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Consumer Reports Tries to Clear The Air After Claims Of A "Fishy" Tundra Victory

Agent009 submitted on 08/10/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 4:18 PM
from: blogs.consumerreports.org

[30] user comments | category: New Cars

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Consumer Reports Tries to Clear The Air After Claims Of A "Fishy" Tundra Victory

We're frequently asked about how we decide to equip the test vehicles we buy. Since we buy every vehicle we test, we have more control over trim level and equipment than car magazines and Web sites who borrow vehicles from a manufacturer. These press fleets aren't limitless. In many cases, their size has dwindled in recent years as manufacturers look to reduce costs, making it even harder for the media to set up apples-to-apples comparisons. Since car companies want to do well in magazine tests, those press vehicles often have every performance-oriented feature available, are high trim line, and sometimes omit weight-adding options.

Choosing the right pickup truck variation to test is a difficult challenge--one that took a lot of consideration on our part. Pickups are unique in that they offer seemingly millions of combinations of body styles, trims, engines, and axle ratios. According to recent sales patterns, we knew that half-ton crew cab 4x4 trucks in a mid-level trim are the popular choice for most consumers, so we focused on those for our recent test.

Beyond those considerations, when we buy a test vehicle, choosing its equipment requires balancing several goals. The process is complicated since manufacturers don't make "ease of magazine comparison test construction" part of a vehicle's design brief, nor do dealers necessarily stock similar truck packages from brand to brand. In general, we want to test a representative vehicle that is comparable to other vehicles in the test group (and previously tested peer vehicles). We also typically test the version--powertrain and trim level--that most regular consumers will buy. And, even though price is not a factor in our scoring, it's nice to keep the as-tested prices in the same ballpark.

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speedmaster - 8/10/2007 5:52:04 PMView My AgentSpace

+10 Boost

Bottom line, they're trying to weasel their way out when they were caught pants down with their bias.

The test was focused on towing and tried to show the Toyota in the spotlight.

Someone told it like it was:
Chevy offers choices. YOu can get a 4.3 rear axle for the same price as the one tested as a "no cost option."
If anyone was serious about heavy towing, they'd get the larger "free" rear axle.

Now, they're claiming they bought the trucks based on MPG consideration. This sounds contradictory.

And watch,the Toyota fans are going to deboost this post because what I stated is fact.

The Chevy was at a disadvantage from the get-go. Smaller engine. Smaller rear axle. They compared a 5.7 liter Toyota to a 5.3 Chevy .
The Tundra had the bigger rear axle whereas the Chevy didn't Doesn't sound like a fair comparison to me.

If you are serious" about towing, why not get the no cost larger rear axle.

I'd rather get 10,000 tow capacity to sacrifice 1-2 mpg.

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speedmaster - 8/10/2007 5:53:30 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

Also, I like this comment from "CR"

"And, even though price is not a factor in our scoring, it's nice to keep the as-tested prices in the same ballpark. "

The Chevy was a lot cheaper. Why not compare 6.0 vortex chevy engine?

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damikco - 8/10/2007 6:15:48 PMView My AgentSpace

+9 Boost

It clearly shows how biased they realy are. trucks are bought for towing not mpg, regardless of that a 1-2 mpg loss and a much higher towing range is an excellent trade off. hands down chevy beat toyota.

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GTR35 - 8/11/2007 2:15:21 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

You're joking, right?

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SupraNeverBack - 8/10/2007 7:30:44 PM

-4 Boost

5.3L or 6.0L or 6.2L, 3.73 or 4.1 ratio whatever, all got beaten by the Tundra 5.7L on both power and fuel economy. No comparison, what so ever. Deal with it and stop crying.

CR got Tundra cheaper too.

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zorbeeze - 8/11/2007 11:23:28 AM

+6 Boost

What the hell are you talking about, when did it beat the 6.0.

A lot of people make biased comments on autospies but you are by far the most bias individual here.
As far as american car companies go they are still ahead of the game in the truck industry.

GTR35 - 8/11/2007 2:17:03 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Supra, you're starting to sound like one of those lexus fans...Not a good thing.

SupraNeverBack - 8/11/2007 9:52:18 PM

-2 Boost

If you like, here is the list

Truck Trend: Tundra > Silverado 5.3L & 6.0L

Edmunds Insideline: Tundra > Silverado 6.0L

Popular Mechanics: Tundra > GMC Sierra 6.0L

Trailerboats: Tundra > Silverado 6.0L

...

Designer1 - 8/10/2007 7:39:50 PM

+1 Boost

lool, Amazing how Toyota haters have so much hate in them. My God!!

When, a Toyota or a Lexus that have smaller engines are compared to bigger engine cars, and they don't score 1st place, everyone says, see Toyota/Lexus lost to such and such. But once the equation is flipped, everyone becomes sympathetic that the other cars had smaller engines.

As I’ve always said, different engine sizes aren’t fair tests, but it strikes me to see people how bias are.

The Dodge has a 5.7 V8, Nissan has 5.6 V8 and Tundra with its 5.7 V8. Now THESE are the trucks that were supposed to be compared.

But as far as overall, pound to pound, inch to an inch, no one can even get close to the Toyota. This is a fact that’s proven all over the world.

You don’t like it? Well, learn to live with it.

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SteedPub - 8/10/2007 8:34:20 PM

+7 Boost

Regardless of which truck comes out on top, it does not change the fact that CR is biased. They have been a trumpeter for imported brands since their inception. There is no question whatsoever about that.

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r_driver04 - 8/13/2007 4:21:21 PM

+1 Boost

Who isn't biased?

toolatetorace - 8/10/2007 10:28:39 PM

+5 Boost

They should stick to testing toasters . Just look at how many people got ruuffled up on the count of this , any rate, here's Consumer Reports definitions as rated on Domestic towards Import vehicles ,,,,,,,,, Import, Steering is very precise , Domestic , Steering requires constant attention Import ,,Steering is nuetral on hard corners ,,,,,,,, Domestic,,,,,car washes out on hard turns,,,,,Import ,,, Engine sounds powerful,,,, Domestic,,,,, engine sounds harsh on hard acceleration ,,, Import,, ride is firm and compliant, ,,, Domestic ,,, Ride is "stiffly " . Not kidding on the use of this word in their vocabulary , nor, am I kidding on any of the other comparisons that they have used over the years. All you have to do is do a little magazine shopping at the newstands to see where they are coming from . No need to buy it because you know what they are going to recommened. I will say though, that they are puting in a few domestics in thier "best buy" so it doesn't look as one sided as it used to. Might sell a few more magazines that way .

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rg12345 - 8/10/2007 10:34:29 PM

+6 Boost

Not comparing the proper engines is no comparison at all.

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johnct - 8/11/2007 12:01:41 AM

+6 Boost

Ask CR to explain how an "all new" Tundra gets a top rating for reliablity while any other manufacturer, save Honda, would have been rated "to new to rate".

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no1listensanyway - 8/11/2007 3:24:15 AMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

CR has always sucked for car reviews, and if it doesn't have an H or a T on the hood they don't reccomend it. They also do not take styling into account either, shows how tastless they are. The Tundra is not a looker by any mesns.

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EL34 - 8/11/2007 1:21:12 PM

+3 Boost

I spit on Consumer Reports and I wouldn't use them for any advice or reviews.

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toolatetorace - 8/11/2007 4:15:22 PM

0 Boost

And where my I ask is CR getting all the money too buy all these vehicles that they claim that they are buying to test ?. Lets not foget to to mention the old defunct drag srip that is located in the New England area (aprox.ten acres).They can't be paying all the bills that come in through magazine sales . Those proceeds just cover the printing and distribution costs . They say , they do not accept advertising money .They do accept research money but from whom, Guesses , anyone ???

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Will_ - 8/11/2007 4:19:51 PM

+1 Boost

For what reason is CR's Toyota "bias" so much more offensive to everyone than C&D's BMW bias?

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mscottc1 - 8/11/2007 8:55:38 PM

0 Boost

Well, DUHHHHHH, because the magazine's very name tells you they are going to focus on DRIVER's cars, not luxury cars or economy cars o whatever else.

I suppose next all the Toyota/Lexus fanboys will be screaming that C&D takes bribes from BMW, and that the FACT that the cars handle & drive BETTER has nothing to do with why they win C&D comparos year after year (with a few exceptions)....

CR needs an expose or something so the public can wake up & smell the coffee to their constant bs.

sold2early - 8/11/2007 8:57:20 PM

+3 Boost

It is rather baffling, especially considering CR doesn't accept advertising and has to pay for everything itself. A lot of these comments are probably coming from NASCAR country.

Will_ - 8/11/2007 9:33:48 PM

+2 Boost

It'll be interesting to see some more C&D reviews of the new M3, especially in their infamous comparison tests. The very fact that I can predict that the M3 will come first, the RS4 will come second, the C63 will come third and the IS-F will be a distant eighth is just as significant as being able to predict that Toyota and Honda will do well in CR.

BMW's focus may be "driver's" cars, but Toyota's focus is on reliable and practical cars, so the correspondence between C&D who likes "driver's" cars, and CR who likes reliable cars, is just something I wanted to point out...

johnct - 8/12/2007 8:16:09 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota may have a very competitive vehicle here, but until it racks up millions of sales, millions of miles of real life durablity and millionsof loyal owners, it simply won't be the leader of the class.

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austintyson - 8/16/2007 11:51:17 PM

+1 Boost

Well CR just proved it doesn't know what its talking about.. And why would they say Toyota is reliable when it has a new engine and came out after the Chevy. At least the Chevy has the same basic engine but yet its to new to rate... And as far as the whole Toyota vs. Chevy thing.. Thats in really what this was about.. But remember every time you praise Toyota and slam one of the Big Two your slaming the USA.... Toyota is still A Japanse company taking its profits back to Japan.. meaning our money leaves this country and go to theirs.......

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