Surprise! (not really) Silverado wins MT Truck of the Year
I've never been too enthusiastic about Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award. Basically, it comes down to a "redesigned this year" award, and in a market as narrow as trucks that doesn't leave a lot to chance. The domestics have always been the major players for this award, and they never redesign their full-size trucks in the same model year (thus they aren't competing for the spotlight -- or the Motor Trend calipers). So, basically you have a rotating award for whichever company's truck is in "all-new, redesigned, we-need-publicity-for-our-launch" mode...
And there's a very predictable hierarchy if more than one truck has been redesigned in a given model year. First come the full-size trucks, so they trump compact trucks that may also be redesigned for that year (full-size trucks always sell better than compacts...). Then you have the domestics always trumping imports if those two parties are both in "redesign" mode for a given year. For example, when Ford and Nissan both had all-new, full-size trucks in 2004, it wasn't really a question who would win. Same thing this year with Toyota and Chevrolet having all-new 2007 full-sizers. Toyota was smart when it introduced the first Tundra in 2000 -- there were no redesigned domestic full-sizers that year. Last year there were no all-new full-size or compact trucks from the traditional automakers, leaving Honda's "sort of a truck, but not in the traditional sense" Ridgeline wide open to win it. How convenient. And 1998 was a painfully slow year in new "truck" activity, at least in the traditional sense, leaving the door open for Mercedes' M-Class to win it.
There may be some examples where this logic doesn't prove out...but I can't think of any. I guess as an additional marketing tool it serves the automakers well. But it's about as predictable as how Britney Spear's next marriage will end.
- Posted by
- Karl Brauer December 27, 2006, 10:51 AM
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- Chevrolet, Vehicle Awards
I still think the Silverado is clearly the best product out there right now. Obviously the award criteria is stupid though. I think the Ford F150 truly deserved the award back in 2004 over the Titan, too. It really is the better product. Nobody is afraid to diss the domestics anymore, so awarding it to a foreign truck maker is no longer a big deal anyway to that or any other mag.
Regarding domestics trumping imports this year:
I don't believe the Tundra was considered since it's not on sale before Dec 31st 2006.
I'd bet Tundra will be MT TOTY 2008.
Spot on. It would be much better for consumers and enthusiasts alike if they did a comparison of all trucks. I think it would be better if they took this approach with their car of the year awards also.
MT has their big Tundra vs. Chevy thing going on. But personally I hope edmunds.com does a full comparison like their 2004 full-size one that gave the Titan 1st.
I have little doubt they'd put the Tundra on top, but it would be nice to read the comparison.
...and watch the comparison!
Might be nice to have an reviewer that is not so bitter. Or was the Truck of the year post from some random yahoo blowing off steam?
colin6969: I'd bet Tundra will be MT TOTY 2008.
Given Motor Trend's oh-so-predictable behavior, I'm going to assume that "MT TOTY" stands for "Motor Trend Toyota of the Year."
I dont see why this TOTY/COTY thing is such a big deal. Its basically an opinion , doesnt everyone have an opinion? I really dont care who wins the award, if its Chevy good for them, if its Honda good for them. It doesnt help me make a decision when buying a vehicle. I just think its blown waaaaaaaaaaay out of proportion.
colin6969 has it exactly right: the Tundra isn't on sale yet, which is why it wasn't eligible. It almost seems as though Toyota is copying the domestics by playing this game. By delaying the on-sale date into 2007, they're practically guaranteed to win next year since there doesn't seem to be any other new trucks on the horizon, save for the 2008 Ford Super Duty. If Toyota would have entered the Tundra in this year's competition, it might have won, but there's no guarantee like there would be for next year's award. I agree that this award is getting kinda dumb for the reasons Karl listed. It's all just opinions with no true competitive comparisons.
Will a 2007 Tundra be eligible for 2008 Truck of the year?
(If you haven't heard, Toyota is calling the new Tundra a 2007 so that it can bypass the new EPA regulations)
The 2006 RAV4 was eligible for the 2007 SUV of the Year award.
Assuming the Tundra wins truck of the year..I wonder if that will be before or after the camshaft in the 5.7 explodes of their test truck?
I'm sure it deserves it, what with the lowest crash test rating of all full size pickups...oh and the frame flex/bed bounce is truly another admirable feat. Ah yes, the fact that they do not have a fully boxed frame is indicative of an award winning truck.