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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  I have try it, it is worse than i though - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By kalokt - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I have testdrive it, the color was impressive (the blue one), but the inside feature and the dealership is not that goooood. Generally the car is ok, inside doesnt have a great room, but acceptable.

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  Should Have Never Signed The Contract - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Stat - November 9 - 12:26 am

  Theres something I didnt like about it and figured it out 2 days after I bought it. Oh well, now I am stuck with it. It has tight seating in the front row-more generous in the back. The seats give a pushed forward feeling no matter how you adjust them creating tension on your back. No long trips in this! Headrest makes you feel like someone is behind you pushing your head down. Blind spots everywhere. You cannot safely back this car up. When you look out window to talk to a gas station or drivethru person window is not big enough. No headroom. Drivers side door controls do not light up at night cant find them. Dont be deceived. It looks roomy but it isnt. Not a car for kids & stuff

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  Clunky - 2015 Toyota Sequoia
  By SlickEagle - November 6 - 7:02 pm

  The extra foot -bumper to bumper, compared to the 4-runner was too much for me. The interior was largely a step down from previous years. The v-8 had a lot of power and delivered acceleration. Road noise was high.

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  Good car--dumb interior - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Sue in Colorado - November 4 - 1:26 pm

  Test drove & extensively researched both 2010 RAV4 & CRV before buying--(previously had a 2002 CRV & loved it). Comparison was a tossup, so got a RAV4 mostly just to "try something new". After 2 months...its a great car, but overall, think I preferred my CRV. RAV4 interior design/quality leaves much to be desired. Biggest letdown is the whole front console/storage/cupholder arrangement--storage room is unhandy and limited; your drink blocks access to some controls & dashboard storage nook; plastic is flimsy; center console too low for an armrest. And if they can dispense with the clunky exterior tire on Sport model--why not on ALL RAV4s??

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  Wanna break your bank? - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By 2_poor_4_4Runner - November 4 - 10:00 am

  The Toyota may be reliable (except for the time I ran out of gas in po-dunk western Kansas while the guage showed half a tank still left), you will pay dearly for it. Toyota, in my opinion has grossly over-priced their vehicles. You will get twice as many luxury features from other makes for a lot less dough!

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  04 Corolla LE - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By toyota faithful - November 2 - 2:00 pm

  Overall I would rate my Corolla B-. The good start off with the gas mileage which I think is great if kept tuned-up & oil change on schedule, it would save you a lot of money. Body style is cool but not made out of nothing can easy pick up dings easy. The driving on the highway gets rough due to car being so light it swings side to side when there any kind of wind I have a 92 Camry LE with 200,000 plus miles that drives much more smoother then my Corolla. Had transmission problems around 100,000 miles seem to be slipping but had the transmission fluid strain in the result work, havent had any problem again.

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  Not the quality I expected - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By irishlager - October 30 - 9:31 am

  This is my first Toyota. As time goes on, I am less and less impressed. At 32k I had to replace my tires. At 40k I had to replace all four struts and all four sway bar links. These are all premature repairs and I expected more from Toyota.

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  Noisy Interior - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Pam - October 23 - 11:52 pm

  Ive owned this car for 3 months and I just noticed the side interior on the front driver and passenger side doors are noisy. It happens while driving on a bumpy road. Would not have bought the car if I noticed it during the text drive.

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  Spare Key - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Bob - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased my Sequoia used as a second vehicle. Spent a lot of money on new timing belt, serpentine belt, battery, replacing transmission fluid, etc. - which I anticipated and I am OK with all that. Seat belt retracter and gas gauge that failed right after purchased disappointed - but I still hung in OK. The big surprise that completely turned me off was a replacement ignition key (just the key!) to replace the lost key that did not come with the vehicle - $628 quoted! Unbelievable. From what I understand, an electronic module has to be replaced to work with a new key. Knowing that up front - I would not have purchased the Sequoia.

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  Bad Trans/Differential - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Charles - October 22 - 10:00 am

  These SUVs develop an annoying differential whine at about 40 MPH and up. There is a Service Bulletin #TSB- 0192-10 that addresses the problem. Problem is it simply tries to cover up the problem by dampening the noise - hoping the owner will go away. Also the engine has to be pulled to simply replace a water pump. The Service manual also states that the engine needs to be removed for spark plug replacement. It could really get expensive to own this vehicle for the long term.