22nd Apr 2007, 23:11

In regard to the question "define a TRUCK", it's pretty simple: A TRUCK is made for hauling and towing. No Japanese manufacturer makes a vehicle that can do this.

I really get a big laugh out of people referring to the silly Honda Ridgeline as a "TRUCK". With the ludicrously high bed sides and miniscule ground clearance (not to mention the weak, mushy springs) it MIGHT haul a load of groceries.

As for Toyota, the Tacoma is a reasonably good "baby truck", but it is grossly over priced and can't really haul or tow anything beyond maybe a light aluminum fishing boat.

The larger Tundra comes a little closer, but Toyota's awful lack of reliability and build quality has really hurt the Tundra. No serious contractor really takes them seriously.

The disastrously unreliable Nissan Titan has become a joke among real truck owners, and of course the little Frontier, like the Tacoma, is basically just a "toy" truck.

23rd Apr 2007, 08:10

12:00 this review is for a truck. Not a Camry. Camry lags behind pick up sales anyway. The Ford F series alone sold over 7 times more Tundras last year alone and more than Camry. If you compare a Tundra to Ford or GM's it isn't a fun vehicle to drive. I tested one.

23rd Apr 2007, 10:03

As a follow up to a previous post, I get a good laugh out of the Honda commercials I see on tv. They show us their so called "truck" lineup, with the CRV, Pilot, and Ridgeline. What a joke! It is bad enough to call the Pilot and Ridgeline a truck, but the CRV? Are you kidding me?

3rd May 2007, 16:26

I live out here in Hicktown, where there's nothing, but domestic trucks, Fords, Chevys, and Dodges. Every once in a while you'll see a Tundra. Today I saw a Tundra, and guess what? iI was holding up traffic. Anyone wanna guess why? You got it! It quit running, stalled, broke down. Soon enough we had a traffic system going around the Tundra, which continued until I pulled him off the road in my F-350, which has never given me any problems. And while I was talkin to the guy, he tells me that that truck of his has had nothing but problems. Ha. Typical Toyota for yall.

16th May 2007, 17:05

Like you said, you live in Hicktown, which is why you see mostly Ford's and Chevy's. Those people don't know any better. Outside of hicktown, where people engage in something called reading and research, we buy Toyota's and Honda's because they run longer. And by the way, if you hardly see any Toyota's, how would you know what is 'typical' of a Toyota? The answer is that you don't. I'll be glad to describe a typical Toyota to you: they're built WAY better than the Ford's you love so much, they run a lot longer, they're more fun to drive, they hold their value MUCH better, they break down almost never, and they outsell Ford and Chevy. I'm quite sure you'll disagree, but my 4 year old niece thinks she has a magic wand, and I don't think I could convince her of the truth either. Have a nice day.

19th May 2007, 07:05

I have owned Mercedes and now a new GM SUV and a new Silverado SS. I do not consider myself a "hick" I test drove Toyotas did not care for the performance, handling, features or limited mileage warranty. My wife had Acuras and saw their mechanical quality drop as well. It takes more than a badge anymore as that certainly fades when your wallet keeps diminishing.

19th May 2007, 21:59

16th May 2007, 17:05;

How can a Toyota be more reliable than the trucks out here that never break down? There's no such thing as "more reliable" when the vehicles you're comparing to don't ever break down. Can't get any more reliable than that.

And do you know why we choose our trucks? Because they work, they tow, they plow, they move. They don't flop onto their axles when given a load, like the Tundra. They don't break down and cause a whole line of traffic to back up.

Out here we don't care about resale value, because after the many years of punishment that we put them through, they're done for by anyones standards.

Out here we never give our trucks a break. I, personally, am always towing a huge trailer full of cows or chickens, while carrying a load in the bed.

No one cares about luxury and a floaty ride. we care about an honest, down to earth truck that can take the hell's beating we give them.

Those trucks are the hundreds of Dodges, Chevys, and Fords I see every day. These are real mans trucks, not yuppie mans trucks like the Tundra.

Have fun beating your Tundra on the smoothly paved city roads and waxing it for that pristine shine. I'll have fun using the vehicle meant for a man, and using it like one too.

20th May 2007, 06:52

It's not the badge that matters. It's the car behind the badge. Don't even attempt to say that Ford, Chevy, or Dodge have ever made anything that can compare to an Acura.

20th May 2007, 08:42

Acura is the expensive variant of honda. So of course you can't compare them to ford.

I doubt acura could make a simplistic truck that could do everything the big 3s trucks can.

20th May 2007, 08:58

Well I can assure that nothing Acura has ever made can come close to being as good as a Corvette or a Dodge Viper... Ford GT anybody? But I'm willing to play this game on equal grounds and leave the vast array of NSX smashing american exotics out of this. The RSX was merely a Civic with an A etched on it, and the Civic has a hard time besting the now ancient Ford Focus especially in the handling and comfort departments. The TSX... oh dear where to begin... 30K$+ for a torqueless crate of a 4 cylinder sedan heck it doesn't even get good gas mileage, and it's not exactly comfortable either, since it rides like a buckboard. The Ford Fusion, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Avenger trounce all over it for about 10k less.

20th May 2007, 12:18

Wow, I have passed by many repair shops and seen many Toyotas in for repairs. Must be their reliability? NOT! If anything pal the stuff I see sitting in shops are Fords and GM cars. Don't give me crap that your Malibu is better than my Honda or that Ford builds a great midsize pickup that can take on a Tacoma...

20th May 2007, 14:40

11:51 The majority of people buying cars today say you've got it all wrong because they're buying more Toyota's than anything else in the world. A Tahoe is a big gas hog dumpster full of shoddy GM parts, and it can in no way stand in the shadow of a Toyota.

20th May 2007, 16:12

Imagine being a former multiple Acura owner and now being enlightened in the latest posts from someone else that I have actually owned a Honda product. How utterly amazing that was to find out. Somehow that is pretty evident to say the least. I have owned multiple new Hondas/Acuras in my household and now own 2 new GM's. I have had a better experience with my loaded high end GM's than late model Acuras. I would however in all fairness recommend Acura over Lexus (because of handling) and even BMW (styling and bland interiors} to be fair. I have test driven many different new vehicles of all makes import/domestic and enjoy doing so. My only recommendation to others is to drive all that is within your price range and keep the blinders off. I use to walk in and just buy another new import again and again. After a while I saw I wasn't getting the mechanical quality from the past new imports I owned. And there were many. Anyway good luck.