Toyota: The Goldenchild

Trevor Guernsey, Sendy Sledder

March 4, 2024

Many people have speculated about the most reliable auto manufacturer, but I am going to put that debate to rest. Many of the most reliable vehicles to grace the road are Toyota, and I have seen that to be true firsthand. If you know what a Hilux is, then you will know what I mean.

Toyota blossomed as a weaving company in 1918 and has since then become a world leader in automotive excellence. In 1957, Toyota started selling in the United States, and by 1972, the company had sold its millionth vehicle, including the legendary Land Cruiser, and the notable Corolla. In 2003, Toyota announced it had sold over 30 million vehicles in the United States. In today’s time, for the past three years, Toyota has been crushing it as the number one worldwide car manufacturer.

Toyota’s renowned reliability can be attributed to their continued prioritization of long-lasting components, proper engineering, and thorough research and development. Toyota is touted to be the most reliable automotive brand by consumers and experts alike. They have embraced reliability as a major piece of their identity. Toyota has avoided high-profile failures that have plagued many brands.

In the past 25 years, Toyota has been on the grind putting out reliable vehicles year after year. No list of most reliable cars is complete without a couple of Toyotas. The way you can tell Toyota is reliable is by how many miles they are able to handle before they end up in the scrapyard. They are cognizant of the models that are awesome, and they keep them unchanged for as long as possible. However, Toyota is able to keep up with the times through improving their technology and styling, yet not too much.

The Hilux is an absolute masterpiece; although, it was never sold in North America because it was the worldwide offering that excluded the US. Top Gear UK in 2007 did an exquisite piece of film of a 1988 Hilux and attempted to destroy an unkillable truck. To vanquish the truck they tried drowning, falling a building on it, hit with a wrecking ball, and other acts of destruction. The Hilux never missed a beat being fired up after every malice that befell it. However, most people will never put this pickup through that type of abuse. It is a testimony to their reliability and toughness.

I am a fan of how Toyota builds their vehicles, and it would not surprise me if I purchased one at some point in the future. I especially like the Tundra, Tacoma, 4 Runner, and Corolla, due to each having different strengths. I admire that Toyota has been able to continue to produce engines that are not super gas-friendly, but have excellent long-term wear characteristics. Many manufacturers have been coerced by the federal government to make engines that don’t last as long, but have better gas mileage, and when the engines fail prematurely because of this technology, the consumer has to foot the bill. A person who lives nearby to me has a late ’90s Tacoma with over half a million miles on it.