Hello fam,
I wonder if anyone can give me a heads-up before purchasing my new Toyota car.
2 Likes
While I don’t have many complaints about the infotainment system in my Corolla, I am disappointed by the gauge cluster. The problem isn’t that Toyota didn’t go with a full digital display like the new Golf or Civic, it’s that it provides the bare minimum in terms of functionality and customization.
The bulk of the information is crammed into the middle third of the display because Toyota just lifted the interface for the base models which use a smaller screen. No additional effort was invested creating a design that fully utilized the extra real estate. This design decision results in music track info being cropped to that arbitrarily restricted box and the remaining 2/3rds of the display going unused.
The standard speedometer display reads all the way up to 160mph, in a car that tops out at 124mph. It’s a graphical display so they could have set it to something more reasonable or even allow it to be customizable. Instead, you’re stuck with a gauge where the needle rarely even reaches the halfway mark.
The only other option is a digital display that sticks the speed above the info area and leaves most of the screen fairly blank. I prefer that mode because it’s cleaner, but the screen being underutilized is still annoying.
On top of all that Corollas in other countries get options like a compass, tire pressure readout and several other modes. If I’m not mistaken, the C-HR even get a G force readout! Yet, for some inexplicable reason those features are not available on US spec Corollas. And this is the XSE, mind you.
The car doesn’t even display date, something I had on my old Audi A3 with its single color digital display. I can look up the weather in my car, but sticking the date in some corner of the screen was a bridge too far. Speaking of the infotainment system, album art disappearing when the car is in motion is incredibly silly.
Sorry about the long rant, but that’s really the only thing about the car that irks me. The aesthetic design is serviceable, but Toyota really needs a better team working on their UX. It would also be nice if they were willing to invest a bit more into making these systems more robust, especially since they tend to be used across a variety of models.
1 Like
Water pump problems were a common problem for Toyota, affecting millions of its cars. The origin of the issue was a malfunctioning water pump, which led to the engine overheating and the potential for major damage or possibly engine failure. Certain Toyota models are known to use excessive amounts of oil, especially those with the 2.4L 2AZ-FE engine (found in models including the Camry, Corolla, and RAV4 from specific years). This problem usually shows up after 100,000 miles. There have been reports of gearbox issues with a few Toyota models, notably the Tacoma and Highlander. These issues include delayed engagement, harsh shifting, and transmission failure, particularly in older cars. Each model year may have different problems, so if you own or are considering purchasing one, it’s vital to look for any recalls or service bulletins.