Juice

OK so I'm a Ford guy, but I'm trying to be open. So I'm on a business trip and I need a rental car. So I reserved my car through Hertz hoping to get a Ford. Anyhow the only thing available in Manchester was a Chevy Cruze or a Camry. So I got the Camry.
It's a rental but I was shocked at how old this car feels. It has a thick plastic wheel, the interior doesn't feel any fancier than an 05 Mustang which was lambasted by the press.Who puts a cruise control lever under the bottom of the steering wheel? Then I got too drive it for an hour to the coast. It's buzzy, gutless and is constantly down shifting on every hill and overpass. The steering feels completely isolated from the Road and slow to respond. The car also had very poor on center feel and tended to wander. A terrible driving experience to say the least. Head to head, my Fusion is better in every category. I just don't understand why it is the best selling car. Doesn't make sense.

StangMahn

Because most people couldn't care less about their cars more than to get them from a to b. and Toyota has a perceived level of quality better than others. Might have been the case in the late 90s but not now. Now people are kinda ignoring the facts as it pertains to them.

I hate them and find them enormously boring, but I'm in the mega extreme minority.

cdynaco

a) Marketing & gossip among the boring 'teacher' type of zombies that read and believe consumer reports drivel.

b) Actually I like those (lower right of steering wheel). My winter Cruiser has it. Regardless of where you are at on the road with the steering wheel, you're pinky can resume or set without taking your hand out of position on the wheel.
Whereas my Bullitt I have to take my hand out of position and use my thumb to reach over to the resume after passing (shifting) or braking.

Flagstang

because people are told Toyota makes good cars. People do not bother to shop around.

rhumb

To give credit where credit is due, the Camry is probably one of the best automotive appliances out there, for people who want nothing more than a dead reliable, utterly mundane transportation appliance.

Krohn

Nail on the head!
It works, and looking at reliability, it always works!
It fits all dimensions of people, has a big trunk, gets nice mileage, has a radio and working headlights.... what else do you need?

In the words of the great Jon Stewart (many years ago), "Ford has recently announced that they're discontinuing the Tauraus which means middle aged men are going to have to find another way to tell the world they've given up on life."
They're a good car. Nothing more, nothing less.

Glenn

did you rent the 4 cylinder or did it have a 6 in it. I also like the joy stick cruise control. My wife has a is250 sport which I guess is the big sister to the camry.... so I guess they made the camry for the people that couldn't afford the lexus. I couldn't afford the lexus we bought ours used.

jdub2k5

I drove my bosses the other day and I always imagined the inside of his car to be loaded... the interior was awful

CiniZter

having 3 toyotas in my family, i have to say this... they are reliable n can go long long way without any care or maintenance...

RubyTuesday2014

For me, Ford Corporation (not the dealer) refused to fix my 1991 F150 and I have driven Toyota's since then. I have purchased close to $250,000 since 1991 on Toyota cars and trucks and have bought almost every Toyota made. They have all been great vehicles with only the T100 I had that had a "catverter" go out. That's it. I have never taken any to get fixed.

So the rental you got,...well I'm sure it is an abused rental. I just bought a new 2013 Tacoma in April and is my 3rd one since 2005 with the new body style. Great truck and highest ground clearance.

So this Mustang I just bought is my first Ford since 1991. My name for Ford stood for "I got... F@cked Over Royally Dude". And is a long story on what happened and will not expound here. But I am going to give Ford another chance. We shall see. I know all cars are better now and just couldn't bring myself to buy a Chevy, which I have always referred to them as $hit Filet.

Toyota makes mom and pop, bland cars, but reliable, with longevity and low maintenance. They saved the fast car ISF for Lexus, but is an automatic, which I don't like. Whenever Toyota finally makes a V8 sports car(maybe never), it will change everything. Because we know what the LFA can do(but overpriced) so we know Toyota can do it.

Paris MkVI

They sell well because some folks have a taste for "drowning in wallpaper paste" (Jeremy Clarkson, although not speaking about the Camry).

2012GT

Because it's a Toyota and they last forever. Here's my DD 4runner's odometer from last week. Never rebuilt motor or tranny. 98 4x4.. My wife's 06 Camry has 150k with nothing but oil changes as well..None of our 5.0's will ever see 300k.

2012GT

True but see above ^

Joeywhat

I had the displeasure of renting one a couple years back when my Focus when at the dealer getting fixed. Worst car I've ever driven. Power was OK but the engine still felt dead, the gearbox was just awful (and only a four speed...what is this, 2001?) and the car as a whole felt like I was riding on a big pile of Jello pudding. There was just zero feel to anything. The steering sucked, throttle sucked, brakes sucked, gearbox sucked...zero feedback from any of it.

It didn't break down...which is nice I guess. But as a driver's car it's absolutely horrendous and being giving up...it's freakin' torture.

Joeywhat

Toyota can make great cars...but the Camry and Corolla are not among them. Yes they're reliable, but that's it. Many of their trucks are quite fantastic, but their commuter cars so robotic and plain that it's quite painful to have to drive one.

StangMahn

Toyota made great cars. Their new ones are no where near as good or reliable. Even some Toyota driving relatives of mine have mentioned it.

AlsCobra

They are just as reliable as they were 20yrs ago. Problem is that the standard is much higher than it was 20yrs ago. Only reason they still sell is their old reputation because the quality is mediocre at best now. Dumbasses will still buy them before a Ford or GM just because they remember when Yota was a better car.

Flagstang

a fact is that Toyota used to have a stop and fix method of building. Which means if a issue pops up they halt the line and fix it. Now they have a patch and fix later approach which leads to large recalls and quality issues.

2012GT

Kinda like the MT82 huh....

AlsCobra

Nah. MT82 is what you get when you outsource to save a buck. I'm sure it seemed like a great deal at the time.