QOTD: Truck Talk
Chris Tonn reviewed the Toyota Tundra for us this morning. A running theme that I've noticed whenever we review a Tundra or Nissan Titan is that we often say, even if the truck is good, that there's nothing about it that will help it steal sales from the Detroit Three.
That is, of course, in part because Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, and Ram buyers are considered to be very loyal, and they won't be swayed by another product, even if that product is as good or better, for the same money or better. There may also be a bit of disdain towards "foreign" trucks, as well, though I think that's fading. Especially since the Tundra and Titan are built in the U.S.
I, too, have driven the Tundra, though I haven't written about it yet. I came away feeling it's a pretty good truck, but I don't know why I'd pick it over an F-150, a Ram, or a Silverado. So what does Toyota need to do? Or Nissan, for that matter, if it doesn't kill the Titan first?
Sound off below.
[Image: Toyota]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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For me both my 1989 and 1999 Chevy trucks were unreliable. Friends who had Fords or Rams had issues as well. If I was to get another truck, I'd look at a Toyota.
Do like Dodge did, get rid of leaf springs.
Innovate, independent rear suspensions.
The Tundra is ugly. Go to their website and look at the front of the 1794 or Capstone edition. Geez they are ugly. Ram is the only truck that can do a front end. Ford, Chevy and GM looked like they welded on some sort of monstrosity until they started copying Ram. No wonder Ram is taking others' sales.
I really hate the new Tundra now that I get to see them regularly. Sooooo ugly. The new powertrain is complicated but does not impress with it's mpg. Should have just made due with steady efficiency improvements on the V8. At least then the new uglier version would sell on reliability.