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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  Warning to previous owners of Tacomas - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Richard Davidson - July 3 - 9:28 am

  The 2016 Tacoma will disappoint anyone that has owned an older V6 powered Tacoma. I have purchased a new Tacoma every 2 years since 1985. I currently still own 4 TRD 4x4s. They are all used for business. The 2016 has the worst engine, transmission, gear ratio of any Toyota I have driven. The power band/shift points leave this vehicle sluggish at best. On any incline in the road the transmission will shift continuously between 6th and 4th(1900rpm to 3400rpm at 75mph). The engine noise is significantly more noticeable than my 2014 which is a great vehicle. On flat ground the transmission shifts through the gears so quickly you find yourself always stepping harder on the throttle to keep the speed up. When you contact Toyota everyone at the dealership will deny they have heard of the problem. Toyota factory reps will admit they know of the issue but as of this date no fix. I would not recommend a 2016. Look for a 2014 or older. Update 08/15/2017. Toyota has a software update for the transmission shifting. You will have to find a service writer familiar with the update. (Most know nothing of it). The update makes the shifting problems better. Doesnt do anything for the noises engine. The truck also has a recall for a leaky rear differential which they do not have the parts to repair. I want my 2014 back.

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  Nightmare experience - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By obxchick87@gmail.com - June 17 - 1:35 am

  I purchased a Corolla because of its reliability and good reputation, and I absolutely loved everything about this car at first. Unfortunately, my little dream car turned into a nightmare a mere 3 weeks after purchase. While stopped at a red light, an error message popped up on the dash saying "Charging System Malfunction" and I thought it was just an issue with my GPS, which was plugged into the outlet. I unplugged it and then another message popped up, this time saying "Oil pressure low" followed by messages saying to consult my owners manual and to take the car in for service. I was at an intersection and tried to turn onto the side road, only to find I had no accelerator power. I was slamming on the gas trying to move, and I was only able to do so because I was going downhill. Two good samaritans helped push me to safety, but to my horror I had NO brakes while the car was in neutral. I had to shift the car into park and lurch to a stop. One of the guys who helped suggested turning off and restarting the car, and sure enough the error messages went away. Still, I had it towed to the dealership, after dealing with Toyota Care and waiting 2 hours for the tow truck to get there. To condense this novel, the car threw no error codes when service checked it, and theyre maintaining that nothing is wrong with the car. Ive had to open a case with Toyota and I honestly cant believe what a horrible experience the whole thing has been. More effort has been put into attacking my credibility and denying what happened than it has in actually fixing whats obviously a major issue. For a brand new car to malfunction and impede my ability to control it is unacceptable, and I will not be driving it again. I really hope I was just sold a lemon and that no other owners experience these issues, but I will NEVER buy a Toyota again. They do not stand behind their products, and I highly recommend taking your business to a manufacturer that does.

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  Tire Destroyer - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By Jeff - May 13 - 11:22 am

  Dont by a AWD Sienna until Toyota figures out how to fix the problem with tire wear. I had to replace all four Run Flat Tires at 15,000 miles. My one year old vehicle wouldnt even pass inspection. The tire tread wear was uneven. The dealer said it was initially alignment issues, which was not the case. Bridgestone pro-rated the tires and helped me with the replacement cost, while Toyota did nothing. Bridgestone indicated that this is a manufacturing problem based on how the tires are wearing down. Additionally, they indicated that this is a big problem on the Sienna only. They have helped customers with pro rating tires, but Toyota is not helping. Its a family vehicle and to have a problem like this boils down to $$ and safety. The fact that Toyota has done nothing to fix this problem is a red flag for me. Each tire is about $260 to replace and to only get 15,000 miles out of the first set is a problem. At this rate, I will put 4 sets of tires on the van by the time my lease is up after only 3 years.

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  Very disappointing - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Jhm - May 12 - 4:03 pm

  My car (4,000 miles) has MAJOR paint issues, plus electronic problems, plus a rattle in the suspension that the mechanics cant locate. Oh, and it only gets about 21 mpg, even with easy driving. The paint is very worrisome. It chips off the front very easily. I look like I was sprayed with rocks (even though I wasnt) My daughter calls the car chippy. I dont think its funny

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  Why Me - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By joedown under - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Ugly and slow, hate the rear access. POOOOR 4x4. Wish I had bought a Chevrolet Colorado. P.S. POOOOR gas milage.

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  Excessive Oil Consumption LAWSUIT DO NOT BUY - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Devin Urban - March 21 - 1:17 pm

  My 2009 Toyota Camry threw a rod through the engine block because of excessive oil consumption. After speaking with a dealership and corporate, Toyota refused to cover the cost of replacing the engine which the dealer quoted at 5,000 USD for a used engine and 6,000 USD for a rebuilt engine. An independent mechanic indicated that the rod was thrown due to low oil pressure, there were no leaks apparent, clearly the car burned through a significant amount of oil causing catastrophic engine failure. Research the issue briefly, and you will find that a class action lawsuit is in progress relating to this issue.

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  Scary Driving, Horrible Customer Service - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By tattytiara - March 20 - 7:53 am

  I will never trust Toyota with my safety again. Its one thing to have poorly trained dealers who tell dangerous, outright falsehoods about the vehicles features and design, its another to train the head office staff to deal with customer complaints by running them through a maze of incompetence in the hope theyll just get frustrated and give up rather than addressing customer concerns directly. One slight breeze and youre in the ditch. The fuel economys very misleading, because you need to carry at least half a beach worth of sand just to stay on the road. The windows spontaneously rolling down is just bonus fun. I have never been more dissatisfied with a purchase in my life.

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  Great Disappointment - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Greyhater - February 27 - 9:00 am

  I used to think Toyota was a quality organization that was reponsive to customers. Unfortunately I could not have been more wrong. Buying this car was one of the worst mistakes of my life.

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  4 cylinder makes the grade - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By CHAD - January 31 - 2:33 am

  I bought a 2010 4 cyl. 4runner in March. I had a 2005 Toyota Highlander and planned to purchase another one but came across this model on the dealers lot. I bought it because it delivers good gas mileage, has 8 air-bags, neat appointments in interior. Has better outward visibility than the hl, sits 1" higher, and has enough power in the 4 cly. For my use. I am towing a 2000 lb. Pop-top camper and have no interest in going off road. The storage space is adequate, seats fold down flat, dashboard temp., compass, mileage ratings, etc. Are an added plus. After just 1300 miles I am ave. 20.5 mpg. It has sonar for backing up, fog lights, etc. A very good BASIC vehicle for $28,500.

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  Will never buy a Toyota Again - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By User92539 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  This has been the most horrid car I have ever purchased. The transmission died with less than 5000 on it. The dealership blamed me: said I raced it! Seat fabric came apart on passenger seat. Water pump already died. I have only had this car 5 months!