Toyota faces another scandal - Your Hilux/Fortuner might not be as powerful as the spec sheet says

Looks like Toyota's got another bit of a situation on their hands. Turns out, they've been a little too creative with the power output numbers for 10 of their rides, including fan-faves like the Land Cruiser 300 and the Hilux. Talk about a diesel dilemma!

The big T's subsidiary, Toyota Industries, has been playing fast and loose with the diesel engine stats they pump out. So, Toyota's hitting the brakes on shipping these models out.

According to Kyodo News, Toyota President Koji Sato told reporters that "We sincerely apologize for causing tremendous trouble to our customers," and that they're looking to clean up this mess pronto.

This hiccup is just the latest in a bit of a shaky series for Toyota's rep. They've had to do the "we're sorry" shuffle quite a bit lately.

Even their smaller cars from Daihatsu got caught in a bit of a testing tangle, and Hino Motors? Yeah, they kinda fudged some numbers on emissions and fuel efficiency last year.

The list of models getting a second look goes beyond just those rugged roadsters, including the Hiace, Fortuner, and Innova, with this numbers game dating back to 2017.

At a news conference, Koichi Ito of Toyota Industries said, "We feel deeply responsible for the misconduct, which persisted for a long time, and for failing to discover and rectify it. We will do our utmost to rebuild the company with legal compliance as our top priority."

For now, Toyota's hitting pause on a few production lines in Japan, at least until the calendar flips to February.

Digging into the nitty-gritty, it seems the whole issue was about making the engines seem stronger than they actually were. Some outside experts had a peek and pointed a finger at the company culture, saying it was kinda snoozing on the compliance front, cozy in its spot as a Toyota go-to.

Even the panel's head, Hiroshi Inoue, chimed in, saying Toyota Industries got a little too chill with their data duties.

But hey, Toyota's double-checked everything now following a reevaluation after the discovery of the rigging and says all good, as they will all meet standards.

Japan's big wigs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism aren't just taking their word for it, though. They're planning to do some sleuthing and on site inspection at Toyota Industries' spot in Aichi Prefecture.

This whole engine-exaggeration episode is a sequel to last March's forklift engine fiasco, and yep, that plot's thickened too, with more fibs in the forklift figures leading to a shipping freeze.

So, what's the takeaway? Toyota's on a bit of a bumpy ride, and they're strapping in to straighten it all out. The big question is will people actually care?

Toyota's been serving up some alternative facts with their engine numbers. With all the drama unfolding, it's got us wondering—will folks really fuss over this as long as their trusty Toyota keeps cruising without a hitch?

What do you think—does the spec sheet scandal matter if your ride's still rolling smooth? Share your two cents!

Also Read: Toyota Eco Youth Programme 2023/2024: Inspiring environmental stewardship in youth