So I'm sitting at home Friday evening, watching TV and I see the commercial for the new Rav4. I turn to my wife, who happens to like the Highlander, and ask her what she thinks. She says, "Its ok."
Now my wife doesn't hold the same prejudices as me, but she also doesn't see in Toyota what growing numbers of the nation and the media see. You all know what I'm talking about. Toyota, despite current reality, is seen as the end all be all of vehicle reliable and quality. Now this is a reputation rightfully earned in the past, but isn't quite as upheld today.
Now don't get me wrong. Toyota's are good vehicles. But in many ways, they're not better than their competitors, and that statement isn't limited to its Detroit competitors. The Accord has been better than the Camry in almost every measurable way. It looks better, drives better, has better interior design and quality, and has beaten the Camry (and all other mid-sizers) in almost every comparo it is in.
So why does the Camry continue to outsell it?
Ok, back to my original point. So I see this commercial, which is touting the Rav4's fuel economy (even though it doesn't really compare it to other cute-utes...the commercial is full of old 70s/80s cars, doesn't make much sense), and think, "I wonder how this is going to sell?"
And then, while driving to Johnny Carino's Saturday night, I get my answer. I see two of them, and then a third on my way to work this morning. And its not just the new Rav4. The Tacoma, Sienna and 4Runner continue to sell more and more, at least in Lexington. Did you know that Toyota refreshed the Sienna and 4Runner's front and rear fascias for 2006? I didn't either, at least until I saw 5 or 6 new ones of each in one week. And then there's the new Avalon which, I swear to God, I saw one parked down the road from my apartment THE DAY Toyota revealed it.
Is the Toyota Juggernaut really as unstoppable as the media says? I'm starting to think so. But does that mean that Toyota will one day rule at the top? Not at all.
Because I think that Toyota will not be able to take marketshare away from GM for much longer. GM's vehicles are becoming as good and better. The Lucerne and Tahoe are examples of this. No, if Toyota continues to gain marketshare its going to start coming from not only Ford and Chrysler, but Honda and Nissan will start seeing the marketshare loss as well.