Why Toyota’s “Best in Town” Idea means you’ll never see a Tundra in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: When Toyota says it wants to be the “Best in Town,” it’s not talking about selling the best cars for town usage. It’s talking about being the company people trust the most — the one that understands their roads, their routines, and even their struggles.

At a glance, it sounds like another slogan. But if you’ve followed Toyota long enough, you’ll know it’s more of a mindset — one that shapes how they design cars, support communities, and plan for the future.

Former president Akio Toyoda summed it up best:

“We cannot make customers happy by just promoting the total number of vehicles. Becoming the best in town is what’s most important.”

For him, and for Toyota today, being “Best in Town” means you’re part of the community — not just a brand that drops a showroom and leaves. Every Toyota affiliate, distributor, and dealer is urged to earn that trust at a local level.

It’s why Toyota never chased trends for the sake of it. They’re not in a rush to abandon combustion engines or force one technology on everyone. Instead, they’re doubling down on what different markets actually need.

Delivering what each market needs

One of the key slides at the pre–Japan Mobility Show 2025 briefing spelled it out: the Tundra in the U.S., the Urban Cruiser for India, and the Hilux and Kijang Innova for ASEAN. Each one built for its own landscape, its own rhythm of life.

Wide-open highways in America? You need power and space.
Narrow, unpredictable Asian roads? You need compact size, efficiency, and flexibility.

That’s Toyota’s version of being “Best in Town” — not a one-size-fits-all product, but a mix that reflects local realities. Cars that make sense for the roads people actually drive on.

Developing for Asia, by Asia

Toyota Asia is now stepping up to become a Global South R&D hub, collaborating with markets like Thailand, Indonesia, and India. The goal is simple: develop models from within the region — not just adapt existing ones from Japan or Europe.

It’s called self-reliant development for Asia models, and it’s Toyota’s way of saying: “We get that your needs are different, and we’re building for you.”

In other words, ASEAN won’t just be a production base anymore. It’ll be part of the development story.

The “Best in Town” approach also extends beyond car ownership. Through initiatives, the brand is making mobility accessible to people who normally get left out — the elderly, the disabled, and those who simply don’t have the means to move around easily.

Because for Toyota, mobility isn’t just about driving. It’s about dignity, independence, and opportunity.

From the first-time car buyer to the small business owner, Toyota wants to stay relevant to everyone. The company’s line-up across ASEAN shows that — from the Corolla Cross and Vios that fill city car parks, to the Hilux that still works hard in rural towns.

“Best in Town” isn’t about competition. It’s about connection — being that familiar brand people rely on through thick and thin.

And maybe that’s why Toyota has endured where others come and go. They’re not chasing hype; they’re chasing trust.

But, at the end of the presentation, I was thinking — are Malaysians really happy with the Toyota choices we have today?

We’ve got the Vios, Corolla Cross, Hilux, and a handful of GR models, but does it still feel exciting? Does it still feel like Toyota understands what we need, and what we want?

Because that’s really what “Best in Town” is about — not just making cars that move people, but cars that matter to them. So did they get it right?

Also read: Toyota Corolla Concept – The next evolution of an everyday legend