Top 8 Best Toyotas Of The Past Decade
These days, the word iconic seems to be easily tossed around but when it comes to Toyota, the brand has made a name for itself by pumping out some vehicles that have a certain reputation about them. These vehicles reflect what drives Toyota to do what they do and find a way to move the brand in a direction where the brand is always on the minds of mass market consumers.
The start of this decade brought a lot of exciting changes to the Toyota brand with more of an emphasis on daring exterior designs and sophisticated powertrains. The Toyota brand is once again making the auto community excited and the popularity of the brand with consumers is at the highest it has ever been.
We love Toyota as a brand because nearly anyone who has had an encounter with a car most likely has a memorable Toyota story to tell whether as a passenger or driver. On our list, we have rounded up eight choices out of the brand that we feel are iconic and stand out from the many models available from the company.
1. Fourth-Generation Prius
Toyota singlehandedly defined the hybrid car when it released the very first version of this car more than a decade ago. Bold words, right? The thing is, the Prius used hybrid battery technology that was efficient to produce and made the Prius’ driving experience easily acceptable to drivers of regular gasoline vehicles.
Newly added features to this current generation include a brand-new all-wheel drive system; the first time the Prius nameplate has ever had that capability. The looks of this Prius were very divisive and although there was a lot of discussion about it, sales were not affected negatively, and it keeps going from strength to strength.
2. Fifth-Generation 4Runner
The 4Runner is the most consistent Toyota off-roader design wise. Built to cater to the nostalgic crowd but still meet the needs of comfort-oriented consumers, the 4Runner has to a degree successfully managed to straddle both worlds. As of now, there are a dizzying number of 4Runner trim levels, and you will not be left wanting for choice.
Although some trim levels can be pricey, the 4Runner in this current generation has a few special edition models with their own unique trimmings. The ‘Nightshade’ package blacks out all the badging, wheels, lower front and rear fascia and portions of the interior. The Trail edition has more aggressive bumpers and unique off-road tires. Finally, the TRD Pro had one exclusive exterior paint color for every year of production and it offered a group of sophisticated off-road gear including TRD Bilstein shocks with remote reservoirs.
3. Fourth-Generation Prado
The Prado is borne out of the Land Cruiser series of Toyota vehicles, but it still retains all the characteristics that has made the brand an off-road warrior for such a long time. Both diesel and gasoline V6 engines are available and it even seats seven passengers comfortably.
4. Lexus LFA
You are probably asking, what is a Lexus doing here? But let’s be honest, the LFA is a Toyota true and true.
The V-10 engine on this vehicle pulls very hard, with access up to 553 hp and 354 lb.-ft of torque. A mostly carbon fiber bodyshell makes this sports car very light and a blast to drive on a racetrack.
Despite being built in limited quantities (500 units to be precise), there are surprisingly a few LFAs available for sale in select dealerships. Some of them even have less than 1000kms on the odometer. Crazy right? Toyota made a very entertaining car here and after all these years, it still feels way ahead of its time. Arguably, the best Toyota on this list and this past decade.
5. Current Generation Supra
The buildup to this car’s reveal really tested the patience of a lot of Toyota fans. After a series of failed release plans, Toyota finally stuck their guns and made it ready for the public. Why the long wait though? You can’t really blame Toyota for being pressured to live up to an insane amount of expectation from Supra fans.
After all, the wait was worth it. This Supra looks fantastic while successfully merging what Supra fans loved about the last model with new modern elements that would make it belong in the current sports car environment. It also shares some architecture with BMW engine-wise which really is not a bad thing and the sports car community is just happy to have the “Supra” name be part of the conversation again.
6. FJ Cruiser
Despite having a limited production run, the FJ Cruiser was the craziest looking Toyota sold this past decade. Everything about it screamed rebellion. Designed like it never passed beyond the concept stage, it looked like nothing else out there. Toyota also decided to have some fun with that eccentric design by offering it in many unique colors such as a baby blue color and an orange one too.
The FJ’s interior is built with rubber materials to make it easy to hose down and completely clean with water without the danger of destroying interior components. Additional unique features include an almost vertical windshield to help rain water drain more easily and three windshield wipers to help clear the path in heavy rain.
7. Toyota Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is the official king of the off-roaders. There is no off-roader with a more iconic history than this vehicle. The basics? A 5.7-liter V8 rated at 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, an eight-speed automatic and a locking center differential with low-range.
The standard all-wheel drive system has a feature called the Off-Road Turn Assist. This feature tightens the turning radius by applying slight brake pressure to the inside rear wheel. It also works brilliantly with the terrain-selectable CRAWL system which helps to smoothly navigate going up and down steep hills.
8. 86
The 86’s debut came at a time when complaints about Toyota forgetting their performance car roots were at an all-time high. Arriving just at the right moment to silence the naysayers, the 86 honestly provided the thrills expected of a small and nimble sports car.
The key to its success? An almost magical combination of chassis engineering and a high-strung 2.0-liter providing 200 hp. That doesn’t seem like a lot of power, but this Toyota’s 2700-pound curb weight created a near perfect 50/50 power to weight ratio; something that helped this car achieve impressive track performance. This is destined to be a classic soon.
The current automotive has a crazy number of manufacturers competing for the same type of customers but Toyota has a lot going for it. When you have a recognizable name with a history of vehicles known for their reliability and ability to last through several generations, you automatically have a leg up on a lot of the competition by default.
Tellz Auto can help you make a sound Toyota purchase. With our full buying-service, all your needs are handled. We offer guidance from start to finish and will help negotiate a great deal on the perfect vehicle. For more information, give us a call at +1 512-400-4243 / +234 (803) 650-2556 or Get Started here today.