Toyota’s Stellar Reputation
We’ve all had to buy a new or used car at some point. I bet all of us have considered getting a Toyota on that occasion as well. I know that I have, but why is that? Everyone knows that Toyota has a stellar reputation for being reliable and affordable. But again, why is that? Toyota is the largest car manufacturer in the world and for good reason. They have a winning formula that works all the time.
Now, before I go any farther, I should lay down a disclaimer. Not every single car that Toyota makes is gold. Generally speaking, when any car manufacturer makes a large change such as the redesign of a particular model or introduction of a brand new car, there are going to be more issues than in a car that hasn’t been updated or substantially changed in a few years. That’s because the manufacturer has had time over the life of the model to work out all the kinks. The same can be said of Toyota.
A good example is the current Toyota Tacoma. It’s currently rated by Consumer reports as one of the least reliable pickups in its class. That’s because Toyota overhauled the Tacoma this past year and basically rebuilt it from the ground up using new components, electronics, and engine. Nobody knows how all that is going to work together because it’s new… it’s unproven. Lucky for Toyota, the Tacoma has a seriously good reputation, and they can’t make enough to sell to everyone who wants a piece of pickup pie.
Not every car that Toyota makes is good, but most of them are, and people still want them because of Toyota’s reputation. They have built an empire on their reputation, and they use a very important formula to do uphold it: Toyota is never really the first to release a brand new car or a brand new concept into the marketplace. As good as the Prius is as a hybrid, it actually wasn’t the first hybrid car. Toyota was not the first Japanese automaker to come over to the states. They didn’t invent the pickup truck or the sports car, but they did make all of these things better.
Toyota’s formula for success is built on leading by watching other people’s mistakes and eliminating them. Not only does Toyota watch, they reason. I watch a consumer reports podcast cars. In one episode, the staff discussed that technology is not simply to come up with new things , but rather, to improve the functionality of the technology itself. Manufacturers like Chrysler, Ford, and GM are putting technology in cars that is somewhat frivolous. Added complexity without reason just doesn’t provide the consumer with any benefits. You will rarely find that in a Toyota.
All of this combines to make Toyota a solid company with products that generally work very well, and not only that, but effectively. While Toyota is also known as an “innovator” within the automobile industry, and they are, they are also cautious while they do it. Their goal is to make the best, most current product they can, while bringing the consumer what works the best. And most of the time, they do.
–SWF
