Toyota has announced that the automaker is going to slow production of the Sequoia and Tundra in its Indiana and Texas plants due to slowing sales.
The cutbacks will start this spring, but Toyota is also stating that there will not be any layoffs in either of the two plants, which is a good thing. Toyota hasn't stated how much each model will be cut.
Light-truck sales as a whole were down in the first two months of the year, so this is not a surprise. You can expect other automakers to make similar announcements in the future.
Full Story: eGMCarTech
Related Stories:
Chrysler is Going to Shutdown for 2 Weeks in July
Toyota iQ Unveiled...Toyota's New Urban Car
LA Auto Show: Toyota Unveils the All-New 2008 Sequoia SUV
Comments (19)
This seems to be a no-brainer for Toyota. The impending/already here recession and oil price hikes are tightening the screws to potential buyers.
Posted by longdxcommuter | March 14, 2008 3:36 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 15:36
Even the top selling brand in the US & world need to slow production? Temp worker gonna be a pain in the @ss to pay bills since not enough working time. Camt image other inferior domestic brands like GM, Ford or Chrysler gonna layoff or cut how many temp workers. Since more than millions of ppl in auto industry, we began to sit in a deep hole of recession or even depression. We should really impeach Bush for his stupidity and selfishness since he jacked up some much $ in his oil companies
Posted by bill | March 14, 2008 3:57 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 15:57
i bet its cuz nobody wants to get stuck owning a beast like this when gas goes to 4$ a gal
Posted by dennisil | March 14, 2008 4:45 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 16:45
Gas prices can keep rising for all I care. I don't drive a wasteful, unnecessary piece of shit like that.
Posted by Polynikes | March 14, 2008 4:53 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 16:53
LOL @ stupid people owning huge SUVs and don't tow/haul anything
Posted by Dan | March 14, 2008 5:09 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 17:09
maybe the car looks too nice?
Posted by rene | March 14, 2008 5:50 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 17:50
I think GM and Ford need to roll back SUV production too. At my local Chevy dealer, Tahoe's are discounted right to the invoice price.
SUV sales can be sustained I think at $2.50 a gallon, we've seen sales stick at that price point. But with it being $3 a gallon and summer not even upon us, I think people know that whatever they buy now will be eating up gas that costs another 50 cents in just 3 months. It's not an attractive idea to customers.
Posted by Allen | March 14, 2008 6:10 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 18:10
Stupid people will still buy cheapo Explorers or Suburbans if production is cut back. Then slap on a few "support our troops" ribbons, "don't buy foreign oil" bumper stickers, and "dubya for king" flags...
Posted by Jason | March 14, 2008 7:06 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 19:06
Did anyone post a memo to toyota that large SUV's are dying out? I have no idea why Toyota even continued to produce a new Sequoia knowing that SUV sales have been slumping for a few years now due to raising oil prices and crossovers. I guess they didn't think they would be effected, because they are Toyota. Toyota just needs to drop the Sequoia line all together within the next year or so. The market is dying out fast for large SUV's.
Posted by SteelCity1981 | March 14, 2008 7:51 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 19:51
Big families still benefit from large SUVs. You all can shove it up your ass. Its better to take one car than drive multiple cars.
Posted by John | March 14, 2008 8:49 PM
Posted on March 14, 2008 20:49
@ John:
or you can just not have 50 kids. fools. we have finite space and resources. stop polluting with excessive reproduction.
Posted by Dan | March 15, 2008 12:21 AM
Posted on March 15, 2008 00:21
i think the dumbest part of this whole post was the people that are domestic haters. they say stuff like "inferior domestic brands like GM, Ford or Chrysler " but i guess they didnt hear or read on here that the tundra has the worst crash ratings of any full size truck. inferior products? toyota has had a hard time selling these vehicles because for all the power they have, they still arent as good of vehicles as the ones they wanna compete against. i think its smart of toyota do do this, since the t-100 and the old tundras couldnt hold their own. stick with appliances toyota, its what you do best.
Posted by nate | March 15, 2008 12:28 AM
Posted on March 15, 2008 00:28
Relax John,looks someone hit a nerve with this one.
Point is John most SUV that i see on the road are minus these big families that you are talking about.So quit quit your BS...SUV's are dinosaures.
Posted by RMESUX | March 15, 2008 11:54 AM
Posted on March 15, 2008 11:54
Seems appropriate.
Posted by hater | March 16, 2008 10:43 PM
Posted on March 16, 2008 22:43
I get a little tired of people claiming that they "need" a 6000lb SUV to haul around a big family. There are minivans out there that have 8 seat belts and get twice the gas mileage and cost half of what a Sequoia, Suburban, Behemoth, etc, costs. I know 'cause I've got one. The big question is whether your willing to swallow enough of your pride to call yourself a minivan-man. Also, most of those 6000lb SUVs I see on a daily basis are not hauling those "big families". 90% of them are daily hauling a 110lb soccer mom to work, alone, with a cell phone stuck in her ear.
Posted by WS | March 17, 2008 10:04 AM
Posted on March 17, 2008 10:04
"90% of them are daily hauling a 110lb soccer mom to work, alone, with a cell phone stuck in her ear."
/agree. What's worse is that they are a menace on the highways, lumbering around with huge blind spots and blocking your vision of the road. Some come with back-up beepers and cameras (optional of course) to improve the blind spots, but they still have hideous maneuverability. Personally I would favor something more sporty, such as an Audi A4 Avant, Volvo V70, or even the BMW wagons. They are more fun and safer for your family too.
Posted by Kell | March 17, 2008 11:02 AM
Posted on March 17, 2008 11:02
The Sequoia is 6.1 seconds 0-60, how ridiculous is that?
SUV's can haul your whole family, a boat, and boatloads of luggavge, to the lake. Minivan's cannot.
I still hate them on the road, because when I'm in my tiny japansese POS car, I can't see around them and know what's going on.
Why do people hate on other people for driving what they want to drive? If you want a Hummer, get a Hummer, if you want a Prius, get a Prius. Let the free market economy do it's own justice on 'gas-hog' SUV's. From the looks of this article, it already is!
Minivan's don't get "twice" the gas mileage. They're probably 15-20% more efficient.
The Chevy Tahoe gets 14 and 19 mpg.
The Toyota Sienna gets 17 and 23 mpg.
That's a 17.5% difference in fuel efficiency. Get off your high horse people...
Posted by Cheap Car Lover | March 18, 2008 5:00 PM
Posted on March 18, 2008 17:00
Hey to you Tundras lovers:Pay attention to this: No dirty muddy Tundras on the road they seem to be alway shinny because they are GAS SUCKER toys only..Trucks has been USA design to work like Chevy-Dodge or Ford so when they work they dirty...Keep buying the work trucks only please.. best buddy for construction boys..Tahoe hybrid is exellence choice for Socker moms..
Posted by Silverarrow | March 18, 2008 10:41 PM
Posted on March 18, 2008 22:41
I'm willing to believe it may be possible to get 18mpg from a suburban or Sequoia on the freeway on a really good day. My Odyssey regularly gets 27.5mpg on the freeway. Check your math, that's twice as much.
With $4 and $5 a gallon gas coming up, and the resulting burden on the economy because of it, conspicuous consumption is the issue. If you can afford it, goody for you, but the "me" generation ended about 30 years ago. This is a larger issue than just personal preference.
Posted by WS | March 19, 2008 10:01 AM
Posted on March 19, 2008 10:01