It’s no secret that Toyota is decades ahead in terms of durability and reliability compared to the rest of its competitors. In practically all rankings, it leads the podium or at least is in the top 3 along with its luxury brand, Lexus. And yes, other brands try to catch up, but they don’t manage to.
Have you ever stopped to think what makes Toyota so special? The answer is much simpler than it seems: it doesn’t break. Just like that. Toyota doesn’t use parts that break, so instead of designing solutions for potential failures, it eliminates the failures at the root, always staying one step ahead of any situation. Want to know what else makes Toyota the king of cars?
Toyota, from tradition to innovation
That’s right, they usually have a revolutionary approach almost always: Prius, RAV4 Hybrid, Corolla Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid… all are benchmarks of the Japanese brand, but, with more than a decade of data and millions of their vehicles on the roads, it’s more than just a brand.
Toyota takes care of every step it takes, and that’s essential in an industry that moves as fast as this one. Now they’ve decided to eliminate parts that aren’t necessary (important to highlight this) so that the vehicles have fewer failures, making them much more durable. Yes, even more!
No CVT gears or belts
Toyota hybrids don’t rely on conventional transmissions. Instead, they have a unique way of transferring power to the wheels, which avoids fluid changes and saves money for users over the lifespan of the vehicles!
No conventional starters
Instead of the starters we know, it starts using Toyota’s own motor-generator, a highly reliable component they’ve been using for years. Also, it’s included in their powertrain warranty (while other brands choose not to include it…)
Goodbye to alternators
Normally, alternators are components that fail quite often (more than we’d like…) and in many cases the “bill” goes up to $960!! Toyota hybrids don’t want that for their vehicles, so they use DC to DC converters, since they don’t have moving parts, they last longer.
No timing chains either
Do you know how much it can cost to maintain one of these? Between $500 and $1000… So, Toyota wants their timing chains to be much more durable and not require as much maintenance.
Similarly, they also don’t use accessory belts (because they use an electric water pump).
And the air conditioning?
It also has its own system, it uses a heat pump in its more modern hybrids, and there’s no need for a belt to make it work.
Turbochargers?
As a rule, it’s something that for Toyota practically doesn’t exist anymore, Toyota hybrids barely need turbochargers, because the electric motors provide exceptional torque at zero RPM. One less expense!
No power steering pump either
It seems like we’re building a non-car car, but the reality is that Toyota has eliminated absolutely everything it considers unnecessary, including hydraulic power steering pumps, which they’ve replaced with an assisted steering system. Much more comfortable and with less chance of failure!
So, these and more reasons are what make Toyota so successful. Sometimes, when buying a car, we’re guided by the brand, the finish, or the fact that it has lots of new features, when the reality is that Toyota hybrids are offering us long-term savings.
Remember that every part that doesn’t need to be replaced is one less trip to the shop… and our wallet usually doesn’t like going to the shop very much… 😉