Motor Trend names Toyota Tundra 2008 Truck of the Year

Toyota Delivers a Full-Size Pickup that Matches Detroit Rivals

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 18, 2007) - Motor Trend (www.motortrend.com), the world's automotive authority and part of SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, today announced the selection of the all-new Toyota Tundra as its 2008 "Toyota's introduction of a full-size pickup truck in the U.S. was a seismic event and one of the most highly anticipated vehicle launches in recent years," said Angus MacKenzie, editor in chief of Motor Trend. "The question on everybody's mind was whether Toyota could use its manufacturing and marketing muscle to compete with the big boys on their home turf. The answer can be found in one of the biggest and most capable vehicles in the segment, and one that can compete with any American-made pickup truck, at any level."

The Tundra's three different powertrains, one V-6 version and two V-8s, include a 5.7-liter V-8 that MacKenzie called "a high-tech wonder and torque monster." The "This is an ambitious truck that is suited for its primary market," said MacKenzie. "That Toyota, right out of the gate, offers 44 different flavors of the Tundra with different bed sizes, wheelbases, cab configurations and trim packages, is impressive. With the arrival of the Tundra, we now have a Japanese truck whose dimensions and performance make it a serious rival to the F-150, Silverado and Ram."

MacKenzie addressed the recent Tundra recall. "Recalls are inevitable in an industry producing complex pieces of machinery like cars and trucks. The problem noted by Toyota was tracked to a single component from an outside supplier in about 15,000 Tundras, and did not show up on the vehicles we tested. We are satisfied the company has moved fast to rectify the issue, and that it does not alter our view of the fundamental excellence of the vehicle."

The 2008 Field of Contenders
The Toyota Tundra was one of four trucks eligible for the Truck of the Year title. The other contenders were the Chevrolet Silverado HD,GMC Sierra HD and the Ford F-Series Super Duty. To be eligible for Truck of the Year, a vehicle must be totally new or redesigned, and released in the 12 months prior to January 1, 2008 (vehicles with modifications such as new engines or that are variants of existing models are not eligible).

About the Testing and Evaluation Process
Motor Trend subjected all Truck of the Year contenders to a series of rigorous on- and off-road testing at the Yucca, Arizona proving grounds. Editors tested two versions of each contender, with different engines, transmissions and body configurations to better evaluate the breadth of capabilities in such diverse areas as towing power, dirt and gravel road handling and stop and go traffic.

Each year, the editorial staff of Motor Trend has evaluated eligible vehicles for its Truck of the Year based on three key categories: Significance, Superiority and Value. Significance refers to innovation in engineering, technology, design, safety and packaging. Superiority levels the playing field and looks for class-leading levels of vehicle dynamics and performance, build quality and execution, and how well the vehicle performs its intended function. Finally, the all-important Value question asks, "What does this vehicle deliver in relation to what the consumer has to pay to purchase and own it?"

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LOS ANGELES, CA (November 22, 2006) -- Motor Trend , the world's automotive authority and part of PRIMEDIA's (NYSE: PRM) Consumer Automotive Group, announced today that the redesigned Toyota Camry, the sixth edition of America's best-selling car, is Motor Trend's 2007 Car of the Year. The award goes to the entire Camry range, including the Camry Hybrid. The complete report on Motor Trend's 2007 Car of the Year will be published in the January issue, available on newsstands December 5, 2006.

"Creating an innovative, engaging automobile with broad mainstream appeal is one of the toughest tasks facing any automaker," said Angus MacKenzie, editor in chief of Motor Trend. "The Camry is the one car rival automakers all wish they could build. It offers something for nearly everyone--performance, efficiency, and roominess--at a price point most Americans can afford."
2007 Car of the Year awarded to Toyota Camry

MacKenzie added, "Toyota offers the Camry with a regular four cylinder engine, or a sporty V-6 that enables it to hit 60 mph in just six seconds - that's about as fast as a V-8 musclecar from the '60s and '70s. Buyers looking for ultimate fuel economy can choose the Camry Hybrid, which uses the same innovative hybrid powertrain technology as Toyota's Prius to save gas."

The 2007 Field of Contenders
The Toyota Camry bested a field of 27 competitors, comprising six models from the U.S., 10 from Japan, five from Korea, four from Germany, one from the U.K., and one from Sweden.

To be eligible for Car of the Year, a vehicle must be totally new or redesigned, and released in the 12 months prior to January 1, 2007 (cars with modifications such as new engines or that are variants of existing models are not eligible).

This year's field of contenders for Car of the Year included:
Chevrolet Aveo, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Entourage, Infiniti G35, Jaguar XK, Jeep Compass, Kia Optima, Kia Rondo, Kia Sedona, Lexus ES 350, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes Benz S-Class, Nissan Altima, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, Porsche Cayman, Saturn Aura, Saturn Sky Redline, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Camry, Toyota Yaris, Volvo C70 T5, Volkswagen EOS, and Volkswagen Rabbit
2007 Toyota Camry Engine

America's Best-Selling Car
MacKenzie went on to say that Toyota, which is celebrating its second Car of the Year award in four years (it won 2004 COTY for the Prius), has achieved something remarkable at a time when the competition has never been so fierce and the marketplace so diversified.

"It is difficult to do a mainstream car well, but Toyota has succeeded beyond anyone's expectations in creating the 21st century American family sedan. The Camry is a car designed for, and made in, America, with American tastes in mind, and it is now on track to become the first car in nearly three decades to sell 450,000 units in a single year in the United States. The 2007 Camry is the exemplar of not only building the right car, but building it the right way."

"We should add that the Camry won in a very strong field. There have never been more choices available to American car buyers. That is a fact of life in the 21st century."