SOUND OFF: Should Toyota Make a Hybrid Tundra?

Only the cost would stop it. Toyota has already sold Hybrid Diesel truck with 25+% FE improvement for years.

— SupraNeverBack (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 3:50:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Just to piss off Detroit even more, I say go for it.

— Will_ (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:00:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Why not???

— Caddyman07 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:09:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I believe they do have that planned as well, I remember reading something about the Tundra and Sequoia to also be hybrids. But then the question of the price will be in place and in which models of Tundra should they provide it. I think the only Tundra model that should get the hybrid is the base model, since that's the real one that is worked the most, the other (4 doors limited, SR5) models are mostly baught for fun driving, people that like driving trucks to work. These will be very expensive and harder to sell.
Then the question of what difference ar saving in gas vs. what the buyer pays for his hybrid Tundra will be like. And for this lets compare the LS460L vs LS600hL.

LS640L fully loaded: ~$85k
LS600hL fully loaded: ~120k

LS460L power: 380 hps
LS600hL power: 438 hps

LS460L mpg: 19/27
LS600hL mgp: 20/22

Now I know rich people that buy these cars don't care, but I speak out of numbering equation, an engineering and fair mind.

As all knows I love Lexus cars and would not change them for anything else, but when it gets to hybrids in big cars I don't agree with their numbers. You can see I'm a fair person. :-)

So, I have to pay some $35k more for the hybrid, yet its only 1 mile better in town and yet 5 miles worst on the highway. Ok, I have all wheel drive in it and maybe few more small features here and there, but I think the all wheel drive is the only difference.

So, the car being driven MOST of the time on high ways, and have paid that much more to it, its simply not worth it at all!! And there is no point to it what so ever, why? If it was really pointed to compete against the V12's and specifically the 760iL which makes same power with much less mpg, but now the next 760iL (or what ever will be called) will produce at least 500 hps, so this leaves the LS600hL stranded for another 5+ years until its revised.

So I think Lexus made a mistake of making the LS600hL, cause for $35k less I can get the same briliant LS460L and if I want to beat the V12's all I need to do is spend $10k to turbo charge the LS460L and it will beat the all V12's asses and still be better on gas than them and still for much more money in my pocket.

So, I think Toyota needs to re-think its plan of putting hybrids in big cars and setting their price vs. what they offer vs. targetted competition.

— Designer1 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:21:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

How about a twin turbocharged diesel hybrid?

Talk about torque!

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:25:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

if your thinking about vans as well, toyota has two hybrid vans only in Japan, the alphard and estima(which was the old previa in the USDM)

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:32:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

How about a TwinTurbo-Plugin-Diesel-Hybrid? :)

— jon21 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 4:56:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

No. Chevy made a hybrid of the Silverado and it sold so horribly, they stopped making it. I think the same would go for the Tundra hybrid.

— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 5:09:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Hybrid is just a gimmick right now-it is not sustainable technology. There is the issue of battery waste.

The near future will be diesel then eventually to hydrogen.

— Qwazywabbit (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 7:19:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

It's not an "IF" anymore - TundraHeadquarters.com reported that Toyota will be releasing the Tundra Hybrid in 2009 as a 2010 model.

— tundrahq (View Profile)

Posted on 7/2/2007 10:08:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/05/16/toyota-tundra-hybrid-no-later-than-2010/

— tundrahq (View Profile)

Posted on 7/3/2007 12:44:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I think their going a little too overboard with hybrid this and that. Trucks should be kept diesel (clean burning diesel that is).

The hybrid hype will eventually phase out and it will be mainstream like how diesel is for fuel efficiency. The LS is over rated but not under rated either. It's a great car and I love it. It does everything well and assures you every time you are riding in comfort. HOWEVER, it lacks the umph if you want to call it that of a high end German uber sedan. ARGUMENTS back would be that the Germans have too much snob appeal and people who drive them are ignorant. However the German's can argue back and say well then why not choose an Audi A8? It's obvious it's an expensive car but maintaining a good level of understated looks.

In the US Lexus is very respected and indeed they deserve it. But to convince a person who has grown up seeing Mercedes/BMW/Audi it is hard to convince them that a Toyota product will be better. However that's why in the States Lexus is so popular. The marketing from the get-go was aimed at the US consumer against all the domestic brands and surely Lexus will win.

A great selling point for Lexus is they are much cheaper than their German rivals. I have asked several owners of Lexus when I was in for servicing why they bought one and they told me it was 'a hell lot easier to afford' than a Mercedes. I respected his comment and of course agreed with him completely.

Lexus is more of an eco-luxury brand IMO. If you spend 80K on a Cadillac why not spend it on an Lexus. But if you spend 150K why not spend it on a Mercedes. That's how I think.

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/3/2007 2:40:49 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

What are the figures for the Camry and the Camry Hybrid?

That difference in price (whatever it is) should be indicative of what the Tundra will be priced around, respectively.

— dumpsty (View Profile)

Posted on 7/3/2007 2:05:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I would buy it if it was a Diesel hybrid.
Will they be the first to mass produce the pinnacle of automotive engineering???

— wbradd3797 (View Profile)

Posted on 7/3/2007 4:08:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz show 5.4 in their specs)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the (REPREHENSIBLE) Toyota/Lexus people.....

— bevisroy (View Profile)

Posted on 7/5/2007 6:11:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1