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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  Aghh, Not Impressed - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Melissa - May 17 - 9:40 pm

  Too bad, I bought this car new, because Im not a fan. Walking into the dealership it was all about getting a car with good gas mileage. But stepping down from a Subaru Forester made the Matrixs shortcomings more obvious. Dislikes: Seating position. I feel like Im sitting in a booster chair-- Not comfortable. Puny engine. Toyota sells this car as sporty. If youre looking for somewhat-sporty styling, but poor agility this is your car. Rapid acceleration is labored. The Matrix also seems to rock from front to back. Tires are tiny. Especially dislike occasionally bottoming out in this car with low grills & bumper. Miss everything about my Subaru Forester but the gas mileage

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  Time To Get rid Of My TOYota - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By toy time - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Sadly disappointed in reliability department. Have had the brakes replaced numerous times and had to have to computer replaced at 10,000miles and reflashed again at 22,000 miles. Poor customer sat from toyota. I previously owned a 98 Camery and to date was the best vehicle that I owned. Sorry Toyota but after the service I received and the numerous problems with this vehicle I will GLADLY take my business elsewhere.

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  Transmission Stinks - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By Miker - May 16 - 9:30 am

  Ive now owned brand new Fords, Chevys and this Toyota. The Chevy was the most comfortable, but had terrible brakes. The Ford had the worst gas mileage and the Toyota is about to get traded for the most annoying transmission in the world! That downshifting is ridiculous!! Who are they kidding, this is not the Toyota of 10 years ago. I wont buy another.

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  2007 Toyota Camry V6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Charles Anglin - May 8 - 6:00 am

  I have been driving Toyota Camry for several several years and traded a 2003 Camry. I immediately starting noticing transmission surge during 2nd and 3rd gear during first few minutes of driving. Service dept. ignored any knowledge of this problem until about 6 months ago. They finally had me bring it in for a computer update regarding the shifting, which cleared the problem for the most part. Still does some surging at times. Radio display went out several times before radio was replaced. Rattles inside. Rear bumper popped out on left side, I just popped it back into place. Disappointed in interior and exterior quality. 30,000 miles on it now and disappointed.

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  The wind noise! - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Wayne - May 7 - 9:14 am

  Love my new Highlander except for one thing. When I go past 45 or there is a strong crosswind, there is a whistling noise on the front passenger window, nothing on the driver sider. Dealer said its a "normal characteristic" of the car because it occurred in a 2015 Highlander also and there is nothing they can do till Toyota issues a "TSB, " Technical Service Bulletin, on how to fix it. Wind noise would be ok but whistling noise is fairly annoying, especially at highway speed. If a quiet cabin is not an important criteria then this is a great car. Otherwise, I would stay away till its fixed.

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  I get it - its an economy car. But cmon! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Brian Knapp - May 5 - 10:17 pm

  Its an okay car. You buy it because it delivers reliability, economy, and excellent fuel mileage. I understand this car is an economy car and its no Lexus - much less a Camry. Im not comparing this car to a nicer car brand - its entry level and I understand that. However, its still not a car that I would buy again after having driven one - even if I was in the market for an economy car. Pros: Economy - between the infrequent repairs (hasnt had any issues in nine years of ownership), the fuel economy, and the MSRP, its possibly one of the cheapest to buy and undisputedly cheapest to run used cars out on the market today. It would make an excellent first car or a car for someone who just doesnt like driving and needs something easy to commute to work in. Reliability - In 9 1/2 years of ownership (we bought this car in April 2006), we have had zero issues with it. Nada. Nothing. It is a solid little car - thats expected of most Toyotas or Hondas however. Cons: Driving Dynamics - This car is scary on the highway. Trying to accelerate on a freeway entrance ramp is extremely difficult and downright dangerous. Its pretty peppy around the city, but trying to pass someone in this car is not for the faint at heart. Additionally, this car is from an era when electric assisted power steering was not quite as refined as it is today, so the steering feels pretty loose and a little "off" compared to older cars with hydraulic power steering. This gives the steering a "numb" feeling. I know this is a pretty subjective word to use, but the car just feels weird to drive. Its almost like driving a toy car or a golf cart. With an antiquated four speed automatic transmission, the engine gets pretty buzzy and it doesnt shift very smoothly. Interior - Because of the starting price, I forgive the fact that there is hard plastics virtually everywhere, even on most places where your elbows rest. However, the interior is a bit too "Scion" in my opinion and not in a good way. Perhaps one of the biggest design flaws is the center mounted speedometer. Everyone in my family who has driven this car has had a few speeding tickets because its easy to ignore the speedometer. I understand Toyota removed this in the newer generation of Yaris - thank goodness. Still - the center mounted speedometer is something that is hard to forgive and offers no benefit over a traditional steering wheel mounted speedometer. Its a classic example of form over function. Also, the seats are EXTREMELY uncomfortable - I often find myself hunching over the steering wheel with upper back pain because the seats are not very plush. The cloth is not soft and just feels really thin and not durable. The sound system is absolutely awful. Again - I get this is an economy car, but even my 2008 Toyota Corolla has a much better sounding stereo than the Yaris. The interior quality starts to show its age. We barely drive the car, but the plastics still rattle like crazy. The engine is extremely buzzy and there is a great deal of road noise in the cabin. The visibility is not terrible, but the exterior design gives it a pretty tall rear end, making the rear window a bit small. It also has EXTREMELY thick A-pillars which unfortunately block your view of pedestrians in the crosswalk. Overall, the interior of the Yaris is one of its most pitiful downfalls. Safety - this car seems like the perfect fit for your teenage daughter or God forbid your son (dont get him a Yaris). However - just look at the side impact crash test scores. The Yaris did NOT come with side impact airbags standard. This car is a death trap in a T-bone accident, which is the deadliest form of accident. Not to mention, a lot of these Yarisi have virtually NO anti-theft protection. This car doesnt even have a chipped key - so anyone with a screwdriver can start the car. Toyotas tend to be one of the most frequently stolen car brand, so the fact that Toyota didnt put this basic safety feature in the car is shameful. Even my 2000 Ford Taurus had a chipped key and thats approaching 16 years old! I wouldnt recommend this car if you live in an area with high car theft rates. IF you do, consider investing in a steering wheel club and/or an aftermarket alarm system. Honestly - you can get that trademark Toyota reliability with just about any Toyota model out there. Consider investing in a 2000s era Camry instead (especially the 02-06 generation) or a Toyota Corolla. Youll give up a few MPGs, but youll get a safer, more comfortable car to commute in.

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  Not Toyotas Best - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Jon H - May 5 - 8:36 pm

  I dont know what everyone is talking about. I have had my car for 3 years. I bought it used in 2002 w/ about 68,000 miles. And the list of problems start 3 days after I bought it. I dont know if I got the runt or what. But this car is crap. Seats are hard, uncomfortable for drives longer then 20 mins. I had to have a new engine put in it just about 100,000 miles. Only good thing I can say, is Im glad I bought the extended warantee. Which just went up @ 104K, and now it needs new seals.... just lovely. I bought this car expecting so much. And I must say it has let me down. I honestly wish I had just kept my 98 Dodge neon. Yes you heard me.................

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  Bad Choice - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Greg - May 5 - 8:23 pm

  Not the car the other 2 Toyotas I had. Transmission big issue and also rattles more than the 2001 Avalon that had 175K miles

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  5 door - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By aargos - May 3 - 6:59 pm

  Have had my 5 door for 3 years now. Gets good fuel economy as expected and so far no issues. Feels nimble and zippy around town. However, would not buy it again. For not so small 17+ k the car feels too cheap. It exudes cheapness/budget. Even at street speed open 1 window and you get greeted with such bad wind buffeting it gives me and my wife a headache. We have to open the window on other side to even it out. Maybe its the shape, I dont know but never experienced it in any other car. If youre looking for a good small car in this price range go with the Fit, there is a reason why it consistantly gets better rated. My wife and I certainly wish we did.

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  FALLING APART - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By ray - May 2 - 6:26 am

  The cd never worked it eats cds, never fixed. Immediately after the warranty went out 2 expensive air pumps went out. Toyota is aware of the problem in these trucks, parts to replace are on back order. We are paying 920.00 a month for a truck we cant drive. They have no idea when parts available. The repairs take an hour and truck has been in shop over a week and no idea when parts will be in. Dealership has no compassion for our problems. We thought we would have a dependable vehicle. We have only had 1 year.