Juurikas: There's nothing to be ashamed of with Toyota!

An opinion column praises Ott Tänak for continuing his sporting career and discusses the comparison between Toyota and BMW – Toyota is reliable and spare parts are more affordable, though comfort is lacking.

Well done, Ott, for not giving up on motorsport and continuing to race! And as for the Toyota brand – there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a perfectly respectable Asian manufacturer with decades of reputation for reliability.

It's true that Toyota isn't quite what a rally enthusiast would call the "real deal". Comfort also leaves something to be desired, especially when compared with a German premium brand like BMW. But where a German manufacturer demands a deep pocket, a Toyota owner gets away much more cheaply.

The price of spare parts is one of the most practical arguments when choosing a car. A simple example: for a BMW, just a door alone costs five thousand euros. As someone from my circle of acquaintances experienced personally – a minor accident with a door turned into a surprisingly expensive adventure. With a Toyota, you don't have that worry.