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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  Wish I Had My Old 4runner Back - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4runnerdriver - July 25 - 3:48 am

  Ive owned 4runners since 86. Bought 11 model this yr. & this is the 1st time Ive regretted it. This car is bigger and more awkward than my 02 4runner. It feels giant but the interior feels more cramped. The HVAC controls are not good. It gets really hot inside & with the fan on hi I still feel suffocating. What is most annoying is that with each 4runner Ive owned since 86, the gas mpg is now much worse. It is basically the same car (but with more comforts and bells and whistles each year), what are you doing wrong that the MPG is getting worse??? For one, quit making them a few inches bigger each year. If I wanted bigger Id buy a Sequoia. Now Im shopping for an Explorer

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  Gas mileage? - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By donna - July 22 - 2:00 am

  I won a 99 RX300 and 01 Pathfinder.My husband is not very happy with the large blind spot or the gas mileage on the PF and wants to sell it and get possibly a Highlander.What is the mileage you owners are getting? What did you pay for a loaded Ltd edition? Im in NY. Thanks.

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  I traded my Saturn for this? - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By lgreeny - July 14 - 9:28 pm

  Ive had the car for a week. Its the most uncomfortable vehicle ever and Im regretting the purchase. I traded my 2008 Saturn Astra for it. I needed something bigger with 4 wheel drive.

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  A big inconvinient - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Lourdes - July 13 - 5:37 am

  If you buy model corolla L 2016 there is not cruise control and according to the parts department it is no even an option to buy it and have the dealer install it.

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  Bad design - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Craig - July 11 - 8:50 pm

  The 6 speed manual is a poor design, too many gears too close together to be of any use. 6th gear can easily be driven at 50 mph, what happened to an overdrive gear? The cigarette lighter that is disabled with the ignition off is a terrible design. What were they thinking, a cellphone charger will drain a 35lb battery?? Maybe in a few weeks! Why not engineer disabling when the battery gets low? By the way, dont think about charging a cellphone if you are doing stop and go. It really messes up the charging. Gas mileage is about 17 mph for highway driving on the V6. I have not heard of anyone doing better. The 110w outlet is useless, not enough juice to do anything useful.

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  Tansmission Problems! - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By rflinster - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive had numerous minor problems until summer of 2000 whereby the O2 sensor went & required the entire manifold to be replaced. Then the transmission started making a "klunking" noise around 60,000 miles. Dealer unable to diagnose the problem. Last week it broke down -- whole transmission needs to be replaced -- even worse, I dont even tow anything or haul heavy items in the bed. This is all normal driving usage.

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  where they missed - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By were they missed - July 1 - 9:40 pm

  Very good build quality for the most part. But where I think they need improvement is the seats I have 10k on it the foam is not holding up. I dont know how the wiper layout ever made it to production the passenger wiper leaves its water in your line of vision (very annoying!) the climate control knobs feel cheap (vague). I am 5,8" 200# the driver door armrest is to low. The trip computer button could be in a better spot. As I said, the build quality is there but they really missed on some of the layout

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  Camry hybird is worst car - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By aamir - July 1 - 2:26 pm

  Camry hybrid is worst car Ive ever seen. I bought this car for almost $33,000 and after I drive this car almost 151,000 mile, the hybrid system cooked. And I change hybrid system for almost $13,000. That means the car cost me $46,000 and still not satisfied from this car because last week fuel system broke down on the highway and I get into an accident. Changed the fuel system for $1,000 again, and at 70,000 miles, the abs break system was shut down. It was changed for $1500. This car is worst car do not buy please.

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  Disappointed - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By 2010-V - June 27 - 7:40 am

  I have owned a 2010 Prius V for six months. At first I was pleased with the vehicle, especially with the MPG when compared to my 2000 Lexus RX300. After six months of ownership several issues have arisen; braking issues (regenerative brakes slip when navigating over a bumpy road or pothole), constant rattling while driving emanating from the passenger side windows and a disappointing 37.5 average MPG in the city. Although I am not expecting 50 MPG as is advertised, 37.5 is well below what I anticipated. Granted, I live in a very hilly city, but I am not a speed demon nor do I have a heavy accelerator foot. The only advantage I foresee is the reduction in the production of smog.

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  malfunction indicator came on twice - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By mingsterca - June 23 - 10:00 am

  The malfunction indicator light came on 3 days after I bought it - only 100 miles. The manual says - send the truck to dealership. This is very bad error message. Then a bit more details in the manual describes the possible cause by loose fuel cap. Sent it to the dealership next day, and have them check the computer codes in the truck. They says the same thing. Reset the error codes and have the mechanics tighten the cap for me. The next day driving to work, the indicator came on again. A lemon?