Toyota is well-known for making some of the most reliable cars on the market and have been around for a long time. While Toyota fans could always buy a new version of their old Toyota, the Japanese auto giant is now thinking of offering a unique service for those fans who have an old Toyota. Here’s a look at how Toyota may soon be extending the life of its cars by refurbishing them like cellphones. 

The legendary reliability of Toyota

By now, the reliability of a Toyota has become legendary. Folks with experience and knowledge of cars understand how reliable a Toyota is, and others are generally aware of how reliable the company’s vehicles can be. While Toyota has certainly stumbled in the past when it comes to reliability, overall, this stereotype proves to be true.

Many Toyotas will keep going after hundreds of thousands of miles on the odometer. For some, this may give their Toyota some sentimental value. After all, a Toyota that’s been with you for 5 or 10 years has shared many memories. This reliability also gives a Toyota a lot of resale value, as even a Toyota with 100,000 miles on it can still be a solid and reliable workhorse. 

Toyota may soon be refurbishing old Toyotas

According to Jalopnik, the resale market is exactly what Toyota is thinking about. Currently, Toyota is planning on doing these refurbishments for the U.K. market. These refurbished Toyotas will also be part of a brand-new sub-brand that Toyota is calling Kinto. It’s unclear if Toyota wants to expand this operation worldwide, but if it succeeds in the U.K., that would be a strong argument for expansion.

In any case, the refurbishment process is relatively straightforward. First, Toyota plans to take a used Toyota back to the factory for refurbishment after its first cycle is over. Jalopnik wrote that this essentially means the company will take it back after the original owner’s lease ends. At the factory, Toyota will refurbish the car so the second owner will have a car that’s relatively close to brand-new.

Toyota will do this refurbishment process after the car’s third use cycle, as well. But afterward, Toyota wants to recycle the vehicle rather than refurbish it again. This will be very useful in the future, as the batteries of EVs can be recycled, and that seems to be what Toyota wants to do. According to Jalopnik, if all goes well, a brand-new Toyota could last for at least ten years with multiple refurbishments.

A look at Toyota’s future slate of cars

And, in terms of EVs, Toyota is looking to make a splash sooner than later. Not only did Toyota create a brand-new platform for developing EVs, but Toyota already has its first electric SUV on the horizon. The bZ4X is a compact crossover SUV. It’s expected to be available later this year. This brand-new Toyota SUV should also start at about $37,000, but that’s before EV tax credits and incentives are factored in.

As for specs, the bZ4X is a relatively modest compact SUV. Its electric motor gets about 201 hp, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. It also has a pretty average range, as its 64-kWh battery allows it to go about 230 miles on a single charge. That being said, Toyota is offering a solar panel roof, which could add nearly 1,000 miles of range every year. However, while the bZ4X is the first big EV from Toyota, more are coming.