Something old or something new, priced where used car buyers can afford to borrow, and both are available in blue.

That’s the story of the Toyota Sienna and the Ford Flex, two vehicles that were recently named as two of U.S. News’ top seven family cars.

The Toyota Sienna, a minivan that has been available in the U.S. since 1998, was cited by the news provider for its low cost, smooth handling and its ability comfortably seat eight passengers.

Something old may mean good quality for prospective car buyers, as Edmunds.com editors lauded the 2002 Sienna for its safety features, optional and standard, as well as a smooth engine.

Something new, or newer is the Ford Flex, which first appeared here in 2009. U.S. News lauded its styling, the ability to fit seven adults and accessories that make it the “ultimate road trip vehicle.”

Those looking to save a little money may find people have traded in or sold their 2009 model year Ford Flex, which Edmunds editors gave an 8 out of 10 rating

However used car buyers would choose to finance their options, both cars come in blue, as well as white, black, beige and a host of other colors, too.

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Toyota released the prices for the 2010 Tundra and stated that all of the models will come with the new 4.6-liter V8 engine.

The car, which should be in dealerships starting this month, is also coming with some minor improvements.

There is a redesigned front grille and tail lamps, as well as a new two-bar grille design. In an effort to increase safety within the cab, all models will come with the standard equipment of a driver and front passenger knee airbags. Finally, Toyota says a shelf has been added to the storage space in the lower glove box.

The truck will start at $22,960 for the regular cab with a 4×2 bed. The higher end of the price range will be $44,155 for the CrewMax Limited 4×4. According to the car manufacturer, the new MSRP’s is an “overall increase of $557” from their prices for previous models.

However, people who are in the market for reliable and inexpensive Tundra may want to look into used models, such as the one that came out in 2007.

According to Edmunds.com, the 2007 Tundra produced a “smooth and quiet highway ride” with strong braking ability.

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Every time the flag waves at the Coca Cola 600, NASCAR fans will be watching their favorite drivers line up behind a car that has a legal, but new modification: hybrid technology.

A 2009 Toyota Camry hybrid has earned the honors of being the first pace car with hybrid technology approved for use in an entire race, reports USA Today, and it is slated to lead the field at several other tracks.

The Camry, which had no engine modifications made in order to perform its race day duties, gets 33 miles per gallon, but Toyota spokesman Ed Laukes says, “It’s a tribute to the torque and other performance characteristics of the Camry Hybrid that allows it to meet NASCAR’s requirements for pacing the longest race of the season.”

For those not lucky enough to find the “golden can” of Coca-Cola that is the ticket to win the car following the race, it may be less expensive than one thinks to get behind the wheel of a hybrid.

Toyota has offered hybrid versions of the mid-size model for the past several years, and the fuel economy in the used cars may provide an added benefit for those looking to save some money not just when they buy their car, but at the pump, too.

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Toyota has announced the suggested retail prices for the third generation of its acclaimed hybrid vehicle, set to roll out on sale this May.

The Toyota Prius will start at $21,000 and will continue onto five different levels with various standard equipment combinations, according to the car manufacturer.

“The 2010 Prius delivers outstanding mileage, performance and advanced technology at a great price,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division.

Carter also added that he expects the most popular version of the Prius will be the car at the second price level, which will be at $22,000 (features for the first level have yet to be released).

As always, the company says the hybrids will be fuel efficient with EPA fuel economy estimates of 51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway and 50 mpg combined.

However, those in the market looking for a used car may want to look at past Prius models, which are still fuel efficient when compared to other vehicles.

The Kelly Blue Book places the value of a 2005 Prius with 60,000 miles at under $17,000.

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Toyota has announced that it will have the most fuel-efficient production car in the U.S. next year when it releases the 2010 Prius with an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 50 miles per gallon.

Next year’s model will be the third generation for the Prius, which first hit the U.S. marketing in 1997.

Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division says the car has shown that a hybrid can be a practical everyday car and thinks the new features will attract even more buyers.

“The Prius has evolved with our customers over the past 10 years and is now more things to more people,” he said.

Over the last 13 years, Toyota has slowly increased the fuel efficiency of the Prius. The first generation of the car had an EPA rating of 41 miles per gallon, with the current generation inching up to 46 miles per gallon.

In addition to increased fuel economy, Toyota says the 2010 Prius will have a more powerful engine.

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As more and more people head to used car lots over new they are increasingly looking at fuel-efficient cars that won’t break their bank at the pump. When considering what used car to buy Cars.com says there are a few fuel-friendly vehicles to consider.

It should be no surprise that at the top of the list is the Toyota Prius. The site says that the 2004-2008 Prius is the best bet when looking for fuel efficiency as it averages about 45 miles per gallon.

Coming in second and third on the list are a pair of 2004-2008 Honda Civics. At 42-45 miles per gallon, the Civic Hybrid gets slightly better gas mileage than its traditional twin. Both models were redesigned in 2006, which included side curtain airbags as a standard.

Finishing out the top five are two more Toyotas as the Corolla and Camry Hybrid both get better than 34 miles per gallon on average. For the Corolla, the site suggests the 2004-2008 model, while the Camry Hybrid was just introduced in 2007 meaning there are a limited number available.

The 2010 Toyota Prius is expected to get even better gas mileage that the current incarnation. According to the company the car should get close to 50 miles per gallon when it hits the road next year.

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When most people talk about “green” cars they’re referring to hybrids or alternative fuel vehicles, but apparently Toyota is taking the word literally in its attempt to build a car from seaweed.

The car Toyota is considering building would run on the 1/X (pronounced “one-xth”) platform the company is developing which takes advantage of lightweight materials to get the car down to 926 pounds.

Seaweed is one of the ideas that would replace the carbon-fiber used in the current incarnation of the 1/X and if everything goes well, the company hopes to have it hit the roads in 15 years.

Tetsuya Kaida, project manager on the design, says the car is one more step away from the dependency on oil.

“We used lightweight carbon-fiber reinforced plastic throughout the body and frame for its superior collision safety. But that material is made from oil,” he said. “In the future, I’m sure we will have access to new and better materials, such as those made from plants, something natural, maybe something like paper. In fact, I want to create such a vehicle from seaweed because Japan is surrounded by the sea.”

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The Toyota Prius has changed the way many drivers in the country view fuel-efficient cars. There’s no question the hybrid saves owners hundreds of dollars in gas per year, but one journalist questions if it might be too slow for U.S. highways.

Clifford Atiyeh, who writes for the Overdrive blog for the Boston Globe says that while the Prius might save you some money in gas, forget about acceleration as he says the car makes all others seem like you’re driving a slingshot.

“The Prius saves fuel like it’s 2020, but drives like it came from 1987,” writes Atiyeh.

Atiyeh says the lack of acceleration isn’t a problem in city driving, but when a Prius driver is trying to drive onto the onramp of a highway it can be unsafe. When recently trying to merge onto a freeway in Boston, Atiyeh says he had the pedal to the metal, but still could barely keep up with the cars rushing past.

“That’s not adrenaline kicking in – it’s instinct telling you that zero to 60 in 10 seconds can be flat-out dangerous,” he wrote.

Toyota has said that its next generation Prius, which goes on sale later this year, is likely to get up to 50 miles per gallon. The carmaker is also starting to see some competition from other models like the Honda Insight.

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Toyota says it’s next generation Prius is likely to get upwards of 50 miles per gallon when it goes on sale later this year.

Although the Prius was a niche vehicle when it was first introduced, it has since become the go-to hybrid vehicle for the environmentally friendly. Bob Carter, Toyota’s vice president and general manager says the company has seen the change and is attempting to shift to meet needs.

“Since Prius was first introduced, the consumer demographic has shifted from an early adopter to a mainstream shopper,” Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager said. “The Prius has evolved to meet the changing needs of this growing and diverse customer base.”

Although Toyota has had the market share on hybrids, many companies have either brought a competitive hybrid to market, or will be introducing one soon. Many in the industry feel the Honda Insight is the first real competitor to Prius’ spot as the top hybrid.

But Toyota president Jim Lentz told the Associated Press that while the Insight will gain some buyers because of its low price, the Prius will still have an edge.

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