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25 Cars & Trucks That Almost Ruined Toyota’s Reputation Forever

Cameron Eittreim April 11, 2022

Toyota has been around for quite a while in the car industry and the company is well-known and beloved by drivers. Toyota built its brand name on quality, reliability, and value. When you get a Toyota model, you know that you’re going to get great value. Their cars are well-built and offer a great amount of resale value. But like every other car company, Toyota has not been without faults and there have been quite a few models of Toyota’s that were questionable at best.

Looking back at vehicles like the T100 and the FJ Cruiser, you’re sure to scratch your head. Or even the outrageous Mega-Cruiser, a blatant Hummer rip-off. Toyota is a company willing to push the envelope in technology and design. The company helped lead the hybrid revolution with the Prius. They are still pumping out some of the most practical cars and trucks on the road today. We looked at some of Toyota’s most blatant failures which were cars that came close to ruining the company’s reputation.

25: 2016 Toyota Avalon

The redesigned 2016 Toyota Avalon has been dubbed the most disastrous debut in Toyota’s history. The car didn’t resonate with consumers at all and its price tag was astonishingly high. The car had many shortcomings and its styling was quite dated when you compared it to other models on the market (via The Motor Digest).

Since the debut of this model, the Avalon has been a poor seller for Toyota. So much so that the car has finally been discontinued, which is ideal considering there never really was a place for the Avalon in Toyota’s lineup. The car was competing with the company’s own Lexus models and that didn’t make sense.

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24: Toyota FJ Cruiser

Although SUV models have become all the rage, there was a time a few short years ago when this wasn’t the case. Toyota released the retro-inspired FJ Cruiser SUV to much fanfare. But the sales numbers never amounted to enough to keep the thing in production. There were many shortcomings to the FJ Cruiser, such as the fact that the roof wasn’t removable (via The Motor Digest).

FJ Cruiser Via Motor Trend — Photo Credit: Motor Trend

Now the FJ Cruiser has exploded in popularity on the used car market, but it’s not enough to justify the shortcomings. The FJ Cruiser could have been so much better if Toyota’s efforts were more effective. This could have been a competitor for the Jeep Wrangler in every way and that would have been a stellar proposition.

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23: Lexus IS200

The Acura Integra was one of the most popular cars of all time but that was a Honda and Toyota needed something fun to sell as well. Thus, the original IS200 was born. This was not your ordinary Lexus in any sense of the word. The car didn’t come standard with leather seats and the exterior colors were bright (via The Motor Digest).

The IS200 was built to bring young consumers into the Lexus family, but instead, the car never managed to sell well. The IS line has continued to this day, although the car has become much more luxurious. The original IS200 was a far cry from the car we see today and was a lot more stripped down.

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22: Toyota Sienna

After the flop of Toyota’s Previa, the company launched another minivan, the Sienna. While this was a better offering than the Previa, it still fell flat. The styling of the van was bland, much more so than the closest competitor, the redesigned 2001 Dodge Caravan. The performance was also lacking, which gave the Sienna a series of bad reviews with the automotive press (via The Motor Digest).

The price tag for a Sienna was quite high, which led to many consumers questioning Toyota’s decision-making and overall logic. Minivans are supposed to be entry-level family cars, but the Sienna was on the expensive side of things. Sales have always been semi-decent but the first generation of the van had a lot that needed to be fixed.

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21: 2007 Toyota RAV4

The 2007 Toyota RAV4 tried something completely new, as it was the first compact SUV to have a third-row seat. Although the RAV4 never sold well with this configuration, it was a unique option. But Toyota’s impatience showed out and they jumped the gun with this one as the third-row seat was useless due to the compact size of the car (via The Motor Digest).

The RAV4 has been redesigned since then, and the 2007 model is one of the most confusing ones in the RAV4 line. To try and cram a third-row seat into such a compact package was a daring thing to do. But it just didn’t mesh with consumers because the third row was a useless novelty item.

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20: Sera

The Toyota Sera was a sports car that was never sold stateside and it had a unique look, to say the least. The compact dimensions of the car gave it a great driving disposition, and the mid-engined design was similar to the MR2. Although the Sera was never introduced stateside, the car was initially popular. However, the poor design of the car led to some issues and this is one of Toyota’s few mistakes Toyota they have ever made when it comes to building a car (via The Motor Digest).

There’s a good chance the car was just a bit too over-the-top for buyers. This is why the sales were drab and the car never managed to take off. Let’s face facts, aside from the Supra, Toyota’s never truly been a performance car company. The brand can’t seem to mesh with sports car enthusiasts aside from Supra models.

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19: Cavalier

Yes, you’ve read this title correctly, there was indeed a Toyota Cavalier. The car was developed in a partnership with General Motors and is the fruit of Toyota’s offering the Corolla as a platform for the Geo Prizm. We’re not sure why Toyota decided to use a GM-designed platform overseas, but here it is. Loyalists panned Toyota’s Cavalier and rightly so, because the Cavalier is nowhere near the same quality of the car as Toyota’s Corolla (via The Motor Digest).

There was absolutely nothing different with the Toyota Cavalier from the run-of-the-mill Chevrolet Cavalier. The only noticeable difference were the Toyota badges on the front and rear of the vehicle. There were no special trim packages and the car was otherwise unimaginative, which left a bad taste in the drivers’ mouths.

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18: Prius C

For a short period, the Prius was the hottest car you could get. Of course, that was back in 2008 when gas prices were soaring and SUV models were all the rage. Sound familiar? Well, now there are plenty of fuel-efficient options to choose from, and the Prius has become a relic of the past. Sales numbers for the car have slipped dramatically and Toyota has attempted to revive the brand with a few different incarnations (via The Motor Digest).

The Prius C was supposed to be a model that would entice younger car buyers into the showrooms. Unfortunately, the car didn’t offer anything unique when you compare it to the countless other compact cars on the market. Where the Prius was once a technologically advanced compact car, nowadays it just uses an outdated design.

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17: Mega Cruiser

When Toyota needed something to compete with the popularity of the Hummer, it went with the Mega Cruiser. You probably never saw one of these things because they were a very small production run. The Mega Cruiser was a crude ripoff of the Hummer in just about every way. We’re sure that you can tell by the exterior styling that there isn’t anything unique about this SUV. The behemoth of a vehicle was a quick cash grab and another one of Toyota’s rare mistakes (via The Motor Digest).

The Mega Cruiser was a monstrosity of an SUV and one that Toyota’s brass will probably always regret making. The vehicle was an obvious cash grab and a clone of an already existing rival. The weird thing is that Toyota is usually a very innovative company while this truck just reeked of desperation by the automaker.

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16: Land Cruiser (Outdated)

Toyota’s Land Cruiser is one SUV that stays in production no matter what. Between the high price tag and the low production numbers, you’ll seldom see a new Land Cruiser on the road. But Toyota is still making this large SUV and the platform has become outdated. In its current form, the Land Cruiser has been on the market since the early 2000s. The Land Cruiser is still stuck in the previous decades yet consumers don’t seem to mind (via Auto Evolution).

The almost endless off-road capability and Toyota reliability are two things that continue to push sales. There are very few authentic SUV models still on the market. For a lot of consumers, the Land Cruiser is a breath of fresh air and they are willing to pay the premium price tag for the outdated ride.

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15: Scion XD

The original Scion lineup became a sales success for Toyota. When it came time to redesign the cars, the next models weren’t so well received. The XD built on the original product that was the XB, which in itself was never a flagship seller for Scion. The XD was seen as pretty bland and the car was a lot smaller than a comparable Honda Fit. Nevertheless, the model was still marketed as an important part of the Scion line until the brand disband (via Auto Evolution).

There wasn’t much to like about the XD, which is one of the reasons that it never caught on with consumers. Toyota had hoped to keep the momentum of the Scion brand going but unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears. The Scion XD never seemed to catch on with consumers.

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14: Venza

Released at a time when crossovers were just coming into popularity, the Venza was marketed as a new type of car. The design was not meant to compete with the already popular RAV4, but to cultivate its own place in the market. The performance of the Venza was panned by critics, and the car was also knocked for its styling. The initial sales of the Venza were poor and the car never seemed to catch on with consumers (via Auto Evolution).

Ironically enough, this incarnation of the Venza was discontinued, but Toyota has since reintroduced the model. Time will tell if the Venza will ever catch on with Toyota buyers. The styling of the original model and the features were just too bland to ever make the car a serious enough contender.

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13: Crown Majesta

If the Crown Majesta looks familiar, it’s because the bones of the car are derived from Lexus engineering. This is what the LS400 would have been had it bore a Toyota badge. The car was positioned to be a high-end luxury car that was expensive, in retrospect, though the car never did that well (via Auto Evolution).

Although it has been proven that a high-end luxury car with Toyota engineering behind it is profitable, the Crown Majesta never turned a profit for the company. The Crown Majesta was never sold in America, but every once in a while you’ll see one imported while there isn’t much potential for this car.

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12: Lexus CT

In the mid-2000s, the Lexus lineup was selling well but was also becoming outdated. Toyota felt it was time to introduce a trendy hatchback to the brand. The Lexus CT was a hybrid supposed to introduce a trendy edge to it. The styling was attractive but at the time there were already many similar cars on the market (via Auto Evolution).

The Lexus CT 200h never caught on with consumers, the car wasn’t what you’d expect out of a Lexus. The luxury aspects of the car weren’t there, and the car never managed to sell.

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11: Master Ace

The Toyota Master Ace was a van that was sold by Toyota in the ’80s. The company sold several vans in the past but this is perhaps one of the most infamous models. The design of the van was awkward, especially for the driver. The view through the front windshield was questionable at best (via Auto Evolution).

The reliability of the Toyota Master Ace was also questionable at best and this led many consumers to be confused. Generally, Toyota products were extremely reliable, so this was a confusing scenario. The Toyota Master Ace could have been a hit for the company, but there were many issues Toyota never addressed.

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10: Lexus HS

Another intriguing Lexus model that came out in the mid-2000s was the Lexus HS. The compact demeanor of the car was meant to attract entry-level buyers into Lexus showrooms. The hybrid drivetrain was taken from the Prius, and the car was underwhelming when it hit the market. The traditional Lexus buyers weren’t at home with this car (via Auto Evolution).

The HS would go on for a short period, ultimately being phased out. There hasn’t been a Lexus model that replaced this one in the lineup. The HS was an interesting concept, but when you spend double digits on a luxury car, the last thing you want is it to feel like a plain old Corolla.

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9: 1991 Toyota Previa

The Previa is the egg-shaped minivan Toyota sold during the 1990s. The minivan was the most popular segment in the automotive industry at this time, and the Chrysler drove its trio of minivans. Toyota didn’t have much luck with the van they were selling before the Previa and the new van was another try (via Auto Evolution).

Consumers just couldn’t get past the shape of the Previa, which was ugly to say the least. Not to mention the fact that the van was difficult to repair, as the engine was mounted under the front seats. This led to many consumers taking a hard pass on the Previa and rightly so, as the van just didn’t stand up to the competition.

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8: 1992 Toyota Paseo

Toyota has sold a few sports cars over the past couple of decades, but there was one that never caught on. The Toyota Paseo couldn’t be called an “official” sports car, because it was nothing more than a two-door Tercel. But the car was built as an entry-level option for driving a Toyota car (via Auto Evolution).

For most consumers, driving a Toyota is a no-brainer because the quality of their models is so high. But, critics universally panned the Paseo for its cheap design and lethargic driving characteristics. Let’s just say that there are better options on the road for the price, and many consumers decidedly went that route.

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7: 1993 Toyota T100

You’ve got to give Toyota credit, the company builds a great pickup truck. But getting into the full-size pickup truck market wasn’t an easy task for Toyota. The first full-sized truck we got was the T100 and it was a lackluster offering. The first and most noticeable thing about the T100 was that it lacked a V8 engine (via Auto Evolution).

Nowadays, the lack of a V8 engine isn’t a major thing, but it was back then. Many considered the T100 underwhelming compared to the domestic competition. The T100 never became a sales success for Toyota, and a few years later, the truck was replaced with the Tundra full-size truck.

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6: 2012 Scion IQ

The Scion brand went from being the poster child for the next generation of car customers to a dated relic in Toyota showrooms. How did the brand go from prominence to obscurity? It was cars like the Scion IQ which made no sense. The car shared its entire design with the Smart ForTwo, a car itself was not doing well on the market (via Auto Evolution).

The Scion IQ was one of the last cars to have a Scion badge on it. The car was far from the unique concept of the brand when it was first introduced. When the car hit the market, it didn’t offer anything unique and its compact size didn’t mesh with the average consumer.

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5: 2004 Toyota Camry Solara

The Camry is one of the most popular cars in the world so it’s no surprise that the company would release a trendy two-door. The Solara was a convertible based on the Camry sedan. The car was off to a great start, but the second generation of the car was rather lackluster at best. Consumers weren’t satisfied with the way the car looked and the drive quality was equally drab (via Auto Evolution).

The Solara was eventually discontinued when there wasn’t a market for it anymore. There were better cars for the price that offered more excitement for your driving dollars. When it comes to memorable Toyota models the Solara is one that most drivers don’t even remember because it was so plain.

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4: Toyota Echo

When the Toyota Tercel was discontinued, there was a void left in the lineup for a compact car. Toyota reintroduced a new compact car into the lineup, and that was the Echo. The Echo was a small car that didn’t offer much refinement but initially offered a lot in the compact car segment (via Auto Evolution).

Unfortunately, the Echo never sold well, and the consumers flocked to other automakers. There were just better options that were on the market than the Echo. This was one of Toyota’s most embarrassing projects.

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3: 2001 Toyota Prius

Also released around the same time as the egg-shaped Echo was the Toyota Prius. The first generation of the Prius was an awkward-looking car that was compact and underpowered. Consumers weren’t sure what to make of the original Prius, and it never sold well because of the weird design (via Auto Evolution).

Nowadays, you’ll seldom see an original Prius on the road because the first generation was so lackluster. Most consumers never even considered this car when it came time to buy a new vehicle. The hybrids from this period were experimental at best and the original Prius was evidence of that.

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2: Toyota RAV4 EV

The Toyota RAV4 EV was a project by Toyota to try and introduce a fully electric vehicle into the market. The car debuted at auto shows around the country, and there was a lot of hype that surrounded it. Unfortunately, the RAV4 EV never had a decent range and its price was so expensive that most consumers couldn’t justify the cost (via Auto Evolution).

Interestingly enough, the RAV4 EV has become a sort of collector’s item nowadays. These SUVs continue to rise in value, even though initially it was a mistake by Toyota. The RAV4 EV is one of the first EV SUV models ever released on the market, and will go down in history as a confusing piece of Toyota history.

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1: Toyota Tundra Terminator T3 Edition

The Toyota Tacoma was the first full-sized truck that was ever built by Toyota and it managed to become a modest success. But one of the more confusing models in the Tundra lineage was the Terminator T3 Edition. Was sold as a package deal with the new Terminator movie, the truck didn’t offer any enhancements in terms of performance or luxury (via Auto Evolution).

Instead, consumers got a pre-packaged toy that had a hefty price tag slapped on it for the Terminator name. The truck didn’t offer anything unique in the way of performance or value for the price. These days there aren’t a lot of these T3 Edition trucks left because production numbers were low just like the sales.

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25 Cars & Trucks That Almost Ruined Toyota’s Reputation Forever

25: 2016 Toyota Avalon

24: Toyota FJ Cruiser

23: Lexus IS200

22: Toyota Sienna

21: 2007 Toyota RAV4

20: Sera

19: Cavalier

18: Prius C

17: Mega Cruiser

16: Land Cruiser (Outdated)

15: Scion XD

14: Venza

13: Crown Majesta

12: Lexus CT

11: Master Ace

10: Lexus HS

9: 1991 Toyota Previa

8: 1992 Toyota Paseo

7: 1993 Toyota T100

6: 2012 Scion IQ

5: 2004 Toyota Camry Solara

4: Toyota Echo

3: 2001 Toyota Prius

2: Toyota RAV4 EV

1: Toyota Tundra Terminator T3 Edition

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