Are Toyotas really boring to drive?

[Dari]

I rented a Highlander not too long ago and found myself falling asleep hard at the wheel, almost hitting the guardrail on several occasions. I thought it may have been because I was tired but it could've been the car. For some reason I just could not stay up. My wife was knocked out in the passenger seat as well.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I rented a Highlander not too long ago and found myself falling asleep hard at the wheel, almost hitting the guardrail on several occasions. I thought it may have been because I was tired but it could've been the car. For some reason I just could not stay up. My wife was knocked out in the passenger seat as well.

Yes and no. I like my corolla. Not exciting to drive per se but it gets the job done. The highlander is boring as crap. Test drove it the other day and hated it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Despite enthusiast hyperbole, no car is so boring as to actually make you fall asleep. That's just ridiculous.

Toyotas generally aren't the most engaging cars to drive (there are exceptions, of course) but they're not going to make you fall asleep at the wheel.

ZV

 

[SSSnail]

You can drive a car excitingly, any car, it's really up to you.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Getting a good stereo system helps. My v6 Silverado was boring as heck. I put a Bluetooth pioneer deck in with some new door speakers and a 10" sub with a 400w amp and it's helped liven it up and at least make it driveable.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Despite enthusiast hyperbole, no car is so boring as to actually make you fall asleep. That's just ridiculous.

Toyotas generally aren't the most engaging cars to drive (there are exceptions, of course) but they're not going to make you fall asleep at the wheel.

ZV

:thumbsup: Exactly. If you are falling asleep behind the wheel you should probably pull over before you kill someone.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Tbh cars are pretty boring period compared to any motorcycle.
Not even close IMO. Cars are so detached from the road, the wind, the sounds compared to a bike.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Tbh cars are pretty boring period compared to any motorcycle.
Not even close IMO. Cars are so detached from the road, the wind, the sounds compared to a bike.

I agree with this too. Which is why I didn't really care what my next car was as long as it got decent mileage and was roomy enough for 4 and comfortable.

 

[Ketchup]

Cut off the muffler. It'll wake you right up.

On topic, I have read several testers over at Car and Driver mention how incredibly boring Toyotas are to drive.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Tbh cars are pretty boring period compared to any motorcycle.
Not even close IMO. Cars are so detached from the road, the wind, the sounds compared to a bike.

My car has plenty of wind and other noise

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

At first I thought the OP's premise was complete bullshit and not even worth talking about, but the more I think about this topic the more it intrigues me.

A driving experience so boring that it literally causes you to be tired - There are many variables to that equation (road quality, weather, anticipation of eventual destination) but how large of a factor is the vehicle??

My question to the OP, do you think that if you were driving a more luxurious band like BMW or Mercedes that you would have been fully awake for the entire trip? If so, why would that be?

Is there some deep psychological zone that we allow ourselves to go to when we think "oh yay... Toyota." vs "Its if fking beamer dude!"

I think this thread could be linked with the "manual transmissions are obsolete" thread because it discussed pretty much the exact same thing : what makes a driving experience pleasurable/worthwhile/engaging.

 

[Demo24]

I drive a Sienna for much of the day for work. It's not exactly exciting but for a 4200lb people carrier it's surprisingly capable, and I have fun in it.

Honestly, put some super sticky rubber on there and I guarantee you'd be surprised at what it can do. Does need better brakes though, that does detract from the fun when you get brake fade.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I loved our highlander. it wasn't flashy or kick ass but it had some balls to it & I liked the overall interior. it was a 2011. one day my wife said it smelled like rotten eggs & I couldn't fix it & the dealer or Toyota would touch it. we traded it in for a 2013 explorer & I've regretted it since. I also had a 2008. 4wd Tacoma that I loved to go wheeling in. I don't have much experience driving other vehicle but ivevlike the Toyota's I've had.

 

[AMCRambler]

I'm sure there a ton of people who want exactly that. A car with no drama, no excess noise, reliability, comfortable that can get them from point A to B as unobtrusively as possible. As a matter of fact I'm nearly positive this is exactly what a non-enthusiast wants in a car. It's why they don't get car shows or people who are into cars. To them a car is an appliance and nothing more.

 

[hans007]

i havent ever owned a toyota, but i learned to drive on a 96 camry. the camry was well pretty boat like.

i've rented a bunch of other random cars. had an 09 camry hybrid once. might have been the worst driving car i've ever driven.

i am not sure if a scion TC counts, but my brother used to have one and i actaully thought it was awesome to drive. but its not set up like a normal toyota and is supposed to be sporty.

i had a rental yaris once, and i guess i'd have to say it was actaully kind of fun because you had to rev the engine like crazy everywhere and it was light. but probably every car in its class is like that.

friend used to have a 2000 MR2 and he said it was basically awesome. then again thats a mid engine sports car and toyota doesnt make things like that these days.


i guess i'd for the most part most toyotas are designed to be pretty boring and insulated. but they have a few models that are designed to be a bit more fun, though it seems nowadays all of those are part of scion. even lexus cars are pretty boring to drive. like an lexus IS in its class is pretty numb and insulated. almost every other car is more engaging.

then again toyota knows who buys their cars and they design them to those people's tastes. i mean for every 1 enthusiast driver who toyota sold a 1st gen IS300 to, they probably gained 10 people who just wanted a quiet car that felt like sitting on a sofa with the much much softer 2nd gen (this would be A LOT of women if you've lookd at who drives the lexus IS250 vs IS300)

 

[jlee]

Nope.

:whiste:

 

[SyndromeOCZ]

When I took my brothers Matrix around a corner at 70mph with all 4 tires breaking traction it was pretty exciting. Though the snow may have helped with the loss of traction.

 

[amdhunter]

Not all of them.

 

[radtechtips]

Not all of them.

This. I have a 96 camry xle v6 which is actually really fun and sporty

 

[7window]

Toyota Camry and corollas are very comfortable to ride in

 

[JulesMaximus]

Cut off the muffler. It'll wake you right up.

On topic, I have read several testers over at Car and Driver mention how incredibly boring Toyotas are to drive.

I've driven cars and trucks like that. It wears on you quickly and is actually very tiring.

 

[kitatech]

My 05 Camry is the quietest car I've owned and I can imagine someone being lulled to numbness in it on extended interstate runs...

Next week will be my first 4 hour run up I-95, so I'd better bring some high octane CDs...

Off the 95 it's a different story...my Camry has the 5-speed stick so it can be engaging.

 

[Dari]

At first I thought the OP's premise was complete bullshit and not even worth talking about, but the more I think about this topic the more it intrigues me.

A driving experience so boring that it literally causes you to be nauseous - There are many variables to that equation (road quality, weather, anticipation of eventual destination) but how large of a factor is the vehicle??

My question to the OP, do you think that if you were driving a more luxurious band like BMW or Mercedes that you would have been fully awake for the entire trip? If so, why would that be?

Is there some deep psychological zone that we allow ourselves to go to when we think "oh yay... Toyota." vs "Its if fking beamer dude!"

I think this thread could be linked with the "manual transmissions are obsolete" thread because it discussed pretty much the exact same thing : what makes a driving experience pleasurable/worthwhile/engaging.

I have an X5 diesel and that car keeps me up. If it isn't the low, almost primal, diesel noise, it's probably the diesel fume that likes to visit the cabin every now and then. So, yeah, my X5 keeps me up. It's also more fun to drive. But the Highlander was a snoozefest.

 

[Eureka]

Try driving your X5 for 4 hours straight at 3 in the morning and tell me if it'll keep you up.

The most engaging car can't keep you awake if you can't stay awake. My genesis coupe is a manual, I drive a X5 too... if nothing else, the X5 makes you even more tired because of how comfortable/isolated the car is. Hell our camry is more engaging.

 

[hans007]

I have an X5 diesel and that car keeps me up. If it isn't the low, almost primal, diesel noise, it's probably the diesel fume that likes to visit the cabin every now and then. So, yeah, my X5 keeps me up. It's also more fun to drive. But the Highlander was a snoozefest.

My mom has an x5 xdrive 35i and I've driven it a couple times. I thought it would be a 5000 pound boat but you know what its pretty awesome to drive and exciting . I don't think any Toyota is like that.

I'd imagine and infiniti fx or a cayenne are pretty fun too. Some companies just go after fun to drive and some don't. And each has their fans.