Toyota's

[gpoli]

Why do auto journalists rave about Toyota's, their cars are all ugly, boring looking, the Yaris is ugly, the echo had terrible crash test results, so bad that the insurance company I work for doesnt even insure them, they arent fun to drive, with the exception of the Celica...Im confused why they are so popular here? sure they are reliable, but they are damn ugly boring looking cars....

[jww]

Generally speaking, I would agree that for the most part, Toyota's north american fodder is pretty boring looking. I don't agree on the Yaris - which I feel captures the very essense of a small world-car in it's balance of exterior size, interior spaciousness, utility and style. However - my caveat on this is that I am a huge unabashed fan of european style cars, especially hatchbacks. Toyota sells very different looking cars elsewhere in the world - the Corolla, Avensis, Verso and othesr are very nice looking cars indeed (check out www.toyota.co.uk).

Don't forget, though, that Toyota is playing GM slayer in north america - and as such is after a specific customer - generally ones that are not looking to make fashion statements but ones that want to drive their cars a very long time with little to worry about. Remember all the 15yr old chevy's and pontiacs you used to see on the road in the 70s-80s? Now it seems to me the tide has turned to more 15-yr old Toyotas and Hondas are in the mix than GM badges.

jww

[The General]

Why do auto journalists rave about Toyota's, their cars are all ugly, boring looking, the Yaris is ugly, the echo had terrible crash test results, so bad that the insurance company I work for doesnt even insure them, they arent fun to drive, with the exception of the Celica...Im confused why they are so popular here? sure they are reliable, but they are damn ugly boring looking cars....

Un-attractive, I wouldn't say that. Not exciting, fine. Have you driven any of their cars? Do you know anyone who owns one? What do they have to say about their car?

I'm with jww, I love Euro cars. The Yaris is actually one of the very few micro-minis to receive a 5-star rating from the Euro NCAP. The Corolla is one of the smartest buys in N-A. The proof is in the pudding: Toyota can only go up.

[Pritch]

ill bet Gpoli is a younger person...

personally Im 23 and I dont care for them either.

Did a whole marketing project on Toyota. I polled thousands of people on the internet, and the most common response to "what is the most boring car company" was TOYOTA.

But the median age for a Toyota buyer is fifty something years old, they like sensibility, value and reputation more than excitement, styling and power.

NOTE THAT the yaris (as well as teh scion in the USA) have seperate websites, not to hide that its a toyota but simply to do a better job appealing to the younger folks who are likely to buy them without interfering with Toyota's regular "plain jane" marketing.

What would your grandpa thing if he saw "Uncle YaRis" doing an ad for his camry?

[apl16]

:) ....its amazing how ugly a goodlooking car can become when you constantly dump thousands into it and only get to use it parttime.
toyota could try a little harder, though. the latest camry solara is a bit easier on the eyes but the loss of the celica makes for a rather dull showroom at your local toyota dealer.

[Pritch]

well put

imagine what they could do now with the supra

that would get people into the showrooms for sure

"Dear Toyota...Please bring the supra back. Fords Mustang is kicking butt, Chryslers RWD platform is kicking butt, the new Tiburon is supposed to be RWD....there IS a market for powerful, rear drive coupes!"

[The General]

I think Toyota should bring Scion to Canada first and put the tC and xB in our showrooms. The tC is great looking and will easily replace the Celica - the history.

[gpoli]

I agree, they should bring the Scions over here....Correct me if im wrong but dont the scions have some reliability issues? and yes I do agree that some people crave reliability, but imagine what they could do if they actually made some exciting looking reliable cars on top of the boring looking ones...and yes Ive driven the toyota camry, and corolla....I felt as though I aged 25 more years after I was done...

[airbalancer]

you want the box in canada! they are ugly

[XTrail1]

I have a 92 Camry with 309,000km sitting in my driveway, purrs like a kitten. Boring is good and reliable, I find lately that with the NA mfg's problems Toyota bashing is on the rise. It is very painful for some to watch this :wink:

[The General]

you want the box in canada! they are ugly

No man! They're cool:

http://www.rankmyride.com/data//4/a/18978//.large/4x4_scion_xb.jpg

OK, so that's a P-Shop...

But this isn't:

http://www.edmunds.com/media/reviews/top10/05.best.under.15k/05.scion.xb.500.jpg

http://www.importrival.com/images/uploads/cbarsi.jpg

http://www.2loww.com/03-04%20SCION%20XB%20OEM%20STYLE%20CARBON%20FIBER%20H OOD.JPG

[Pritch]

I had managed to quit smoking until I saw that scion with beaver panels.... dang.

[The General]

The Woody is dope man!

Quit smokin' what??

[apl16]

i'm with the general. i like the xb and would have bought one if available.
that woody is butt ugly!

[airbalancer]

They are not ugly, they are butt ugly
I have seen shoe boxes that look better

[The General]

I have seen shoe boxes that look better

More aerodynamic perhaps but not better looking...