Losing Youth

 Here's a picture of a Toyota Corolla, a model not available in the US. Note the two-door hatchback bodystyle, the sporting trim, the youthful attitude it conveys.



 There were two-door versions of the Corolla available here all the way up to 1991, and then it was dropped for 1992. Sure, there was the new Paseo to replace it, but that didn't last very long. Toyora's average buyer's age has been creeping higher and higher, and they have created Scion to try and offset that. They should never have abandoned the youh market in the first place. Honda has kept a 2-door Civic a reality continously, and they are still a top choice among younger buyers. They don't have to create a whole new brand.

 As I go over Toyota's US website, there's not a car available anymore that I am interested in. Solara? Too big, Corolla? No two-door. Echo? No performance version. With the demise of the Celica and MR-S, there's just nothing left. All that remains is the Scion tC. Whatever happened to the Toyota I grew up with, where sporting models were a staple of the lineup? I may have gotten older, Toyota, but that doesn't mean I want to drive an older person's car. Don't fall into the same trap Buick has!

 The picture at the top of this blog features Toyota's triumvirate of sports, the Corolla GTS, MR2, and Celica Supra. That's the Toyota I know and love. The picture comes directly from a Tpypta ad. When's the last time you saw and ad witj that kind of imagery from Toyota?

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