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:

• 

  Its a great car for its class - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By Tigress - February 11 - 2:53 am

  I absolutely love my car. Its an absolutely great car for the price (I could not find a better one in its class). Toyota did cheap out on a few things like some materials they use (like for seats) is really shoddy. But, its cause they managed to make this car perform better than its predecessor while making the price cheaper. The car handles like a dream even for a FWD. Its not the fastest in its class but its an absolute ball to drive. So far its been reliable but Ive only had it for a year so take that as you will. It does have some buzzes rattles and the seats have wear out parts but it seems so far the stuff that matters like engine is solid.

• 

  Nice but not perfect - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Maurice - February 11 - 12:50 am

  I really like the overall package but have a couple of issues. About 6 months after I bought my Highlander, the drivers side weatherstrip came off at the bottom of the door. Toyota issued a Technical Service Bulletin about it (see edmunds.com Maintenance, Recalls, and TSBs) so it must be a fairly common problem. Closing the sunroof completely is a guessing game. If you hold the button too long the roof tilts up. Ive also noticed an excessive amount of wind noise on the highway, which was addressed in another Toyota TSB. To me those are fairly minor issues. Would I still buy one? Probably so.

• 

  The Ultimate Off-Road/On-Road Vehicle - 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By CRR - February 10 - 11:36 pm

  I grew up admiring the abilities, looks and quality of the Toyota Land Cruisers. The first chance I got, I bought one...used...5 years old with a new model on the market. To this day, I feel like Im driving the best looking truck on the road. This 2004 Land Cruiser is the most comfortable vehicle I have ever sat in. It drives flawlessly. Its heavy and rock solid. The gas mileage is expected to be kind of tough. Its a full time 4x4 with a V8...whatd you expect? I bought this truck for my wife to haul our kid around...Im currently looking for another one to fill my spot in the garage.

• 

  A great truck - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jared - February 10 - 11:23 pm

  I bought this truck new. I am an artist and have a lot to move. I have moved 3 times using the truck and love it. The economy is good for a truck, especially on my long freeway drives. I was in an accident in the truck and was very safe. It is a wonderful truck

• 

  2008 Prius 1st 6 months - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Lloyd - February 10 - 10:06 pm

  Most bi-polar (some pun intended) car I have ever owned. Great around town fuel economy 40mpg actual! Corners ok but absolutely numb road feel. Surprisingly roomy for size. Good utility from the hatch. Rear camera slow to come. Requires extra care when backing. Keyless features work great. Not sold on the touch panel climate control. Visors, shifter and steering wheel controls toy like. Too easily bottoms in some road conditions.

• 

  Love this Car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Dave - February 10 - 9:20 pm

  I have about 12k miles on mine 2005 now. It is the base model and I love the car. Plenty of power in my opinion and I have carried three bikes and three people for a short distance all inside the car. Now I have a bike rack on the back. Service every five thousand miles is only $55. I get about 38 mpg around town and 45 to 52 on the freeway. EPA estimates of around town mileage are irritatingly false.

• 

  Built To Last - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jovi13 - February 10 - 8:03 pm

  I love this truck, and with 187,000 miles on it, I have never had a problem with it. If the routine maintenance is kept up, these things will last forever. After all these years, it still looks great, and puts the newer body style to shame. Interior has held up extremely well, and all the electronics still work perfectly. The engine is still strong, for the period it was built, and the transmission still shifts like it was brand new! Great, great vehicle. I just wish it was a little bigger in the front seating area, but I am 65", so it just wasnt built for 90% sized people.

• 

  The best car to drive - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Carlos Ferrer - February 10 - 8:00 pm

  From my first test drive, I knew thats going to be my car, I really like the way it is to drive, I love the look, the design everything, You can see the high quality of Toyota on this car, I really recommend this car.

• 

  2007 Tacoma 4X4 V6 Acc. Cab TRD - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jon - February 10 - 6:46 pm

  This is my third Toyota truck. Ive had an 86, 99, and this 07. It rides well, gets the same gas mileage as my last one and better than my old 86 four cylinder, but with more power. Engine is smooth, quiet and powerful. Transmission shifts smoothly. Very comfortable inside. Fold down rear "seatlets" work great for holding ice chests for camping. On the down side: The rear end bottoms out easily under load. Can be remedied with add-a-leafs or air bags. Not much ground clearance, I may get a lift kit.I liked the old lever-type 4X4 range shifter better. New electronic dial type range selector works reliably, but not as smooth and predictably as an actual lever did.

• 

  Best Prius so far - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Bill M. - February 10 - 4:26 pm

  update - Oct 29, 2016 - 10,600 miles on the car and Im still delighted with it. Mileage has averaged 62 mpg -- by actual measurement, which is about 3 mph lower than the dash readout. My daily commute is 60% highway and 40% local roads but not much bumper to bumper. I always drive in ECO and drive sedately but at or above speed limit and definitely not hypermile-ing. No mechanical problems with the car. Still like the same features as in the original review - esp great headlights, comfy interior, enough power, great but touchy brakes, and esp love the rear cross traffic alert, the auto braking, and other driver tech package features. Original review: I have 2600 miles on a 2016 Prius Four. I have previously owned a 2007 Prius and currently still own a 2012 Prius, which my son now drives. Though Ive been hugely satisfied with the previous generations, this 4th gen Prius is even better. The gas mileage is averaging 60-62 mpg over the 2600 miles by actual measurement (not via the electronic read-out which is about 2.5 mpg higher). I dont accelerate or brake hard but I drive at or above the speed limit. My commute is 60% highway 40% city driving. The car accelerates a little faster than the previous gen. I got both the Advanced Tech package and the deluxe equipment package. The interior is very nice though not Lexus luxury. Great JBL sound system. Power driver seat with excellent power lumbar. The nav touchscreen is large and is not washed out in bright sun light. Speedo etc is not located so much differently than previous generations and is easy to adjust to. Headlights are fantastic - super bright, automatic low/high beams plus DRL. Nice heads up display on the windshield - easily seen but not distracting and you can turn it off if you want. When using the nav, the heads up display shows turn arrows. Neat! The dynamic cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind spot warning are highly useful. The best tech feature for me is the rear cross traffic alert, which greatly eases the worry about slowly backing out of a spot with obscured side vision. It detects cars 2-3 seconds before they cross behind you, leaving plenty of warning to brake. Large color backup monitor - via nav screen. Toyota wisely moved the transmission lever back to the dash and improved and lengthened the armrest. My 2007 had the best armrest ever made and then the 2012 backslid to a center console with trans lever. The 2016 corrected the error. Cons: not many and not very bothersome. The rear legroom is a bit less but still adequate. The rear headrests fold down - much like the 2012 -- so the rear visibility is about the same. No spare - not a deal breaker - so a little more rear cargo space. The brakes are touchy. Wind and road noise are supposedly better than previous models but seem the same to me (i.e. perfectly acceptable). The driver position is a bit lower than the 2012 - visibility isnt hindered as the window sills are lower - but I have easily adjusted (while admittedly preferring the old, higher level) On balance, this is a very significant upgrade. The tech package is worth every penny. Note that the Prius Four Touring does not have a sun-roof.