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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  Good, except gas mileage and 2nd row - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By Jim - August 28 - 2:48 pm

  Good power and handling for such a large vehicle. A lot of interior space. The regular maintenance itemized by Toyota is a small list, including oil changes only every 10k miles. I like that the powertrain is relatively standard (e.g. no engine start/stop, cylinder de-activation, direct injection, timing belt, or CVT), which I hope translates to high reliability. Problems: 1. Center console latch broke. Fixed under warranty. 2. Some small paint chips on front plastic bumper. 3. Alarm light flashes when parked, even if not locked. Dealership said this is normal, but I dont think it occurred when new. Issues with design: 1. I wish the van was not so large. It is not "mini" at all. The size of the Ford Transit Connect would be preferable, for me. 2. Poor gas mileage. This obviously partly correlates to the "standard" powertrain I like, and to the size of the vehicle. And it is inline with the EPA ratings, so no surprise. Just wish it was better. 3. The 2nd row is terrible. The 8 seaters 2nd row middle seat is ridiculously narrow, short, and the seat bottom is lower than the adjacent seats. Also, there is no LATCH attachments for the middle seat. It is almost useless. Finally, when you remove the 2nd row seats, there are runners in the tracks that remain. This makes it a non-flat load floor and the runners could get damaged when hauling items. Just an absolutely terrible design by Toyota for the 2nd row. Look at the Honda for how it should be done. 4. The 3rd row only has 2 sets of LATCH anchors, and one of them is in the middle of the wider section of the 60/40 split seat. So, you could not have two passengers in that section if you use the LATCH. Again, the Honda gets this right. 5. Not a full size spare tire.

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  Entune and Rattles Overshadow Positives - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Eric - August 28 - 10:49 am

  Entune is absolutely terrible: Navigation is horrible, voice recognition is so frustrating I often feel like its the 80s and people have a difficult time hearing me when phone is connected to Bluetooth - microphone is too far away. Interior started rattling around 6,000 miles and is getting worse with time. I suspect car will be very reliable but aforementioned issues overshadow all positives.....seriously.

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  Great Little Truck! - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dave - August 28 - 1:56 am

  Only had my Taco for two weeks, but I love it! Interior is laid out logically, and is more comfortable and roomy than I expected. The engine is quiet and peppy even though the tranny has rather high gearing (75 mph at 2500 rpms). The 5sp manual shifts easily and smoothly. The ride is smooth and extremely quiet for a truck. Handling is average, but drives like a car on the highway. Radio and A/C work great. The standard tires and rims dont do much for the looks but ride great and are quiet.

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  Best in its class - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By 18wheels - August 27 - 11:46 pm

  This is the best compact/midsize pickup in its class bar none. You get the great toyota reliability and resale value that the other makers cant match. The only disappointments I have are the cheap grade of plastics that the interior is made of (it scratches easy) and the lugging of the engine while accelerating coming out of a low speed turn (about 10 mph). Other than that I love my taco.

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  Just bought 07 Tundra CM 5.7 Limited - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By gkh_98 - August 27 - 11:40 pm

  Drove my Chevy 1500 for 10 years and I just replaced it with a new Tundra Crew Max Limited w/ 5.7 w/ Navigation and rear DVD. Wow! Went to the dealerships looking to purchase a F-150 Lariat or the Silverado LTZ, and just test drove the Tundra for the fun of it. Wow, what a difference. Felt a bit of guilt for not buying chevy again, but man the power behind the 5.7 makes me grin when I accelerate, and on the freeway the 6spd is smooth and very quiet. Spoiled myelf w/ some extras: navigation w/ bluetooth phone is the deal, sliding rear window nice feature, back up camera for hitching the boat... luxury... like driving a 4x4 lexus w/a bed? Also, the rear seats recline unlike all other trucks!

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  Good all round functional family vehicle. - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By francho - August 27 - 9:12 pm

  Decent Japanese built vehicle which does everything a family requires from a vehicle well. Doesnt really impress me greatly in any aspect but never seems to disappoint either. I just purchased it with low miles 60k and it gets real world 28/23 mpg hwy/city. Not too impressive highway mileage but great city economy for a vehicle its size. Drivers seat not really up to American comfort standards. 2.2l 4 cyl. lacks a little power off the line but has plenty for uphill pulls on the highway.

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  To the Bat Cave!! - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By BatSUV - August 27 - 8:36 pm

  I love this vehicle! My life is so much easier since switching to the Rav4 from a sports car (my batmobile). Also, I still have the coolness of driving a sporty black vehicle - even though I have a 3 year old riding in the back - without the soccer-mom feel.

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  Cockroach of Cars - 1996 Toyota 4Runner
  By Deidre - August 27 - 3:30 pm

  This car will just not die, now will it! Im the original owner and must admit that Ive not been the best at regular maintenance. Even so, it keeps crawling along with performance like it was brand new (@ 135K miles). Had it in the shop only 2x since Ive owned it and those were probably issues due to my own neglect. Im reluctant to trade up because I just dont want to be disappointed! If I do, I most certainly will have another Toyota product. Cant beat em!

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  The Greatest - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Lee - August 27 - 3:26 pm

  Rides like a dream and handles as well. Much more comfortable than the Mercedes M-class that I owned. Will always buy a Toyota!

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  Outstanding Cruiser - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Donaldo - August 27 - 2:50 pm

  I traded in my 1996 F250 Powerstroke for the new FJ Cruiser - what a change. Very little road noise, excellent handling, reasonable acceleration, a stereo I can actually hear, and a smooth ride. I had a 90 4Runner, so I expect Toyota quality, and it hasnt disappointed. Surprisingly, my gas mileage has been better than expected - I recently got an average of 23 MPG on a road trip to southern Colorado, and averaged over 18 MPG pulling my Coleman tent trailer over Rabbit Ears pass up to Steamboat Lake. Ive only done a little 4-wheeling so far, and the shift into 4 high was a little harder than Id like, but I think Ill have this one for a long, long time.