Her decision the previous week marked the first time Anna had ever owned a vehicle manufactured by an Asian company; in fact, it was the first time she had considered one. When she had made her last car purchase, the thought of buying a car from Toyota-then known for its lackluster designs, limited options, and seven-month-long waiting lists-had not even entered her mind. However, as she was researching different vehicles, she found that Toyota had ranked the highest in several categories in a recent quality survey and that the Yaris had achieved an outstanding four-star Euro NCAP safety rating, which led her to investigate the car more thoroughly.