Why can't Americans buy Toyota's $15,000 Truck?
What, besides a tariff, is keeping Toyota out of the US market?
When the government “calculates” the inflation rate, it does so using a flexibly-defined basket of items. The price of beef is substituted for chicken One item that likely looms large in red-state America is the rising price of trucks — a new truck now costs $40,000 - $80,000.
Enter Toyota, with its super-reliable, bared-bones $10,000 - $15,000 model. Unfortunately the US charges a tariff that raises the cost and Toyota has decided to offer the truck everywhere except the US. 1
QUESTIONS:
What factors have caused truck prices to go up so much?
Are competitive forces insufficient to suppress price increases?
How does the interest of less wealthy consumers compare with the interests of truck manufacturers?
Is this solvable by market forces or are market forces (imports from Toyota) being thwarted.
Footnotes:
Todo: Research offering in Mexico and Canada.