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Toyota Will Update Your Old Model with Modern Tech to Keep it Fresh

Not feeling any of Toyota’s or Lexus’ newer models? They got you covered.

Front view of a red Toyota car with illuminated LED headlights in a dark setting.Toyota
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By Chris Chin

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Toyota might’ve just made some older car lovers’ and enthusiasts’ dreams come true. The Big T and its luxury division, Lexus, just announced a massive expansion of its “Toyota Factory Upgrade” program.

And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Basically, if you have an older model Toyota or Lexus, yet have no desire to upgrade to a new model, but still crave some of the industry’s newer features, then the automaker has your back. Complete with a warranty.

Toyota and Lexus will help keep your trusty steed in service

Car upgrade service options showing brown leather car interior, white minivan with sliding doors open, and person in branded jacket working inside a car.
Have a slightly older Toyota or Lexus model, and wish it had the newer tech? Toyota Factory Upgrade has you covered.
Toyota

It’s no mystery Toyota and Lexus have a grand reputation for making vehicles that are built to last. They may go on for years (if not decades) and hundreds of thousands of miles with proper care.

But they’re still left with the technology they were originally built with. And it all eventually becomes obsolete.

White Toyota Prius hybrid car parked on asphalt under a cloudy sky.
Update coverage for older Toyota models goes as far back as 2004, depending on the model.
Toyota

Not anymore. With the company’s latest Factory Upgrade program, the manufacturer now provides company-backed upgrades for models up to a decade old, if not older in some cases.

So, if you love your 2015 Prius or 2017 Camry, don’t want to part with it, but wish it had the new model’s infotainment system, Toyota Factory Upgrade has you covered.

Grid of various Toyota car models with names and production years in Japanese text above.
For now, Toyota Factory upgrade supports vehicles built within the last two decades.
Toyota

According to its website, Toyota and Lexus Factory Upgrade supports models up to 20 years old. Its oldest supported model is the fifth-generation 2004 Toyota Hiace. Support for Lexus dates back to the first-gen NX crossover SUV of the 2014 model-year.

The latest expansion builds off of Toyota’s original program, formerly known as Kinto Factory. Established in 2023, Toyota established the division as a new hub and way for owners of older Toyotas to modernize their cars with factory-backed options.

Row of Lexus SUV and sedan models in various colors on a dark background labeled "LEXUS UPGRADE FACTORY" with model names and years below each car.
Toyota Factory Upgrade also covers some newer Lexus models, built within the last decade.
Toyota

So there’s no more need to resort to suspicious third-party aftermarket suppliers with questionable quality and reliability for new-age upgrades. Additionally, in some cases, like with GR models or the Lexus IS, Toyota Factory Upgrade even offers performance enhancements and packages.

Are automakers finally embracing their loyal fans?

Red modern Toyota sports car in front of a white vintage Toyota race car on a rural road.
Although most of the upgrades consist of in-car tech, there are also some performance options available.
Toyota

Toyota’s decision is a bit of a shocking move since automakers have a reputation for aggressively pushing customers into newer vehicles. It’s a capitalistic automotive corporate mentality that’s been around for decades to keep new car sales in motion.

The downside to the emphasis on selling newer cars has many older car owners disenfranchised with the carmakers themselves. It’s led to many believing the mothership doesn’t care about its true loyal fans and customers. Particularly, those who keep their older cars on the road.

White Lexus RC 300 coupe with tinted windows driving on a city street with blurred background.
Why throw away your perfectly good Lexus RC when it can be upgraded from the factory with newer tech?
Lexus

But with more people holding onto their cars longer as new vehicles get more expensive, automakers are revisiting the idea of supporting their older models. Sadly, if you were hoping for full-fledged factory restoration support for your old N180 4Runner or original LS400, that’s not quite what Toyota/Lexus Factory Upgrade is all about.

Additionally, neither Toyota of Japan or North America said if the program will port over to US shores as it’s only available in the Japanese Domestic Market.

Silver Lexus sedan driving on a tree-lined street with motion blur in the background, highlighting the car's sleek design and black front grille.
Even the tech-laden last-gen LS can benefit from newer tech upgrades from Lexus Factory Upgrade.
Lexus

But even if the program doesn’t stretch as far back to some of the brand’s most beloved classics, knowing Toyota supports its older vehicles is a refreshing move, regardless. And, it could potentially set a new bar for others to follow.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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