Mpg Datsun 620

Report: Scion Pickup Coming in 2014 Based on Toyota A-BAT Concept

@Robert Ryan: I doubt a Scion/Toyota pickup would be sold overseas. You guys get properly-sized body-on-frame small pickups with diesel engines that would never meet U.S. emissions without adding thousands to the selling price.

That said, I'm secretly holding onto hope that GM will sell the new global Colorado here with a diesel, as they're going to do with the Cruze.

Something like the the A-bat (read Scion xT) would be about the only way I'd go back to using a truck as my daily driver- 90miles commuting is just too far. From the original concept, it looked like it could share mechanicals with the RAV4, even be built right along side it. Sure, it isn't what most readers here think of in a truck, but it will work for a lot of people, especially if it still has a 3500# tow rating.

@ Mike Levine

Thanks, Mike regarding the dual VVT-i 4.0L.

Everything I read states the same engine for 2012. I think it would be crazy for Toyota to not utilize the dual VVT-i 4.0 in the 2012 Tacoma. I've been waiting for them to implement it, and I thought with a sheet metal change coming now would be the time.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks again

Light trucks as we know them will disappear for the sake of the averaged fleet fuel economy. Certain physical barriers guarantee that. It's all silly game because more people will favor the 3/4 tons as replacements for future rediculously priced PHEV 1/2 tons. Instead of a 5.0 or EB powering my F-150, I'll be forced into a 3/4 or 1 ton and have congress to thank for mine and everyone elses extra fuel consumption. Nice.

Hmmmm... now let me get this straight... Honda is discontinuing the Ridgeline because of extremely poor sales.. 50,000 a year predicted, and around 5,000 actual sales. So then Toyota believes it can make a similar vehicle in looks, quality(or lack thereof), and function, turn around and sell it in the Ridgeline's place with 50,000 sales a year... sounds like this is kind of an obama idea to me.

"Progress is achieved by the man who does things!"

"I think there's a place in the market for a compact pickup that can haul 800 to 1,000 lbs with a $16,000 price tag and 35 mpg."

I totally agree with this. I'm thinking it should avoid the mistakes that the Subaru Baja made.

1. Baja's bed was useless. A 3.5 ft open trunk.

54.5 MPG Fantasy Standard - Is It Achievable? | As Maine Goes

When I heard the news that US automakers had agreed with the Obama administration to a CAFE standard of 54.5 mpg by 2025, I laughed and said it's unachievable. Oh, they can build cars with that kind of mileage, but to make it the CAFE standard, either the laws of physics are going to be suspended, or Americans are going to fall in love with tiny, light-weight, death trap vehicles with no room for the groceries, never mind the hockey bag or the trash barrels or a couple of two-by-fours.

Here's an opinion piece by someone who knows more than I do.

I wonder what other AMGers think about this.

The do-gooders of the world will happily pass laws of man that defy laws of physics and laws of nature.

Notice the myriad attempts to create "fairness" by using the power of the state. Examples abound in tax laws, starting wtih steeply progressive taxation and redistribution schemes such as the earned income tax credit. So called "clean elections" are another attempt to create "fairness" in a universe wherein fairness never has, and never will, occur. It should come as no surprise that these same people will attempt to violate laws of physics; if they don't understand how little energy is actually contained within one square meter of collecting area, they certainly can't be expected to understand how much is contained in a gallon of gasoline.

The other amazing thing about the do-gooder mentality is that when efforts to legislate a desired result fail, they're quite content to attempt it by means of litigation. In fact, litigation is often preferred - because it tends to be faster, more media friendly and far more profitable for the litigators.

The point made in that blog post, mainemom, is squarely on target: if there were a cost-effective solution to increasing gas mileage while keeping other desirable aspects of our vehicles intact, private industry would be aggressively pursuing it.

There is a reason why you won't see anything smaller than a full size pickup or a full size SUV hauling a boat out of the water at the Moose Pond Boat Ramp in Bridgton. The incline is so steep that you need something with a lot of horses and torque to do the job. Not to many engines with a anything smaller than an oversize v6 can manage the job and most vehicles have to use 4 wheel drive to manage it.

Is an average of 54.5 mpg possible? Not an average, but individual cars can achieve it.

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