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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  2003 Toyota Tacoma V6 4 Dr SR5 - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By rjtoc2 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Overall I really like my Toyota. I has a firm ride (which I like) and the V6 has plenty of power when you need it. I am a car care fanantic and so far, everything appears easy to maintain. Washing and drying is easy and is fun. Sitting in the vehicle affords a great view and surprising there are very few "blind spots" when driving.

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  Wonderful experience - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By wowa1999 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  I would recommend this car to everyone. It would benefit from some minor improvements (see below) and I wish it came as wagon. Very good driving experience. Also the car attract attention.

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  Not as happy as I thought I would be... - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By yardy - February 14 - 12:57 am

  I feel in love with the color and design of the car. But I am not happy paying the amount of money and not being happy with the ride in the city. My biggest complaint is the JBL sound system. I bought my car in Maryland and drove back to Georgia to snap, crackle, and pop. The radio fades in and out at will. Thank goodness I have a great Toyota service department near me. I will take the car in tomorrow, get a loaner and they will find out how to fix this problem from their tech department.

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  2nd 4-runner in three years - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jim T - February 13 - 10:00 am

  This is the 2nd 4-runner I have purchased & while there is a lot to like about the new one. Reliability is the number one reason to buy this vehicle. The brakes are much more grabby. The 270 hp engine is not as powerful as my 07. The ride is harsher than my 07 because of the Dunlap tires on the new one, I believe. The 07 had Michelin that lasted 90,000 miles & thats what I will switch to when these wear out. The 07 had auto assist tailgate; the new one is manual & a bigger heavier door.

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  66,000 and still love it - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By RKK - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Outside some flimsy door panels that dealer said he replaced and didnt, just glued reinforcements in door elbow rest, Im fairly happy. Installed a 2.5" front lift via Bilstein adjustable shocks & a 1" rear lift via blocks with matching Bilstein 5100s. I average 23- 24mpg on summer fuel, 21-22 on winter fuel. Light in the rear on wet roads, but thats to be expected. Also alot of driveline noise from day one, but my 93 model had same thing. I plan on another 100,000 miles, I love it that much.

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  NIce little SUV for the city - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jay - February 13 - 2:10 am

  This is a car/SUV that seems to do exactly whats intended for it. Design in and out are very sporty. I have the leather/sunroof package so it is essentially loaded with options. One option I did not get (and wouldnt) is AWD. There is simply not enough power from the engine to support the extra weight this option adds, and lets be realistic: how often is one really going to NEED AWD? I live in the Seattle area and travel to the mountains quite a bit - ground clearance is high enough to navigate pothole ridden forest service roads, and being from the midwest, I can manage driving in the snow without AWD. Gas milage for an SUV is pretty good as well - 22mpg city, and 30mpg highway.

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  Love most of my Camry... - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Marilyn - February 12 - 7:51 am

  I’ve driven Toyotas for years and have encountered very few problems. My dealer, Cain Toyota, in Canton, Ohio is reliable and the sales and service departments are great. I love my 2018 Camry XLE—EXCEPT for the Entune, the GPS and the hands-free phone. Toyota obviously kept “ improving” until they successfully screwed up the technology. No one can help me...I can’t use the hands-free phone because of horrible feedback. No matter how many times I log in, I keep “waiting” for Entune to connect. I am terribly frustrated.

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  Economy VS Power - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By Doc - February 10 - 5:00 am

  I bought this 1995 for runner to replace a 1995 Jeep Cherokee. The MPG is ok to far. Once the needle leaves the full mark, it move very fast. The horse power is very disappointing. This has to be the most unhappy I have been with any of my cars. I find myself after a very short time considering selling off for more horse power.

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  Excellent Compromise - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Bill W - February 9 - 2:23 pm

  Toyota got it pretty much right with this little SUV. It has one of the best power trains ever put into a vehicle. We dont baby it, and at 76 mph we get an honest 26 mpg. Stunning. Good use of interior space with spare outside the car, but the cover for said spare does not like car washes: it is easily pried loose by spinning car washers, then falls off and gets scratched or damaged. Still hate Toyotas unwillingness to sell me cars the way I want them optioned. We had ZERO choice of options as sport models destined for our 5-state region all came equipped the same way. Toyota made a BIG mistake with the front seat geometry: They need more rear travel and the rear needs to be lower.

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  123K and counting - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By MatrixWI - February 8 - 11:36 pm

  We purchased this car for my wife that was averaging 40K per year in mileage and she needed something that would drive good in the snow. The AWD is great, but we are on our second set of tires. Currently the car is in need of brakes, but not too bad for a car with 123K on it. We have only done 60 or 90K major service, but nothing else. We have used the car for major yard projects and it fit everything. We have also used that car to move two times 600+ and had no issues with the car. Weve done numerous road trips with the car and every time it works great. The only one complaint that we have is the car seems to burn more oil than usual and the horse power a LOT less than needed.