I'm a former Toyota mechanic.
I'm a former Toyota mechanic. I owned Toyotas from 1971 through 2003. In 2003 I needed a small pickup but felt that the Tacoma was just too big for my needs. I was griping to the sales guy at the Toyota dealership about needing more than a station wagon or hatchback but less than a Tacoma. He said in a low tone of voice so that his boss wouldn't hear him, "Why don't you check out the Subaru dealer down the road. They've got a new model pickup called the Baja. It's like the Brat that they used to sell except it's a 4-door. I said, "Nah, I want something as good as Toyota." He said, "That's just it. Toyota owns a 16% stake in Subaru." Since I know Toyota never buys crud, I decided to check it out. Three hours later, I rolled out of the Subaru dealership with my Baja. I loved the handling and comfort and the fact that I could haul fairly large single objects. Two years later, I upgraded to the turbo. I still own it! It's the best snow car I've ever owned.