Toyota

Toyota build their vehicles exclusively in metric, but if you buy a new vehicle you'd better like the temperature in Fahrenheit and the odometer locked in miles. Their US website is also the usual mix of metric and US customary. Oddly, the engine has conversions for everything, but the sizing is almost purely US customary.

So, this week, let's see if we can convince them to make their site completely metric and make the user interface in their cars work completely in metric.

Posted by
Paul Armstrong
at Mar 12, 2007 02:25 in | Modified by
Paul Armstrong
at Jul 14, 2008 02:20 | 1 Comment(s) | Permalink

Street Address 19001 South Western Ave. Dept. WC11
City Torrance
State CA
Zip 90501
Main Phone 1 800-331-4331
Fax
Website http://www.toyota.com/about/contact/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_CONTACT
Website Feedback Form http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/ask_intercept.php
Email
Stance on metrication

Correspondence

Please enter your correspondence with this company here or in the comments section.

From: Paul Armstrong
To: Toyota

I've got a 2005 model Prius which has been absolutely wonderful and so I visited your site today to have a look at the new features in the 2007 model.

While the site layout and the amount of information on the site is wonderful, the lack of metric measures is a little frustrating. There are a growing number of us here in the US that prefer the simplicity of the metric system over the old customary system and would prefer to use metric for everything (rather than the random use of metric vs customary units at the moment).

Thanks,
Paul

Toyotas Response:

From: Kym
Date: 2007-03-13

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

We appreciate your feedback about our web site.

It is through comments such as yours that we are able to review and improve our services.

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #200703131497. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

From: Paul
To: Toyota
Subject: Measurement in the Prius
Date: 2007-03-25

I have a 2005 Prius and while I love the vehicle in most ways, I find the forced use of US customary units (also called imperial or English units) frustrating. I strongly prefer the use of metric as it's far simpler to use and would like to get information from my vehicle in metric.

Despite the availability of metric for temperature, fuel efficiency and other measurements in other countries, there doesn't seem to be a way to get a car built for the US market (i.e. my car) to give me information other than speed in metric. I've asked my dealer and they say they don't know of a way to get it to use metric and can't do a software upgrade to a version that uses metric measures.

Are there currently any plans to allow for Prius' built for the US market to display the following using metric measures?

  • ODO/Trip info
  • Outside temperature
  • Climate control temperature setting
  • fuel efficiency
If not, could you please add allowing owners to select between metric/US customary as a system wide option to the list of features for future models?

Thanks,
Paul

Toyotas reply:

From: James
Date: 2007-03-27

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Your interest in Toyota is appreciated.

We make every effort to manufacture a quality product by researching, testing, and constantly monitoring performance. Consumer opinion and perception also play an active role in our ongoing efforts to lead the automobile industry in quality, innovation, styling, and reliability.

It is through communications such as yours that we become aware of the reactions and expectations of our customers.

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #200703271456. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Toyota Customer Experience