Why Can’t the U.S. Have Toyota’s 40 MPG 4WD Minivan?

[n2doc]

Written by Nick Chambers
Published on September 22nd, 2008


Toyota sells a 40 mile-per-gallon, four-wheel-drive hybrid minivan in Japan, and has since 2001, but they’re playing keeps.

Its become a bit of a perennial question that I’m reminded of when I find myself mired in the depths of the internet — a question that’s been simmering in the back of my mind since I learned about the Toyota Estima hybrid minivan 3 years ago… and then went to full boil when I learned that the Estima hybrid has been sold in Japan since 2001.

At the time, I googled extensively, I asked some Japanese colleagues, I contacted Toyota — I even set up a half-hearted online petition to bring the Estima hybrid to the US (offline now, but the Union of Concerned Scientists was more ambitious, garnering over 18,000 signatures).

After all that, I never really got answers as to why Toyota had no plans to bring this family-fantasy four-wheel-drive, 40 mpg minivan to the US, but as I did more research, I pieced together my own picture of the reasons. It seemed that Toyota didn’t think Americans would buy it because it wasn’t a “full-sized” minivan and it didn’t have enough power.

But now, with the hearts and minds of consumers changing and demand for fuel efficient vehicles steaming ahead, I come back to the same question. And it’s the question I find myself asking of most every major auto manufacturer these days: WTF? If you’ve got a car that everybody will want, why don’t you just go ahead and sell it to everybody?

more:
http://gas2.org/2008/09/22/why-cant-the-us-have-toyotas-40-mpg-4wd-minivan/

[MichellesBFF]

1. Cars

There are lots of great little cars with super gas mileage that you just can't buy in this country. Heck, I'd like the diesel version of the car I already drive, the Mini Cooper.

My question is, are our emission standards better than they are in Europe? Everyone I talk to insists that the European standards are not as good as ours, and that's why we can't get their cars. Anyone know the answer?

[tomreedtoon]

2. Americans are too stupid to build and maintain them.

Toyota has factories in the US. They could build them here easily. But they don't think the lazy and stupid hillbillies they hired to work in their plants can put them together.

And after that, the car mechanics down on the local level would have to buy a new "plug" for their analysis computers, and that's too much effort for them.

I think the Japanese have decided that Americans aren't worth saving.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. They build the car synonymous with Toyota...

...the Camry, here. It's their brand anchor.

I doubt it's anything like what you propose.

[Dover]

3. I did something similar regarding the European diesels...with no clear answers.

Some told me it was because Americans didn't like diesels (based apparently on very old information).
But I suspected there was a lot more to it than that.

And now that they are introducing a few into the market and have cleaned up diesel fuel, the
price of diesel has gone sky high.

Auto manufacturers must have known (just like the banks) that their business model would fail. There was a public outcry and resistance to buying their gas guzzlers which sat on lots waiting for the paint to peel, and yet they INSISTED on continuing down this path. I think they, like the banks, are hoping for a bailout and are deliberately 'driving' their companies into the ground.
The top Chevy dealer in Georgia closed ALL of their dealerships this week. What does that tell you?


http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/09/bill_heard.html

Obama mentioned helping the auto companies in his DNC acceptance speech. I hope he didn't mean a bailout.

And then there are the airlines, railroads, infrastructure, etc Etc. ETC.

[obiwan]

4. There are simple reasons why this vehicle is not sold in the U.S.

Money, ie:

1.) Because of U.S. crash standards, the car will weigh at least 500 lbs. more than the Japanese version. Mileage will suffer.
2.) U.S. emission standards are stricter than the rest of the world. This adds expense to the U.S. car.
3.) Again, because of U.S. crash standards, the car will be considerably more expensive to manufacture, therefore less profitable.
4.) Most Americans will turn up their noses at this car, because "it doesn't have enough power."
5.) Many Americans see their cars as status symbols and fantasy providers, not as efficient. A fuel-efficient hybrid just won't "do it" for them.

This is because Americans steadfastly refuse to learn to drive well. Our idea of "safety" is to surround ourselves with as much automobile as possible. Then we bitch because the gas mileage suffers.In addition, we don't know how to drive to get good fuel mileage. And we expect a rock-bottom price to boot. People in Japan and other countries learn how to drive defensively (and thence how to AVOID accidents). That's why they can get away with smaller and lighter vehicles. They have learned how to drive "fuelishly." And they don't mind paying a reasonable price for a well-engineered car.

When I was in Ireland a few years back with my family, we rented a Nissan Micra. I'm a big guy, over 6 feet tall and 250 lbs, and my daughter is likewise a large person. This car carried three of us and our luggage all around Ireland and got 40 mpg. But I can't buy this car in America.

There is absolutely NO reason for a 4,000 pound car for daily transportation.

Fuck these people who insist on gas hogs. I give them the finger as I drive by the gas station in my 37 mpg Honda Fit.