Toyota's Image

The issue that bothers me the most is the cover up of any issues with the vehicles. The idea that Toyota could make more money by burying the truth and by tampering with the government regulators is actually quite disturbing. I would never buy a Toyota because of the moral vacation the people who run Toyota have taken. I realize they recently settled with the people in the runaway Lexus for 10 million dollars, but the people are dead. Seems like 10 million is a little cheap!

Only time and staying out of the news regarding future recalls will help th image of this company. That could take decades.

Recalling cars due to manufacturers defects is the act done by the company to rectify the errors and its the assurance given by the manufacturer that they won't repeat it another time. So i don't think this has affected its image in a large scale. Of course, some owners may seem frustrated when they encounter problems of these kind. But even after all this Toyota has marked its presence in all segments of the automobile industry, be it small hatchbacks or hunky SUV's. A company of such kind has to concentrate on the vehicle design part consulting a panel of design executives who have excelled in their field from all over the world. By doing so, Toyota can sustain its position as the world leader in the Automobile field.

I think that people now see Toyota as a company that is fallible. The important thing is that they acknowledge that while they occasionally have problems, their cost of ownership and incidents of error are lower than other car companies. I would also make more of an effort to talk about how people live their lives in their Toyotas...cars they have and depend on for a long time. Brand loyalty means that people are loyal to Toyota, but that the company is also loyal to their customers. Focus on how that occurs, through service, relationships, etc.

Toyota should take the advice of Henry Ford and begin to use Hemp Technology to change they game and re build their image. SInce the original model T it has been known that Hemp Plastic is 10 time stronger than steel, easier to make, and using it as a fuel is more efficient than oil based fuels. With Medical Cannabis on the rise its only a matter of time before hemp technology is used on a wide scale.

Toyota really care about the perception of customers. We bought a Toyota and they were constantly ringing us to see if we were happy. It got kinda annoying. But its good to know they do care about what you think.

People are notorious for forgetting, so eventually people will forget about the recalls.

Industry competitors have done the most damage by continuing to monopolize on Toyota's vehicle recall. Toyota had a tremendous track record before its recent recalls and there are people I know who took advantage of the recall to get new toyotas at a tremendous discount.

Toyota should initiate a campaign that 1)Concisely addresses how the issues have been resolved that caused the recall,
2) Continue to offer there vehicles at deep discounts for a clearly designated period of time,
3) promotes through previous toyota owners who have bought new vehicles and are very well pleased with the performance of both their old and new vehicles.

The average American (most of us) are going to buy the best car we can afford. A Toyota generally fits that bill. Perception may have changed somewhat but when it comes right down to it people will buy what they feel will meet their needs. If they are Toyota enthusiasts then that is what they will buy regardless of the recalls. Personally I love a Toyota and would like it to be my next purchase.

the act of recalling cars ( admitting and rectifying manufacturer defects ) is itself a good thing for the company. Just as a human being, the company made a mistake and is ready and willing to rectify the same gives it an honest and forthright image. Some companies do not even bother to admit their mistake. Here is one courageous enough to own it.

Long term everyone knows that Toyota's will outlast most cars.

The recalls have hurt Toyota somewhat, but they are still very dependable cars. As long as Toyota makes good cars, people will buy them.