Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has won CAR Magazine’s 2020 Company of the Year while Corolla Quest clinched the title for Best Midsize Car in the publication’s 12 Best Buys Competition. The Company of the Year award was in recognition of TSAM’s cumulative investment of R4, 28 billion (between 2019 and 2021) that is being made into the local automotive industry as well as the company’s 40 years of consecutive sales leadership in South Africa.
While the lion’s share – a staggering R2, 3 billion – of the cumulative amount was earmarked for the production of a new passenger-car model, the new-generation Corolla Quest, was also a beneficiary of this investment.
According to the CAR magazine Team, Toyota was a worthy victor based on a number of crucial factors: “Approximately every fourth new vehicle – of the 536 626 registered locally in 2019 – wore a Toyota, Lexus or Hino badge. The company launched in-car Wi-Fi for all new models, opened a state-of-the-art centre of technical excellence to support its 264 dealers, commenced the restoration of a very special 2000GT and finally started rolling out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its vehicles.
“So, with an even deeper investment into South Africa, continued market leadership and a line-up that mixes much-needed utility with growing levels of excitement, Toyota is the worthy winner of our 2020 award.”
As mentioned, TSAM marked the turn of the decade with 40 years of consecutive local market leadership. In this time, Toyota has won two Car of the Year awards, changed its insignia and introduced Lexus as its luxury brand – among other key milestones. In addition to celebrating four decades of market leadership, TSAM is also pleased to have ended 2019 with a 24.2% market share.
During this period, the Corolla would eventually become SA’s best-selling passenger car of all times. Last year, the previous generation Corolla and Corolla Quest duo racked up a combined 136 880 unit sales (Quest contributing 63 966 units), making them SA’s most loved sedans. The Toyota Corolla Quest has indeed established itself as a formidable player in the local sedan market.
The Toyota Corolla Quest is recognised by 2020 CAR Best Buys for its combination of incredible value for money, peerless reliability and comfort in the midsize vehicle category (with a starting price of R249 900.)
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Leon Theron says: “Being acknowledged for two distinct awards is an excellent achievement for Toyota as we see ourselves as a multi-dimensional brand. We are pleased to be recognised in categories that acknowledge the strides we have made in supporting the local automotive industry as well as producing value-for-money products.”
