Consumer_Reports_-_April_2020

Toyota Land Cruiser
!

The Land Cruiser is

luxurious, quick, quiet,

comfortable, and refined.

Toyota's flagship SUV has

the same smooth and

powerful 5.7-liter V8 as the Tundra

pickup. We tested it with the old

six-speed transmission, and at 14 mpg

overall it proved to be thirsty for

fuel. An eight-speed automatic

transmission is now standard and should slightly improve that number. The

big Land Cruiser rides very comfortably, and the interior is roomy and well-

finished. Expect terrific off-road performance, helped by a crawl mode to

ascend and descend steep slopes. But on-road handling is rather clumsy.

Automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, lane departure warning,

and rear cross traffic warning are standard. Electronic connectivity has been

updated, with Toyota's Entune touch-screen audio system standard.



OVERALL

SCORE

74

$85,415-$87,745

RELIABILITY

4

SATISFACTION

4

ROAD-TEST SCORE 68 MPG 14

Toyota Mirai

The Mirai is the first

hydrogen-powered fuel-

cell vehicle available for

consumers to own. It has a

range of almost 275 miles

on a single fill-up of 5 kg of hydrogen

(the energy equivalent of 5 gallons of

gasoline). It takes only a few minutes

to fill the tank, as opposed to hours

of charging an electric car. The Mirai

is sold only in areas near existing hydrogen fueling stations in California, but

even so, these stations are few and far between. Acceleration from the 153-hp

electric motor feels sluggish, but otherwise it is like driving any other electric

car. It's about the size of a Camry and seats four people. Handling is rather

clumsy but still feels secure; the ride is comfortable, and the cabin is quiet.

Toyota is offering free fuel for three years, capped at $15,000 in value.



OVERALL

SCORE

66

$58,500

RELIABILITY

4

SATISFACTION

4

ROAD-TEST SCORE 61 MPGe 67

Toyota Prius!

In our tests, the Prius

returned 52 mpg overall,

which is phenomenal.

Plus, the car handles

responsively and rides

comfortably. Colorful digital gauges

dominate the dashboard with

abundant fuel-economy information.

The touch-screen infotainment system

is fairly straightforward. The sensible

Prius has always been about efficiency and low running costs. The car can

drive solely on electric, usually up to about 25 mph, but the engine tends to

moan when it kicks in. In addition, the seats have mediocre support, tire noise

is noticeable, and the car's low stance makes it a challenge to get in and out.

Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are standard.

All-wheel drive is optional. Updates for 2020 include standard Apple CarPlay—

but still no Android Auto.



OVERALL

SCORE

79

$24,325-$32,500

RELIABILITY

5

SATISFACTION

5

ROAD-TEST SCORE 75 MPG 52

Toyota Prius Prime
!

This plug-in Prius can

usually drive about 23 miles

on electricity only. But the

gas engine tends to start up

in cold weather and when

quick acceleration is needed. It takes

2 hours to charge the Prime through

a 240-volt connector and 5 hours on

a regular 120-volt. When not running

in EV mode, the Prime operates

much like the regular Prius, alternating between electric and gas power,

returning 50 mpg overall. The infotainment system, with its large touch screen,

is unintuitive to use. The compliant ride and responsive handling are quite

similar to those of the regular Prius. All 2020 models get standard Apple CarPlay

compatibility, two USB ports for rear-seaters, and a standard three-passenger

rear seat (the previous models had only a two-person rear seat). Standard safety

features include automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assistance.



OVERALL

SCORE

79

$27,750-$33,650

RELIABILITY

5

SATISFACTION

4

ROAD-TEST SCORE 74 MPG 50

Toyota RAV4

!

The RAV4's more rugged

exterior appearance com-

promises interior space.

The 2.5-liter four-cylinder

engine is paired with an

eight-speed automatic transmission

and delivers relatively quick accelera-

tion. Fuel economy is commendable

at 27 mpg overall. The hybrid version

feels energetic, with the electric drive

producing immediate and quiet motivation from a standstill. And that hybrid

delivers an impressive 37 mpg overall. The RAV4 is responsive in corners, and it

remains under control even when pushed. The ride, however, is rather stiff, and

the noisy engine hurts the driving experience. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

compatibility are standard. Forward collision warning with pedestrian detec-

tion, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane keeping

assistance are standard. However, blind spot warning is optional.

OVERALL

SCORE

$25,950-$36,880

RELIABILITY

3

SATISFACTION

3

ROAD-TEST SCORE 72-76 MPG 27-37

Toyota Sequoia

!

The big, eight-passenger

Sequoia has a strong and

refined 5.7-liter V8 engine

paired to a six-speed

automatic transmission.

That combination returned only

15 mpg overall in our tests. Rear-wheel

drive and selectable full-time four-

wheel drive are available. The ride is

firm, and handling is clumsy

but secure. The independent rear suspension allows the third-row seat to fold

flat into a well. It's a high step-in to enter the cabin, but once inside, passengers

will find the interior to be very roomy. Electronic connectivity includes the

Entune touch-screen audio system. All 2020 models get standard Android Auto

and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Standard advanced safety features include

forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.



OVERALL

SCORE

73

$49,980-$69,245

RELIABILITY

5

SATISFACTION

4

ROAD-TEST SCORE 60 MPG 15

Toyota Sienna!

As minivans go, the Sienna

is a sensible choice, but it

isn't very engaging to drive.

Although the Sienna rides

comfortably and is quiet

inside, its handling is lackluster.

It has a lively 3.5-liter V6, but the

eight-speed automatic doesn't

shift very smoothly. However, fuel

economy is a decent 21 mpg overall.

The all-wheel-drive version sacrifices 1 mpg. An eighth seat cleverly stores

in the back when it isn't installed in place. The availability of all-wheel drive

is the Sienna's biggest advantage over any other minivan. Forward collision

warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane

keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control are standard. A redesign is

slated to arrive this summer.



OVERALL

SCORE

78

$31,565-$49,340

RELIABILITY

4

SATISFACTION

3

ROAD-TEST SCORE 79 MPG 21

Toyota Supra

!

The Supra is reborn as a

focused sports car that

relies on the BMW Z4 com-

ponents. The extroverted

two-seater is powered by

a supersmooth and punchy 335-hp,

3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder engine from

BMW. That smooth punch is routed

through a slick eight-speed automatic

transmission to the rear wheels. The

driver can override gear choices with paddles via the steering wheel. Sport

mode sharpens responses and amplifies the exhaust sound. Handling is super-

responsive and agile, and the car can be playful on a track. The ride is stiff

but tolerable. Getting in and out is a chore, and visibility is severely limited.

The BMW iDrive infotainment system takes some getting used to but is logical.

Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian

detection, and lane departure warning with steering assist are standard.



OVERALL

SCORE

80

$49,990-$55,250

RELIABILITY

3

SATISFACTION

5

ROAD-TEST SCORE 91 MPG 27

0

!

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