I have been a Toyota observer and Toyota fan for a long time. It is not easy for me to say this, but I am urging everyone to stop buying new Toyotas.
I will explain why in detail here. I know much has been said and many are disappointed about what has happened with Lexus. Putting Lexus aside, what I am about to explain though is more urgent and more important and goes to the very core of Toyota as a company and why most people buy Toyotas.
For a number of years now I have done a lot of research, study, examination and test driving of various Toyota (and Lexus) models in the Akio Toyoda/TNGA era. I have avoided focusing on Toyota’s talk or marketing all these years. I have come to an unmistakable conclusion: Toyota quality, reliability and durability can no longer be trusted. The Akio Toyoda/TNGA era of Toyota vehicles over the last roughly 10 years has been a disaster in terms of quality, reliability, durability. It took a long time for me to come to this conclusion but I went through a lot of effort to gather a lot of evidence to come to this conclusion.
Let’s look at the following.
The V35A V6 engine, one of Toyota’s supposed flagship engines. From the beginning since its market debut in 2018, this engine has had problems. First debuting in the 5th gen Lexus LS, the Type 18 version of this engine has had numerous drivabilty issues, reliability problems and failures on the 5th gen LS but because of low sales and the status of the LS Toyota kept this extremely quiet. Then a few years later in 2021, the Type 21 version of the V35A debuted on the Land Cruiser 300 Series and then was added in use to the current Tundra, Sequoia, Lexus GX and LX. The Type 21 version of the engine has some minor modifications that are supposed to make it more reliable than the Type 18 version. Yet soon after debut, the Type 21 version of the V35A has seen numerous failures, many at low mileage. Toyota has had repeated recalls for this engine now and the problems are not fixed. Despite whatever Toyota has said about the problems with this engine, independent master mechanics have torn down this engine and almost all unanimously agree this engine is poorly designed. Therefore this engine is fundamentally flawed in its design and engineering. No amount of frequent oil changes will help as the engine design is simply unreliable. The V35A has been on the market now for almost 10 years and Toyota has done nothing noticeable to remedy the situation. Many Toyota or Lexus owners with problem V35A engines have had big problems and headaches dealing with Toyota. Replacement engines are not a solution as the engine design is fundamentally flawed. The only proper solution is a redesigned V35A engine or a completely new engine design to replace this. The last time Toyota had major engine issues was with one of their flagship engines in the 1980s, the 7M. This engine debuted in 1986 and had some serious reliability issues. Toyota made small revisions over a few years but significantly only 5 years later debuted a COMPLETE replacement and totally different engine design with the JZ in 1991. So in 5 years Toyota replaced an unreliable engine with an overbuilt engine design that is now legendary for its quality, reliability, durability. Contrast that to the situation today with the V35A.
Toyota 8-speed (transverse) automatic transmission, the UA80 and UB80 and variants of these transmissions. These are widely used on many Toyota models and some Lexus models. This transmission and variants have been on the market since 2016. Since debut, there have been numerous drivability and reliability issues. Drivability issues over the years have improved only a little bit but many remain. I have driven many Toyota models and some Lexus models with this transmission. The driving experience with this transmission is terrible. Absolutely terrible. It doesn’t matter what engine this transmission is paired with. In terms of reliability, there were early failures of this transmission on 2016-2019 Siennas and Highlanders. Since then, issues have only worsened. There are now noticeable failures of this transmission occurring on 2019-2022 Camry gas models, 2020-2022 Highlander gas models, and some failures starting to appear even on the 5th generation Rav4 (2019-2025). Drivability issues are universal for all models that use these transmissions. They include hesitation, rough shifting, poor shifting, poor acceleration, very noticeable rev hang, noticeable lag and delays in upshifting and downshifting. Before failing, many Toyotas exhibit whine or grinding noises. Some of these transmissions though have been failing without warning. A lot of these transmissions have been failing at low mileage. Following many master mechanic recommendations and changing the transmission fluid at 60,000 miles (100,000 km) is not good enough as many are failing below this mileage. Some Toyota owners are saying you should change the transmission fluid as frequently as every 30,000 miles (50,000 km) but even that is no guarantee at all that the transmission will last. Then there is the shocking rumor I have heard from Aisin which co-developed this transmission with Toyota. Supposedly, according to Aisin internal information the transmission fluid on these transmissions needs to be changed as frequently as 12,000 miles (20,000 km) to help provide reliable operation. This itself likely does not even guarantee reliable operation. Such frequent transmission fluid changes are simply ludicrous though. Like the V35A engine, all of this information points to the fact that the design and engineering of these transmissions is fundamentally flawed. These transmissions have been on the market for over 10 years and Toyota has made no significant design or engineering changes. The only proper solution is these transmissions need to be completely redesigned or completely replaced. If you own a Toyota or Lexus with one of these transmissions, there is a risk of failure. Many Toyota owners have had headaches dealing with Toyota and these transmissions. Also like the V35A engine, people have been having problems with replacement transmissions as well.
Toyota CVT (non-hybrid) K120 transmission. Over the last few years I have come across information that this transmission is experiencing some failures. It is most commonly used in the 12th generation Corolla (2019-present).
Interior and exterior quality. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years (that I have personally examined) have disastrous interior and exterior quality. Whether it’s the cheap quality materials themselves, the thin materials, the poor fit and finish, the interior problems are numerous. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years have very thin sheet metal as well. The sad truth is that many Toyota models of the last 10 years have worst in class interior and exterior quality and materials. Rattles, squeaks and creaks are very common on many Toyota models of the last 10 years. Many Toyota vehicles over the last 10 years that have some age and mileage in them feel like they’re falling apart when you drive them.
Interior practicality. Over the last 10 years, Toyota has been slowly degrading and removing interior practicality and instead focusing on trends and gimmicks. A number of Toyota competitors offer much more practical interiors now.
Noise, vibration and harshness. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years are much louder, harsher, less comfortable and firmer than older Toyotas of the past. Toyota and Lexus models using the A25A 4 cylinder engine are notorious for this. The A25A engine for example has worst in class noise, vibration and harshness metrics. Toyota made a noticeable update to this engine for 2026 to improve noise, vibration and harshness, but it is ONLY available so far in the limited production 6th generation Rav4 plug-in hybrid
Supply problems: since 2020, Toyota has had major supply problems. First it was due to supply chain issues during the Covid pandemic. When that subsided, Toyota still continued having supply problems. We are now in the later half of 2026 and Toyota still has noticeable supply problems. The competence of Toyota is under question in this situation given they have not solved their supply problems.
Interior electronics problems. In the last few years, Toyota speedometers with digital displays have been failing at an increasing frequency. Toyota has already had several big recalls for failing speedometers. A speedometer is a fundamental component of a car and yet Toyota is now struggling with the quality and reliability of their speedometers on some models.
Hybrid issues. Yes even Toyota’s hybrids have not been immune to major issues. The 3rd generation Prius (2010-2015) has well known engine EGR issues and some electrical issues like inverter failures. This was a pre-TNGA vehicle yes. Many people typically have worried about battery replacements on hybrids. What a lot of people don’t know is that if the hybrid inverter fails, that is almost always more expensive to replace than the battery. I have heard of strange electrical issues becoming more common on the 2015-2018 Rav4 hybrid. Then there is the major reliability issue on 2019-2025 Rav4 hybrids concerning the hybrid cable. Multiple recalls have occurred regarding this. Many 5th generation Rav4 hybrid owners have had big headaches dealing with this. Toyota has quietly made small revisions to the hybrid cable design during the 5th generation Rav4’s life cycle. The very first revisions were not effective in solving the hybrid cable reliability problems. The latest revisions of the last 2-3 years are inconclusive as to whether they solve the reliability issues. Questions remain as to whether the new 6th generation Rav4 will have hybrid cable problems or not. There have also been battery drain issues and hybrid cars completely dying. This has been a well known problem for example on the 5th generation Rav4 hybrid and 4th generation Highlander hybrid.
Data collection. In the last 10 years or so, Toyota has suddenly become obsessed with collecting a large amount of personal information on drivers and passengers inside Toyota vehicles. Opting out of this data collection is not easy and convoluted. This was never the case in the past with Toyota. In the past, Toyota greatly prioritized the privacy of Toyota drivers and passengers.
So in total these are historic, unprecedented problems all happening at the same time. Major engine issues, major transmission issues, really cheap interior and exterior quality, interior speedometer problems and some hybrid problems as well. Never in Toyota history have there been all of these problems happening at the same time. The Toyota that many of us know and love is gone. Akio Toyoda’s worst fear has come true; Toyota has become an ordinary company. I would actually say less than ordinary. Toyota is charging premium prices for very ordinary vehicles now with questionable quality and reliability. There have been and currently are ongoing numerous lawsuits around the world against Toyota for these quality and reliability issues.
Many of these quality, reliability, durability issues have been called “normal” by some Toyota dealers. Many Toyota dealers are dismissing or minimizing these concerns. I don’t fully blame the dealers because they are following orders from Toyota itself. It’s highly disappointing that Toyota is approaching things this way.
What’s worse is that some Toyota models remain difficult to get. Toyota dealers therefore have lots of leverage and have been playing games or overcharging customers. Toyota can put a stop to all of this but they haven’t. Then there are the very high lease rates for many Toyota models compared to the competition.
Toyota for many years now has been spending lots of money. So the question becomes, where has all of Toyota’s money been going? This is a good question and I have a concerning answer. It’s been going to many things besides vehicle development and vehicle investment. Toyota has been spending money on all kinds of strange things like their “mobility city” in Japan near Higashi Fuji, a sports stadium, boats, “lifestyle” products and other strange, ambiguous things that have nothing to do with vehicles or car making. So the conclusion I have come to is Toyota has spread itself too thin and has lost focus on car making. I have also heard concerning information that Toyota is spending more on marketing and on partnerships with online “influencers”. Toyota has also been spending money on some strange non-governmental organization partnerships and efforts that have virtually nothing to do with car making. Some people say that even the money that Toyota has been investing in car development has been mismanaged. It’s quite possible.
The old Toyota used to make over-built, over-engineered vehicles that stayed reliable even when maintenance was neglected. Now, new Toyotas are not even ordinarily built, in many cases they are under-built. New Toyotas are very sensitive and are higher maintenance than older Toyotas. What’s worse, doing frequent maintenance on new Toyotas does not guarantee reliability either.
So in total, this is why I must urge people to stop buying new Toyotas. The Toyota many of us grew up with is gone. Toyota of today is a totally different company. I cannot blame this on Akio Toyoda alone, I can only conclude this was a collective effort at Toyota in terms of how things have changed. I have concluded that Toyota no longer cares about quality, reliability, durability as top priorities. Toyota also doesn’t care much anymore about providing quality customer service. Toyota now seems to care about greed, profit and coasting on and leaning on their old reputation that no longer reflects the reality of their products today. I have tried to bring up these concerns through various Toyota internal channels and I have basically been ignored. In total, I conclude that Toyota just doesn’t care anymore. There is just a big lack of care in the company now. So if you wish to see Toyota change, for their to even be a chance of Toyota changing, I have only come to one conclusion. I think the only thing Toyota these days will pay attention to is pain. Sales pain and financial pain.
So tell your friends, tell your family to stop buying new Toyotas. It’s not worth it anymore. If enough people stop buying Toyotas, then maybe, just maybe, Toyota might be forced to start improving.
For fans of the old Toyota, I know what you’re thinking, what should we buy then? In North America I have no easy answers. Since Toyota quality has fallen and some competitors have improved, I would seriously consider the American brands in some segments or possibly Mitsubishi or Nissan in limited segments. I would not recommend Honda, Kia or Hyundai to anyone. If you’re wanting a new sedan or compact car in North America, again there are no easy choices. I would recommend overall if you have an old Toyota or Lexus that you’re happy with in terms of quality, reliability, durability then keep it. Don’t sell it. Keep repairing it. Even consider a full rebuild of that car. There is a saying that says they don’t build them like they used to. This saying is not universally true, but sadly with Toyota I would say it’s certainly true now.
Outside of North America, I think there are a bit more options. Many overseas markets have Suzuki which I think is a reliable choice. Also overseas there is a bit more selection of Mitsubishi and Nissan models than North America gets. Other overseas markets also have interesting choices from the American brands. These recommendations are for internal combustion or hybrid vehicles. If you’re looking for electric, that’s outside the scope of this post as I have no interest or experience in electric vehicles.
As a long time Toyota fan, I would now call myself a former fan as I just don’t trust Toyota products anymore
I will explain why in detail here. I know much has been said and many are disappointed about what has happened with Lexus. Putting Lexus aside, what I am about to explain though is more urgent and more important and goes to the very core of Toyota as a company and why most people buy Toyotas.
For a number of years now I have done a lot of research, study, examination and test driving of various Toyota (and Lexus) models in the Akio Toyoda/TNGA era. I have avoided focusing on Toyota’s talk or marketing all these years. I have come to an unmistakable conclusion: Toyota quality, reliability and durability can no longer be trusted. The Akio Toyoda/TNGA era of Toyota vehicles over the last roughly 10 years has been a disaster in terms of quality, reliability, durability. It took a long time for me to come to this conclusion but I went through a lot of effort to gather a lot of evidence to come to this conclusion.
Let’s look at the following.
The V35A V6 engine, one of Toyota’s supposed flagship engines. From the beginning since its market debut in 2018, this engine has had problems. First debuting in the 5th gen Lexus LS, the Type 18 version of this engine has had numerous drivabilty issues, reliability problems and failures on the 5th gen LS but because of low sales and the status of the LS Toyota kept this extremely quiet. Then a few years later in 2021, the Type 21 version of the V35A debuted on the Land Cruiser 300 Series and then was added in use to the current Tundra, Sequoia, Lexus GX and LX. The Type 21 version of the engine has some minor modifications that are supposed to make it more reliable than the Type 18 version. Yet soon after debut, the Type 21 version of the V35A has seen numerous failures, many at low mileage. Toyota has had repeated recalls for this engine now and the problems are not fixed. Despite whatever Toyota has said about the problems with this engine, independent master mechanics have torn down this engine and almost all unanimously agree this engine is poorly designed. Therefore this engine is fundamentally flawed in its design and engineering. No amount of frequent oil changes will help as the engine design is simply unreliable. The V35A has been on the market now for almost 10 years and Toyota has done nothing noticeable to remedy the situation. Many Toyota or Lexus owners with problem V35A engines have had big problems and headaches dealing with Toyota. Replacement engines are not a solution as the engine design is fundamentally flawed. The only proper solution is a redesigned V35A engine or a completely new engine design to replace this. The last time Toyota had major engine issues was with one of their flagship engines in the 1980s, the 7M. This engine debuted in 1986 and had some serious reliability issues. Toyota made small revisions over a few years but significantly only 5 years later debuted a COMPLETE replacement and totally different engine design with the JZ in 1991. So in 5 years Toyota replaced an unreliable engine with an overbuilt engine design that is now legendary for its quality, reliability, durability. Contrast that to the situation today with the V35A.
Toyota 8-speed (transverse) automatic transmission, the UA80 and UB80 and variants of these transmissions. These are widely used on many Toyota models and some Lexus models. This transmission and variants have been on the market since 2016. Since debut, there have been numerous drivability and reliability issues. Drivability issues over the years have improved only a little bit but many remain. I have driven many Toyota models and some Lexus models with this transmission. The driving experience with this transmission is terrible. Absolutely terrible. It doesn’t matter what engine this transmission is paired with. In terms of reliability, there were early failures of this transmission on 2016-2019 Siennas and Highlanders. Since then, issues have only worsened. There are now noticeable failures of this transmission occurring on 2019-2022 Camry gas models, 2020-2022 Highlander gas models, and some failures starting to appear even on the 5th generation Rav4 (2019-2025). Drivability issues are universal for all models that use these transmissions. They include hesitation, rough shifting, poor shifting, poor acceleration, very noticeable rev hang, noticeable lag and delays in upshifting and downshifting. Before failing, many Toyotas exhibit whine or grinding noises. Some of these transmissions though have been failing without warning. A lot of these transmissions have been failing at low mileage. Following many master mechanic recommendations and changing the transmission fluid at 60,000 miles (100,000 km) is not good enough as many are failing below this mileage. Some Toyota owners are saying you should change the transmission fluid as frequently as every 30,000 miles (50,000 km) but even that is no guarantee at all that the transmission will last. Then there is the shocking rumor I have heard from Aisin which co-developed this transmission with Toyota. Supposedly, according to Aisin internal information the transmission fluid on these transmissions needs to be changed as frequently as 12,000 miles (20,000 km) to help provide reliable operation. This itself likely does not even guarantee reliable operation. Such frequent transmission fluid changes are simply ludicrous though. Like the V35A engine, all of this information points to the fact that the design and engineering of these transmissions is fundamentally flawed. These transmissions have been on the market for over 10 years and Toyota has made no significant design or engineering changes. The only proper solution is these transmissions need to be completely redesigned or completely replaced. If you own a Toyota or Lexus with one of these transmissions, there is a risk of failure. Many Toyota owners have had headaches dealing with Toyota and these transmissions. Also like the V35A engine, people have been having problems with replacement transmissions as well.
Toyota CVT (non-hybrid) K120 transmission. Over the last few years I have come across information that this transmission is experiencing some failures. It is most commonly used in the 12th generation Corolla (2019-present).
Interior and exterior quality. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years (that I have personally examined) have disastrous interior and exterior quality. Whether it’s the cheap quality materials themselves, the thin materials, the poor fit and finish, the interior problems are numerous. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years have very thin sheet metal as well. The sad truth is that many Toyota models of the last 10 years have worst in class interior and exterior quality and materials. Rattles, squeaks and creaks are very common on many Toyota models of the last 10 years. Many Toyota vehicles over the last 10 years that have some age and mileage in them feel like they’re falling apart when you drive them.
Interior practicality. Over the last 10 years, Toyota has been slowly degrading and removing interior practicality and instead focusing on trends and gimmicks. A number of Toyota competitors offer much more practical interiors now.
Noise, vibration and harshness. Many Toyota models of the last 10 years are much louder, harsher, less comfortable and firmer than older Toyotas of the past. Toyota and Lexus models using the A25A 4 cylinder engine are notorious for this. The A25A engine for example has worst in class noise, vibration and harshness metrics. Toyota made a noticeable update to this engine for 2026 to improve noise, vibration and harshness, but it is ONLY available so far in the limited production 6th generation Rav4 plug-in hybrid
Supply problems: since 2020, Toyota has had major supply problems. First it was due to supply chain issues during the Covid pandemic. When that subsided, Toyota still continued having supply problems. We are now in the later half of 2026 and Toyota still has noticeable supply problems. The competence of Toyota is under question in this situation given they have not solved their supply problems.
Interior electronics problems. In the last few years, Toyota speedometers with digital displays have been failing at an increasing frequency. Toyota has already had several big recalls for failing speedometers. A speedometer is a fundamental component of a car and yet Toyota is now struggling with the quality and reliability of their speedometers on some models.
Hybrid issues. Yes even Toyota’s hybrids have not been immune to major issues. The 3rd generation Prius (2010-2015) has well known engine EGR issues and some electrical issues like inverter failures. This was a pre-TNGA vehicle yes. Many people typically have worried about battery replacements on hybrids. What a lot of people don’t know is that if the hybrid inverter fails, that is almost always more expensive to replace than the battery. I have heard of strange electrical issues becoming more common on the 2015-2018 Rav4 hybrid. Then there is the major reliability issue on 2019-2025 Rav4 hybrids concerning the hybrid cable. Multiple recalls have occurred regarding this. Many 5th generation Rav4 hybrid owners have had big headaches dealing with this. Toyota has quietly made small revisions to the hybrid cable design during the 5th generation Rav4’s life cycle. The very first revisions were not effective in solving the hybrid cable reliability problems. The latest revisions of the last 2-3 years are inconclusive as to whether they solve the reliability issues. Questions remain as to whether the new 6th generation Rav4 will have hybrid cable problems or not. There have also been battery drain issues and hybrid cars completely dying. This has been a well known problem for example on the 5th generation Rav4 hybrid and 4th generation Highlander hybrid.
Data collection. In the last 10 years or so, Toyota has suddenly become obsessed with collecting a large amount of personal information on drivers and passengers inside Toyota vehicles. Opting out of this data collection is not easy and convoluted. This was never the case in the past with Toyota. In the past, Toyota greatly prioritized the privacy of Toyota drivers and passengers.
So in total these are historic, unprecedented problems all happening at the same time. Major engine issues, major transmission issues, really cheap interior and exterior quality, interior speedometer problems and some hybrid problems as well. Never in Toyota history have there been all of these problems happening at the same time. The Toyota that many of us know and love is gone. Akio Toyoda’s worst fear has come true; Toyota has become an ordinary company. I would actually say less than ordinary. Toyota is charging premium prices for very ordinary vehicles now with questionable quality and reliability. There have been and currently are ongoing numerous lawsuits around the world against Toyota for these quality and reliability issues.
Many of these quality, reliability, durability issues have been called “normal” by some Toyota dealers. Many Toyota dealers are dismissing or minimizing these concerns. I don’t fully blame the dealers because they are following orders from Toyota itself. It’s highly disappointing that Toyota is approaching things this way.
What’s worse is that some Toyota models remain difficult to get. Toyota dealers therefore have lots of leverage and have been playing games or overcharging customers. Toyota can put a stop to all of this but they haven’t. Then there are the very high lease rates for many Toyota models compared to the competition.
Toyota for many years now has been spending lots of money. So the question becomes, where has all of Toyota’s money been going? This is a good question and I have a concerning answer. It’s been going to many things besides vehicle development and vehicle investment. Toyota has been spending money on all kinds of strange things like their “mobility city” in Japan near Higashi Fuji, a sports stadium, boats, “lifestyle” products and other strange, ambiguous things that have nothing to do with vehicles or car making. So the conclusion I have come to is Toyota has spread itself too thin and has lost focus on car making. I have also heard concerning information that Toyota is spending more on marketing and on partnerships with online “influencers”. Toyota has also been spending money on some strange non-governmental organization partnerships and efforts that have virtually nothing to do with car making. Some people say that even the money that Toyota has been investing in car development has been mismanaged. It’s quite possible.
The old Toyota used to make over-built, over-engineered vehicles that stayed reliable even when maintenance was neglected. Now, new Toyotas are not even ordinarily built, in many cases they are under-built. New Toyotas are very sensitive and are higher maintenance than older Toyotas. What’s worse, doing frequent maintenance on new Toyotas does not guarantee reliability either.
So in total, this is why I must urge people to stop buying new Toyotas. The Toyota many of us grew up with is gone. Toyota of today is a totally different company. I cannot blame this on Akio Toyoda alone, I can only conclude this was a collective effort at Toyota in terms of how things have changed. I have concluded that Toyota no longer cares about quality, reliability, durability as top priorities. Toyota also doesn’t care much anymore about providing quality customer service. Toyota now seems to care about greed, profit and coasting on and leaning on their old reputation that no longer reflects the reality of their products today. I have tried to bring up these concerns through various Toyota internal channels and I have basically been ignored. In total, I conclude that Toyota just doesn’t care anymore. There is just a big lack of care in the company now. So if you wish to see Toyota change, for their to even be a chance of Toyota changing, I have only come to one conclusion. I think the only thing Toyota these days will pay attention to is pain. Sales pain and financial pain.
So tell your friends, tell your family to stop buying new Toyotas. It’s not worth it anymore. If enough people stop buying Toyotas, then maybe, just maybe, Toyota might be forced to start improving.
For fans of the old Toyota, I know what you’re thinking, what should we buy then? In North America I have no easy answers. Since Toyota quality has fallen and some competitors have improved, I would seriously consider the American brands in some segments or possibly Mitsubishi or Nissan in limited segments. I would not recommend Honda, Kia or Hyundai to anyone. If you’re wanting a new sedan or compact car in North America, again there are no easy choices. I would recommend overall if you have an old Toyota or Lexus that you’re happy with in terms of quality, reliability, durability then keep it. Don’t sell it. Keep repairing it. Even consider a full rebuild of that car. There is a saying that says they don’t build them like they used to. This saying is not universally true, but sadly with Toyota I would say it’s certainly true now.
Outside of North America, I think there are a bit more options. Many overseas markets have Suzuki which I think is a reliable choice. Also overseas there is a bit more selection of Mitsubishi and Nissan models than North America gets. Other overseas markets also have interesting choices from the American brands. These recommendations are for internal combustion or hybrid vehicles. If you’re looking for electric, that’s outside the scope of this post as I have no interest or experience in electric vehicles.
As a long time Toyota fan, I would now call myself a former fan as I just don’t trust Toyota products anymore