Just to play devil's advocate here, but how would you guys all feel about pay
more for a 4runner (or any Japanese vehicle for that matter) if/when the Yen becomes stronger?
Buy toyota stock, and it's all offset.
Theres a bunch of toyota cars and both trucks are made here in the US.
Toyota has separate manufacturing subsidiaries all over the world, and make market-specific vehicles.
Corolla and Matrix: Canada by TMMC
Tundra, some Tacomas: Texas, TMMT
Camry, a bunch of other stuff: TMM Tennessee/Kentucky or something like that
Tacoma: Mexico, TMMS, Toyota Motors Manufacturing Saltillo
Most North American motors come from either Toyota's WV or TN motor plants. TN also makes axles and a bunch of other stuff.
Then there are differently-named subsidiaries:
Aisin-Warner (transmissions, transfer cases)
Denso NA (Electonics, radiators, some other stuff)
Based on Consumer Reports, Toyota vs American made are exact opposites in terms of long-term reliability. Maybe if US could actually compete in quality we'd see Toyota coming down in price.
Malarkey. These are the same people who rank the 4Runner as the worst in its class too.
The Corolla is one of the best mass market vehicles out there in terms of quality and durability, and there has not been assembly line for them in Japan in decades. Most are made in Canada of almost entirely Canadian parts (some transmissions excepted, and engines from WV), and the Corolla Verso is made in Turkey for world-wide consumption.
They even make cars in the UK, and one of their UK plants has a lower defects-per-car number than their Tahara plant. This of course caused a massive internal investigation by the Japanese...