Before variable valve timing a Toyota could upchuck the timing belt with no engine damage. 100k service life, and far cheaper to fix than chain drive DOHC. VVTi engines wreck themselves when the belt gives out.
A leaking timing cover on a newer Camry V-6 costs over two grand. The T-belt V-6 with everything under the cover, about a grand. I prefer the belt.
It isn’t variable valve timing, its the basics of a interference engine design.
If you have a non interference engine the piston when fully extended will not hit the valves even if they are open.. so a timing belt failure does no damage.
In an interference engine, the piston will collide with an open valve. As long as the timing is kept in sync, the two parts will never be in the same place at the same time, but when it fails, CRUNCH.
Variable valve timing has nothing to do with the issue, you can have variable valve timing on a non interference engine and you won’t destroy the engine if the timing belt fails.