Ironically Toyota now has longer product lives than many other mainstream manufacturers. The Camry and Corolla are on roughly 6 year product lifecycles. The 4Runner has barely changed in 10 years.
To be fair, that may be a purposeful design decision.
I consider the fact that the 4Runner can trace its way back to a 1980s Hilux that Top Gear dropped off a building (and still survived) to be nothing but good for its likely reliability.
Similarly, its primarily dial-based dashboard (as opposed to the touch-screen everywhere fad right now), truck-based suspension, and off-road performance (all things that could point to it being a rather much for a city car) to be its primary selling points.
Additionally, why change what sells so well? They sell ~140,000 4Runners a year, vs all of the Lexus models combined being ~40,000.
I can't comment on the Camry/Corolla as I've never owned one.
The first Lexus car ever was unveiled in the 1989 Detroit Auto Show, Toyota's first non-Japanese Lexus plant was in North America. In fact, Toyota stopped selling top-of-the-line cars after Lexus launched, they discontinued the Cressida and stretched the Camry into the Avalon just to have a full-sized Toyota in America.
Toyota didn't even sell Lexus cars in Japan until ~2006, the American Lexus vehicles were badged as Toyotas (e.g The LS400/LS430 was the 'Celsior'). Additionally, Japanese luxury tastes are different than American tastes - the Japanese Toyota Celsiors were available with a premium cloth interior and without sunroofs (which came standard on many American Lexus cars).
Now, Lexus may sell more in the Middle East than North America (by revenue if not units) but America was 100% the target market.
The Top Gear reference is powerful but in my opinion, meaningless. All it has done is coin the legend of the invincible Hilux. However, I did not see them or anyone try similar tricks with trucks of similar vintage, making this just a show trick.
> The Top Gear reference is powerful but in my opinion, meaningless. All it has done is coin the legend of the invincible Hilux. However, I did not see them or anyone try similar tricks with trucks of similar vintage, making this just a show trick.
The reputation existed before the show, that's where they got the idea.
I understand, but no one has referenced the less-shiny, real world, imperfect experience in this thread; they have quoted the shiny and superficial Top Gear shtick, which I must admit was the first time I started to develop a considerable distaste for that show. Their attempt has introduced an unfair halo effect for Toyota that has deflected from their more relevant and modern day failings.
Which makes a lot of sense when you consider how and where it's used. It's easier to have service and repair infrastructure for one car with identical mechanicals over a decade than 3 or 4.
With a couple of exceptions in the enthusiast sector, where they are well regarded. Or at least they did at one point. I am of course thinking of the cars with the 1JZ and 2JZ engines. I have an inkling that my heuristic might also correlate with Yamaha input, but on that I'm not certain (not knowing the whole engine lineup)
Nope; both are like that now. They used to make fun cars for people who love driving. Honda held out some five to ten years longer than Toyota, that's all.
Actually, I agree with you. The Supra seems to be an exception to the rule with regard to Toyota culture. It's fascinating and I'd like to test drive one.
The fact is each line setup would involve several modifications in supply chain. Processes, Assembly, Paint Shop and not to say the engineering required beneath it. Reliability engineering often takes six months to an year to emulate a decade worth of conditions. You don't want to rush something to market and break it and apparently cars are hazardous if it fails in operation which mayn't be applicable to mobile phones.
To be fair, that may be a purposeful design decision.
I consider the fact that the 4Runner can trace its way back to a 1980s Hilux that Top Gear dropped off a building (and still survived) to be nothing but good for its likely reliability.
Similarly, its primarily dial-based dashboard (as opposed to the touch-screen everywhere fad right now), truck-based suspension, and off-road performance (all things that could point to it being a rather much for a city car) to be its primary selling points.
Additionally, why change what sells so well? They sell ~140,000 4Runners a year, vs all of the Lexus models combined being ~40,000.
I can't comment on the Camry/Corolla as I've never owned one.