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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  Frame rust - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By pgrazioso - January 13 - 10:18 am

  Weve only had this 2009 for three years. There is lots of rust on both sides of the frame. There is also rust under the hood where the cross-bar supports the radiator. We are wondering if this is common and what people have done to solve the problem.

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  Not sure what all the hype is about - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By villagefish - January 13 - 7:40 am

  The RAV drives more like a dune buggy than a 21st century vehicle and leaves an unrefined impression not generally associated with a Toyota (I have owned two other Toyota vehicles). The 4 cylinder engine is very loud and road noise is pronounced. I can hear suspension, wind, and tire noise at even the lowest speeds on newly paved surfaces. The ride is stiff and the steering feels artificially weighted. Throttle response is jerky, especially at low speeds. The lack of a rear bumper is a safety concern and the side hinged tail gate is inconvenient. I think this vehicle is cheaply made and not worth the high used vehicle price it commands. Suggest looking elsewhere.

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  Avoid the 2000-2002 GT model engines!!! - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Jason - January 12 - 8:32 pm

  I got it with 87k miles on it, and within a month I noticed it was going through a lot of oil. It turns out theres a known oil consumption issue with these 1zz-fe engines. Theres a website that even sells over sized pistons specifically for this issue. I rebuilt the engine, because the car is beautiful, I love the interior, and its a blast to drive. Its like driving a go kart that can go on the free way.. However, this engine is awful. Im at 162k miles and now the head gasket is blown, and I cant go anywhere without it overheating. If I had to do it over, I wouldve gotten a GT-S model.

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  Just OK - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Denise M - January 12 - 12:45 pm

  Theres a lot of road noise. Too much in my opinion. Rear visibility is poor. Unless I have backseat passengers, I keep the seats folded down. There are a lot of rear blindspots and the backup camera is no help with those. The headrests seem to lean forward, so I removed it. I find the steering wheel to be awkwardly small. I traded in a 2004 Toyota Solara with 210,000 miles. The RAV4 does not even come close to matching that car in comfort or handling. Hopefully it will match in reliability and longevity. Definitely buyers remorse.

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  Holy crap, this car is too damn reliable - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By carboy1993 - January 9 - 10:18 pm

  im 17 years old.This car is my first car last year. its like that first practice car that u usually bang up. well i havent hit anything yet but my god is this car reliable. we bought it when it back in 2003 with 116k on it in PERFECT condition.now its kinda of banged up, radio buttons falling off, etc, but it just WONT DIE. my mom drove it 160 miles a day at one point, and i drive it about 40-50 as of now(and i dont drive it nicely), its close to 220k. im getting an acura tl, but if it wasnt for the cars body falling apart and the [violative content deleted] acceleration,id be sad about this departure. im just mad at my parents because they said were gonna sell after the time belt wears out :(

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  please give back the headroom - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sean - January 8 - 5:22 am

  Beware if over 63 or taller. May hit head on moonroof edge if dont tilt seat back. Toyota...Its 2015. How do you not offer seat height adjustment even on limited model?

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  I wanted to really believe in the Toyota name but* - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Not my next choice - January 6 - 1:30 am

  This is my first truck and chose specifically for credibility of Toyota products-I’m not happy. The transmission had issues right away regarding bad shifting, lunging, in and out shift at normal road speed 45-50mph. It’s been worked on 3 times and the last time shifts were so violent It seemed to tear the rubber in the mounts. Computer update corrected the issue for two months now problems starting again. The navigation system is a joke, entered addresses on 5 occasions and every time I ended up using my phone. I backed into a small wall and shattered my bumper yes “shattered”, I was shocked to discover the bumpers are plastic- Shame on you people at Toyota—- truck my ass

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  Engine failed at 85,000 miles - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By rfrank5356 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  3 cylinders diagnosed with very low compression at 85,000 miles - Toyota says this is normal wear and tear! Warranty book says listen for loud tappet noise, but dealer says that valves elongate so they get quieter. Unless owners get a $600 valve adjust every 40K miles, valves WILL FAIL. No service buletins were issued on this.

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  Horrible mistake - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By aetherial - January 4 - 12:36 pm

  Looking at trading it in after 2000 miles. This is a VERY disappointing car. The seats are horrible even with power adjustments I cannot get comfortable. The gas mileage is nowhere near what was stated. The transmission lag in dropping down is annoying. This is the worst car I have ever owned.

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  Tire Trouble - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By JohnCalifornia - January 3 - 3:23 pm

  This is our second Sienna; our 1998 was fine. Weve had the 2007 model for two years now, and its had a lot of trouble with the run-flat tires. A couple of flats, and the air-pressure warning light comes on way too often. Today I took another flat to the dealer; the service department said "youre not supposed to just replace one of these at a time -- we should do all four. Otherwise, if the differential fails or the transmission fails, Toyota wont cover it under warranty." So -- throw away 3 good tires (only half worn) and spend $1000 on new run-flats, or Toyota wont honor the warranty? Ridiculous. Also, this van gets at least 20% worse mileage than our old one. Disappointing!