Toyota claims top spot in the Kinsey Report!

Toyota has emerged as the automotive brand with the most affordable parts pricing in the country in the authoritative Automobile Association (AA) Kinsey Report for 2020, continuing a long tradition of success across a number of categories.

Pioneered 30 years ago by industry observer and researcher Malcolm Kinsey, the report on parts pricing compares a selection of the most popular vehicle models on the market across eight categories, delving into some of the costs involved in servicing, repairing and fixing accident damage.

All but one of Toyota’s passenger cars, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light commercial vehicles scored podium places in the six categories in which they were represented, with the Fortuner and Corolla Quest winning the Crossover and Family Favourites sectors respectively, while the all-new Toyota Starlet placed second out seven contestants in the Superminis, outranking a number of rivals that have been in the sector for decades.

Toyota’s consistency in the AA Kinsey Report has been astonishing, with this year’s result following on from the eight podium places achieved in 2019 and continuing a rich vein of form which stretches back to 2014 when there were five top-three results. Since then Toyota has never dipped below six “medals”. “Consistency is key and we’re proud to once again be doing everything we can to make owning a Toyota an experience free of surprises,” says John Thompson, Toyota’s vice president of service, tech, customer service & Future Toyota.

Nowhere is this consistency better epitomised than by the trusty Hilux, with its single and double cab models both finishing third in class. In the competition’s largest category, meanwhile, the Fortuner was by far the cheapest vehicle to repair in the Crossover sector – made up of 12 vehicles from eight different brands – with a basket price for “crash” parts less than half the price offered by some competitors.

This is a welcome and timely boon for Toyota customers: the pricing of parts is an essential concern for motorists and fleet owners alike, as the economic pressures of the pandemic continue to be felt. Kinsey noted that, in general, prices for original equipment are rising, and that “crash” parts prices, in particular, will affect insurance excesses and vehicle write-off points, making them well worth noting.

Thompson reiterates this point: “Parts pricing has a major impact on resale value and insurance premiums/excesses, so there is always more to this survey than meets the eye,” he says, adding that while the bald figures reveal the prices of individual parts, there is more to tell: “We take pride in ensuring these items can reach the remotest outposts of our 200-strong dealer network timeously to meet our customers’ expectations.”

The Kinsey Report has once again highlighted the fact that parts pricing remains a Toyota core value in ensuring a holistic ownership experience: “In these tough economic times, motoring consumers are leaning increasingly towards brands they can trust and from which they can expect value,” says Thompson.

“Parts pricing is integral to Toyota’s philosophy of providing motorists with what they require to meet their personal transportation needs and this latest set of Kinsey Report results indicate that we remain on course.”