Toyota Is Still Selling Cars Designed Decades Ago

What's Old Is Still Brand New

It's no secret that automakers still pump out pretty old cars in this day and age. One prime example of that is the Chevrolet Express. Introduced in 1996, the van turns 30 in 2026, and is just a few years away from matching the almighty Ford Panther platform that underpinned the Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car. But even then, that van beats all those as it's been that way for an entire generation.

But we digress, as GM is far from being the only one that's been selling something old as brand-spanking new. The world's biggest automaker, Toyota, has several cars that fit the bill. We're talking single-generation cars that still have roots well planted from decades prior, here. With that, here are five of them.

Lexus IS (Since 2013)

Yes, we just had to throw in a Lexus product here. The current Lexus IS might look miles different from the one released back in 2013, but it still rides on the same chassis as it did 13 years ago.

It's easily the oldest car in the company's lineup with no successor seemingly in place. It's been facelifted three times already, with a radical update for the 2021 model year. The 2026 version also gets a few tweaks here and there, taking some cues from the redesigned ES.

Toyota Yaris Sedan/Vios (Since 2013)

If you frequently travel to Southeast Asia, the Yaris Sedan and the Vios should be a familiar sight. It's Toyota's entry in the subcompact sedan class, a hugely popular segment in the region but now officially extinct in America.

An all-new model was introduced in 2022, but Toyota still sells the previous generation in huge numbers across the region. Like the IS, it's been around for 13 years and has undergone several facelifts.

Toyota LiteAce (Since 2007)

Moving to commercial vehicles, what we have next is the Toyota LiteAce. Also known as the Daihatsu GranMax, it's primarily for small businesses and probably one of the smallest vans you can still get apart from kei vans. This one's old enough to go to college, as it was launched 19 years ago.

This one hasn't had a major facelift throughout its life, either, and it doesn't seem it'll ever get one, given its utilitarian purpose. The Toyota version isn't sold in Japan anymore, but is still around in most parts of Asia.

Toyota Hiace (Since 2004)

If you think the LiteAce is old, then meet its bigger brother, the Hiace. Mind you, we have to be specific and mention the flat-nose version. A thoroughly redesigned model was rolled out in 2019, moving its engine to the front so the driver's knees don't become part of the crumple zone.

Still, this literal box on wheels is a massively popular delivery vehicle in Japan, and it even has loads of user-choosers out there, too. Facelifts have been largely tweaks to the front bumper and headlights, and its most recent one, quite literally, just came out. It now sports LED daytime running lights. Wow.

Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series (Since 1984)

You totally saw this from a mile away. The daddy of all brand-new old-school Toyotas is still, of course, the Land Cruiser 70 Series. Launched in 1984, it was intended to replace the 40 Series and to continue the heavy-duty, utilitarian branch of the Land Cruiser family tree. The 40 Series lived on until 2001, although it and the 70 Series were being made at the same time for 17 years.

To give you a better idea of the 70 Series' longevity, it's already outlasted the 40 Series in terms of production years. Its predecessor ran from 1960 to 2001 for 41 years, but the 70 Series? It's turning 42 in 2026, and it last got an update in 2023. It looks like there are no signs of it being discontinued, either, as demand remains strong, particularly in Oceania and the Middle East.

Far From the Oldest

The Land Cruiser 70's 42-year (and counting) run sounds impressive, but those are rookie numbers to a couple more models worth mentioning. For true automotive fossils, you have to take a look at what's still available brand-new over in Russia.

There's the Lada Niva that came out in 1977, so it's close to reaching its golden anniversary. Then there's the even-older UAZ-469 from 1971, so that one turns 55 this year. But at the top of the pile is another model from UAZ with the 452. This one dates back to the Johnson Administration, as it was launched in 1965. Yes, a car (okay, van) born in the mid-'60s is still alive and kicking with just a few tweaks since the original.

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