 bhp in the new diesel.

That’s not the only addition for this year’s range. A RAV4 model with 2-wheel drive and a 2-liter petrol engine will be reintroduced for the XT-R trim, which features leather interiors, front seats with heaters, and an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat.

The new RAV4 also gets exterior updates, such as for the front bumper, fog lights, grille, headlights, and new 17-inch alloy wheels. AC, Bluetooth, MP3 compatibility, and heated retractable mirrors are standard features across the range.

Last month, Toyota was pretty open about Prius shortages brought about by the scarcity of batteries. As a result, Toyota was keen on pushing the Camry hybrid to those looking for their hybrid fix amidst the oil price crunch. I do wonder how this would work since, even if they’re both hybrids, there are a lot of differences between the two.

For a refresher, the MPGs alone bear much difference. The Prius gets 46 while the Camry gets 34. As for power figures, the Prius is ever so sluggish at 76 hp and the Camry has decent power with 147 hp. The Prius is priced at $21500 and the Camry, starts at $25900.

Doing the math, the $4000 price difference and the 12 mpg might just be worthy of the 71 hp difference. It does seem that the Camry is also a viable choice for those jumping into the hybrid bandwagon and still would want that oomph when it’s time to floor the gas pedal.

Video Source: Edmunds

Japanese manufacturers have lately been fussing about their crossover offerings. Honda has its CR-V and Toyota has its RAV4 and both are doing quite well. Nissan joins the fray with one of their latest offering and their latest in the crossover market – the Nissan Rogue.

We’ve seen it debut in the Detroit Auto Show and it does seem like it’s targeted to compete with the CR-V and even the Hyundai Santa Fe (in terms of looks). The Rogue (the base Rogue S and swankier Rogue SL versions) gets a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine (dishing out 170 horses) mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Flappy paddle gearboxes are optional.

But aside from the looks and the specs, it’s the price that really takes a jab at Honda. Initially stated to start at around twenty grand, Nissan announced that the Rogue will start under that price. This competes heavily with the MSRPs of the CR-V ($21,195) and the RAV4 ($21,635) and would definitely give those other crossovers a run for their money. In terms of consumer appeal, it’s the price that would definitely make it one to be considered.

Source: Winding Road