New Tundra Is 07 Model: Toyota Beats New EPA MPG Rules

[Perian]

Link: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...612170617/1014

New rules that will lower window-sticker fuel economy numbers on vehicles are already affecting carmakers' behavior, but perhaps not in the way regulators intended.

The new figures are intended to reflect real-world fuel economy more closely than today's fuel-economy ratings. Shoppers use the figures to compare vehicles' operating costs. Listed fuel economy rates are expected to fall 7% to 15% under the new standard.

To take advantage of higher miles per gallon results under the old testing procedures, Toyota Motor Corp.'s big new Tundra full-size pickup will be called a 2007 model when it debuts, despite the fact that none will reach dealerships until mid-February at the earliest.

Most new cars and trucks that go on sale after Jan. 1 will be called 2008 models, but Toyota decided it would rather have its new truck look a little old rather than explain the lower fuel economy numbers when it competed with pickups like the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 that were tested under the old standard.

[Perian]

Anyone still doubt there's a pick-up truck war in progress?

Credit where credit is due: Nice move Toyota.

.

[GMFreak8]

Sneaky ****************************s....

Edit: Whoops, didn't know that was caught by the filter....

[camaro_freak]

GM did a similar thing with the GMT900s...

advertising them on New Years Eve on tv a full year + 1 day in advance of their actual "model date".

[K-1]

Originally Posted by camaro_freak

GM did a similar thing with the GMT900s...

advertising them on New Years Eve on tv a full year + 1 day in advance of their actual "model date".

This is the opposite of what GM did. If it were the same thing, GM would be calling them 2006 models.

[Angry Dad]

Funny part is the ratings that were posted here a week or so ago showed what lousy numbers the Tundra got anyways.

Guess when your truck is so far off the mark, you have to resort to tricks.

[paul8488]

I think the model year versus calander year thing is getting stupid. A vehicle built and released in 2006 should be a 2006. At the very least they could do like they used to do, and release the coming years vehicle the October before (so a vehicle released in October 2006 - December 2006 is a 2007). As it is they're often a year ahead... pretty soon you'll be buying a 2010 whatever in 2008.

[GM-Joe]

Originally Posted by Angry Dad

Funny part is the ratings that were posted here a week or so ago showed what lousy numbers the Tundra got anyways.

Guess when your truck is so far off the mark, you have to resort to tricks.

I figured the numbers were going to be real bad; especially once they get the 5.7 shoe horned in there. As big as that thing is and as bad a the current Sequia is, I would guess they are at least 2 or 3 mpg behind GM and maybe even behind Dodge.

[stevecmh]

sneeky sneeky. i guess they are worried about the MPGs

[sgfootball2006]

Originally Posted by stevecmh

sneeky sneeky. i guess they are worried about the MPGs

They know they are going to be worse than GM and there is nothing they can do about it except make it a little closer to start with

[uboys]

Originally Posted by Perian

Anyone still doubt there's a pick-up truck war in progress?

Credit where credit is due: Nice move Toyota.

.

I agree this is a shrewd move.
I do want to bash Toyota though.

[DarkKnight67]

That's really sneaky and stupid on the part of the government. I thought there was a reg that said a vehicle had to be on sale by January 1 to be included in the current model year ... not back date it to appease them. They must really be bad on mileage to have to pull something which equates to saving their reputation this much.

[elderon]

Smart move on their part - you have to admit. So what are the EPA numbers for the new Tundra?

[igor]

The new tundra numbers are actually posted:

2WD 4.0l V6l is 17/20
2WD 4.7l V8 is 15/18
4WD 4.7l V8 is 15/18

no Figures on the bigger V8 yet.

http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

Igor

[ponchoman49]

How sneaky! Why are they allowed to still call it a 2007 after Jan 1st? Simple answer, because they are Toyota thats why!