Overview & Reviews

Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which goes a long way toward justifying their typically high purchase prices. For buyers who plan on owning their new vehicles for a long time, the Toyota marque is a very compelling choice.

The automaker's name is a variation of the surname of its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. After years of research, Toyoda unveiled his first prototype, the A1, in 1935, marking the birth of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The '40s witnessed the launch of additional passenger cars and even a pickup. By the end of the decade, the automaker had produced more than 100,000 vehicles.

Toyota grew bigger in the '50s and expanded its roster with a slew of new small cars. The company also unveiled the utilitarian BJ truck; this vehicle was the precursor to the Land Cruiser. By the end of the decade, Toyota had commenced exports to the U.S. with the establishment of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. The first Toyota to be sold on American shores was the Crown; it held the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold Stateside.

The '60s witnessed even more growth for the emerging juggernaut. Toyota introduced the Corolla, an immensely popular model that is still in production today. Vehicles like the home-market Publica, the 2000GT, Hiace and Miniace were also launched. The decade closed with Toyota reporting annual domestic sales of 1 million units; cumulative exports also reached 1 million.

Japanese-market cars like the Carina, Light Ace and Publica Starlet were launched during the 1970s. In the States, the Corolla grew in popularity and the Corona and Mk II models debuted as well. The successful Celica sports coupe was also rolled out and would remain in production for more than 30 years. Toyota's shadow had spread far beyond Japan by this point. The decade's oil crisis had made the manufacturer's compact, fuel-efficient models more popular than ever in the United States. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker had exported more than 10 million vehicles.

Toyota expanded its presence in the U.S. market during the '80s, with the introduction of popular models like the 4Runner SUV and the MR2 sports car. The true high point of these years, though, was the birth of the Toyota Camry sedan. Originally known as the Celica Camry in Japan, the car went on to be a hit of phenomenal proportions, earning kudos as America's best-selling car of the year time and time again.

During the '90s, Toyota rolled out the Avalon full-size sedan and expanded its selection of SUVs with the compact RAV4. By the end of the decade, more than 100 million Toyota vehicles had been produced in Japan. The company also proved itself on the cutting edge of new technology with the rollout of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid. The car debuted in Japan in 1997; by 2001, the fuel-sipping sedan had made its way to American highways. Despite the presence of a growing number of competitors in its segment, the Prius continues to boast class-leading sales.

Toyota's current lineup is relatively extensive, including minivans, cars, trucks and SUVs. The brand remains extremely popular among savvy consumers who place a high value on quality and dependability.

User Reviews:

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  PLASTIC JUNK! BAD BLUETOOTH! - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Hugh - January 29 - 11:05 pm

  I love this SUV. Only two problems is the seat belt plastic mount on the drivers door pillar has a constant rattle! Right in my left ear. Been to dearler twice still no fix! Guess I could drive a stick in to this $29,000 car to get it to stop, cant go far like this! Like the voodoo rattle torcher. Worst bluetooh on the market! 02/06/16 Up date Still the worst bluetooth on the market! Nissan has Toyota beat 10 to 1 on theirs.You Can get in the car and take off and if the does not pair right you cant even use your cell phone. Have to stop and shut it down get out of the car to make a phone call! Not just the rav4 my wifes 2013 camry does the same thing on her bluetooth! come on toyota your letting Nissan beat you on this bluetooth deal! Your better than that!

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  Extremely POOR Gas Mileage - 2012 Toyota Tacoma
  By johnd38 - January 28 - 12:59 am

  Ive had Tacomas in the past with marginal gas mileage of 25 mpg, but this is terrible - less than 20 mpg. Toyota has gotten worse & does not live up to the high standards that it once had. Very tinny when closing doors & Poor Dealer Maintenance. Probably will not buy again unless they improve much more. They are relying on past reputation instead of making a better vehicle. Seems like there is No Engineering; only Sales & Marketing today. Put some Engineering effort into this: Improve Gas Mileage -30 mpg+ can be done & quit all the electronic giz wiz "features". Get back to basics & make a good, fuel efficient vehicle again.

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  Good, but could be better. - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Matrix04 - January 28 - 12:26 am

  Electric windows rattle, grind and pop. Dealer could not address problem. Eventually a window fell out. Engine surges while stopped at light or in traffic. Dealer could not address problem. The door handles have a "metallic" finish that peels away. Occupants have cut their fingers on the edge of metal/plastic that was coming away. Eventually got worse to where you could see the white plastic handle underneath so I peeled away the remaining sharp edges and caution occupants. Dealer offered to repair at my expense. Contacted the Toyota Customer Service Experience Center and was referred back to a dealer.

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  not so hot - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By servco=headache - January 26 - 6:16 pm

  Bought this car thinking it would be a 10 year car. It is now 3.5 yrs old and dont think the car will last past its 5th birthday. The transmission is sick. The dealer isnt the greatest (Servco Pacific). To get warranty work done to fix the jerky transmission is like pulling teeth. Hawaii is warm and poorly designed ac gets smelly. To put a redesigned ac to prevent mold growing, they are going to charge me $338 for a $270 part. Last time I checked, Hawaii is part of the US but according to the dealer, they are not part of the us and can charge whatever they like. Trim panels and rattles will drive you crazy. If you buy used, look up all tech service bulletins and get it fixed!

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  Wish I woulda waited - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Eroc69 - January 24 - 2:33 pm

  Now I have almost 4500 miles on my 07 LE V-6. I am still not happy and I have a 1000 mile vacation coming up. Good things: roomy, quiet, good MPG for a V-6, engine is great. Bad things: more rattles than a 10 y.o. junker, my dashboard has a crack in it, the dash rattles in cold weather. Also starter buzzes weirdly on cold morning start up. The left side of the drivers seat is lower than the right side. It takes from 1-3 seconds after pushing the gas pedal for the tranny to downshift and accelerate. With a hard heavy downshift the car takes off, but on normal moderate accelerating, it is dangerous and frustrating. I will bring it in for service soon and see if these can be fixed.

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  Car has had many repairs less than 5k mi - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By david wood - January 22 - 5:20 pm

  Bought new 2005 4Runner 12/5 drove it home and the front-end alignment was off. Has rattle nose in front-end suspension (yet to be resolved), had car back to dealer three times. Fan belts made squealing nose. Dealer said they were glazed and replaced them at 2k mi. At 4k mi. serpentine belt made loud clicking nose. Dealer replaced, said it had a cracked belt. 7k mi. transmission makes a creaking noise when shifting between drive and reverse. Dealer said the noise is normal. When parked on a hill it gets worse and sounds like grinding a 5 speed (it is an automatic transmission). This is my second 4Runner the 2002 I traded was a great car. 85k mi. The power antenna motor went. Sorry I traded it in.

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  The Good.. The Bad.. and The Boring.. - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By ToyFoyBoy - January 22 - 3:13 pm

  The Camry.. Its a cheap family car with high safety, low insurance, and bland styling.. But it really has always been this car, they have made a few hot ones over the years in very low numbers, but the formula has always been what it is. The 2016 camry is really a failed attempt at the most simple Camry formula.. Decent looks, good build quality, high quality parts, and Decent driver interaction.. This has been the simple formula going back to the camry Vx70 which was the original Celica Camry here in the USA.. Before it got its own US Platform.. The 85 Camry i owned, started life as my fathers and was handed down to me at 173K miles, it was silver, with a very supportive, ultra high quality interior fabric, the dash looked textured, and was a thick rubberized plastic, which actually felt expensive, and like a high quality car.. It was slow, at 90hp, but it was fun to drive, it handled well, and was very easy to see out of.. In 1991 another family member bought a new Camry LE v6 which was also another car with fantastic seats, great handling, and offered a competent comfortable ride.. I expected the same when i purchased my 2016 Camry SE.. I wanted the good sounds of the nakamichi stereos of the 80s, i wanted the adequate hp of the 91, and the handling, performance, and easy visibility that the older camry got.. What i ended up with though was a poor imitation of a buick.. The seats are hard, cheap, and the material feels like something they found at the dollar store, the dash rattles, the stereo is the entune which gets generic paper speakers, the handling is terrible, the ride is harsh for no reason, the electric power steering is slow, and cant keep up with spirited driving, you cant see out of it, and frankly the automatic transmission is just terrible.. The 2.5 is a gem of a 4cyl engine, but everything attached to it, just isnt up to par for a toyota.. I feel like the camry went from a BMW fighter for the middle class to something that only resembles the actual camry by nothing more than name.. This isnt my only toyota, but frankly it is my last new one.. I would rather put the time into repairing a 200+K mile early toyota than make payments on another appliance.. After all i already own a refrigerator.. I never thought i wanted to drive one..

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  Ill never buy another one - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Cometstorm - January 18 - 2:00 am

  The car has a significant veer/drift to the left at highway speeds. I have found that this is a very common complaint among many 2002 and newer Camry/Solara owners. I have to continually "force" the car to keep it in a straight line. On left hand highway curves, I dont even have to steer... I can just let go of the steering wheel. Numerous dealerships attempts to correct the problem have failed. I also see that there have been many complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration on this issue (along with my own)... Many of us can only pray for a recall....

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  Ride and transmission questions - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By stan hrincevich - January 12 - 1:39 am

  The interior, styling, and reliability are unquestionable, highest ratings. I owned a 2007 Avalon and the newer, 2013 forward, Avalons dont ride as well, you can feel every bump on the road unlike older versions. Then there is the automatic transmission. My 2007 was a smooth riding vehicle and the newer Avalons simply dont have the acceleration and easy to no jerking between gears. Also, the transmission is somewhat noisy compared to earlier Avalons. What a shame as this was the car I was targeting to buy but will now look elsewhere.

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  Becoming more and more disappointed - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By BFP - January 11 - 10:00 am

  This car has truly been a disapointment. Though roomy, the ventilation system is terrible - cant keep both the front and backseat passengers comfortable at the same time. Dash board electric panel goes out from time to time - the dealer cant seem to fix it. A truly overrated and overpriced vehicle - cant wait to dump it!!