A number of major Toyota launches have been for vehicles that aren’t actually all-new. Most notable of which are the RAV4 and Camry. They are each closely related to their immediate predecessors, evidenced by hard points on the chassis that haven’t changed, and even very similar interiors in the case of the Camry. That means that the current Camry is built on the bones of a car that launched in the 2018 model year, and the upcoming RAV4 on a vehicle from the 2019 model year. According to an Australian Toyota sales executive, this is on purpose, and it’s not just to cut costs.
The executive in question was Sean Hanley, and he was speaking to the also Australian car news outlet Drive, when he spoke about updating old vehicles. According to him, not switching to completely new vehicles is also a play for reliability. He specifically said:
“Toyota is very much focused on quality, durability, reliability, and the current platforms deliver on all of those things – and that’s important to us.” –Sean Hanley
This of course is partly contingent on remaining competitive, which he said he feels that vehicles such as the updated RAV4 and Camry, and apparently an upcoming Hilux, still are. There’s definite evidence that keeping proven product around can yield reliability dividends. Completely new vehicles and powertrains can end up having unexpected problems that will be sorted out in later iterations. Consumer Reports noticed this tendency a few years ago, and used a BMW X3 as an example. The first year or two after the SUV was redesigned, reliability plummeted, and the final years tended to be better. Another sign that this is the case is Mazda’s excellent performance in JD Power’s reliability survey. Most of the brand’s models are based on a platform and powertrain introduced before 2020, and the company also was ranked as the third most reliable brand this year.
Now, of course, someone from Toyota is almost definitely going to say the vehicles they have on sale are competitive. We have driven the updated Camry, though, and it’s still an excellent midsize sedan, even garnering our publication’s first car of the year award. Even before the refresh, it was an excellent midsize sedan. The RAV4 has been revealed, but we haven’t had an opportunity yet to try it out, so we’ll reserve judgement on that one. It’s certainly true, though, that older vehicles can still be competitive.
Toyota isn’t even the only company to prove this. The Mazdas we already mentioned are still some of the most fun-to-drive vehicles in their respective segments. They even have more premium interiors than most of their competition. Nissan’s newest Frontier is based on a truck that was introduced about 20 years ago, but it’s still worth your consideration. Some companies have even seen success because their cars are old. The Dodge Charger and Challenger only got light refreshes for their entire lives, and they managed to still find loyal customers. Before the 4Runner was fully redesigned, its sales were rising near the end of its life, despite being so ancient it still had a five-speed automatic.
Let’s be honest, though, saving money is still one of the main reasons any company, including Toyota, will still lean on an older platform. You may notice that we mentioned both Nissan and Chrysler, companies that have famously been strapped for cash over the last few years. Mazda, as a smaller Japanese company, has also had to deal with small budgets. Toyota isn’t exactly hurting for money, but savings are good no matter what. Plus, the company is staring down a future that will probably be electric. If it can save money on combustion vehicles for a little longer, that’s more money it can put to developing completely new electric and hybrid products over the long term.
Source: Drive, Consumer Reports
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