Toyota believes customers want emotional products instead of boring, practical ones
- Toyota President and CEO Koji Sato has said “a car is not a car if it’s not fun.”
- He contends model updates, slightly better fuel efficiency, and new designs aren’t enough.
- Instead, he wants emotional and passionate products that connect with consumers.
Toyota has built a reputation for building safe and reliable vehicles, which tend to be a little boring. However, the company has developed something of a split personality as the practical Camry and Corolla are joined by the GR86 and Supra. There’s also a handful of GRMN variants and rugged off-roaders such as the Land Cruiser and 4Runner TRD Pro.
Speaking during a financial presentation earlier this month, Toyota President Koji Sato said “A car is not a car if it’s not fun. That’s why we will never allow our cars to become commodities.”
More: From Celica To Supercars And SUVs, Here’s What’s Coming From Toyota GR
While some might argue about the latter, Sato said today’s buyers are no longer “logical left-brain thinking” customers that simply look for better specifications and equipment. As a result, Toyota can “no longer sell cars just with model updates, slightly better fuel efficiency, or new designs.”
Instead, he believes the way to succeed is through passion and emotion. As Sato noted, “Sports cars need to be sleek, but unless that same passion can be found in other types of cars, you won’t be able to reach customers.”
How this is translated into future products remains to be seen, but Sato’s comments suggest future models will have sportier designs and a more emotional driving experience. This, of course, comes at an odd time as one of Toyota’s sportiest vehicles is on its death bed.
The GR Supra MkV Final Edition was introduced earlier this year and it marks the end of an era. The future also looks hazy as Toyota only sold 2,652 units in the United States last year. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time the Supra has disappeared as the sports car went on a 17-year hiatus before returning in 2019.
