Can the Tundra Tackle the Big 3?

On Wednesday night's Business Nation we aired an in-depth report looking at Toyota's efforts to push its redesigned full size Tundra pick-up in Middle America. As I put this report together over the last month with producer Diane Simon, a few things jumped out at me.

How successful will the Tundra be in middle America?
Relative to how Toyota has done in the past, I believe the Tundra will improve sales in the heartland. The combination of the grass roots marketing campaign and spending more ad dollars will help the Tundra. But I don't expect the Tundra to take major market share from Ford, Chevy, and Dodge in the Midwest. Having lived for years in Minnesota, Kansas, and Colorado I have seen first hand the loyalty of big 3 truck owners in the Midwest and I don't expect that loyalty to erode quickly. As one dealer in the Midwest told me, "The folks around here have no reason or cause to get out their big truck."


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rg12345 - 6/7/2007 11:54:26 AM

+1 Boost

stubborn is no good. they should follow quality, performance and price, not just prestige. sometimes companies go under, or they decrease the quallity of their products, and then u need to move away.

not to tundra, but ..u know, keep looking..

Agent009 - 6/7/2007 11:57:21 AM

+2 Boost

He is correct that since the Tundra is assembled in San Antonio, it has made Texans look at it differently.

Designer1 - 6/7/2007 12:14:59 PM

+1 Boost

Even if the Tundra doesn't beat the "big" 3 market share, it still rules on top of all of them, from all sides of quality, capability, reliability, performance, you name it...
Someone that doesn't see this is either blind or prejudice. And we can’t be prejudice and leave our “big” 3 screw us up and fool us around, but the consumer has to make a move so they do care about the used to be a great American product, and start fixing their junk.

uscgame - 6/7/2007 1:12:42 PM

+1 Boost

It also beats the big 3 in ugliness. I liked the last Tundra, not more than a GMC, but it was better looking than this one. I'd rather get a Chevy or GMC on looks alone because the Tundra is not that much better than them on anything important and if I really did need more capability I'd get an F250.

r_driver04 - 6/8/2007 4:15:08 PM

+1 Boost

That would fall under the "Quality" part I believe. ha ha "I can tow 10K lbs....until that engine light comes on..again!!!"

sold2early - 6/7/2007 1:09:03 PM

+3 Boost

Toyota doesn't need to tackle the Big 3; The UAW already did that. All Toyota needs to do is to keep kicking them while they're down.

Caddyman07 - 6/7/2007 1:27:08 PM

0 Boost

Looks like they were so concerned about doing that and let a glitch slip by (Tundra) in the process...

EnnNorak - 6/7/2007 2:57:39 PM

0 Boost

Tundra is a nice truck but I prefer the GMC Sierra with a Duramax diesel. Tundra had a severe setback recently with catastrophic camshaft failure.

r_driver04 - 6/8/2007 4:17:25 PM

+1 Boost

Powerstroke(me) rules. The Duramax has awesome power but the reliability is not as good. Can't wait for Toyota's diesel to come over either.

toolatetorace - 6/9/2007 4:06:51 PM

+1 Boost

Consummer Reports, our favorite toaster testers has to be thinking , this cannot be happening Toyota is nothing less than perfect, this has to be a bad dream !!!!.

ctsang - 6/8/2007 4:36:30 PM

+2 Boost

it's a matter of when not if, that the little 3 will lose the truck market as well.

austintyson - 6/14/2007 9:58:03 PM

+1 Boost

Well the fact the firs true truck engine Toyota makes fails. They come to market without a boxed frame that everyone else has. ITs a damn ugly, read ugly not boring, design. Interior it just about Dodge in looks and Dodge is the oldest Fullsized truck. Toyota has to replace the engines.. the cam shafts failed.. metal shavings in engine make for bigger problems...if didn't do this the motor would fail again. And I would sure as hell think they would not charge you seeing how this is a recall and their fault reguardless of who they point the finger at