Toyota has a lot of models – and that’s not just me. Newly appointed CEO Kenta Kon recently came out and said that the Japanese automaker’s lineup is very crowded. Looking at the number of vehicle offerings, both locally and abroad, it’s easy to see how one might come to this conclusion.
Alone in America, Toyota has 21 unique nameplates. This also doesn’t include a handful of plug-in-hybrid, off-road or performance variants. In Europe, depending on the country or region, the number ranges from 15 to 20 unique nameplates. Factor in Japan, Australia, and a few other continents, and there are approximately 80 unique Toyota models worldwide.
Looking specifically to the US for this exercise, I played a bit of backseat product planner in an effort to help Toyota trim its lineup. Of the 21 models the company offers here in the US, these are the ones worth keeping – and the ones that could possibly be left stage left.
toyota tacoma trailhunter
Photo by: Andrew Link | motor1
4 Runner: Keep
The Toyota 4Runner has been around for 42 years; This isn’t going anywhere. Even in the midst of a transition year in which Toyota got rid of 2025 models to make room for new 2026 models, the 4Runner remained one of the brand’s best-selling SUVs last year.
Toyota sold 136,801 examples of the 4Runner in 2025, narrowing the Jeep Wrangler’s lead (167,322 units) and nearly matching the Ford Bronco (146,007 units). As of April, 4Runner sales were already up 294 percent year over year, which means it could set a new record in 2026.
bZ: merged with C-HR
Toyota will only sell 15,609 bZ electric SUVs in 2025, a number that won’t break any sales records. But arguably even more so than the revived C-HR, Toyota has reason to maintain its compact electric crossover.
The name change (goodbye, bZ4X) and range improvements keep the bZ relevant in the ever-changing EV market in 2026. Sales are already showing signs of improvement this year. Toyota needs to take the best of the C-HR (styling) and blend it with the best of the bZ (everything else) to create a focused, cohesive electric SUV.
C-HR: merged with BZ
It’s still not entirely clear why Toyota decided to bring the C-HR back to the US. The previous C-HR was a comparatively disappointing seller, surviving only five years in the US. So Toyota’s decision to revive the nameplate as a funky electric crossover is a confusing one, to say the least.
The C-HR probably isn’t going anywhere for a few years, given that Toyota has introduced a new version for 2026. But I can’t imagine this model will last (or need to) for very long, given that bZ still exists.
Camry: keep
This is a no brainer. The Camry is still the best-selling sedan in the US, with sales of more than 316,000 units in 2025. Even though it had to avoid more crossovers than ever before, it still reached the top 10 in total sales in the US and was second only to the RAV4 in the Toyota lineup.
Corolla: keep
Another random thing: Toyota has no reason to kill the Corolla – at least, the regular, no-nonsense sedan version. More on the other variants in a minute. With more than 248,000 units moved in the US last year, it’s still the most popular choice in its segment.
Corolla hatchback/GR Corolla: Keep for now…
Toyota doesn’t sell specific Corolla trims like the hatchback or GR models, and I suspect there’s a reason for that. While the GR version will always be a niche, love-volume trim, there is no evidence whatsoever that this hatchback is a big hit among consumers.
The sad reality is that Americans don’t want hatchbacks. Credit to Toyota for trying – and it really is a fantastic little five-door – but the only reason to keep the Corolla hatch around for the next few years would be to complement the GR Corolla, which deserves another half-decade or more in production.
Corolla Cross: keep (but change the name)
The Corolla Cross is no slouch in terms of sales, with around 100,000 examples sold in 2025. With RAV4 pricing now starting at $33,320, believe it or not, Toyota needs an affordable entry-level SUV. The Corolla Cross is that vehicle.
The one problem I see with the Corolla Cross is here: the name. The name change could theoretically lead to even more success for Toyota’s $26,610 SUV, given that some customers may be confused by the Corolla branding. But that is to expose the lie.
Crown: Cancel
America was clearly not ready for a high-riding, semi-luxury sedan – as evidenced by the many cars that failed before it. With just over 12,000 Crown models finding new homes in 2025, Toyota has no reason to keep this strange vehicle around much longer. The Crown was the third best-selling car of all Toyota models still on sale. I’ll get to the other two in a minute.
Crown Signia: Cancel
The Crown Signia SUV fared slightly better than its sedan counterpart in 2025, with just over 20,000 examples finding new homes. But for Toyota, that still puts it in the bottom five in terms of sales, far less than the nearly half a million RAV4s the company sold in the same period.
There are rumors that Toyota is looking to make Crown its own sub-brand, which could be interesting. But given its positioning as an awkward middle offering between Toyota and Lexus, I’m not quite sure that’s even a good idea.
GR86: Cancel
Look, this will be a tough pill to swallow. Of course, we all love the Toyota GR86. But with less than 10,000 sold last year, with sales declining every month, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for Toyota to justify the GR86.
The good news here is that this platform has been around for 15 years, virtually unchanged. It’s still the same great sports sedan that debuted with the Scion badge in 2012. The bad news is that we’re unlikely to see another generation. But, reportedly more and better sports cars are on the way.
Photo by: Toyota
GR Supra: already canceled
Everyone knew the Toyota GR Supra was already going to come out, but I still thought it was worth including it on this list. With fewer than 3,000 units finding new homes in 2025, partly due to the year being short, the Supra’s departure is sad – but not entirely shocking.
Grand Highlander: Keep
The Grand Highlander is simple. Toyota sold 136,801 examples of the three-row SUV last year, and there’s no reason to give up now.
Highlander: Keep (New Model Coming)
The Highlander finds itself in a more interesting position than its bigger brother. The three-row, midsize SUV hasn’t exactly been the top choice in its class over the past few years; That’s why Toyota is taking the nameplate in a completely new direction for 2027.
Toyota recently introduced the 2027 Highlander EV—the brand’s first electric three-row in the Americas. Despite enthusiasm for EVs waning over the past few months, three-row SUVs are still big sellers, and there’s no reason to believe the next Highlander shouldn’t also be a popular choice.
Land Cruiser: Keep
Frankly, it could have gone either way. I know Land Cruiser returning to America is a big deal and the nameplate is extremely important in the off-roading community—I get it. But when you have two other off-road SUVs and two trucks with strong off-road trims, it’s hard to justify an off-roader that starts at around $60,000. However, for now, the Land Cruiser is allowed to remain in my hypothetical lineup.
Mirai: Cancel
Mirai has no reason to exist. I know Toyota is still excited about hydrogen (as am I), but extremely low sales aren’t enough to keep this funky sedan around in the US for much longer. It’s time to pull the plug.
Prius: keep
With hybrids on the rise again and EVs lagging behind, there’s no reason for the Toyota Prius to be going anywhere. Recently updated for the 2023 model year, Toyota sold 56,488 examples last year. This includes both standard hybrids and plug-ins – both of which will remain in the Toyota lineup for years to come.
RAV4: keep
The RAV4 is Toyota’s best-selling model and the best-selling SUV in the US. This isn’t going anywhere.
Sequoia: Cancel
This is where it gets tricky. With the arrival of the electric Highlander later this year, that means Toyota will have three three-row SUVs in its lineup. Obviously, the Highlander, Grand Highlander, and Sequoia all do different things, and the Sequoia’s body-on-frame platform is likely an attraction for people coming from something like a Chevrolet Tahoe or Ford Expedition.
Unfortunately, Toyota’s body-on-frame three-row isn’t as good as its rivals. It lacks the space and comfort of some of those options, and even though you can get it in a stronger TRD Pro trim (which is wonderful), the main attractions end there. Combine this with recent reliability issues, and it’s hard to justify the Sequoia.
Sienna: Keep
Vans are great and the Sienna is worth having. Toyota sold 101,486 units last year (of course, fleet sales are part of it), making the long-standing minivan worth owning. It has an efficient hybrid powertrain and plenty of space for the whole family. Heck, you can even get it in a slightly rugged Woodland Edition trim.
Tacoma: Keep
Tacoma sales saw a slight decline in 2025, largely due to the model changes that took place last year — but that’s not stopping the brand’s beloved compact pickup. It keeps trucking.
Tundra: keep
The Toyota Tundra has had a number of problems recently, primarily stemming from its twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Nevertheless, it’s still a big seller for Toyota, with more than 147,000 examples finding new homes in 2025. Assuming Toyota can solve many of those issues, there’s no reason for the company to eliminate its excellent F-150 and Silverado rival.
Will this work?
Showing that this short list has anything to do with reality, Toyota cut seven models and re-focused on its core products, bringing the total number of models in the US down to 15. This makes more sense than the current amalgamation of vehicles in which customers clearly have no interest.
