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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  losses value quick/dislike seats color - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By ka - March 10 - 4:19 am

  Things I dislike about this car. Price- extra cost for navigation system, blind spot sensoring (over $ 3,000 extra for these features) This comes standard on Hondas, Mazda and other cars. Noticed used Toyotas lost 20 % of value in first year or do. If you buy this car at $ 27,000 plus financing bringing it to $ 30,000 after two years it is worth less than $ 20K. Disliked interior seat colors- would stain very easily if that ketchup/mustard drips out of a hamburger or coffee spills.

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  Good, reliable, no frills drive - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By nycjen - March 10 - 12:43 am

  If you dont feel the need to impress folks with the car you drive, this car is a cheap and reliable one to drive and way easier to find parking spaces in than trendy SUVs!

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  Smokin engine... literally - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By tallchris01 - March 9 - 10:41 am

  I bought this Avalon having owned another 1st generation Avalon. Didnt figure Id need to have a PPI, but I should have gotten one. Turns out the engine was a smoker. Despite replacing the valve seals and spark plugs, it continued to smoke. Quickly re-sold it.

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  2002 Toyota Corolla S - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By nomore toyotas - March 3 - 6:26 am

  At 50,000 miles, my car started burning oil. Toyota refused to fix it, and blamed me. Then, they demanded to see all of my oil change receipts. First, I change my own oil, so the receipt only shows "Automotive". Second, the warranty states that Toyota does not require oil change receipts. Anyways, I still have the car, and in 80,000 miles, I have replaced the engine bearings ($1500), the front right axle bearing ($1400), the AC compressor ($900), and the front left wheel bearing ($500 including alignment).

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  Great MPG bad build quality - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By qqqquae - March 1 - 1:03 pm

  Now with 5000 miles on my Prius it has been in the shop more than our old Audi. This is all due in part to a nasty dash rattle that started after the first 750 miles. The dealer is perplexed, they cant fix it. Engineers from Toyota have been flown in and they cant fix it. Nobody understands the constant noises it makes. Toyota has offered no option for buyback and shunned the idea when I proposed it. I know its an economy car but this rattle is just poor build quality. The navigation system incorrectly locates my position in the city. I have to stop the car and turn it off to reboot the system. The car averages 49-54 mpgs constantly. The paint is flawless and the best Ive seen.

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  Like the car but not the company - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Not Happy - February 28 - 10:00 am

  With less than 10,000 miles on the engine, it blew. Documentation that oil was changed was provided, yet they did not honor the warranty. In addition to being out the money for a new engine, I had to pay for a rental car for 3 months. Their explanation for not covering the engine under the warranty was that they couldnt be sure it was their fault. The product shouldnt be the only thing that plays into the purchase of a car. If you buy a Toyota, I hope you have better luck with the company than I have had.

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  Bluetooth FAIL no voice dialing...very limited while in motion. - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By mwadeb - February 25 - 11:51 pm

  I actually cant wait to get rid of this car, and Ive only had it 5000 miles. The Bluetooth in the 2014 Corolla does NOT have voice dialing. It really sucks. You cannot even view your contacts while driving. You cannot manually enter a phone number while driving. There are only two ways to make a call while the car is in motion: 1. Calling a recent number (called out or received while in the car). 2. Speed dials, if you have placed that person in your speed dial entry in the car...which is limited in the number of entries. Maybe its my phone, but it only locks up after pairing with the car.

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  Bumpy and very loud on highway - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By kristina - February 23 - 1:23 pm

  When I drive on highway its too bumpy and too loud. I cant even hear music and get headaches especially the second and third row seats. I dont recommend others to buy especially with small children.

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  How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways... - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By rhodeislandred - February 22 - 8:47 am

  For transparency purposes, I must disclose that I grossly underestimated my love for the driving experience, and that I live in New England. 1. Cold weather made gas bladder (tank) shring from 12 gallons to 9, resulting in more frequent stops at the gas stations. And no, it does not expand when the weather warmed up. Did I mention the wildly inaccurate fuel gauge? 2. Zero lumbar support makes it uncomfortable for those long drives youll be taking since the mileage is so great. 3. Speaking of great mileage, its the best feature, as long as the weather is warm and the pavement dry. New England only meets that criteria 25% of the year. I averaged 30 mpgs. in the cold weather.

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  Great road trip vehicle - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Will - February 21 - 9:10 pm

  Sequoia is great for road trips, can hold lots of stuff, mechanically hasnt left me stranded. Best light duty off road ride of any SUV Ive ridden. However, it is a pig to drive in town, the exhaust manifold noise, I swear gets louder every day, and this is even after I had the "Tundra" factory recall performed on my Sequoia exhaust manifold. The vehicle has never had better than 15.5 mpg avg. Interior is falling apart (like a 90s era GM). Color keyed exterior plastics, like mirrors and spoilers have shedded their clear coat (like all 4yr old Korean cars). Stereo bad. Rear window on lift gate is stuck up, even after warranty repair. A/C clutch went out 92k mi. Resale value is terrible!