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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  Seriously poor interior - rattling gets much worse in winter - Overall "OK" - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By vvasireddy9 - July 25 - 5:01 am

  Title explains mostly..

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  Throttle Problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Tony - July 24 - 12:20 pm

  The brakes were replacded within a week of purchasing this vehicle. The throttle body was replaced @ 20,000 mi & again @38,000 (under warranty). Both times the car "stalled out" while driv- ing @ hwy speeds. I bought a Toyota for quality & have had more problems than my 04 Gran Prix that I sold @ 140K mi.

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  What happened to toyota quality? - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Dave - July 18 - 10:53 am

  Were not aggressive or rough drivers, using a minivan for what it was intended, and we have followed all maintenance plans through local toyota dealer. Our experience has been miserable: First year, sliding doors rattled incessantly. Had to have door seals replaced (actually missing). 2nd year, catalytic converter went out, somehow causing traction control malfunction in snow storm. 3rd year: Power sliding door motor burned out. Out of warranty. Dealer provided parts, we paid for labor. Into 4th year now, cracked radiator, torn CV boots, intermittent/shorting rear heater controls. This is worse than the 1998 Dodge Caravan we traded in!!! Looking for something different now.

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  2009 sr5 double cab 4x4, my mistake - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By joe - July 17 - 10:10 am

  Not happy with build quality, ventilation system did not work and Windows fogged very badly but was repaired under warranty. Air conditioner is very weak on hot days, after 4 trips to dealer it is better but still not what I expected from Toyota. The radio turns itself off and on during hot weather, still not replaced by dealer. Paint job is not consistent and has foreign material in it. Lots of wind noise. Rear springs bottom out easily with very light loads. Composite bed tie downs should be in front of bed not rear. I can not believe I have to go to dealer to check the auto trans. Fluid level. Beware Toyota quality is no longer what it once was. I think I will soon be driving a f150

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  Big Mistake - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By unhappy - July 9 - 2:43 am

  I have had my Highlander for about 2 weeks now and I can honestly say that I would never have leased this car if I had driven it for more than a few minutes. The steering wheel makes a clicking noise and I feel a click when I turn it. The third row has giant headrests that block your view out the back window. This is really not a 7 passenger vehicle unless the person sitting in the middle seat is tiny (and then they should probably be in a carseat!) I dislike driving the Highlander soooo much and dont know how I will keep it for the next 38 1/2 months. Was trying to save some $$ and didnt save very much and got a car that I hate. I keep hoping it will grow on me, but then I drive it!

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  An appliance - and not much more - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By RealityCheck - July 2 - 8:56 pm

  Im a little disappointed by the quality of the interior materials and some of the design decisions. I cant quite get the right seat/steering wheel setup, the LCD displays are hard to read in sunlight, and the electric power steering is atrocious. Its been 30 years since Ive driven a car that required so many steering corrections. Engine performance is OK in first gear, a dog in any other gear. The ride/handling trade-off is surprisingly good for such a cheap car. Maybe Im spoiled, by my 2006 Pontiac GTO has a much nicer interior than either this car or the Camry - surprising since everyone talks about how bad GM interiors are.

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  Solara Conv Poor Quality - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Dr. Joseph Lanfresch - June 25 - 12:40 pm

  The car looks great but with the top up and the fixed rear headrests its impossible to see out the rear window. The fit and finish of the body has panel and paint flaws where the plastic meets the metal,which the dealer refused to repair. The Conv top stitching was coming apart by the rear window, again no dealer help. The seat belts do not retract and the rear belts flap in the wind with the top down. The car has no side guard protection so you accumulate parking dings on the doors. The front slope of the car does not allow you to see the distance to the car in front when parking or entering a garage. The cover for the Conv top requires two people to install. Very disappointed

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  Toyota Tacoma 2010 Bought New - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By blipnick - June 24 - 12:29 am

  Problems: - Uncomfortable Seats - Uneven Pedals (clutch pedal is higher than the others) , foot is trapped between top of clutch pedal and underside of dash when releasing clutch (wearing workboots, 6 Ft. tall driver) - Stereo system is weak. Use of Aux. input requires turning volume up full. - Gas mileage is poor (25 MPG highway). - Stock rims rusting after 6 months. - 4 wheel drive switch not illuminated. - Requires multiple turn overs to start.

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  Toyota has ruined the Tundra - 2014 Toyota Tundra
  By mrt19 - June 22 - 11:15 am

  Toyota has completely changed the engine mapping for this truck and added an electronic throttle limiter so everything that was right about the 2007-2013 5.7 engine is now gone. That beloved power is no more. It is sluggish, slow, shift points are erratic and all over the place. I also now get 11mpg. I just got back from the Toyota dealer because I thought something was wrong with it. After a ride with a Toyota Master Technician he confirmed that was what it was supposed to be like. He also agreed with me that they have ruined this truck.

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  Not Impressed - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By kern - June 19 - 3:40 pm

  I bought this car used with only 15k miles on it. Previous lease and all oil changes were done at the dealer. Still had the new car smell. My previous car was over 11 yrs old so I think I was just in awe of having something newer. But after 3 wks of ownership, I am a bit disappointed. I have not made my first payment yet and the car needs a complete brake job, rotors and all. That is pretty disturbing for only 16k miles. Dome light is no longer working for some reason and I also noticed the trans slip that everyone is talking about. I dismissed it because my last car was a 6 cy. Thought I just had to get used to a 4 again. Now I see its not me, its the car.