What is wrong with Toyota?

[Gokhan]

With my 09 Corolla, driving on a highway is a scary experience. The steering has almost two inches of freeplay at the steering wheel and seems to get lighter when you drive faster (completely opposite of what is supposed to do). I couldn't get used to it in the last two years and it just makes driving an awful experience. I have a strong feeling if I bought a Prius I would have the same frustration.

You really realize how bad the EPS steering on your new Toyota is after you drive a normal car, such as my 85 Corolla.

So, what is wrong with Toyota? They design the gas pedals feather light and as a result they stick. Is it worth sacrificing the driving experience and people's safety so that the car would give the illusion of a powerful car through a feather-light pedal?

Then, they design the steering extra light as well so that it will give the illusion of driving a luxury car. Is it again worth sacrificing the driver's experience and people's safety?

So, again, what's wrong with the new Toyotas? They used to make solid-built cars like my 85 Corolla. With its ridiculous steering, my 2009 Corolla is a travesty of a car. I'm sure people would also consider Prius a travesty of a car if it wasn't an MPG champion.

What's wrong with Toyota? Is it the failure of the strict Japanese system of a highly conservative organization lead by old men?

So, now, I'm having second thoughts about buying a Toyota. What Toyota needs to learn is that customer comes first. And by customer comes first I mean customer comes first. They need to design cars according to what customers want rather than according to what the old men running the company tells the engineers to do. Customer like sharp and responsive steering with good road feel. None of the new Toyotas today have that. Customers prefer stiffer gas pedals that don't stick to those that are feather light. Customers would like to see other MPG champions in addition to the cult-phenomenon Prius. Toyotas are losing their MPG edge to American cars now in their other model lines. Customers would like to see transparency in the company, better vehicle options, and better dealer experience -- other things that are not present with Toyota.

Customers would like Toyota build real cars for the real people again rather than the sloppy driving pods they have recently been building. Otherwise they are facing the fate of the American car companies, who had ignored their customers.

I still love my 85 Corolla as much as I hate my 09 Corolla. So, Toyota, listen, and start building cars the people want again, not building cars your old men think would increase the value of your company stock.

[nooaah]

Great thread about the 2010 Prius!

[GrumpyCabbie]

If you don't like their products - don't buy them.
If Toyota have got it so badly wrong why are they number one in the world?

Yeah they've had a bit of a kicking lately but you tell me which car company hasn't had a recall?

[ramdulari]

Originally Posted by Gokhan

With my 09 Corolla, driving on a highway is a scary experience. The steering has almost two inches of freeplay at the steering wheel and seems to get lighter when you drive faster (completely opposite of what is supposed to do). I couldn't get used to it in the last two years and it just makes driving an awful experience. I have a strong feeling if I bought a Prius I would have the same frustration.

You really realize how bad the EPS steering on your new Toyota is after you drive a normal car, such as my 85 Corolla.

So, what is wrong with Toyota? They design the gas pedals feather light and as a result they stick. Is it worth sacrificing the driving experience and people's safety so that the car would give the illusion of a powerful car through a feather-light pedal?

Then, they design the steering extra light as well so that it will give the illusion of driving a luxury car. Is it again worth sacrificing the driver's experience and people's safety?

So, again, what's wrong with the new Toyotas? They used to make solid-built cars like my 85 Corolla. With its ridiculous steering, my 2009 Corolla is a travesty of car. I'm sure people would also consider Prius a travesty of a car if it wasn't an MPG champion.

What's wrong with Toyota? Is it the failure of the strict Japanese system of a highly conservative organization lead by old men?

So, now, I'm having second thoughts about buying a Toyota. What Toyota needs to learn is that customer comes first. And by customer comes first I mean customer first comes first. They need to design cars according to what customers want rather than according to what the old men running the company tells the engineers to do. Customer like sharp and responsive steering with good road feel. None of the new Toyotas today have that. Customers prefer stiffer gas pedals that don't stick to those that are feather light. Customers would like to see other MPG champions in addition to the cult-phenomenon Prius. Toyotas are losing their MPG edge to American cars now in their other model lines. Customers would like to see transparency in the company, better vehicle options, and better dealer experience -- other things that are not present with Toyota.

Customers would like Toyota build cars for the people again rather than the driving pods they have recently beeb building. Otherwise they are facing the fate of the American car companies, who had ignored their customers.

I still love my 85 Corolla as much as I hate my 09 Corolla. So, Toyota, listen, and start building cars the people want again, not building cars your old men think would increase the value of your company stock.

I know what you mean by the light steering wheel feel. That and the soft suspension on popular models like the Camry (especially) and Corolla didn't inspire in me the feeling that these could be high quality cars. Indeed it baffled me that these cars had such a solid reputation for quality with that kind of soft suspension. I attributed it to the assumption that Toyota drivers are the very pussy-footed and careful types, who slow down for every little bump. I didn't think a Toyota would be for me, I needed something that felt solid, like my old Nissan, because I tend to be a carefree type of driver (not rash or aggressive).
I chose the Prius for what I perceived to be its lead in automotive technology enabling it to achieve the highest fuel efficiency despite being of very practical capacities (highway worthiness and passenger and cargo carrying capacities). Also, thankfully, the Prius does not feel soft in its driving character, unlike some older Camrys that I have driven (particularly the 2001 year model). From your post, I assume that bane of the Toyota design continues into current model year non-Priuses. That's sad.

[Sandy]

My 2006 Honda civic was pretty scary on the highway, it floats way too much my Smart is much better go figure...

[GrumpyCabbie]

I'm going to put my head on the line here but my understanding was that American drivers like cars to be softly sprung. Don't know if it's because of the roads or just a preference thing?

I know that manufacturers change the set up on most cars to match the market preferences and that American cars sold here in the UK often have their suspension and steering 'tightened' up for our preferences. We perceive American cars to be soft and wallowy (rightly or wrongly).

What's the phrase - "horses for courses".

Sandy, the 2008 UK Civic my girlfriend has has very tight responsive steering and the suspension is probably a little too hard! It looks good though

[ronhowell]

Originally Posted by GrumpyCabbie

I'm going to put my head on the line here but my understanding was that American drivers like cars to be softly sprung. Don't know if it's because of the roads or just a preference thing?

I know that manufacturers change the set up on most cars to match the market preferences and that American cars sold here in the UK often have their suspension and steering 'tightened' up for our preferences. We perceive American cars to be soft and wallowy (rightly or wrongly).

What's the phrase - "horses for courses".

Sandy, the 2008 UK Civic my girlfriend has has very tight responsive steering and the suspension is probably a little too hard! It looks good though

Depends where you are in the USA, GC. It's a big country with a lot of people in it and you can gather an army of people to represent almost any viewpoint.
Traditionally cars manufactured by the Detroit big three (GM, Ford and Chrysler) back in the 60s and 70s were known as "land yachts" because of their soft, wallowy rides. That has tended to change over time due mainly to the influence of foreign imports. Certainly here in California you see more imports than Detroit-mobiles. Toyotas and Hondas are common, but so are Mercedes and VWs. Strangely, I have yet to see a modern French car anywhere.

I drive a Prius 2008 G2. The best car I have ever owned with none of the afflictions that people are complaining about so vociferously here. They should have ridden with me as a student in the 60s in the 1948 MG-TC I owned in England!

That car made either a man or a eunuch out of you in a hurry!

[mojo]

Something smells funny about the OP.
Id be very surprised if there really was a 2009 Corolla with 2 inches of play in the steering.
Warranty doesnt cover steering?
Smells like BS to me.

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by mojo

Something smells funny about the OP.
Id be very surprised if there really was a 2009 Corolla with 2 inches of play in the steering.
Warranty doesnt cover steering?
Smells like BS to me.

There is nothing nonsense about it. My experience is based on 09 and 85 Corollas, which I own both. I've only test-driven Prius in city (not highway) and read CR reports about overlight steering in other Toyotas. The steering in my 09 Corolla gets painful on the highway. It's very responsive when changing lanes, but lack of response in the center and being too light makes it an awful experince in highway driving. I've made the mistake of buying it but now it's unacceptable. I don't think it's a defect issue. (By the way I have a NUMMI-made model.) I can't say much about Prius because I've not recently driven one on highway.

[mojo]

I dont get it.Complain to the dealer.
Thats definitely unusual for a Corolla.
Ive driven many Corollas and they handle perfectly.
I had a NUMMI made Matrix that steered like a sports car.
All were perfect mechanically up until 80,000 miles when sold.