6th Aug 2010, 13:44
Consumer Reports just came out with their review of the new Toyota Sienna minivan. They rated the old one best in class and scored it 93 points. The new one, they score with 80 points and criticize it for poor fit and finish, and noise from engine, wind and suspension, which they said all adds up to "quite a din." And they criticize the handling as not being as good as it used to be.
What in the world is going on at Toyota that even Consumer Reports is saying the current Toyota is not making cars nearly as good as they used to?
6th Aug 2010, 15:33
To the commenter at 21:18, I achieved 30 MPG with an 88 Caprice I bought new and this had a 305 4-barrel and definitely no trip computer. I believe that 35 MPG in a Crown Vic is possible.
6th Aug 2010, 23:08
"NO WAY does any GM V8 get 35 mpg, especially in a heavier car like a Crown Vic."
Well you're right that a GM V8 will never get 35 MPG in a Crown Vic, because the Crown Vic is built by FORD.
However, I actually do agree with you in that NO V8 will get 35 MPG in ANY car.
7th Aug 2010, 11:48
So you're saying Toyota HASN'T had THREE Federal Grand Jury subpoenas in ONE YEAR for producing poorly built and unsafe vehicles, and HASN'T had 7 MILLION recalls (at this point) going back TWO DECADES for using defective parts?
7th Aug 2010, 14:27
"I believe that 35 MPG in a Crown Vic is possible."
A Crown Vic is definitely capable of 35 MPG if you don't mind getting out and pushing it.
7th Aug 2010, 16:15
Well, my family's two full size Cadillac sedans (a '93 STS and a '07 DTS), both with the 4.7 V-8 Northstar, regularly got 28 mpg on the highway doing nearly 70 mph. Doing 55 mph on a good day, it might be possible to get 30 mpg. However, I drove a 2007 Crown Victoria as a rental, and in mixed driving only got about 18, so while I would believe 25 highway, I would not believe 35 highway. Unless it's Imperial gallons or something.
7th Aug 2010, 18:48
"I believe that 35 MPG in a Crown Vic is possible."
Possible yes, but highly unlikely with the average driver. A highly skilled driver well-versed in fuel-saving driving techniques could definitely get 35 mpg out of the 4.6 litre Crown Victoria. I've achieved as high as 43 mpg in my 4-cylinder (non-hybrid) Fusion on one non-stop interstate run using a 55 mph limit and decreasing speed on hills to avoid down-shifting. Ford professional test drivers achieved an average of an astounding 80 mpg on a 1000-mile test trip on interstate highways with the Fusion hybrid. That was also done using a 55 mph upper limit and hill-climbing techniques that avoid downshifts. Since the average driver drives between 85 and 110 mph, and has not a clue to how to save gas, it isn't typical for most drivers to even get the EPA estimates. It IS possible, however, to coax 35 mpg out of a Crown Vic.
8th Aug 2010, 10:22
"80 mpg on a 1000-mile test trip on interstate highways with the Fusion hybrid."
Which you can thank Toyota for. The Fusion Hybrid uses a hybrid system designed and built entirely by Toyota.
8th Aug 2010, 10:25
I took my Corvette C5, and with the top down my cruising RPM at 55 mph on the flat interstate is only 1500 RPM. By the time you are in 6th gear and with the overdrive, it's barely loping running on the interstate. It feels like you are standing still. Still a 30 mpg digital read. And that is with a 365 HP V8 LS1 engine. With the top up windows up, the mpg is likely more. I run the AC as well, even with the top down to activate the second cooling fan. If I turned the AC off, likely more again. The newest technology and engineering is pretty amazing. V8s do not have to work as hard.
9th Aug 2010, 13:25
The Ford hybrid system is neither designed nor built by Toyota. Do your homework, people; a quick visit to Wikipedia would have been sufficient to confirm that the story about Toyota designing or building hybrid systems for Ford is untrue.
9th Aug 2010, 20:00
I'm a mechanic who is certified in hybrid technology. I've worked on Fusion Hybrids and can personally attest to the fact that the Fusion hybrid system is designed and built by Toyota. Each and every part on the Fusion hybrid system is labeled THS (Toyota Hybrid Systems).
There was a recall for defective brakes on the Ford Fusion Hybrid. There was also a recall for defective brakes on the Prius at essentially the exact same time. The reason? The Ford Fusion Hybrid system is designed and built by Toyota.
9th Aug 2010, 22:38
Of course Toyota didn't design or build Ford's hybrid drive system. The Ford system actually WORKS!!
10th Aug 2010, 20:59
To 9th August 2010, 20:00: I worked at Ford on the hybrid Escape program. The hybrid system was designed in-house, NOT BY TOYOTA. Not one of the parts built by outside suppliers is made by Toyota, either. There are similarities in design between the systems -- not surprising when two leading companies put independent teams of very bright people to work solving the same engineering problem. That's why Ford and Toyota cross-licensed patents as an alternative to tying each other up in court for years, fighting over engineering minutiae and enriching a bunch of patent lawyers.
11th Aug 2010, 11:17
Thank you 20:59!
This silly myth that Toyota designed and built Ford's superior hybrid system has been making the rounds for way too long. The fact that Ford's is vastly better and more reliable is proof enough that Toyota had nothing to do with it.
12th Aug 2010, 22:00
"I worked at Ford on the hybrid Escape program."
The argument was about the Ford Fusion Hybrid, not the Escape.
14th Aug 2010, 23:17
"The argument was about the Ford Fusion Hybrid, not the Escape."
Ford's excellent hybrid system is used on both the Fusion and the Escape. It is totally designed and built by Ford, which is why the cars are so smooth and don't jerk when switching between electric and gas as all other hybrids do. It is the best hybrid system on the planet.
17th Oct 2010, 08:28
My rental car was a Ford Fusion. It didn't go far from the airport. It had a weird squeaking rattling from the front, but I'm like OK, that's fine. I got 2 miles down the road and was at a stop light, and vrrrooooom, green light, let's go. The car wouldn't move. I looked, am I in park? No! The tranny must be bad, and the car had only 9,000+ miles.
17th Oct 2010, 12:39
A tiny handful of Fusions have had minor transmission issues. The rental car sited obviously had sustained prior damage. If you want to see REAL transmission issues, check out Honda.
As for Toyota, they now rank 21st out of 33 car makers in build quality, and Camry sits on the dealers lots longer than any other car (as cited in USA Today this month).
5th Aug 2010, 21:18
30-35 mpg with a V8? C'mon!! NO WAY does any GM V8 get 35 mpg, especially in a heavier car like a Crown Vic. You may get 25 mpg if you drive it on cruise for a long trip, but no way I'll buy 35 mpg... sorry. You need to figure it out miles divided by gallons, and not go by what the trip computer says.