Media ignorance or bias for Toyota Tundra?

[AAA]

MSNBC right now has an article on safe car picks. For those glancers of headlines, one might see the photo and caption and believe Tundra is the best choice (among trucks?).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21793931/

The standard stability control and side air bags of the Toyota Tundra, shown in this front-end crash test, helped make it the first pickup truck to receive the top safety pick designation.

But, Tundra is the ONLY full-sized truck NOT to get five star crash ratings, in the NHTSA testing.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/toyot...l-crash-t/

the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra and Dodge Ram all have the strength to ring the 5-star bell

I realize the defining quote is such:

Pickup trucks were eligible to win for the first time this year because the institute conducted side-impact tests on many models. The Toyota Tundra, which has standard stability control and side air bags, was the first pickup truck to receive the IIHS designation.

But in MY mind, Tundra being the worst out of the big players is what I would want to know about.

Additionally ...

Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. had the most vehicles on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s annual list of the safest cars for the 2008 model year.

[MGS_forgot_password]

The NHTSA focuses on the safety of the passengers.

The IIHS works for the insurance companies.

[AAA]

Yes, I hope everyone is aware of the differences.
I am speculating that NOT EVERYONE IS, and that casually browsing that front page of MSNBC will result in folks walking away thinking Tundra is the best performer when in actuality Tundra is the worst. Again, according to the guys that do the scientific testing, at NHTSA.

[OWC Jamie]

Which agency brought us gas mileage estimates that don't match what the cars get ?

[AAA]

It was not that it did not match, they updated their tests to more real-world driving habits as they have changed since the first test standards were created by your great grandfather's peers.

And the overall net changes have been a real yawner, non-event.

[OWC Jamie]

The gas mileage estimates were never real world , they still aren't and we're supposed to believe the crash tests are.

Are these the global warming scientists orr the global dimming scientists ?

I want to make sure I use the correct bias and ignorance.

[AAA]

Fuel economy is like suits - we all have different sizes/needs.

Crashing into a barrier, however, I believe does give on the ability to extrapolate to more real-world scenarios.

But, we can agree to have difference in opinions on that.

[Mac1337]

Why can't they just drive a car for day and give us real mileage data? Bet it is cheaper than their expensive lab equipment.

[Don Kiyoti]

[quote Dakota]Why can't they just drive a car for day and give us real mileage data? Bet it is cheaper than their expensive lab equipment.
Because that would be even less accurate then the current estimates. Think about it for a few minutes.