Prius and performance...two words you would previously never see or likely say in the same sentence...except maybe to complain of a lack there of...are now becoming more compatible.

Don't get us wrong, we love the Toyota Prius and are big advocates of its signature style, fuel economy, low emissions, smooth ride and extremely comfortable interior. These are, after all, some of the many reasons it's the best-selling hybrid in the…

Toyota is partnering with Microsoft to create an in-car electronics system designed to aid the efficiency of their battery-powered vehicles. Both companies will invest one-billion yen (~$12 million) in a Toyota subsidiary that will provide data services for drivers.

Toyota and Microsoft indicate the forthcoming system will incorporate a suite of telematics services, including data, navigation, in-car entertainment and multimedia. Powered by Window's Azure cloud computing platform, it may also be employed to manage…