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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  Reliability plus - 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Bill Ivory - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I am a tour operator in Australia - I use my Toyota L/C Diesel wagon to tour Margaret River wineries and outback areas and wanted to share with you that these are the most highly regarded vehicles in tough country. Good comfort over rough roads and long distances and proven reliability. I love it; my customers do too.

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  poor mans porsche boxster - 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By j. murigi - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I had always wanted to own the previous generation mr-2 but I was in college and could not afford one. When they were discontinued in 1995, I thought that my dream of owning a new one would never become a reality. I had driven the old one. This new MR-2 handles precisely, and engine is perfect for this lighter car. I also like the ease of operating the convertible. However, the 95 appears to have had a much more superior craftmanship.

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  Is it really an SUV? - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jeffrey R. Broido - December 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, plain and simple. Its not really an SUV, having been built on a Camry- not a truck chassis. The center of gravity is low, the car is wider and shorter than a sedan, its a cinch to park, has a great turning radius and, best of all, handles more like a sports car than a Jeep. Its a bit under-powered and gets minimally acceptable fuel mileage, but we live with it. A great vehicle all around, especially with the rear seats removed to yield a cavernous cargo area.

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  What a Blast - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By browndog - November 30 - 11:53 pm

  Head snapping acceleration. Being 63" I find there is plenty of room front and back. Just a joy to drive! The standard stereo could be better. The display panel on the stereo and time/temp is impossible to read w/sunglasses on.

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  So Far So Good - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By EON - November 30 - 11:16 am

  I just got my Tundra CrewMax (5.7) with the TRD package. It is very stylish. The ride is a little sloppy compared to my Ford F150 Lariat, but overall the acceleration and towing capacity are very good. The gauges are probably designed for someone shorter than I am. I have to duck down to see them clearly. I appreciated Toyota still having a lease program. Ford basically quit and I like to lease for my company vehicles. My salesperson was also very knowledgeable and efficient.

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  Cruise Control Downshifting - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Downshifting - November 30 - 6:06 am

  Overall, a very good car. Love the styling, its a real head turner. Good visability, though the side pillar gets in the way of good side visability when changing lanes. One annoyance worth noting - downshifting. I think the 5th gear is too low. They probably did that for fuel economy. When on cruise control on highway speeds, the car downshifts when going over minor hills and bridges. I wish there was an override.

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  Paint Problem - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By patc12 - November 28 - 3:36 pm

  I purchased a 2001 Avalon new. I love this car but have one major problem. The paint on the hood is peeling. I contacted Toyota and they claim there have been no other complaints about this model having a paint issue. Anyone else out there have a 2001 with this issue? The other issue I have is with the sensors. I have replaced all or most of them and the check engine light remained on after the last replacement. This issue gets very expensive!

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  Great vehicle with a few major disappointments - 2017 Toyota Tundra
  By Scott - November 28 - 1:52 pm

  I love this truck with a just a few exceptions. The looks are great, it rides very nice and is comfortable, its amazing in the snow, ice, and rain. Very powerful. Steering is great. Stereo sounds pretty good for stock. TONS of room in the back seat and up front. My disappointments after a couple months are the fuel economy is not even close to the manufacturers claims. According to the vehicle computer Im getting barely over 12 mpg, and thats with a couple road trips of a few hundred miles each. Toyotas claim is 13-17mpg. Ive never seen the computer hit 13 yet. In fact, after my last fill up of a 38 gallon tank the computer said 410 miles to empty. Thats not even 11 mpg. Thats my biggest let down. Second, when the wind is blowing and while going down the highway I get wind noise in the cab which is very frustrating on a brand new vehicle. Around town its fine and on calm days its fine but doing 65-75 and wind blowing its not good. Lastly, the ScoutGPS is the worst thing ever. If youre considering Toyota, make sure you have Integrated GPS, NOT the ScoutGPS. Its a very poor attempt at using your phone (and data) to sync with the vehicle for GPS. Its only arrows instead of maps, it cant find several locations Ive looked for, it uses your data plan non stop, and if you forget your phone youre out of luck. Its completely useless. Overall Im very happy. The fuel economy is a big disappointment but it is what it is now. I will be replacing the stereo unit though to get away from the ScoutGPS.

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  The Random Ramblings of a Taco Owner. - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By CDRGreg - November 28 - 10:46 am

  You should buy this vehicle if youre looking for someone who does light-moderate hauling or towing. If youre someone who hits the trails and frequents off-pavement sites and/or traverses through bad weather/terrain, this is a vehicle you should consider. If you need to fit three car seats in the back, this truck will also fit the bill. If you want something that is reliable (based on 6k miles), then this is a truck you should consider. If you care about strong resale value, this is a truck you should consider. If you expect a lot of low-end grunt, you may be disappointed. The torque peak is at 4600 rpm. The truck is somewhat underwhelming in the lower end because of its relative lack of torque and because the transmission is biased towards mileage. The horsepower peak is 6000 rpm (100 rpm short of the rev limiter (as far as I know)). If you want this thing to move with any gusto, you will have to floor board it (the throttle may be biased towards off roading where the throttle should be feathered). The cruise control also has some interesting behavior. On anything that is perceived as a grade, the transmission will down shift. However, once the grade flattens out, the transmission will not shift back up. You either have to disengage the cruise control or manually shift it yourself. Im coming from a BMW 3-series (with an 8 speed auto and a 2.0L turbo with 255 lb-ft @ 1200 rpm) so I can definitely vouch that this thing is soft at the lower end. I also purchased the Tacoma for its MPG ratings. Its a truck so I dont expect to get 36 mpg on the highway, but so far I cannot even hit the combined rating on its EPA sticker (21 MPG). I range from 16-18 MPG (even with judicious use of the throttle). Granted, I have off road tires and the chin spoiler delete (I suspect these are good for 1 MPG). Interior quality is fairly good. Im not very tall (59 and 210 lbs). After playing with the manual adjustments on the seat, I did manage to find a good seating position. For a truck, I think the handling and braking are decent. I dont tow anything and havent carried any heavy loads in the bed so I cannot really say whether or not I miss disc brakes at the rear. As for the ride quality, I drove a 2015 with the TRD off-road suspension and it seems better controlled in the 2016. Wind noise is also markedly reduced in the 2016. Some cost cutting is apparent in this truck. I appreciate the smart key system but you can only get in on the drivers side. Most of the time, it suits me just fine but sometimes I need to grab something out of the passenger side of the truck. Im not sure of the reasoning behind this move. Another area where some cost cutting may have occurred is the decision to use the drum brakes in the rear. Overall, the 2016 Tacoma is not perfect, but its a solid value.

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  Bad Paint - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Darren - November 27 - 12:00 pm

  I have had this car and Three other Toyotas They started out good and keep getting worse. This car isnt a year old and the paint on the metal and the paint on the plastic are different colors now. I am sure it will get worse, but what are you suppose to do? The factory paint is way better than some person can do by hand. I wont let them touch the car... If it was a quality car, this would have never happened. Toyota has got to big and cares only about money, the thing the brought down ford and Chevy. By the way, mine is Silver, Stay away from the Silver ones. My past Toyotas were all Silver and had no problems. It just goes to show you where the quality is going.... down down down down..