>Toyota could spray silver paint on a dog turd, slap a 40k sticker on it and people would buy it
As the owner of a few Toyota's I think you misunderstand how they became pretty much the world's largest car producer. Mostly because they produce no nonsense reliable cars that work well for years and years. I don't think many people think wow cool brand.
(I know VW is technically bigger but they did it by acquiring Audi, Porsche etc rather than people buying more VWs)
I've bought and sold dozens (probably close to a hundred at this point) of vehicles in the $500-$1500 price bracket.
Looking at the kind of condition North American and Asian vehicles end up towards the end of their life I can't really think of any one of them that's particularly special. Every OEM has a handful of product lines and assemblies that suck and Toyota is no exception nor do they have fewer of those kinds of problems than anyone else.
I think they make slightly nicer interiors which I think results in less broken knobs and handles when the well to do white collar crowd gives them to their college age kids which is where most of that goodwill comes from.
I feel very, very comfortable saying that any edge Toyota has is wholly the result of the additional upfront cost and less attractive financing options and deals ensuring their vehicles start life and rack up miles in the hands of people who can afford to maintain them and treat them nicely. The average Toyota buyer will make almost any vehicle seem highly reliable.
As the owner of a few Toyota's I think you misunderstand how they became pretty much the world's largest car producer. Mostly because they produce no nonsense reliable cars that work well for years and years. I don't think many people think wow cool brand.
(I know VW is technically bigger but they did it by acquiring Audi, Porsche etc rather than people buying more VWs)