Are Toyotas really boring to drive?

[tcG]

Falling asleep at the wheel because the car is bland? Uh, no. Perhaps you have narcolepsy.

 

[BUTCH1]

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.

How FUBARE'D could a 2011 be? "rotten eggs" is the sulphate smell from a malfunctioning cat. Any dealer should have been hook this up to a computer and run a diagnostic on it, could have been something minor like a fuel regulator, why did the local Toyota dealer refuse to look at it, it's still under factory warranty, they HAVE to fix it for FREE....

 

[JulesMaximus]

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.

So boring it makes you feel like you're going to puke?

My wife and I rented a Buick once that made my son nauseous. The Camry does not make him nauseous though.

 

[Vetterin]

Boring?............probably, but I would venture to say that for the price you will be hard pressed to find a more smooth riding car than a Corolla.

 

[mmntech]

Your standard issue Tototas, the Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4 certainly are dull vehicles. When you get into things like the Lexus ISC & LFA, and the Scion FR-S, hardly not. Even the humble Yaris is a full, nimble little runabout.

 

[Midwayman]

Excepting their sports cars that tend to go in and out of production, the only way to make a Toyota exciting is to set it on fire. Its right up there with buick and mercury in terms of making exciting cars.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Excepting their sports cars that tend to go in and out of production, the only way to make a Toyota exciting is to set it on fire. Its right up there with buick and mercury in terms of making exciting cars.

I don't know that I'd go so far as to compare Buick and Mercury to Toyota, they don't get maligned nearly as badly as Toyota does.

 

[7window]

I drive on a govt ford taurus and they gave me a backache after 30 minutes in the car. The toyota I drove for 6 hours without any issues.

I also drove a camry in the dessert (95 deg)for a 6 hour trip with a/c off and it was comfortable. I hate a/c in general.

 

[exdeath]

There are only two engines you need from Toyota to make any Toyota exciting again.

3SGTE & 2JZGTE

Wish they had a 2GRGTE because FE can DIAF.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

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

Um what.

 

[exdeath]

Um what.

He means compared to a 4 cyl Camry

 

[jaedaliu]

or a brick?

 

[hans007]

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

my dad had a 96 LE v6. i learned how to drive on it.

i can say a lot of nice things about it. last camry made in japan. built super well (its still running right now) and the engine was turbine smooth and had plenty of power and was super quiet inside. and it probably felt as smooth and comfortable as any current lexus on the freeway.

that said, it had tons of body roll and was not made to be sporty at all. it was like driving a waterbed.

 

[Baked]

I wish I had money to buy one of these.

 

[BoberFett]

Just bought a 2012 Camry a couple weeks ago and like it so far. Ended up going with the 4 cylinder for fuel efficiency, and with the 6 speed auto it's got enough get up and go. Pretty decent interior, comfortable for my 35 mile ride to work. It does exactly what I need it to do.

If I want excitement I'll ride my motorcycle. Compared to even the weakest of motorcycles, cars are all comparatively boring. There's a reason motorcyclists call them cages.

 

[BurnItDwn]

My bro's MR2 is anything but boring to drive.

I'd suspect most other toyotas, like Corolla, Prius, or Camry would get really boring over time. FWD, Soft suspension, wimpy breaks .... fine for quiet/comfortable/practical, but not so good for "fun."

 

[nerp]

Boring?............probably, but I would venture to say that for the price you will be hard pressed to find a more smooth riding car than a Corolla.

Umm, have you driven any new full size sedans latley?

 

[nerp]

Excepting their sports cars that tend to go in and out of production, the only way to make a Toyota exciting is to set it on fire. Its right up there with buick and mercury in terms of making exciting cars.

The Regal turbo is probably a little more exciting than a Toyota, dude.

 

[nerp]

I wish I had money to buy one of these.

You don't have $500?

:whiste:

 

[WilliamM2]

Umm, have you driven any new full size sedans latley?

You can get a new full size sedan for the price of a Corolla?

 

[IronWing]

If you're doing it right, street driving should be boring. Excitement can end badly.

 

[7window]

My bro's MR2 is anything but boring to drive.

I'd suspect most other toyotas, like Corolla, Prius, or Camry would get really boring over time. FWD, Soft suspension, wimpy breaks .... fine for quiet/comfortable/practical, but not so good for "fun."

Just wonder what kind of excitement do you want from driving? If you have a fast car then you get to destination quick so the fun lasted 10 mins or less.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Just bought a 2012 Camry a couple weeks ago and like it so far. Ended up going with the 4 cylinder for fuel efficiency, and with the 6 speed auto it's got enough get up and go. Pretty decent interior, comfortable for my 35 mile ride to work. It does exactly what I need it to do.

If I want excitement I'll ride my motorcycle. Compared to even the weakest of motorcycles, cars are all comparatively boring. There's a reason motorcyclists call them cages.

:wub: Dude, you and I have almost the same setup vehiclewise.

I have a 2012 Camry Hybrid XLE for my 35 mile drive to work and a 2012 Ducati Monster 1100 for excitement.

I'm actually really pleased with my Camry.

 

[Midwayman]

The Regal turbo is probably a little more exciting than a Toyota, dude.

And so was the supra. One 80's car hardly changes the brand.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Just wonder what kind of excitement do you want from driving? If you have a fast car then you get to destination quick so the fun lasted 10 mins or less.

I guess for driving to be somewhat exciting, one would want to 'feel' the road and the g forces. You don't actually need or want the absolute best handling in the world, as one will never be able to truly bring the car "to it's limit" in a legal way. But, one would want something that doesn't horribly understeer.

It's not about "fast."

You can have a slow car that is fun. It just has to feel 'tight.' It can't feel mushy.

my last car, 1999 Chrysler 300m was not really that fun, it was boring. Felt huge and insulated. It was decently quickish enough, but, it felt "loose." Was comfy, but, boring.

My current car, 2008 Subaru Forester is actually quite a bit slower, but, the suspension is tighter and the AWD helps to keep the car from understeering so much. When I'm going 50-55mph, it "feels" faster than going 50-55 in my Chrysler. So, it's more exciting to drive, though it's also a bit less comfortable.