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Toyota's New Engine Family: Here's Why Rivals Should Worry

Toyota's New Engine Family: Here's Why Rivals Should Worry

Miami Herald16 hours ago
Many of today's powertrain developments are in the electric vehicle (EV) realm, but Toyota is expanding the limits of gas-powered engines. The automaker's next-gen engine lineup includes 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter sizes, which are entirely different from its previous internal combustion engines (ICE), leveraging more lightweight and compact designs. Toyota's new 1.5-liter achieves a 10% weight and volume reduction compared to the company's current 1.5-liter, while the new 2.0-liter offers similar gains to the existing 2.4-liter. In turn, Toyota is able to increase fuel economy and lower emissions without sacrificing power. Still, this next-gen engine family's efficiency extends beyond increased mileage and reduced emissions into areas like vehicle segment versatility. Let's take a closer look at how Toyota is giving its rivals increased competition with the innovation of its latest engine lineup.
Flexibility is a focal point of Toyota's next-gen engine family, with the ability to mount longitudinally or transversely and be placed at a vehicle's front or rear. This flexibility supports the development of future, sportier Toyotas, plus the seamless implementation of all-wheel drive (AWD), RWD, and FWD layouts. Toyota can utilize the 1.5-liter engine to suit classes such as compact cars and hybrids, while the 2.0-liter turbo could fit larger trucks, SUVs, and sports models.
"With these engines, each of the three companies [Toyota, Subaru, Mazda] will aim to optimize the integration with motors, batteries, and other electric drive units," Toyota said in a statement, according to The Daily Star. Toyota, which owns about a fifth of Subaru and roughly 5% of Mazda, added that its next-generation ICE engine lineup will help decarbonize ICEs by making them compatible with alternative fuel sources, such as e-fuels (synthetic fuels) and biofuels.
While smaller engines often evoke thoughts of slower cars, their installation in upcoming Toyotas enables lower hoods, which enhances crucial performance factors such as aerodynamics and contributes to improved fuel economy. The engines' design flexibility also opens the door to Toyota reviving fan-favorite performance vehicles like the MR2 and streamlining the development of the upcoming Celica. American drivers could even see the engines in Gazoo Racing models like the GR Corolla and GR86. According to Toyota engineers who spoke with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, the 2.0-liter is easily capable of exceeding the 400-450-horsepower figure of the mid-engine GR Yaris M concept, or over 600 horsepower with a larger turbocharger.
Toyota's desire to expand the limits of ICEs arrives at a time when many automakers are reducing their investment in the technology. This decision from Toyota, along with its collaborators Subaru and Mazda, could pay off in a significant way by appealing to drivers who are not yet ready for full electrification, whether for reasons like lack of charging infrastructure or personal taste, but still seek improved efficiency. Drivers can also look forward to this ICE technology offering the ability to increase sports car mileage and reduce emissions while enhancing power. Many automakers have decided to stretch ICE production into the 2030s, but Toyota and its partners appear to have a leg up on competitors with this next-gen engine lineup offering innovation in the areas that matter most.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge
ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge

Associated Press

timean hour ago

  • Associated Press

ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge

ATLANTA & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 7, 2025-- ICE Mortgage Technology, a neutral provider of a robust end-to-end mortgage platform and part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), today released its July 2025 Mortgage Monitor report. ICE data reveals that beneath the surface of a broadly cooling but stable housing market, early signs of financial stress are emerging among subsets of homeowners. Pockets of vulnerability can be seen in rising negative equity, increased use of mortgage products that improve short-term affordability, and exposure to student loan debt. According to ICE's Home Price Index, annual home price growth slowed to 1.3% in early June, and 30% of the largest markets have seen prices dip by at least a full percentage point from their recent highs. 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The return of both payments and collection efforts on defaulted federal student loans, which resumed in May after a five-year pause, may put additional financial strain on some homeowners. Analysis of ICE McDash data and ICE Tradelines data powered by TransUnion shows that nearly 20% of mortgage holders also carry student loan debt. Among FHA borrowers, that number rises to nearly 30%. Borrowers delinquent on student loans are four times more likely to be delinquent on their mortgage. 'While the slowdown in home price growth may be easing affordability pressures, and negative equity volumes remain low, we're beginning to see localized pockets of recent homebuyers becoming financially exposed,' said Andy Walden, Head of Mortgage and Housing Market Research at ICE. 'Borrowers with minimal equity — particularly those who purchased recently — are often the first to be exposed when home prices soften. These early signs of stress highlight the importance of monitoring borrower-level risk as market conditions evolve.' Meanwhile, ICE Home Price Dynamics is beginning to show the impact of softening home prices on equity positions in credit risk transfer (CRT) securitizations with the majority of CRT deals issued in 2023 and 2024 having seen modest upticks in negative equity rates in recent months. 'As figures from the July Mortgage Monitor bear out, national averages don't tell the full story,' said Tim Bowler, President of ICE Mortgage Technology. 'We're seeing early signs of risk building within specific markets and within specific borrower populations, like borrowers with limited equity or who are behind on student loans. This is when proactive monitoring and data-driven risk management become essential. Identifying and engaging these borrowers early may prevent hardship later.' The full July Mortgage Monitor report contains a deeper analysis of May mortgage performance, a housing market update featuring June ICE Home Price Index (HPI) data, an analysis of the impact of student loans on homeowners and a look at loan origination operational trends. Further detail, including charts, can be found in this month's Mortgage Monitor report. About the ICE Mortgage Monitor ICE manages the nation's leading repository of loan-level residential mortgage data and performance information covering the majority of the overall market, including tens of millions of loans across the spectrum of credit products and more than 160 million historical records. The ICE Home Price Index provides one of the most complete, accurate and timely measures of home prices available, covering 95% of U.S. residential properties down to the ZIP code level. 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We offer some of the world's largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalize on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity. Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. 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Source: Intercontinental Exchange Category: Mortgage Technology ICE-CORP View source version on CONTACT: ICE Media Contact: Johnna Szegda [email protected] +1 (404) 798-1155ICE Investor Contact: Katia Gonzalez [email protected] +1 (678) 981-3882 KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK GEORGIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH NETWORKS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PERSONAL FINANCE FINTECH DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY OTHER CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY ASSET MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY DATA ANALYTICS SCIENCE FINANCE SOURCE: Intercontinental Exchange Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 07/07/2025 06:00 AM/DISC: 07/07/2025 06:00 AM

ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge
ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge

Business Wire

time2 hours ago

  • Business Wire

ICE Mortgage Monitor: Amid a Cooling Housing Market, Early Signs of Homeowner Risk Emerge

ATLANTA & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ICE Mortgage Technology, a neutral provider of a robust end-to-end mortgage platform and part of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), today released its July 2025 Mortgage Monitor report. ICE data reveals that beneath the surface of a broadly cooling but stable housing market, early signs of financial stress are emerging among subsets of homeowners. Pockets of vulnerability can be seen in rising negative equity, increased use of mortgage products that improve short-term affordability, and exposure to student loan debt. Softening home prices expand from the Sunbelt to Western states, driving increased negative equity According to ICE's Home Price Index, annual home price growth slowed to 1.3% in early June, and 30% of the largest markets have seen prices dip by at least a full percentage point from their recent highs. While this deceleration may help affordability, it could potentially weaken the equity positions of borrowers who purchased more recently, particularly those using FHA and VA loans, which are low down payment products. Nationally, one in four seriously delinquent loans would be in a negative equity position if sold at distressed (REO) prices. In certain markets, the figures are more pronounced: in Cape Coral, Fla., 27% of all 2023 and 2024 vintage loans are now underwater, while in Austin, Texas, the rate is 18% among 2022 vintage loans. ARM and temporary buydown usage reflect affordability pressure More than 8% of borrowers financed homes with ARMs or temporary buydowns this year, which reduce monthly payments in the first years of the loan. While these loans provide short-term relief, they may introduce future payment shock, particularly if interest rates remain elevated or reset higher. 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These early signs of stress highlight the importance of monitoring borrower-level risk as market conditions evolve.' Meanwhile, ICE Home Price Dynamics is beginning to show the impact of softening home prices on equity positions in credit risk transfer (CRT) securitizations with the majority of CRT deals issued in 2023 and 2024 having seen modest upticks in negative equity rates in recent months. 'As figures from the July Mortgage Monitor bear out, national averages don't tell the full story,' said Tim Bowler, President of ICE Mortgage Technology. 'We're seeing early signs of risk building within specific markets and within specific borrower populations, like borrowers with limited equity or who are behind on student loans. This is when proactive monitoring and data-driven risk management become essential. Identifying and engaging these borrowers early may prevent hardship later.' 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In addition, the company maintains one of the most robust public property records databases available, covering 99.9% of the U.S. population and households from more than 3,100 counties. ICE's research experts carefully analyze this data to produce a summary supplemented by dozens of charts and graphs that reflect trend and point-in-time observations for the monthly Mortgage Monitor report. To review the full report, visit: About Intercontinental Exchange Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE's futures, equity, and options exchanges -- including the New York Stock Exchange -- and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. 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Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading 'Key Information Documents (KIDS).' Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2025. Source: Intercontinental Exchange Category: Mortgage Technology ICE-CORP

Test Driving The 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition
Test Driving The 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition

Forbes

time2 hours ago

  • Forbes

Test Driving The 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia is offered with a new trim level: 1794 Edition Toyota has released a new trim for its largest SUV: the 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition. The 1794 Edition trim has been available on the Tundra full-size truck for a couple years, but it was just introduced on the Toyota Sequoia. The 1794 Edition sits below the top-of-the-line Sequoia Capstone trim and above the Sequoia Platinum trim. It includes a lot of extra equipment that we'll dive into in a moment, but let's revisit what role the Toyota Sequoia serves first. Toyota Sequoia: Does it Really Need a V8? This is the biggest vehicle in Toyota's line up, acting as the brand's roomy, three-row, family-friendly, off-road capable SUV that utilizes on a body-on-frame chassis. It's got a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 combined with an electric motor, as reflected in the 'i-Force MAX' badging on the hood. This hybrid drivetrain delivers a total of 437 hp and an impressive 583 pound-feet torque. That peak torque number is quite a bump up from the peak horsepower number – thank you electric motor. The i-Force MAX hybrid drivetrain benefits both power and fuel efficiency The previous Sequoia featured a V8, and while it's easy to bemoan the loss of the V8 the reality is that the execution of this twin-turbo V6 + hybrid combination means the car accelerates with authority. It gets to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds and through the quarter mile in around 14.4 seconds. The power is delivered through a 10-speed automatic transmission that picks gears quite well. The result: both solid power and solid throttle response, despite having only six cylinders. The Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition can be outfitted with the TRD Off-Road package More impressive, and surprising, is that the hybrid drivetrain actually sounds pretty good, too, especially for not being a V8. I purposely avoided researching where the sound was coming from, though I have a strong suspicion it's coming from an amplifier and speaker as much or more than the exhaust system. But I'm going to embrace not knowing, and just say that between the drivetrain's power and torque, plus throttle response and deep exhaust note, the Toyota Sequoia's drivetrain is quite effective. The Sequoia's interior features a digital gauge cluster and 14-inch touchscreen Another Sequoia surprise-and-delight feature is a real-time oil pressure gauge. This is something I wasn't expecting in a three-row SUV in 2025, but I happen to be looking down at the gauge cluster while accelerating from a stop, and I saw the oil pressure gauge flare to life as the engine's RPM rose. Real-time oil pressure? That was common in older performance cars but is pretty much unheard of in modern family vehicles. Kudos to Toyota for serving drivers who still appreciate real time feedback. Despite it's body-on-frame underpinnings the Sequoia offers a refine ride quality Toyota Sequoia: Drives Smaller Than It Looks While the 2025 Toyota Sequoia certainly isn't a small SUV (it's more than 17 feet long and 6 and a half feet wide), this is one of those vehicles that can have you forgetting how much SUV is behind you after a just few minutes of driving. It doesn't necessarily feel nimble or spritely, but if you're avoiding the Sequoia because you think it might feel unwieldy, don't. If you can handle a CR-V or RAV4, you can handle the Sequoia, though you'll likely want to leverage the 360-degree camera technology when it's time to park. The 1794 Edition trim includes woodgrain accents with "1794" badging This particular model is the Sequoia 1794 Edition. Just as Ford has the King Ranch and Dodge has the Big Horn, the 1794 Edition is named for a large ranch in Texas. And in the spirit of Texas, it's got a lot of features that proudly display its ties to the longhorn state. These include brown leather and wood interior accents, '1794' badging throughout the interior and exterior, a panoramic sunroof, second row captains chairs, massaging front seats that are also heated and cooled, and a tow package. A wide range of off-road features and technology are available on the Sequoia Because it's a large body on frame chassis, the Sequoia rides on Toyota's TNGA-F (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform. This platform serves many models, including the Land Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner. For the Sequoia application it offers standard rear wheel drive, with optional four-wheel-drive available on nearly every trim. Buyers can also get a two-speed transfer case and locking rear differential, plus crawl control (low-speed cruise control for off-roading) and hill-descent control. These features are part of the TRD Off-Road package. The 20-inch wheels features off-road tires when the TRD Off Road package is ordered For buyers needing to tow heavy trailers, the 2025 Toyota Sequoia can handle between 8,900 and 9,500 pounds, impressive numbers and yet another reflection of the extra torque emanating from its hybrid drivetrain. Fuel efficiency also benefits, with the i-Force MAX engine giving the Sequoia a 22 mpg rating for rear-wheel-drive models and 20 mpg for all-wheel-drive versions. Not bad for a 6,200-pound, three-row SUV with 157 cubic feet of passenger space. A mere 12 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row reduces the Sequoia's utility Toyota Sequoia: A Long Lasting SUV But perhaps the most impressive Toyota Sequoia figure is its expected lifespan. My company, studies the predicted lifespan of every model sold in the U.S., and the Sequoia consistently lands near the top of that list. The list looks at models most likely to get to 250,000 or more miles, and the Sequoia, along with the Tundra, 4Runner, and Tacoma, often make up the top four spots. The latest list shows the Sequoia in slot number 2 (behind Tundra) with a 36.4 percent chance of getting to 250,000 miles, or 4.2 times more likely to get there than the average vehicle. Straightforward controls make it easy to enjoy the Sequoia's many features Sitting in the Toyota Sequoia's driver's seat presents a user-friendly set of controls, despite the SUV's wide spectrum of capabilities. The 14-inch touchscreen uses an intuitive interface, with dedicated climate controls beneath it. The Sequoia's off-road controls are in the center console, and include two- and four-wheel drive settings, high- and low-range gearing, a knob for drive mode settings, plus buttons for tow mode, crawl control, and multi-terrain select. The surround-view camera eases the challenge of maneuvering the Sequoia For storage space there's a relatively shallow bin on top of the center console, along with a much larger, deeper storage area under the console's hinged lid. There's also a USB-C and a standard USB plug in the big bin. The top of the console and upper dash area feature woodgrain with '1794' badging above the glovebox. The woodgrain is offset with brown leather panels featuring tan contrast stitching, all of which is unique to the Sequoia 1794 Edition trim that's new for 2025. The Sequoia 1794 Edition includes standard second-row captain's chairs Toyota Sequoia: Interior Space Reduced Despite its body-on-frame underpinnings, the 2025 Toyota Sequoia delivers confident handling and a refined ride quality. However, while the advantage of using a body frame structure is increased chassis strength and durability, it comes at the cost of interior space. Specifically, having a live axle running between the two rear wheels impinges on the packaging in the third row and cargo area. It means a higher floor back there, which reduces third-row headroom and legroom. Third-row space is compromised by the Sequoia's live-axle underpinnings The only way to avoid this is to use a front-wheel-drive based, unibody structure that doesn't have a live rear axle, like the Toyota Grand Highlander. That model offers more third-row passenger space and better cargo space behind the third row. If you're buying a three-row SUV and you genuinely plan to use the third row for adults, as well as the cargo area for hauling things, you'll want to go with the Grand Highlander instead of the Sequoia. Of course the Sequoia is better off-road and it's got that ultra-durable body-on-frame design, but it is not as good for maximizing third-row space and cargo capacity. The 2025 Toyota Sequoia has one of the longest predicted lifespans Pricing for the Sequoia starts around $65,000 for the base SR5 trim and tops out around $87,000 for the Capstone version. This 1794 Edition costs $83,000, though adding the TRD Off Road package brings the price to just over $85,000. With that configuration you'll have an SUV loaded with both luxury and off-road features, and while those numbers may seem high, they represent pricing reality for large, luxurious SUVs in a post-Covid world. And in that world, the 2025 Toyota Sequoia brings not just luxury and off-road capability, but exceptional long-term reliability.

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