Why so many TOYOTA used cars are exported from Japan?

Many vehicles are purchased/sold via the Japanese used car portal website, CardealPage, and then shipped out to countries all over the world.

The makers of the vehicles include household brands such as NISSAN, HONDA, TOYOTA and MITSUBISHI.

But out of all the vehicles that get shipped out, TOYOTA’s consistently rank number one in terms of customer popularity and sales volume. So, what makes TOYOTA used cars tick, and why are they so popular?!

1.Domestic Sales (in Japan)

The table below shows the domestic sales figures in Japan according to year and make.

You will see that TOYOTA holds more market share than nearly all the others in the table combined.

The statistic might look quite different if based on cost, quality, usability among others, but it would probably be fair to say that TOYOTA ranks quite highly in these aspects too.


Conclusion: This statistics suggests that, many of the vehicles that are exported are TOYOTA because of the sheer number available in the domestic market.

NEW VEHICLE REGISTRATION

2.Statistics: Worldwide Sales

Let’s take a look at the statistics of worldwide sales of new vehicles.

As can be seen from the table below, TOYOTA also came out on top in terms of sales even with very stiff competitions from the likes of VOLKSWAGEN and GENERAL MOTORS.

Conclusion: We can therefore deduce that, TOYOTA vehicles are very much in demand in the used car export market because they are well-known and trusted, not just in Japan, but also internationally.
Brand name and trust are proven sales factors.

2013 WORLDWIDE SALES, TOP 5

3.Durability and Spare Parts

It might be interesting and constructive at this point to explore why the end-users of the used-vehicle market prefer TOYOTA to many other makes.

We have gathered the top five reasons from a questionnaire as answered by the customers of used-vehicle portal website, CardealPage.

The below reasons represent datas collected from end-users all over the world. Predictably, “Brand Name” and “Trust” makes the list, but more relevant to the point at hand, so do “Durability” and “Availability of Spare Parts”.

End-User Reasons TOP 5

“Durability” and “Spare Parts” somehow share a value/point.

Take for example the engine – the most important part.
TOYOTA’s engines have earned a mythical status of durability, especially their flagship NZ type engines (see end of article for more detailed explanation).

NZ engines are found in August/2000 model COROLLA right up to the present 2014 models.

They are said to be some of the most consistent, reliable, long-lasting engines that need considerable wear and tear to break.

Even if an accident renders the body of the vehicle unusable, the engines are often still found working and used as spare parts.

One TOYOTA’s NZ engine parts can be used in another’s so long as the engine type and model is the same. For example, the engine type “1NZ” can be found in many COROLLAs.

That means the parts for this engine can be worked into another COROLLA that runs on the same 1NZ engine of the same type and model, or any other compatible vehicles such as a SPRINTER, which is a sibling model to COROLLA.

This makes TOYOTA vehicles ideal in countries where there are few TOYOTA new-car dealers that can supply spares, because they can rely on used parts available in the market locally.


Conclusion: TOYOTA vehicles are perhaps more durable than other makers’, and spare parts are easier to get hold of.


TOYOTA’s flagship range, TOYOTA COROLLA 1NZ-FE ENGIN VVT-i

4.CardealPage Mechanics’ Findings

Most Japanese used-car exporters purchase their vehicles from auction houses in Japan.

There are over 150 of these auction houses, and thousands of vehicles are put up every day.

Just one of the auctions houses can put up more than 15,000 units in a day, and the vehicles are then sold to the highest bidders.

Many of the vehicles exported by CardealPage are sourced from these auction houses, but they also export vehicles that are sold by local car dealers in Japan, i.e. before they are put out for auction.

Each of these vehicles is inspected by CardealPage’s professional mechanics to maintain their strict quality assurance.

We asked these mechanics for their feedback of used TOYOTA vehicles compared to other makes’ with the same year and mileage, and they came with the following.

1. The condition of the engine is generally better. There is overall less oil-leak, and runs smoother.
2. They have less rust.
3. They have more diverse and fun range of vehicles. Just from their “compact” range alone, they boast VITZ, PASSO, IST, SPACIO,DUET, BB, FUNCARGO and RAUM. More choice of customers to choose from to suit various budget and needs.

Conclusion: Durability is once again implied in the reason behind popularity. Diversity and variety is also a plus.

TOYOTA compact vehicles currently available on CardealPage

BB	FUNCARGO	IST	PASSO	VITZ

5.Market Price of Used TOYOTA Vehicles

The market price for TOYOTA’s used cars is higher than other makes’, which might seem at first a little strange point to make when arguing for their popularity.
But conversely, the market price is higher because they are that much more in demand – another indicator of popularity.

Conclusion: TOYOTA cars are more expensive because they are more in demand.

6.Engine

1NZ-FE Engine - this engine is found mainly in COROLLA SERIES, PREMIO, ALLION, VITZ, PLATZ, AURIS, SIENTA, PROBOX, and RACTIS.

It is an Inline 4-cylinder, 1500cc, transverse, front-wheel-drive DOHC16 (Double Overhead Camshaft 16-valve), naturally-aspirated engine.

The engine employs VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) technology, which were at first used in 1999 FUNCARGO and PLATZ.

1NZ-FE engines have been used since the year 2000 models right up to the present 2014.
The engines have undergone several minor model changes in between, but there are still some 1NZ-FE engine models that are the same as their predecessors.

This is what makes the engine so popular, because as mentioned in a previous paragraph, they can be used as spares to run many other compatible TOYOTA vehicles.

And because they employ the VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) system, they can maintain consistent performance right from low to high speed.

Conclusion: TOYOTA uses robust and reliable work-horse engines that give smooth-performances across low to high speeds. They are tough, and very easy to repair due to the wide-availability of spare parts.


You will find many of these popular TOYOTA cars on CardealPage. Please take a look at the stock list via the link below, and see if you can find the vehicle of your dreams!

CardealPage has many friendly support staff who are very happy to help you with any questions, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Let’s search for TOYOTA used cars via CardealPage!