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The never ending Nissan, Toyota rivalry
The never ending Nissan, Toyota rivalry
What you need to know:
- To put this story in perspective, I will have to use some examples that have been and continue to be with us.
I am not sure who between Coca-cola and Pepsi has a better appeal but for sure these two companies have over the years produced some of the best known soft drinks brands across the globe.
Coke and Pepsi have a well-documented history and an appeal that crosses generations but the two, just like other brands such as Fanta and Mirinda Orange, Sprite and 7-Up, among others are difficult to differentiate although they have some variances in test and branding.
World over, rivalries are a known fact with some of the most popular in car brands such as Mercedes Benz, Audi and BMW.
This rivalry crosses generations with latest entrants such as Lexus joining into the bait.
When BMW launched a curvaceous X6 Coupe, Mercedes Benz came up with a rival coupe SUV.
However, the rivalry between Toyota and Nissan seems to have gained heat with new productions that appear to respond to market trends.
At the very start of car manufacturing, Nissan ticked all boxes and enjoyed life as it lasted; however when Toyota found its footing the market tilted and has remained so for decades.
If you are a keen car fanatic you will notice that for every Toyota there is a particular Nissan that you may take for an alternative.
The Nissan and Toyota rivalry is more like the Coca-cola and Pepsi analogy where it is hard to notice who copied which concept from the other.
For instance, in the light commercial trucks segment it is easy for someone to settle for a Toyota Dyna or Nissan Atlas while in the SUV segment the Toyota Land Cruiser J100 and J200 has always squared it out with Nissan Patrol.
In the small SUV segment you will find a Toyota RAV4 paired with Nissan X-Trail or a Nissan Mistral/Terrano, Murano, Xterra, Pathfinder and Juke compares well with Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Kluger, Sequoia, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, Harrier or Fortuner.
Small vans
In the small vans section, the Toyota Noah has a competitor in Nissan Serena while the big vans segment Toyota Regius and Toyota Alphard can perfectly pair with Nissan’s Elgrand.
Other comparisons include Toyota Coaster and the Nissan Civilian, Toyota Hiace and Nissan Caravan.
In the workhorse section Toyota Land Cruiser compares well with Nissan Patrol, while Toyota Hilux pairs well with Nissan Hardbody or Navara.
However, when it comes to small cars, this is where Toyota reigns with all sorts of small cars coming in a variety of shapes.
In the hatchback segment, the Toyota Starlet and Vitz or Yaris are a good match for the Nissan March or Micra and other Corolla hatchbacks can pair well with Nissan Tiida.
Uganda and much of Africa, just like how many would suggest is a “Toyota Country,” because many drivers prefer the brand for its easy resale value and availability of spare parts.
Whereas many will agree that Nissan brands are a little superior and refined in terms of quality, the price issue could be a put off for many buyers.
Other brands such as Honda, among others also offer better cars on the market but the attachment that many buyers have on Toyota is just overwhelming.
True, Toyota has an ingrained cult status among some sections of car buyers but there are a multitude of brands that offer better alternatives.
That said, the Toyota and Nissan rivalry will perhaps never end, which to the consumers it offers better alternatives where the other falls short.
Sports cars
One area where Toyota has not had response is the big muscle sports car segment where Toyota’s Celica and Supra ruled the world before the entry of Nissan GT-R. GT-R continues to reign supreme and is listed among the world’s top high performance cars.
Both carmakers have specialised sports segment run under Toyota Racing Development and Nissan Motorsport. In the luxury division, Toyota has Lexus that compares well with Nissan has Infiniti.
