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Mariela Is the Latina Toyota Jan

Meet the charming Tiffany Díaz , Toyota's Spanish-speaking version of Jan

If you’re a fan of Toyota Jan (and who isn’t?) but wished she had a Latin flair, we’d like to introduce you to Mariela. She’s the Spanish-speaking counterpart to Laurel Coppock’s quirky, endearing Toyota saleswoman.

Tiffany Díaz Brings Life to Mariela, Her Version of Toyota Jan

The first thing you’ll notice about Mariela is her similar appearance to Toyota Jan–from her shoulder-length brown hair to her red cardigans/dresses. But that doesn’t mean her character or her commercials are identical–especially since she never was pregnant.

Mariela’s Toyotathon appearances (which have been happening since December 2013) typically involve domestic disputes between young families looking for a car they can agree upon. The humor is more relatable to the Latino community–as opposed to the sometimes off-the-wall escapades of Toyota Jan.

In the end, though, she winds up selling the Toyota Camry just like Jan does.

Here’s Mariela in a Mother’s Day 2016 Toyota spot.

More than half a dozen Toyota commercials involving Mariela have been produced, which involve scenarios like:

• A couple bickering over getting a car that’s either reliable or fun
• A young girl posting pictures of the Camry who gets lots of Facebook “likes”
• A man looking for a car suitable for his dance moves
• A magician and his assistant appearing as cars begin disappearing (probably the oddest commercial)

Mariela is played by the talented Tiffany Díaz, a prolific television and film actress born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The bilingual actress and singer has appeared in over 80 national and international works, including some sketch comedy. Her highlights include roles in the films Demented, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and Pecados de una Profesora.

For a few television spots–animated like an old-fashioned comic book–Mariela is voiced by Yeni Alvarez. You can see her version of the character in the video below.

The News Wheel

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