Toyota of America is way behind Toyota of Japan

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Basically from original post I gather this conclusion is because of the entune not supporting carplay and a few trd gizmos .

 

All 3 of my vehicles are 11 years old and older and they are all made in Japan. Honestly, between the 3 of them, the one with the least issues has been my 2007 FJ which was the first year of it's inception. 102,000 miles. The other two had minor issues. I had torn CV axles twice in the same year on my Land Cruiser and it was just from city driving. My Hilux had some pains of reviving a 30 year old vehicle that was barely driven into a semi-daily driver.

 

Some people get the vibration when they are braking. Close enough.

 

I have multiple toyoters of both origins so I think I can answer this correctly.

As much as I like my taco, there is definite cheapening going on down here versus lets say, a same year 4runner. You can tell in the interior, gauge cluster, CARPET (how can it be called carpet, this is felt), also to me, the door to window weather stripping and trim sucks compared to the Japanese 4 rumner. It looks like its from a much older vehicle.

Now at home I have 80s 90s and early 2000s toyota peoducts. All those are Japanese and I can 100% attest to superior materials, fit and finish and craftsmanship. My taco feels very value engineered as much as I love it. The taco seems like direct comperition to american products which in my eyes had inferior fit, quality, and design years ago, But now I see it as an equal playing field. If you ever hop in a new hilux, that resembles more what a japanese toyota normally looks like, I mean the small details, like door handle feel, weather strip, trims, quality of glass and windscreen. And these arent even made exclusively in japan.

I notice american Toyota designs stray a bit from japanese toyota designs and construction methods.

The c-channel rear chassis is also bullshit. They can say as much as they want like with the rear drums, but its cost cutting, just reusing many parts of the second gens design.

Also all my toyotas pre 2006 have better paint. Im not nagging, im just stating what I see.

My 2c

 

Not really any different than most countries. When I was in korea their local cars seemed better as well.

There are always exceptions based on markets.

Why don’t we get a Hilux or LC 70. Our LC 200 is way different than other counties.

 

@Itchyfeet you and @hiPSI are both right about the Landcruiser. It was made at Tahara (Tahara City), Araco (now Toyota Auto Body(TAB)), and Hino Motors near Tokyo. Hino makes some bad ass trucks, buses, etc. Diesel kings of Japan.

On the 4Runner, I know for certain it was and is made at Tahara, in Tahara City. However, it doesn't surprise me that some show Araco. In Japan, they shift and/or add production from one facility to another very quickly when demand dictates. TAB makes a lot of Japan domestic Toyotas.

In my work for Toyota, I visited all three of those locations and saw Landcruiser production. I only saw 4Runner at Tahara, but that doesn't mean TAB didn't make it for awhile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toyota_manufacturing_facilities#Japan

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1QcjsjjtRc

 

actually its the Tahara plant. its the main assembly plant for Toyota and lexus and was brought online in 1979 and has become the #1 plant for Toyota worldwide. its considered the plant where quality is considered the best in the world for Toyota bar none.