November 2019

Maui loves Tacomas. We at IMM know of Toyota’s prominence on the island more than anyone. So why is the Toyota Tacoma, Maui’s favorite vehicle? People from the mainland are generally surprised by Toyota’s popularity in the islands. This post is our attempt to explain why Hawaii loves Toyota Tacomas.

Diversity

Hawaii is a unique place in United States, with our intensely diverse culture. Before Hawaii’s annexation to the United States, we had people coming to Hawaii from all over the world for a variety of opportunities. Early Portuguese and Hispanic immigrants began ranching in Hawaii before Texas and California were part of the United States. Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Koreans flooded the islands to work for sugar and pineapple plantations. Many families came to Hawaii as missionaries and still are a central part of the culture here over a century later.

So in relation to Toyota Tacomas. Toyota is originally a Japanese company. In Hawaii, we think Japanese companies are great. Ford’s F150 is the most popular truck in the rest of the United States. Because of various reasons, people in Hawaii may not see their vehicle as a form of national loyalty. Thus, perhaps Ford is less popular on the island because a different interpretation of patriotism.

Toyotas Are Reliable and Long-lasting

While, there is a level of debate to how long Toyotas last, most would agree that they would expect their Toyota to last longer than an equivalent Ford. The F150 is generally agreed to have better gas mileage and power than the Toyota Tacoma. The F150 is also generally understood to be more powerful. Perhaps the people of Hawaii are more concerned with durability, than the advantages Ford is understood to offer.

Less Cars On Maui in General

Maui lends itself to off-roading. Many families live off the mainstream power-grid, powering their homes with solar and wind power. It’s very common for people to only be able to access their home with a four-wheel-drive vehicle on Maui. Furthermore, even the roads tend to be a bit more broken down than one might see in California. Our weather conditions tend to damage roads fairly quickly. Thus, it’s nice having a truck on Maui.

Tourism is the leading industry in Hawaii. Because of Hawaii’s unique visitor to resident ratio, a very high percentage of the full-time residents here work in a construction related field. Many others work in industries where a truck may be preferable to a car. My father owns a ranch and consistently needs to transport animals, which would not be possible with most cars.

Thanks for Reading!

We know we likely have not covered every base on this topic. We hope you liked reading it as much as we liked writing it. Feel free to let us know what you think about the topic.