‘Consumer Reports said it no longer recommends V6 versions of Toyota’s Camry or V8 versions of its Tundra pick-up because of poor reliability. ‘
We get Consumer Reports magazine, and use it when making purchases.
That said, they said the same thing about the Hummer H2 (poor reliability). I own a H2, and thats simply not the case at all. Its the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I suspect junk science about global warming is creeping into these evaluations. H2 has a big V8, just like the Tundra.
That’s the whole point - they can give a vehicle “below average” reliability marks, but because “average” is such a low failure rate, it is debatable whether they have sample sizes anywhere near large enough to determine with any accuracy where a vehicle lies....
And even if it is a solid black rating, horror of all horrors, it couls still be a VERY low problem rate....
But you understand that just because you didn't have any problems with your car doesn't mean that the line as a whole isn't reliable, right?
Trucks like the Tundra are bought to be worked hard and Ford, GM and Dodge know what their customers demand. Most Toyota owners, as well as Honda and Nissan owners follow rigid maintenance routines on their 4 or six cylyner cars and thats why they last. Thats is not going to be the case with truck owners who expect their trucks to go 5,000 to 7,000 miles on one oil change while hauling loaded trailers down dirt roads.
American manufacturers make cars and trucks standard with big motors. Japanese cars only offer big motors as an option. Also, japanese cars in other parts of the world are not available at all with the big motors. It’s purely a matter of who makes how much of what. American big motors are naturally better than american small motors because that’s what the american companies know. The imports are just the opposite. The small motors are better than the big motors because that’s what THEY know.