gas2.org — Toyota sells a 40 mile-per-gallon, four-wheel-drive hybrid minivan in Japan, and has since 2001, but they?re playing keeps. 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.
Sep 23, 2008 View in Crawl 4
timberspineSep 23, 2008
the real question is why can't US have the 65mpg car that FRICKIN Ford makes in FRICKIN Europe! .... makes me mad as hell!!!<a class="user" href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories">http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37 ...</a>
donsherioSep 23, 2008
Its not because of the market. The N. American safety standards for one stop this, and many other great cars, from being sold here. 2, Toyota already has the Sienna series of mini vans for N. America. The Estima series DID get sold here under the name Previa but only till the mid 90s when it started failing tests and no longer met standards. I actually own a 93 Toyota Previa and its got a superpower engine and 4x4 drive. I love it to pieces but I don't want to replace it with anything else BUT another Previa
aegis9975Sep 23, 2008
Comes down to meeting safety and emissions standards, its not an issue that it won't meet these standards since Japan's safety standards are as strict as the US, and the hybrid should have no problems meeting emissions standards. It just that they would need to retest the car entirely, meaning they would have to spend millions just to be able to sell it here.If they would bother to sell a hundred, they minus well sell a several thousands. Atop that the repair, parts, and dealer network would have to be revamped to accommodate another model. Its not as simple as just selling a couple of cars. Its likely we'll see a Sienna hybrid before this Previa.
nuclearisshitSep 23, 2008
Anytime anyone mentions corruption, they get dugg down. It's like they forget the state of the world, and the tendency of humans to be greedy or corrupt. How did we get into Iraq? Corruption, and greed.Now you are wondering why all these other cars in all these other countries are not allowed to sell here like the 4 door smart car, or air powered cars, or anything. I will tell you why, the large and powerful elitist families that make policy and the decisions in this continent do not want us moving away from gas because they are too rich from it. Don't you all remember that Bush and his family are OIL men?So you can all keep convincing yourselves that it's just "the FREE(ha ha) market" that decides these things but let's think about it for a moment. If Toyota brought that van here, then real fuel efficient competition would have to start, and the oil barons would lose money, or worse it would lead to cleaner and cleaner cars, and pretty soon even semi trucks are clean and you can't control a people and a whole economy when your not getting your daily "tax" from them in the form of gas and diesel sales. So don't hold your breath people, cause these fuel efficient cars are always going to be just a few more years away.
kekemortsonSep 24, 2008
We have been waiting for a Hybrid Mini-Van!!! We actually prefer a mini-van over an SUV and I would replace our old Grand Caravan with a Hybrid right now!
drreaperSep 25, 2008
It's simple really Gas Taxes would be reduced.