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 disappearing car... - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Mark Nolette - December 16 - 5:10 am

  The 2016 Camry is a car for people who dont like to think very much about their cars, or worry about them. Its for people who want to just get in, turn the key, and go, with a minimum of fuss. The Camry isnt designed to call much attention to itself. For one thing, there are too many of them out there. For another, they never win styling awards. That being said, the 2016 Camry (largely) fulfills the time-honored Camry mission. When I bought this LE, I found the ride to be surprisingly stiff, but it did smooth out after a few weeks. The ride is quite good in nearly all circumstances. The car has generally been quiet, though it lets in a little more road noise than Camrys typically did. Reliability has been rock-solid. Not a single issue in 40k miles thus far. Performance may not glue you to your seat, but its more than adequate for driving, passing, hill climbing and merging. Fuel economy has been good as well. My driving is mainly on two-lane rural roads, and I average over 35 mpg overall. On a typical 20 mile trip on a rural road, I frequently get 40-44. Handling is appropriate to this cars intended mission: good enough for typical driving, perhaps a bit better than its reputation would have you believe. Interior materials seem less "luxurious" than the Camry or Accord of 10-20 years ago, but are adequate. The drivers seat is comfortable enough for long drives. Visibility is very good. My iPhone pairs easily with the cars Bluetooth. Sound quality from the audio system is decent; perhaps slightly above average for cars of its kind. The trunk is large and easily accessible. To my mind, this is one of the better-looking Camrys to come along. That may not be saying much, but I can say that I actually like the looks of this one. My dealership sold this one to me at a great price (4k under MSRP) and has given me outstanding service since then. This car does show signs of cost-cutting here and there, but overall feels pretty solid. Will my next car be a Camry? I dont know. But I have only good things to say about this one. Toyota could have done a better job of tuning out road noise and could have put better quality materials in the interior. Those are my only complaints. Good car, good value. It really does "disappear" under you as you drive it. It just does what its told. No fuss. No worries.

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  Happy With Crew Max - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By J.W. - December 16 - 1:33 am

  I am extremely happy with our Crew Max. Our truck appears to be very "tight", with excellent build quality. The only problem noted in my opinion is the engine idle speed at initial start. The engine seems to rev up high @ 1600 rpm. The 5.7 liter engine appears to be well designed & can do what Toyota claims it can in terms of towing. The interior Crew Max leg room is outstanding. We have two kids who can basically stretch out & sleep in the back in comfort on long trips. I have owned a couple of Toyota trucks in the past. I can truthfully say without hesitation that Toyota has done another excellent job. I truly hope this initial model doesnt have any "bugs" or flaws to iron out.

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  Love our Sequoia - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By kim - December 15 - 11:13 pm

  The only problem we have run into so far is the gas gauge (sometimes the needle will go to empty even though there is over half a tank left) otherwise we are very happy with our sequoia. We owned a Ford Explorer previously and we have learned our lesson to never buy a Ford.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By kevin petz - December 15 - 10:51 pm

  This car takes my breath away. It is a luxury car that gets fantastic miles per gallon. I couldnt ask for anything better.

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  Very happy with my 3rd new 4WD Taco - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By gw7 - December 15 - 8:40 pm

  Very happy with my 3rd 4WD SR5 Access cab. Previously I owned a 1988 and 1999 both were 4-cyls-std. My latest is a 6-auto with TRD Sport Package. Like others my 3rd radio solved the problem, but otherwise this truck is great. I use it as a daily driver but often trailer full sized cars, which it handles easily. I test drove several different Tacos, and a Frontier before picking the TRD Sport. I found the Off-Road too stiff, and the regular SR5 seats lacking. I have no issues with the seating position some reviews mention. The engine is noisy at idle with the hood open, but I dont consider the engine noisy at high speed on the highway. Great truck!

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  This is a Gem of a car - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Roberta - December 15 - 11:13 am

  The outside does not halfway hint the wonder inside the 4 doors of this luxury vehicle even though it is pretty. Everyone, including the passengers in the reclining rear seats get special treatment. The moon roof, comfort and ease of driving make each trip a great time. Lots of spirit for a 6 cylinder so I have had to monitor the speed frequently on this great driving machine. With low miles for a used car, I plan on having this for at least 10 years. Cars used to last that long, however most of mine, in the past, have not stood the test of that duration. I might not like it much if it does not hold up to my expectations for that long. The price was enough so it should last .

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  4Runnin - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By ChiefJoJo74 - December 15 - 8:36 am

  I bought my 4Runner in September of 2002 (one of the last of its generation). Its my first SUV, and I wouldnt trade it for any other. The ride is rough/firm, gas mileage isnt very good (18-23 mpg), and its short on low end torque but... its the best looking SUV out there in my opinion, is roomy without being too big to manuver in the city, has a great multi-mode 4WD system with traction/skid control (great for rain/snow), performs extremely well off-road, has good brakes, great ergonomics, and is very solidly built and reliable (no problems after 38k mi) and will probably last for well over 200k miles with good maintenance.

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  Great fuel economy and value for cost - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By PATraveler - December 15 - 8:13 am

  Getting 41 mpg+ on just 2nd tank of gas which makes everything else non-significant. Runs very quiet. Automatic lights and door locks nice features. Missing features: need clock in radio. Have to reach for door arm rests; uncomfortable. Seats arent comfortable for long trips - lumbar area. Std. fabric quality is poor,will snag and show dirt quickly; already missing leather seats. Trunk latch in dumb place on floor, along with gas cap release, which will surely catch snow and dirt. Extra half inch of head room would have been nice as well as adjustable foot pedals. Since it only cost 20 bucks to fill it up after driving all day, I will learn to like everything else about the car.

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  Adjust your expectations - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By PhilCO48 - December 15 - 6:48 am

  First off, I bought this truck (2016 Toyota Tacoma Sport TRD) to avoid using either of our other cars for hauling lumber and plywood that I use in my woodworking as well as to have a utility vehicle available for bad weather. This Tacoma fits those needs quite well, so I am quite pleased with that. But, now that the fanfare is making its way around the internet about how great the upgrades are from the 2015 model I am really glad that I waited, I can only conclude that the 2015 and previous was a real dog. Toyota gets a big plus for the redesign of the interior, I really like the infotainment system and navigation. It is very logical and intuitive and was easy to get used to. While much is being said about the new Atkinson cycle engine, I have to admit to being disappointed. I just returned from a 700 mile round trip from Denver to Moab, and I was amazed at how hard the engine had to work to only maintain the speed limit (which happens to be 80 mph in Utah). The transmission was in either third (at 4,200 rpm) or fourth (at 3,500 rpm) most (say 75%) of the time. As a result, milage came in around 17, not too hot, and actually worse than my previous Toyota (Tundra with the V8 and lots more power). There are some key things missing besides adequate power: who doesnt include remote garage door opener as standard nowadays, no back up parking assist, no blind spot indicator, no auto headlights, no dual-zone temp control, no remote tailgate lock, no automatic headlights. For $36,000 maybe I should not expect all of this, but surely Toyota could have popped for some of it. If the company is serious about reversing the market share loss they must be feeling from the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado they need to step up and make standard some of the features that just seem basic to all cars today. I would have been willing to pay more, and would have felt the value was there. So, adjust your expectations when you think about this truck. If you want a good basic truck like I ended up with you should still consider the competition. But, all in all, I like this thing enough to keep it for the 2 year term of the lease. I am sure by the end of that time Toyota will have seen they missed the mark and will update this vehicle to modern standards.

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  Leaking water pump - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Ralph H. Randall - December 15 - 4:15 am

  Had to have the water pump replaced at 70K miles. Disappointing!