Toyota's reputation for the quality, durability and reliability of its vehicles and customer care has made it Australia's most trusted automotive brand.

The result in the 2010 Australian Reader's Digest Trust Survey is significant in a marketplace crowded with more than 50 brands.

It is the third consecutive year Toyota has taken the top spot.

Toyota Australia's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the company's customer service policy was the key to its success.

Mr Buttner said demonstrable commitment to customer satisfaction was more important for long-term success than either vehicle desirability or price.

"Customers can be influenced by a vehicle they like or a price too good to be true - but they will stay with a company they can trust," Mr Buttner said.

"Long-term running costs and retained values are paramount when private buyers are outlaying significant funds to buy a new car," he said.

"They are equally influenced by how they are treated during the entire time they own their vehicle."

Toyota has established a capped-price service policy called Toyota Service Advantage*, which gives customers the ability to budget for comparatively economical vehicle maintenance.

"Customer satisfaction is not something you can effectively advertise - your reputation is spread word of mouth by your clients.

"There are more than two million Toyotas on Australia's roads - more than any other brand - and at least half of the owners of those vehicles are still in touch with us.

"Our reputation has been made not by us, but by our customers."

Toyota's point of difference in customer service began more than half a century ago.

The company was the first to establish decentralised service divisions in outback Australia to care for customers' vehicles, while its competitors remained in city locations.

"Our policy of taking service to our customers set us aside from other brands - and that reputation remains with us today," Mr Buttner said.

Toyota has claimed first place in Australian sales for seven consecutive years, and it is market leader by a significant margin in the first half of 2010.

For each of the past six years, Toyota has delivered more than 200,000 new vehicles in Australia and is on track to repeat its feat this year.