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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  I wish I had been warned..... - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Appl - March 24 - 7:53 am

  There is no worse feeling than taking the plunge and realizing you made a mistake. It took me 3 days to realize I married the wrong man but only ONE to regret buying this car. The Rav4 is cute with that snappy little 4 cylinder engine with good gas mileage. However, the poor design of the interior rains on my parade. The front seats are flat and tilted down-- leaving me to slip off at every turn. The head rests eat into my head. The sound system is so poor it muffles human voices on am radio. Entertainment and temperature controls are too poorly lit to see in sunglasses. There is no way to hold the tiny steering wheel comfortably and no arm rests. Cheap fabric tops off the look.

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  "BEWARE" OF THE 2016 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD OFF ROAD - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert in Richmond, VA - March 24 - 7:45 am

  Take it from someone who has owned Toyota trucks since the mid 80s, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road is the "WORST" truck Ive ever owned. If I had it to do over, I would not have bought this truck. I wish I would have read the reviews from previous buyers before assuming this was going to be another Toyota quality vehicle and that was not the case. If you are reading this post "before" you purchase this truck, I would advise you to 1st, not buy this truck. But, if you are interested in buying this truck I would recommend you to "test drive" the truck a lot before buying it. Even if you have to go to several different dealerships. I dont even have 2,500 miles on my truck & planning on selling or trading it before the first 5,000 mile service. I have never been more disappointed in the truck and in the lack of help from the dealership that I bought it from. The only people that could honestly give this truck a 5 Star Review, would be the salesmen. Had two firmware updates since posting , Toyota still working on transmission and other issues. Update 08/19/2017 still dealing with Toyota corp. I AM STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH TRANSMISSION SHUDDING, FLARE AND CLUNKS WHEN YOU STOP, STILL VERY UNHAPPY.

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  Poor performance, poor resale value, huge problem - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By disappointed former toyota owner - March 22 - 12:45 am

  The overall sticker price was $38,500.00 in 2014 right now the car is worth trade in $20,000.00 DO not believe that an avalon will hold its value b/c it did not. After just one year it depreciated so much that I was unable to trade it in .The side assist after being back at the dealer has not worked in 3 tries . I am a toyota buyer and this is my 5th toyota but I will NEVER purchase another toyota product EVER! I called corporate they said it was MY opinion no its their product that depreciated so much. I am just screaming to not ever buy a toyota avalon you will be disappointed in the trade in value. $18,500 depreciated is JUST unacceptable .

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  Never should have bought it. - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Susan - March 20 - 5:52 pm

  Bought it in Sept 2015, and it was the worst decision I ever made. The interior is very cheaply made. It has one of the worst factory stereos I have ever seen. The speaker sound goes up and down by its self, it sounds as if I put a blanket over the speakers. The nav system is just as bad. When on the phone through bluetooth it also fades in and out and the person on the other end of the phone has problems hearing. The blind spot is not good, it needs to sound an alarm when wanting to change lanes, just some little flashing lights are not enough. The LDA (lane departure alarm) system is just stupid. If you are drifting out of your lane the car should push you back not just sound an alarm. There are a lot of other things ( way too many to list) wrong with this car. For just over $30K it should be a much better car. We bought my husbands car a 2015 Chrysler 200 for about the same price and his is by far a better car for the price. I will never buy Toyota again.

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  Is Toyota losing their touch? - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By johnhlanding - March 18 - 12:59 am

  This is my second toyota and has come to be very disappointing. The build quality, cheap parts, and overall value of the car is terrible. My biggest issue is oil consumption. The car uses at least 1 quart of oil a week. The dealer says nothing is wrong. Other reviews online point out the same issue. My life now consists of weekly visits to an instant oil change place to get it topped off. Thank God it is free! Otherwise I would go bankrupt just buying oil to refill it with. The steering is awful at high speeds. I fear that Toyota is becoming the Japanese version of GM. I guess I will try my luck with Honda or maybe Ford if I am forced to find another vehicle.

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  Will Never buy from Toyota again - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Mike in St Pete - March 12 - 12:03 pm

  I paid two grand more to get the nav system. It is horrible. It almost got me killed once when my wife and I had to pull over in busy traffic to reset it. Toyota will not allow the passenger to use the nav system while moving. They are the only nav system that does this to the consumer, and it ruins the car for me. I now use my iphone for nav. Also, nav can only be updated every two years or so, meaning restaurants are incorrect and highways changed. Plus, they charge you $260 bucks for the upgrade when it does come out. There are a million complaints online about this nav system. Dont buy this van!

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  Acceleration Issues - 2015 Toyota Prius c
  By lolo1234567 - March 12 - 4:55 am

  Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this car. Although it does get great mileage it doesnt perform at the advertised MPG on the highways. I typically average between 38-42 MPG and drive no faster than 70 MPH. When in traffic or the city the cars MPG really shine. The car does not accelerate or have enough power to make the drive feel safe. Even when flooring the accelerator, frequently I enter the highway under the speed limit. The car also seems like it is struggling to maintain highway speed. On hills the car is terrifying, it loses all umph and rapidly decelerates. The car also rolls backwards similar to a manual when attempting to accelerate up hill from a stop.

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  Dont buy an Avalon - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Sheri - March 8 - 8:20 am

  Dont buy an Avalon unless you want to be unsafe due to these problems: Transmission does not shift properly, causing severe hesitation and lunging, every single minute you are driving. The car will not drive in even a skiff of snow! Cannot disengage the traction control. My driveway is about a 25 degree incline, and it will not go up it. The car is basically "skating" on roads that are not dry. The exterior trim mouldings on roof have come loose and subsequently lost on the freeway, had to replace at my cost, not covered by any warranty. The sound system speakers are very poor design. An old VW has a better one. What a piece of junk! Stay Away! Shame on Toyota.

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  Buy a Honda - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By The Judge - March 5 - 7:53 am

  Serious and dangerous uncontrolable torque steer. Poof fuel economy, pathetic tiny front seats with uncomfortable arm rests combine for a truely sad ride. Lots of rattles and squeaks. The car has an almost rubberband motion to it. I will never buy another toyota. Toyota flat out lied, told me you dont need the 4wd and as it turns out it is the only thing that helps control the uncontrollable pull to the right in the 2wd version. That is why the 2008 hybrids will only be offered in this layout. Never again with this POOR company. The gas motor thumps when it kicks in, got much worse after the first 100 miles. Deceptive regarding their claim of a "seamless transion" between gas and electric.

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  not quite yet!! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By willard.dills@its.ny.gov - February 27 - 9:18 pm

  Toyota please please please change your shift points for the transmission to be above 1000rpm. The 3.5l engine does not have enough torque to be smooth at that rpm. If you sneeze while in gear at 1000rpm it will downshift. ECT power mode is great which changes the transmission to the correct shift points but you have to turn that on every time you start the vehicle. I dont want to be one of those haters who just says the transmission sucks because I dont believe that. I just think the ECU programming for the trans shift points if off of what it should be. My recommendation is to put out a TSB that gives people the option to bring it in if they want to perform the transmission shift point change or not. Very close to being a perfect truck but not quite yet or at least until we see that TSB come out.