Toyota could have plug-in hybrids by 2012
As an avid environmentalist, I immediately latched onto the hype surrounding the Toyota Prius when it was released a few years ago. The car was stylish and efficient – a combination that at that time was essentially a non-entity. With new announcements from other major manufacturers across the industry, Toyota is trying to stay at the forefront of the eco-friendly driving movement.
A recent announcement from the Japanese manufacturer claims Toyota will begin mass-producing plug-in hybrid vehicles as early as 2012, producing between 20,000-30,000 cars in the first year. While the company hasn’t announced how many of those will reach the U.S., you can bet many of those cars will be featured on Toyota Kenosha showroom floors.
As the last wisps of summer fade into the chilly fall and winter winds, Chicagoland will turn into a frozen tundra over the coming months. Icy, windy driving conditions will soon lure drivers into 
A lot of people extol the virtues of the Camry and Highlander as the best vehicles in the Toyota lineup. I’ve read that very thing recently on this blog, in fact. It’s not that I disagree, but I feel there is room for one more model in the terrific-Toyota class. And I would argue the Rav4 belongs there.