Toyotagate: Hybrid cars not yet a casuality

Still the world's most important vehicle

Despite owning Toyota vehicles, I'm no huge Toyota fan. I love their hybrid cars, but I hate their dealerships. Of course, since I have a hybrid bias, Toyota is my favorite automaker, despite their crappy dealerships.

Take Toyota out of the hybrid game, and there is no game. At best you're left with a pep rally that might lead to a game. Moreover, if Toyota survives the recall scandal, their hybrid cars, and/or possibly gas prices, will put far more pressure on the Big 3 to increase their fuel economy than any government regulations.

Fortunately, despite Toyota's recalls, a new hybrid plant in Japan is set to open to help offset demand. And that's a good sign that Toyota will stay on track to be 30 percent hybrid by 2020 - far and away the industry's most aggressive battery-powered plans.