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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  Limited V6 - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4runnaway - May 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had this car for two weeks. The seats are comfortable, but Ive started to notice that the vehicle seems to lean a lot when cornering, causing me to lean a lot as well. I have an old 4Runner and never had that problem. Lots of wind noise, all around the windshield and especially around the side mirrors, even with all the windows shut. Luckily, the stereo sounds good -- better to drown out all that wind noise with. The plastic "bumpers" are dumb on a truck. Dont even think about bumping anything with them.

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  Poor Transmission - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By Chuck - April 26 - 11:20 am

  Have had rough downshift from day one. Took the car to local Colorado springs dealer and they say within specs, cant do anything. On slight uphill and SLOW advance of throttle the transmission (20-30% of time) SLAMS into a lower gear. Sometimes feels like it drops two gears. Just bought new Infinity and the shifting in all directions is silky smooth. Cant imagine buying another Toyota. Rest of the car is OK, not great but OK. Clumsy third rear seat.

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  Nice handling, suspension, annoying soun - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By pooch - April 24 - 10:00 am

  Compared to its nearest competitor (Sebring Limited) this convertible is worth the extra cash. 200hp engine provides powerful and smooth acceleration, handling is great, and it glides comfortably over rough road. Biggest complaint: you better like bass because the stereo will pound it out and you cant turn it down. Its very uncomfortable to me to listen to the radio, it gives me headaches. At low volumes all you can hear are low frequency pounding vibrations. As much as I like the car I wont be able to keep it.

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  I Dont Know What To Expect - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By SE 2007 - April 24 - 12:06 am

  I have had my 07 camry SE 4cyl. for almost a year now with 23000 miles on and I hate the motor. No power, jumpy as hell when accelerating, and feels like the car stalls when shifting. Thats the only way I can explain it. I have had it in twice and they say they reprogram the computer but it never helps. Gas mileage stinks too but it may be better if they could figure out the engine problems. The interior is cheap!! The plastics easily scratch on all the panels in the car. My drivers seat is starting to wear and my paint has a bunch of rust spots all over it. The spots will buff out under warranty but why should I have to deal with it. I will send pictures of these problems to anyone

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  Very Average Car for 2015! - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Mauri - April 21 - 6:23 pm

  For a 2015, I am surprised to see how basic this car is, with lots of road noise to not very good MPG on a 4 Cylinder engine. Only thing going for this car is the warranty and maintenance for 3 years.. that is it. For a big purchase, consider something else.

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  RAV4 after one year - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By carguy - April 21 - 1:06 pm

  Audible beeps when merely locking/unlocking doors is EXTREMELY annoying. It sounds like car thief alarm. Gas mileage is horrible, not even getting the minimum. No leg room for driver (Im 61") with the electronic seat.

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  This is My Last Toyota - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By DaytonaSmith - April 14 - 11:16 am

  The Avalon XLS I bought in 1998 now has 180,000 miles and is going strong. I hoped to repeat this performance with my new 2008 Avalon Limited. The Toyota quality is just no longer there. Problems include road noise, whining and jerking transmission, seats uncomfortable and squeaking, GPS is totally worthless, paint quality is horrible, rear sunshade activates for no reason, console is obtrusive, limited visibility for backing, and much more. I would advise avoiding Toyota until they return to building great cars like those of ten years ago.

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  Solid taco - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By comatoze - April 13 - 11:30 am

  2.4 L not strong , mpg is only around 24 hwy/21 combined. cab is small/tight. overall durable, dependable & you cant really ever go wrong with a yota.

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  So Far Not A Favorite - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Bill - April 11 - 12:30 am

  Whoever writes all the positive reviews on the Toyota Rav4 Sport definitely did not drive a Chevy Tahoe prior to downsizing, which was a big mistake. For us, its hard to find the good that outweighs the bad. Hopefully, the Rav4 will have a decent trade-in value as we hope to rid ourselves of it soon. We read tons of information regarding this car. We have not found the economy, comfort, pep, or anything else. Our average mpg is 24, far from the 28. The ride is rough, and the passenger seat and seating area is the most uncomfortable ever! Even the steering wheel is misplaced causing uncomfortable driving if going any distance. Also, very poor stereo sound system and very loud road noise.

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  steaming pile - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Mike - April 4 - 12:53 pm

  This is the most disappointing car Ive ever owned. Although its comfortable, quiet, roomy and has a great stereo, its had 3 recalls. Other than the notorious gas pedal problem, it also has a recall on a defective oil supply line going to the valves. If this bursts like mine did you may very well destroy your engine and the only warning you will get is the sound of your engine seizing up! The transmission is jerky but no recall for that yet. If you already own one of these cars, call your dealer NOW and tell them you want the oil supply line replaced at once (for free) or youll be very sorry. They will not warn you about this problem ahead of time by sending you a letter so call today.