2011 F150 Scores Only 3 Stars In Government Safety Tests
Last week we published a comprehensive table of 2011 pickup truck crash test ratings, and today we’ve got updated crash test results from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) website detailing the crash test results of the Ford F-150.
NHTSA government crash tests gave the 2011 Ford F-150 three stars in frontal crash tests. Click to see the full details.
While the 2011 F150 scored an overall crash test rating of 4 stars, the F-150 only scored 3 stars in frontal impacts, making it the second worst truck in terms of frontal impact safety among products for Chevy/GMC, Toyota, and Ram. Only the Ram 1500 scored worse – a paltry 2 stars. Fortunately for Ford, their strong performance in IIHS crash test studies seems to indicate that, overall, the F150 is comparably safe to the Tundra as well as trucks for Chevy and GMC.
Ford's 2011 F-150 crash test results rate it behind both the Tundra and the Chevy/GMC 1500 pickups.
Still, technically speaking, the F150 did not perform as well as the Tundra in the NHTSA tests the F150 had a lower front impact score, but as noted by Tim in the comments, the F150 did slightly better than the Tundra in a couple of ways (albeit small ways)…so the performance is likely closer to “equal” between the Tundra and the F150 than it is towards the Tundra. Read more…
A Tundra Owner’s Guide To Horse Trailers
The Toyota Tundra offers an impressive towing capacity, with the 2011 model maxing out at 10,400 lbs with the optional tow package installed. While five tons of towing power might seem like more than anyone would ever need to use, there are a few applications that routinely touch – or even crest – this lofty weight figure. Of those, one of the most common can be found in the equestrian world, where horse trailers, the animals themselves and the gear that goes with them can add up to a hefty load to haul around.
A 2007 Tundra pulling a Lakota HUT (horse utility trailer), i.e. 2 horse with a changing room. Image from MrTrailer.com review - click to see the original review.
What follows is a description of the basic horse trailer options for 2007+ Tundra owners, including an interview with Sundowner, a horse trailer manufacturer. Read more…
2011 Truck Depreciation Data and Resale Value Facts
Analysis Shows Tundra Biggest Winner, Titan Biggest Loser
Last week an automotive data company called VinCentric announced their 2011 Best Value awards. While Toyota was the big winner – Toyota models that won 9 segments – the Tundra was surprisingly shut out. Considering how well the Tundra has done in other value award competitions, this was a surprise.
VinCentric named the F150 the best full size pickup value, but when you read VinCentric’s explanation of the F150’s victory something seems wrong:
The victory was earned with low insurance costs, segment leading fuel economy, and the lowest depreciation rate in the segment
Lowest depreciation in the segment? That’s not right…is it? Here’s how we went about trying to prove VinCentric’s data: Read more…
Japan Earthquake Will Hurt Toyota Sales, Effect U.S. Automakers Too
Update 3-16-2011: Toyota has announced that they will be closing all vehicle production plants in Japan through at least March 22nd, but that replacement parts manufacturer will resume tomorrow. Toyota has also said that they will resume building component parts for production outside Japan by March 21st.
The knee-jerk analysis here is that Toyota has the ability to ship parts at this time but not cars. Mazda’s facilities, for example, are mostly in southern Japan and have not been affected as dramatically as some Toyota facilities. It’s safe to assume that Toyota has the means to begin shipping parts via some alternative ports as soon as possible. However, shipping cars may be another story.
We’ll stay up to date.
—original story starts—
A Saturday Toyota press release reported that almost all of Toyota’s Japan operations have been unaffected by the recent earthquake. However, as a result of the massive disruption to the people of Japan, Toyota will be suspending all plant operations through at least Monday the 14th. Toyota’s press release also noted that (thankfully) there do not seem to be any casualties to Toyota team members – only it must be noted that accurate casualty estimates are still forthcoming.
Toyota’s press release did note, however, that a small number of plants will likely be unable to resume activities immediately and may be out of commission for a few days, weeks, or possibly even longer. These plant shutdowns will have a fairly large effect on Yaris sales according to our sources, as well as most Toyota vehicles exported from Japan (that means Prius, some Corolla, Scion, and almost all of Lexus). Automotive News is reporting that Japanese port closures could effect worldwide auto industry production – even Ford, GM, and Chrysler-Fiat. Read more…
Takata Airbelt – Cool Technology, But Is It Cost Effective?
Airbag design has progressed a long way since the early 1990’s, when dash-mounted units were the only secondary restraint systems available. In the intervening two decades forward airbags have gained multi-stage capability and a host of new airbag location points have sprung up in vehicle passenger compartments. It is no longer uncommon for airbags to be found attached to the side of seats or nestled inside A-pillars in order to protect heads and torsos from side impacts.
The Takata Airbelt in Action
The latest development in airbag design has been unveiled by the Takata Corporation, a Japanese safety systems manufacturer. Called the Takata “Airbelt,” the new protective device is essentially what it sounds like – an inflatable seatbelt that takes the place of traditional automobile seat belts. Read more…
