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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  exceptable not exceptional - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By tom totalo - November 5 - 9:13 am

  I liked the car prior to buying but after three months I dont care for it any mor. Perhaps because Ive driven a friends 07 Honda.

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  Would I Buy Again? - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By 510man - November 4 - 11:26 am

  The Avalon is Toyotas version of a Buick. It is much improved over the prior models. The acceleration and economy are a nice blend. The car has great acceleration, for what it is, and the highway mileage is truly over 30mpg. The car has quite a bit of torque steer and can get squirrelly if youre not paying attention under hard acceleration. My opinion is it should have been a rear wheel drive. The car drives well. Its not to tight so it rides well but its not like driving a sponge when cornering (like a Lincoln, Buick, etc.) Road noise is excessive but some of that may be the CHEAP quality tires the factory put on the car. The AC and heat are the best Ive owned.

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  MPG Stinks - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Greg Winter - November 2 - 12:40 pm

  I am disgusted with this, my 2nd Camry, and my 3rd Toyota. The MPG was advertised as 24 city, 34 HWY. I have NEVER gotten better than 17 mpg and sometimes get 15/16. Ive taken it to Toyota and all I get is a recommendation for a $500 tuneup. I have religiously followed instructions for maintenance, and have treated it with care, but Im going to sell it. My Dodge minivan with 110K miles gets better mileage. I bought the silly thing mainly because I wanted better mileage, and it was a replacement for my 95 Camry which, even after 120K miles, got 24 mpg. Pathetic. Plus, the cup holder in the front doesnt work: its not adjustable and the slim plastic tab keeps popping out. A lemon.

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  Unhappy - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By jimmers67 - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I cant believe Toyota. I have 22000 miles on this truck. It needs front brake pads,tires And there are five TBS On the truck.If I should happen to stop quickly The transmission does not downshift properly.When appling the brakes in reverse There is a sound coming from the front brakes.I give up!

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  Test drive for a long time - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By amy - October 29 - 10:00 am

  I am 57" and have a long torso - seat is so uncomfortable I am going to physical therapy. Neck and shoulder pain while driving is horrible. Bumpy ride felt more so on newly paved roads for some reason. It feels like the wheels are not balanced or aligned properly or something. Online research regarding same showed numerous people have same problems with seat being uncomfortable and bumpy ride. Dont limit yourself to the 5 mile or so test drive that the sales rep "allows" you. I regretted buying this car after about a week. Also, stereo is bland and low end.

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  Too Many Odd Problems - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Catlin - October 29 - 6:33 am

  We bought this van when they were first released and weve had the feeling that Toyota was rushing to get them out to the dealerships. The driver side window fell off track and broke inside the door, the power door locked open and we had to cut the cable to get it closed, brakes and tires were replaced, and now the power steering needs repaired. Nothing has been covered under warranty or recall so far. We do wish we had held off and bought a Honda and may end up taking a loss and trading it in even though we had hoped to drive it for many more years.

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  Well keep our superior 2011 Rav4 Limited - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Tim - October 28 - 3:56 am

  Try before you buy! When we needed more cargo room to take daughter and dorm stuff back to school 100 miles away we killed 2 birds with one stone. Were considering a new Rav but a 10 minute test drive IS NOT enough so we rented a 2016 Rav4 Limited which was hard to find for rent and seemed to ride the same as a 2015 we had driven prior. The car served its purpose in 2 ways: 1: It got the job done. 2: It convinced us to keep our 2011. Why? Ok so if you drive mostly smooth highways its ok. When tooling around/commuting on anything else it rides like a brick (yes tire psi correct) You feel every imperfection on the road.The other annoyance is the 6 speed which in theory makes sense but its annoying as it constantly hunts for gears. The 15/16 just have an overall cheap feel inside and out including fake leather. Our 2011 by comparison feels solid, no gear hunting, not a squeak or rattle, nice ride and real perforated leather. We have owned many fine Toyotas including our current Rav and 2009 Camry Hybrid but I think corporate greed has caused their quality to decline in recent years including far too many recalls some of which years later STILL dont have a fix which speaks volumes right there.

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  Get ripped off by Toyota - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By sdgirl2 - October 26 - 3:39 pm

  My 2004 Toyota Sienna had a faulty radiator. Who has to replace a radiator in todays cars? I contacted Toyota regarding this and they didnt care. I then had trouble with my power steering that has a recall on 2004 Siennas but guess what? My particular vin # is not covered under the recall. Coincidence? I think not! I was told by my mechanic that Toyota takes about 1 in 3 calls and does something about it. Oh, also you get to replace the Timing Belt at 90,0000 miles to the tune of $1500! I bought this car thinking I could get a good 200,000 miles out of it (because according to the dealer - this is a quality vehicle and thats why we dont dicker on prices!). I dont think so!!!

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  Not what it used to be - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By aman12 - October 24 - 2:55 am

  You may have heard of Toyotas incredible longevity and build quality. True with the 1997 Camry. Not so for this car. Build quality is horrendous. I have to take constant trips to the dealership to get rattles fixed all over the car. The armrests on the doors kept constantly braking until I finally had them replaced with plyglass (payed for by Toyota). 80k miles- a loud whine developed in reverse. Had to get the transmission replaced. Latest problem? The trunk doesnt go up all the way. Back to Toyota to get the Hydraulic mechanism replaced. Should have payed 20k not 40

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  Way Overrated - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By David - October 17 - 7:26 pm

  This is my first and last Toyota truck. GMC has forgotten more about trucks than Toyota knows.