I had to get my Toyota serviced this week, so let’s take a quick look at what the Japanese automaker is currently trying to sell us Americans. Of course, this is but one data point — a dealer in the southwest Washington suburb of Vancouver. But it does hint at Toyota’s approach in one of the more import-dominated markets in the United States.
The thing that was most obvious when I started to walk around the dealer was its heavy emphasis on trucks. That makes a certain amount of sense because they are particularly big in my neck of the woods.
Even so, I was surprised at the sheer number of full-sized Tundras in stock given its relatively weak sales nationally compared to Big Three trucks. Back when third-generation models were introduced three years ago, AutoWeek writer Tom Murphy (2022) noted that even though Toyota has repeatedly “demonstrated its commitment to long-term strategies, maintaining that persistent hard work is better than wishing for overnight success. Still, patience must be wearing thin in Toyota City” when it came to the Tundra.
Presumably Toyota sees more opportunities to make inroads in the big-truck market here in the Pacific Northwest, where loyalty to domestic automakers is lower.
Toyota dealer also pushes larger SUVs and sedans
When dealer displays weren’t highlighting trucks, they tended to focus on Toyota’s larger SUVs and sedans. A couple of Camrys were on display, with their huge beards.
I must admit surprise that one of the models was the XSE, which has supposedly sportier features such as a roof painted “Midnight Black Metallic.” Toyota (2025) calls this “Sleek design. Timeless appeal.” I call it a not-very-attractive stylistic gimmick that makes the air conditioner have to work harder on a sunny day.
There was also a pair of Crowns on display — a sedan and a wagon. This nameplate replaces the Avalon as the Toyota brand’s flagship sedan.
Drew Dorian (2025a) of Car and Driver wrote that the sedan “relies on its uniquely-tall design and raised suspension to attract attention from car shoppers. Its styling is either odd or hella cool depending on your tastes, and its higher ride height is designed to appeal to the niche of customers who want an SUV’s tall stance with a traditional sedan form.”
As for the wagon model, it is lower, lighter and looks less chunky than Toyota’s larger SUVs such as the Highlander.
Toyota trucks and SUVs look like Tonka Toys
Almost all of the trucks and SUVs on display looked like they were designed by Tonka Toys. Although one could argue that they aren’t quite as weird as current Lexus SUVs (go here), these Toyotas all but shout at you with aggressively angular shapes that likely reduce aerodynamics quite a bit. That can be seen most strikingly with the white Tacoma pickup below.
Toyota has so many SUVs these days that only some were displayed in front of the building where my car was getting serviced. For example, behold the 4Runner, which promises spirited off-road performance because it is based on the Tacoma truck’s platform (Dorian, 2025b). Oh, and it was styled by a 10 year old.
Feel the excitement of a 2026 Corolla hatchback
Toyota’s website now features 2026 models, but the dealer was understandably still trying to sell off 2025 models. However, parked in a corner was a 2026 Corolla Cross. The most obvious external difference is a chunkier grille. Because of course.
Car and Driver magazine describes the Cross as “essentially a Corolla for an SUV world: inexpensive, thrifty with fuel, and inoffensively styled. Importantly, it also provides extra room for people and their stuff” (Wendler, 2025). Below you can see a RAV4 and a Cross back to back; the latter is a bit lower and smaller.
How wild looking do you prefer your sporty car?
For those who prefer a more traditional sporty car, on display were a hopped up Corolla hatchback and a GR86. The two make for an interesting comparison, because the hatchback has an overamped look while the GR86 is almost plain in comparison. Could it be that real sports-car owners don’t need a grille that looks like an alien space invader?
And then there was the lonely Prius . . .
Stuffed between the four-wheeled mansions of glory was a modest Prius. I am not surprised to see one on display because the Pacific Northwest has more than its share of granola types, but it seemed like an afterthought.
This is hardly an exhaustive walk through my dealer’s inventory, but it illustrates the vehicles they currently want to emphasize.
A few days after the servicing on my 2017 Prius V wagon, I received an email from the dealer that announced, “We want to reimburse you for your last service if you purchase a new Toyota.” That’s nice, but I didn’t see a single car, truck or SUV at the dealer that drew me to indulge in even a quick fantasy. Oh, not a feeling. . . .
Share your reactions to this post with a comment below or a note to the editor.
RE:SOURCES
- Dorian, Drew; 2025a. “2025 Toyota Crown.” Accessed Sept. 7.
- ——; 2025b. “2025 Toyota 4Runner.” Accessed Sept. 7.
- Murphy, Tom; 2022. “Toyota Tundra Sales Outpacing Every Pickup Truck from Detroit.” AutoWeek. Posted Sept. 7.
- Toyota; 2025, “2026 Camry.” Accessed Sept. 7.
- Wendler, Andrew; 2025. “2026 Toyota Corolla Cross.” Accessed Sept. 7.
The Camry and Corolla grills look like they were inspired by vinyl laundry baskets.
I chuckled at your comment about the current Camry having huge beards up front. I agree that Toyota’s recent styling has become outlandish with their big grilles and blocky lines.
Last April I purchased a new Camry XLE. I find the narrow upper grille to be an improvement over previous models, but the lower grille is too large, reminding me not so much of a beard but rather of a kid stretching his mouth wide by putting his fingers in the corners. The Prius front end is much more to my liking.
In central Virginia where I live, the finance manager told me that their biggest sellers are the RAV4, Camry, Corolla, and if I remember correctly, the Tacoma.
Well at least your dealership “called for the question” by trying to make a sale. Your car isn’t that old, but it isn’t that young? What do you think you’ll replace it with? Do you stay loyal to your brand, or has it changed too much in the wrong direction?
In the past I’ve kept my cars an unusually long time, and we bought the Prius with the idea that it could potentially be our last car. Or at least our last gas-powered car.
John stopped by to say: “Re: the article about the WA Toyota dealer. Please ask ‘Steve’ wtf does “Pacific Northwest has more than its share of granola types” supposed to insinuate? Is the term a codeword for something else? Are ‘granola types’ an undesirable group not welcome at indieauto? What defines a ‘granola type’? Is he old af, incel white guy, boomer stuck back in time, or what? I’m going to make it my mission to get his revealing opinion out there. Already got lots of responses on Reddit. Heading to curbsideclassic and TTAC . What a jackass…”
The term “granola type” was used to refer to car buyers who are environmentally oriented – which appears to make up an unusually high proportion of Prius owners (or at least did in the car’s earlier years). Note that I own a Prius, am pretty environmentally oriented and make my own granola. Thus, I find John’s indignant rhetoric to be curiously overamped.
However, if John finds “granola type” so offensive that this would be the sole reason why he would stop reading a website, he might want to do a Google search of this term’s usage at other car-buff venues.
For the last 12 years, I have driven about 100 miles a month. Recently, my 19 year old car caught fire, and I had to junk it. It was replaced with a 10 year old Honda. So new car dealerships don’t care about me.
But, with Toyota, I bet a lot of customers are loyal, repeat customers.
Looks like Toyota is attempting to replicate the formula of emphasizing trucks and SUVs over less profitable thrifty cars. Camrys from 20 years ago were perhaps bland but not outrageously ugly either.
My hometown has a Mopar and GM dealer owned by same person. I live in the corner fields of downstate Illinois in a town of at best 10K. On the lot is a heavier emphasis on 80K half to pickups, 1 ton Chevy dually and lots of Jeeps.
The market is for the taking of a lowest cost back to basics compact truck and cars without a whole bunch of needless features with lousy styling.