Yee-haw! Toyota Tundra named TOTY by... farmers?
Click above to view more high-res shots of the Toyota Tundra
Congrats to the Toyota Tundra. It has just been named "Truck of the Year" by Farm Industry News, a leading product and technology magazine for "high-income, Midwestern farmers" (their words, not ours). Though an accolade from FIM doesn't carry as much weight with normal shoppers as does a pair of golden calipers from Motor Trend, the award is still significant. As automakers watch buyers turn away from trucks as lifestyle vehicles, the endorsement of a magazine read by people who actually use a truck for its intended purpose has its own gravitas.
Then again, just how does a farm magazine determine the truck of the year? In the case of Farm Industry News, you simply add up all of the reader responses to product information (you know, those tear-out cards) and determine which is most popular. Considering the Toyota Tundra was all-new last year, it probably goes without saying that it was going to make the biggest splash!
Gallery: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited
[Source: Farm Industry News]
PRESS RELEASE:
TOYOTA TUNDRA NAMED TRUCK OF THE YEAR BY FARM INDUSTRY NEWS
LOUISVILLE, KY. – Farm Industry News, one of the leading agriculture trade publications in the United States, has selected the Toyota Tundra as its truck of the year.
Toyota was cited at the magazine's FinOvation awards reception held during the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville in February. The readers of Farm Industry News chose the Tundra as the most innovative product in the trucks category. On hand to accept the award for Toyota was Scott Neiheisel, regional marketing manager for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. – Cincinnati region.
The FinOvation awards are presented annually to products drawing the greatest number of reader responses to product information published in the magazine throughout the year. The FinOvation winners represent the most innovative products that came to market last year. The winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of Farm Industry News.
The all-new Tundra, introduced in 2007, sets a new benchmark in the full-size pickup truck segment for performance, capability and standard safety features. The 2008 Tundra full-size pickup lineup offers a choice of 44 model variations in three cab styles as well as three wheelbases, three bed lengths, three engines and a trio of trim levels.
About Farm Industry News
Farm Industry News focuses exclusively on providing farmers with information that helps them make the best use of their input dollars. Each issue delivers stories about new products and services, high-tech agricultural developments and industry trends that could influence their buying decisions. Farm Industry News' circulation is 205,000 readers. The FinOvation awards reflect the publication's recognition of a farmer's need for detailed product information. The award is given to innovative marketers who meet those needs.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John R 8:33AM (2/28/2008)
Autoblog just loves Tundra flame war traffic...
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Matt 8:46AM (2/28/2008)
I guess floppy frames and giggling beds are what farmers like...
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jonathan 5:13PM (2/28/2008)
Yes Farmers like floppy frames and giggly beds. They are better than broken down trucks.
MTU 5.0 8:49AM (2/28/2008)
Beat me to it Matt. :)
MKIV 11:45AM (2/28/2008)
Guess when it comes to their lively hood, a truck that is dependable more important.
Flame suit on...
UPDOG 12:57PM (2/28/2008)
Frames, beds, and bodies need to flex, bend, and "jiggle" if it's going to be tough. Building something as stiff and rigid as possible will guarantee failure. If you want a similar example, buildings made to withstand earthquakes are build to flex and absorb a pounding. A rigid building will colapse.
Matt 1:23PM (2/28/2008)
"Yes Farmers like floppy frames and giggly beds. They are better than broken down trucks."
Thats good to know...tell me...can Toyotas run with broken crankshafts?
And tell me...what do farmers thing of crumbling tailgates?
MoonRover 8:49AM (2/28/2008)
The used car lots are already full of them. I saw one in the local paper this week for $24,000 that orgionally sold for $40,000 with only 12,000 miles on the ode, that is a $16,000 depreciation. Buyers are finding them to be gas hogs with not so great quality, not a good truck.
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RL 3:28PM (2/28/2008)
yes, same here, i've seen a lot with 10-15K miles, used in the lots, sitting there, and are like 25-30k, going for 38-42k just 6 months ago
MoonRover 8:51AM (2/28/2008)
Where is that video on YouTube of the Tundra with the giggilly frame? Anybody have a link, I have been looking for it.
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rar 11:31AM (2/28/2008)
Here ya go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjTbiYo3x0
here is another good one.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4439695764011556160&q=Toyota+tundra&total=1073&start=30&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=9
j-Keeler 8:59AM (2/28/2008)
In what twisted messed up world are farmers driving Tundras??
I live in South Texas, I am surround by tens of thousands of acres of farm land where there are hundreds of farmers and thousands of farm hands.
The number one trucks here are Chevy and Fords, followed closely behind by Dodge Rams.
Most of them are diesel and almost all of them are heavy duty, 3/4 or one ton units. Can anyone point me in the direction of the 1 ton Tundra diesel???
Didn't think so.
I drive all over this area and have yet to see one Tundra used on a farm or ranch. Not one.
In fact I have only seen a couple used on job sites.
Sorry, but I'm not buying this Toyota farm business. Maybe people in Iowa drive them on their farms, but not down here.
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h8rain 9:15AM (2/28/2008)
Toyota might have "given" some farmers Tundras in exchange for positive "review". That or they just payed for title. Marketing is such a BS area. Every vehicle is the best selling car in its class did you not know!
The Tundra is the best truck that has X engine, that costs X amount, and has X axle, X doors. I am guessing, but Toyota specifically does not do "suicide" doors on extended cabs, for that specific reason. "No the Tundra is a Double cab, not extended or king cab!"
I was "instructed" to buy one for our company (company bought it), and while it is not a bad vehicle, I don't see where it should get all the praise it is getting.
h8rain 9:17AM (2/28/2008)
:( It skipped over my cautionary first line.
"Flame suit ON!"
rar 10:45AM (2/28/2008)
Accoss Missouri it is the same. Ford, Chevy and Dodge, 3/4 ton diesel trucks are the number one farmers choice. The other problem with Toyota as a "farmers truck" is there is little rual dealer support. Most small towns have a GM dealer, and a Ford dealer maybe a Dodge, but you might have to drive a long way to a Toyota dealer. Most farmers that I know are very brand loyal to the domestics and would never buy an import.
Corey W. 9:12AM (2/28/2008)
Strike One:
"high-income, Midwestern farmers" WTH!!!
Strike Two:
Most often, FinOvation winners are the new and innovative products that farmers learned about for the first time by reading the editorial content of Farm Industry News. This does not mean it's the product of choice, just which one had more requests.
Strike Three:
"The FinOvation awards reflect the publication's recognition of a farmer's need for detailed product information. The award is given to innovative marketers who meet those needs."
- Where are the unbiased test of these products by actual farmers????
Starting a Toyota flame war over this useless award is like the US starting a war with IRAN because Ahmadinejad told Bush "Ya momma wears combat boots"....
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Guenther 11:39AM (2/28/2008)
I can appreciate the fact that the award is explained the way it is. Does that mean it reflects upon the product at all? no, just that the readers of a small, midwestern publication showed interest in that product.
MoonRover 9:09AM (2/28/2008)
Silverado vs Trundra stability control, very interesting, whick would you rather drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6TuPIipMQ&feature=related
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rar 10:50AM (2/28/2008)
Thanks for the link. I will keep my Chevy 2500HD.
Guenther 11:35AM (2/28/2008)
Dont think your HD has stability control