The Top 10 Selling Vehicles in Japan (Jan-June)

[mmcartalk]

Yes, 335 (coupe) was one of my favorites when I selected IS350, I've driven all recent gens.

Yes interesting is also what I thought so I asked him about it since I played tennis with him on weekly basis. He appreciated (w/Sienna) the extra room and comfort, fewer warranty repairs and fewer tire replacements (his BMW had 18's)/service visits.

I recently took a fairly long trip with my old Flight Instructor and his sister, both still friends of mine (I am an ex-pilot and Ground Instructor myself) in his new Sienna. Very impressive. Quiet, smooth, refined, good control layout, separate climate-control systems for the rear seats (we could all stay comfy). His, though, lacked the AWD option. I often wonder why Lexus never did a version of it....maybe because Toyota itself sells so many.

 

[IS-SV]

I recently took a fairly long trip with my old Flight Instructor and his sister, both still friends of mine (I am an ex-pilot and Ground Instructor myself) in his new Sienna. Very impressive. Quiet, smooth, refined, good control layout, separate climate-control systems for the rear seats (we could all stay comfy). His, though, lacked the AWD option. I often wonder why Lexus never did a version of it....maybe because Toyota itself sells so many.

Premium car makers usually don't do minivans, not good for brand image. Yes, Toyota does a fine job serving that market with plenty of lux amenities too.

 

[mmcartalk]

Premium car makers usually don't do minivans, not good for brand image. Yes, Toyota does a fine job serving that market with plenty of lux amenities too.

Mercury, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Chrysler have done minivans over the years, but all are (or were) considered merely upmarket, not in the full-luxury class like Lexus. And, of course, three of those nameplates are now history.

The Sienna has a big selling point in that it is (currently) the only minivan in the U.S. market (not sure about the thread-topic Japanese market) with an AWD option...though they tend to be pricey.

 

[IS-SV]

The Sienna has a big selling point in that it is (currently) the only minivan in the U.S. market (not sure about the thread-topic Japanese market) with an AWD option...though they tend to be pricey.

Yes, and a good example of how Toyota successfully dominates/sells into a lucrative niche. No need for badge engineering it into something that might degrade a premium brand.

 

[CIF]

Two guys renting a minivan...how much better would've been had it been a Sienna?

A Sienna would have been much better . At the time the Mazda5 was the ONLY rental vehicle available at that location, and we did not have time to go searching other locations.

How did you find the Rondo awkward? I test-drove one several years ago, before it was discontinued, and, though obviously not an enthusiast machine, it was a nice little people-mover with good space efficiency inside.

As far as the Mazda5 goes, again a good people-mover, but it can be a little awkward getting in and out of the third-row seat with its unique 2+2+2 seating layout.

I found the seating position in the Rondo to be awkward, and side visibility and blind spots also felt awkward to me. For a vehicle with such large windows, the blind spots just didn't make sense to me. The seating position did not inspire confidence at all; it felt as though I was driving a bus. That and I've never been a fan of Kia's gloomy instrumentation and interior lightning. The Mazda5, my co-worker and I had similar issues to the Rondo. We also found shoulder room very tight for a supposed utility vehicle, and we had strange phantom electrical problems, like the A/C continually turning on and off by itself, despite us having turned the auto A/C function off, and manually turning it off completely. A few times the power doors also refused to lock.

Premium car makers usually don't do minivans, not good for brand image. Yes, Toyota does a fine job serving that market with plenty of lux amenities too.

Not in American markets, anyways. Toyota sells a number of very luxurious vans in Asian markets, and Mercedes does offer luxury van products in Europe and a few Asian markets as well.

 

[IS-SV]

Not in American markets, anyways. Toyota sells a number of very luxurious vans in Asian markets, and Mercedes does offer luxury van products in Europe and a few Asian markets as well.

Exactly very different van vehicles for markets very different than American, many w/diesels too. Not rebadged Siennas.

 

[mmcartalk]

Yes, 335 (coupe) was one of my favorites when I selected IS350, I've driven all recent gens.

Yes interesting is also what I thought so I asked him about it since I played tennis with him on weekly basis. He appreciated (w/Sienna) the extra room and comfort, fewer warranty repairs and fewer tire replacements (his BMW had 18's)/service visits.

As far as tire replacements go, if he got an AWD Sienna, he might (?) be stuck with those run-flat tires, which were standard equipment on at least some of them. They are indeed a convenience in some tire-adverse conditions, but tend to ride roughly because of the stiff sidewalls, and are generally expensive to replace. Otherwise, though, it's a great vehicle.