Toyota Exec: Our Cars Are Good, But Not Exciting

Isn't the first step to recovery admitting your problem?

Ummm I think this article belongs on www.noshitsherlock.com Toyota is an appliance manufacturer not an automotive manufacturer. Stick to what you know bland cars that the droves of sheep gobble up like they are hotcakes. Isn't this why they came out with Scion? They are perfecting most people's life cycles.

Scion 16 - 30
Toyota 30 - 50
Lexus 50 - death (probably from boring automotive syndrome)

It's "Too Funny". Learn to spell.

Maybe not, but if your intellect represents the UAW's finest, it's no wonder we're in trouble.

The people on this site may agree with you, but the free market says differently, as none of the foreign manufacturers are in bankruptcy right now. You may be a big fish in the small pond that is Autospies.com, but ultimately it doesn't matter at the end of the day. "Government Motors" is still in the tank.

Well, at least they are aware of the problem.

What is Toyota's most exciting car at the moment? Is it the Matrix/Pontiac G3? lol

"Ummm I think this article belongs on www.noshitsherlock.com"- rigid


Classic response. It made me laugh out loud this morning, thanks rigid.

The Routan is not classy.

I think only FJ Cruiser is exiting in current Toyota line-up. To inject some excitement i think Toyota should make VW GTI(refreshed Auris with new engine maybe) and Passat CC competitors. Also quickly bring the rumoured Toyota-Subaru Sports coupe...etc

JUGNU

The problem isn't excitement, its that Toyota didn't cut back on manufacturing when the economy hit the skids. Their saving grace was having an extra $20B in cash to cover their losses. Otherwise, they'd be in nearly the same boat as GM.

No argument there, but I do believe they're making a comeback. When the LF-A hits the streets that will be the trump statement they've changed hands and are returning to their glory days. Mr. Akio Toyoda has already begun changes in his great grandfather's legacy which is his destiny...to carry on the phenomenal greatness of the worlds top automaker.

500 cars in that aren't even badged with Toyota will not make Toyota cars exciting.

I like this guy, Yoshimi Inaba. He has admitted that Toyota is boring and he has basically declared that she must return to first principles. All I want to hear from him now is that Toyota is leaving NASCAR. The guy who got them there in the first place needs to be dragged out into the street and shot. Bullshit series events that helped none of the companies competing in it.

Oh, your just sore that Toyota did not do $hit in NASCAR . There hopes were to win over Americas hearts by beating the Michiganders in their own back yard ( Michigan Speedway ) . Looks like it did not happen. Now they are getting chastiesed for juming into the arena . If they would have come out of the box a winner , people would be wearing Toyota racing shirts. Some people are like leaves on a tree , the wind changes direction , they flip over .

Toyota leave NASCAR! I dont think so. Those RWD Camrys are awesome! I think they will do very well against the competition and eventually win top honors. They've just been in for about 3yrs give'em time because with that Toyota engine, a highly competitive driver and a highly focused team, they'll start kicking some serious butt. Anyway back to the article. I doubt this article is trust-worthy. Inspirion7 is a known hater. Why else would you concock an article like this. Besides you'd get fired if you were a Toyota Exce. and said "our product is good but it's boring. What a wart!

A Toyota exec admitting that Toyotas are not exciting is like a MacDonalds exec saying their food makes poeple weighty or a Marlbaro exec saying that smoking can cause cancer. Everybody knows it, it is actually a fact.

But, what wonders me, if they change direction, is it really good? I mean, a hell of a lot of people have been buying their cars, with the current layout. And that being said, maybe they don´t even care for excitment, it is other things that they admire on a Toyota? Decisions like this one need a lot of attention and research.

What do you win, when the numbers of people you win over with "exciting" cars is smaller, than the numbers of people you loose because of that?

Rather tink about your portfolio. Get rid of some trucks and bring some cars over to the US that you already sell in other countries.

Just my 0,02 $$

I agree, Great post!
One thing, Toyota cannot afford to be complacent. They can still offer the bread & butter vehicles while expanding to more "exciting" vehicles. The Subaru/Toyota vehicle is a step in the right direction. No major change is necessary, subtle changes will do.