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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  Loose Drivers Seat - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By gregory - July 27 - 4:30 am

  The drivers seat design is poor. The seat "pops" while driving. I am told that this is a normal feature. It is very distracting to have the seat move when I start and stop. Ive had anti- freeze leaks(4). The cars ride is poor-it has a tendency to roll while driving in a straight line.

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  Expensive plain car W/o any added benifit - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By mb4life - July 26 - 12:13 am

  Its an expensive commuter/ beater car. Honestly, for the price they charge and what you get, you could find a much funner and more responsive car to drive with a LOAD more features standerd than this. Ive been driving my brother 07 Camry LE and, besides being zippy around town, the positives stop there. The car has 39k on it as of 2012 and, the water pump is going out on it. The paint is HORRIBLE and started flaking when my brother washed it on the front bumper. For the same price, you could get a much better car with a way better warrenty and features. The car has horrible steering and the throttle system is so annoying, it basically feather the throtle for you

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  rear hub bearing to be replace at 36000 - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By dianad1 - July 18 - 12:29 pm

  my car needs now hub bearings to be change at this low mileage to me. the dealer says is wear and tear and have to pay it.!!!!! ridiculous since there is no way i can brake as a driver the hub bearings. im trying to change my car i will never buy toyota again!!!!!

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  Jury is half in - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By tripped - July 15 - 2:20 pm

  I have buyers remorse. The fuel economy has not lived up to the talk -- avg about 45mpg. Drivers seat/wheel/dash ergonomics very poor. Human factor design terrible on things like digital speedo (analog is easier to read, thus safer), fuel guage and other dash read-outs -- very illogically placed and distract from driving. Especially climate controls having to be accessed via the electronic screen. Give me knobs for easy feel of adjustments levels without needing to take my eyes and brain off my driving. Audio system the same -- just take it off the screen menus. Navigation is a pain to learn and use -- very user unfriendly. Transmission knob idiotic and key/locking system beyond logic.

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  Stay Away from 2008 Models - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By chesapeakesun - July 14 - 8:04 am

  Back when the great depression began, Toyota wasnt sure it would survive. So for 2008 and 2009 models, they put ever defective part they could find in their cars. So far, what I have had fail + recalls have been: 1. Braking (recall) 2. Acceleration (recall) 3. Stereo (3 times replaced under warranty - now I am out of warranty and it no longer works) 4. GPS replaced system many times 5. Sun visor (broke in rush hour traffic, dealer service department claimed they never heard of it happening then the recall was issued) 6. Power window recall 7. Locks no longer work (no recall yet) 8. Tires only last 25,000 miles and cost $800 to replace Much more, but no more space to write...

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  Poor Quality - Sooo Slow - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CAR REVIEW - July 14 - 4:33 am

  This car is so slow, it takes at least 15-20 seconds to get up to highway speeds of 55+. It is hard to merge into traffic, you can put the gas pedal to the floor and the motor makes loud sounds but the car barely moves forward. The gears shift very rough. The exterior and interior are nice. This is not the Toyota quality I was expecting. With less then 3,500 miles I am very disappointed and will be trading this car soon.

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  Used to be better - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Jill Berg - July 12 - 3:58 am

  I was given a 2016 Highlander XLE as a rental car while my 2011 Toyota Highlander was getting work done. It just didnt seem like the quality was as a good as with the previous body style. The seats were definitely not as comfortable. Also, the hood design creates a hazard when the sun reflects off of it at certain angles. You dont notice it from the outside but when you sit in the front seat you can see there is somewhat of a "U" shape design. Well when the sun hits the top of the "U" on either side it shines right in your eyes. I understand car manufacturers often make changes just for the sake of change, to differentiate the new from the old. However, please dont make changes that result in an inferior product.

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  Stunned in a bad way. - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Leah Najjar - July 6 - 8:27 pm

  Our 2005 Camry Le needs an expensive repair, so my husband suggested we buy a new car. Its a beautiful disappointment. We have a brand new car that I dont trust. The clock is losing time, the radio has static when I turn on the defroster, and it sounds like the transmission is going to drop out of the car when I press my foot on the brake and put it into reverse. Its not even a month old. The dealership wants to replace the rear windshield, since the antenna is bad. I want a new car. No windshield will be as good as one that is factory installed. Even before the problems began, I noticed the low quality of the materials within the cabin. The carpet is thin. Its almost like lint on paper. The doors to the change compartment and console are so much thinner than the 2005s. I cant even put a business card in there. It makes me think that if they skimped on the materials that the consumer can see, what must be happening under the hood? No, I do not trust this car at all. I started out with a great Celica, and this is my third Camry. Every buy was an improvement but this one. How do they sleep at night, knowing theyve done worse than before?

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  ok - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Vishvesh Richhariya - July 4 - 11:13 pm

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  Bent tow hitch chain loop hole easily - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By chrisjan - July 1 - 3:10 pm

  My safety chain loop hole on the receiver hitch got bent pretty easy. Dealer Karl Malone Toyota, said warranty is not included. So do not trust Toyotas tow package the safety loop is a flimsy design. My seat belt light comes up and beeps heavily, even if I have my seat belt on two times already. I need to go back and have this fixed. Have a hard time keeping up with 80mph Utah freeway speeds... it is comfortable at 65mph though.