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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  The new has worn off :(.........Troubles at 30k - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By gail76 - February 19 - 9:05 am

  Vehicle has many rattles appear after 30k miles or so, transmission is getting a factory replacement as i write this (Toyota says transmission failures are common in our hilly area). Interior seat quality is poor, our leather is looking very worn out already. Had to replace the battery and recharge the A/C as well. We are a couple in our late 50s and always look after our vehicles. Having very mixed emotions about this vehicle and i doubt well keep it past the warranty.

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  rav4 hybrid vs honda crv - 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  By henry - February 19 - 7:45 am

  why would you build a 35 thousand dollar vehicle and put fake leather and only driver side electric seats, drove the Honda and quality wise it far surpassed the Toyota dash looks cheap on the Toyota. its to bad because I would of bought the Toyota but build quality definitely goes to honda

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  2003 highlander Engine Failure 147,000 miles Coolant leak - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By anderswl - February 18 - 12:02 pm

  Just like others I have read on this site, my 2003 run hot and after having it towed for service and repair I was told the engine needs to be replaced. The cost for the re-built engine was $6,400 - $8,500 depending on who you called. Very disappointed in the built strong organization I put so much trust in.

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  toyota quality...lol - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By AzSHOoff - February 16 - 2:00 am

  After 5 months with our new matrix xrs, weve had it into the dealer one week for a new clutch (fell apart), and another week for a new rear main seal (leaking). The buzzing noise coming from behind the dash area is very annoying. With the new clutch, it now shudders upon takeoff. Our first experience with a Toyota may very well be our last. After driving a Ford Taurus SHO for 10 years, believe me when I talk about clutch replacements.

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  wish i still had my old 99 taco - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By david - February 15 - 9:00 pm

  traded my 99 for this thru the frame recall/buyback and have been very displeased. first didnt get delay wipers with basic package. had radio replaced before 10k kept going off/changing stations. clutch started slipping at 20k miles repaired under warranty. on hot days clutch pedal creaks. leaf springs started making creaking at 10k had new silencer pads installed under warranty. the traction buzzer is VERY annoying if you slide sideways. ice builds up around front output of t-case on wet slushy snowy roads makes bumping under floorboards.

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  Big Fat Disappointment - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Steve - February 15 - 3:01 am

  So this review spans over about 10 years and three different Rav4s. Ill start with the 2006 Base V6 4WD. We bought this new 2006 and it served us good for a number of years. When the miles got closer to 100,000 miles we started developing some problems. The first thing that happened was the intermediate shaft starting clunking. This is a very normal thing for most Toyotas of this generation. My 2005 Avalon did it and all three of the Rav4s did it. Toyota will not offer any help replacing the defective part once your out of warranty and its about 500 bucks to have it done. Toyota has even come up with a new part that doesnt have this problem. There is a TSB that says to lube it and the problem will go away for a few months but ultimately it needed replaced. The next problem came at about 80,000 miles and keep in mind Im very particular about the maintenance on my vehicles. While driving on the highway we started to develop a roaring noise from the rear end. I put a set of tires on it thinking that we had a bad tire or even a wheel bearing. After a new seat of cooper tires we found that the noise was still there and that the rear differential was going out. Again another common problem for the Rav4 with 4wd. Toyota in their great wisdom came up with a repair kit to rebuild these rear ends as it was a common problem. At about 110,000 miles on our way home from picking up a motorcycle in Arkansas we starting noticing a strange noise from the engine. The bearing on the water pump was going out. Just the water pump ended up being about 500 bucks and its not an easy repair. I think the total came out to be around 1100 bucks to replace the water pump due to the amount of labor there was to replace it. The final straw on this rav4 was the alternator, the cam seal, and the front shocks. These all came at once and we where looking at around 3000 grand to have this vehicle fixed correctly. Ill start with the alternator. The alternator is very hard to get too and requires removing the passenger front wheel, and the radiator to remove it. I found out that this is yet another $500 dollar part and $200 with of labor. During this repair we found out that the cam seal was leaking. This is not an easy job and Toyota does not have a real good fix for it. In fact the TSB says to remove the cam seal cover and apply more sealant. To replace this cam seal you have to drop the entire motor out of the bottom of the car. Ive seen prices from 1800 to 2800 depending on where you take it. Since you have the entire front of the car on the ground we were going to go ahead and have the front struts replaced because they started popping and making noises while driving. We ended up driving this turd to the nearest car lot and traded it for a Lexus so we didnt have to put 3000 grand into a 5000 dollar car. Now the other 2006 and the 2007 were 2WD 4 cylinders. All of them had the same issues with the exception of the cam seal. The 4 cylinder on both of these vehicles had a significant problem as well. They both started consuming oil that was acceptable by Toyota. We were adding about half a quart every 2000 miles. Toyota did extend the warranty to cover this problem but according to the forums most of the them did not consume enough oil to be covered under the warranty which would require and engine replacement. Both of our Rav4s did not consume enough oil to be covered under warranty. My 2007 actually ended up messing up a vacation I took it on. Up until this trip it would never consume more than half a quartof oil every 2000 miles. I checked the oil on the 2007 before I left and the next day I found my dip stick to be dry after 400 miles. This is was very disappointing and didnt feel comfortable driving it home. To be covered under the warranty toyota charges you to change the oil and then bring it back after 1000 miles to check the oil and change it again. Standard oil consumption test but I have seen reports of this process taking a few months and I didnt have time to deal with that. So i traded my 2007 while on vacation. Other than these major mechanical problems we actually enjoyed the cars. They drove good, the V6 had lots of power and the 4WD was epic in one of our foot deep snow storms. Being a huge toyota fan I think my 2016 Rav4 is my last ditch effort to give Toyota once more chance. Nothing is cheap to repair on these cars. Even replacing the front suspension the 2007 cost my 500 bucks. On most vehicles when you replace suspension components you can buy a quick strut kit which has the spring already around the strut. You cant find those for this generation so be ready to pay big money when you have to replace your front struts. I dont think I would buy this generation of Rav4 without an extensive service history.

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  Engine White Smoke - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By me890 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  After just a few months and 6000 miles im seeing white smoke on startup. Looks like the engine is on its way to sludge failure. Stay away from all Toyotas and Lexus with this V6 engine.

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  Got the feeling? - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By autoboy156 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  On my 96 camry i had to replace the charcoal canister 2x in 2 years. i feel as though the camry is not as reliable as one would expect from toyota. Also the brakes on the LE arent that great either because of the disc/drum setup, you have to plan ahead to make a smooth stop or else there will be excessive nosedive as well as the car stopping to a jerking motion. Acceleration with the 4cyl runs out of pep after 0-40mph. this car isnt made to go fast but it is a good commuter cruiser car. Not intended for those with a lead foot.

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  Seat Problem - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By glgibson - February 14 - 10:00 am

  The front passenger seat is very uncomfortable for someone with short legs. My wife is actually in pain if she sits there for only 45 min. to an hour. Weve tried extra padding, putting things under her feet, etc. If the height of the seat, the tilt of the seat (front of seat tilted down slightly) it sure would be nice. The drivers seat is pretty good for her but that would be better if the tilt of the seat could be changed. d even appreciate that just to help change the position at times.

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  Its not your fathers sedan - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Warren Richards - February 14 - 8:07 am

  Nice car at reasonable price. My cons would be that the seats in the front do not raise enough for me at 59 and also the stereo system in the LE model sounds like a portable radio. Ive had a have a Camry LE years ago and the stereo system sounded like it belong in a midsize car nice sound. The sound on this system is not very good with radio and CD player