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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  my opinion - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By leonid - May 3 - 9:53 pm

  I have it olmost 2years and i like it very mutch.everything is fine, the only thing I can think of: beter tires.

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  5 door - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By aargos - May 3 - 6:59 pm

  Have had my 5 door for 3 years now. Gets good fuel economy as expected and so far no issues. Feels nimble and zippy around town. However, would not buy it again. For not so small 17+ k the car feels too cheap. It exudes cheapness/budget. Even at street speed open 1 window and you get greeted with such bad wind buffeting it gives me and my wife a headache. We have to open the window on other side to even it out. Maybe its the shape, I dont know but never experienced it in any other car. If youre looking for a good small car in this price range go with the Fit, there is a reason why it consistantly gets better rated. My wife and I certainly wish we did.

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  Outstanding Buy - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Sacheen - May 3 - 4:03 pm

  I bought a 4runner and I could not have made a better decision. It is fun to drive, with a rugged truckish looks and okay fuel econ. Interior looks great and handling is outstanding. I looked at most mid size SUVs in the market and must say 4runner was way better than most in terms of combined value.. For those looking for a mid size SUV, if youre not overly concerned about fuel econ, then 4runner is the one for you..

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  towson - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By TOWSON - May 3 - 7:06 am

  I chose the Sequoia over the Land Cruiser becasue it is much larger, with tons of room behind the third row seat and the rear door. It rides well in 4WD, much like the Mercedes ML320 that we traded in. We love all the extra space compared with the Mercedes.

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  Fun and great - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jessie Yopp - May 2 - 5:30 pm

  The best truck I have ever been in. Fun to drive plus easy to drive also. When you buy toyota you buy it for life.

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  Sometimes you have to believe what you read. - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By John D. - May 2 - 1:09 pm

  Everything negative you can read on this vehicle is true. The transmission has terrible shift flare on top of being geared improperly causing it to shift all the way to 4th gear climbing small hills. You would think with the 3.91 rear end would mean it could hold its own but seeing as your peak torque doesnt show up till 4600 rpm you will be in 4th gaining any sort of elevation. This will destroy your gas mileage. I may see 18.5 combined but I say between 16-17.5 consistently. Lets move on to the rear differential that sings between 45-65 mph. Toyota will absolutely not acknowledge this is a problem and some have this this is normal yet when you drive any other model they produce their differentials do not produce any discernible noise. This is coming after their rear end recall which led to people seizing their differentials due to leaking and low fluid conditions. The supplier of this component on top of their quality control is disgusting . You will have window rattles, dash rattles, door rattles and possible water leaks and faulty seals. This will leave you with a wet back seat ( failed third brake light gasket) or various sounds emitted from your windows as the seal breaks allowing air in. The low pressure fuel pump will make noise loud enough to hear through the sliding rear window. its loud enough you will never want to open it. Your truck will chirp like a cricket at idle .Your dealer may make sure your fluids are topped off but more than likely they did not and it is low on fluids from the factory. the only way you and prove this is by taking it to a private shop and having them check and fill everything. Toyota and the Toyota dealerships do not care about you or your vehicle. They want you to sign the contract and move on with your life and seek help elsewhere. The Qi wireless charging will cook your phone battery and hardly charge it at all. You may maintain battery but your phone will kill the charging as the temperature gets too hot. If you plan on lifting this truck you will have to buy a special bushing for the driver side differential or else your stock needle bearing will fail and you will experience drive line vibrations. You can not use android or apple carplay. You will be restricted to the entune system which is buggy and doesnt work 50% of the time. The GPS is outdated and runs on a 1 year lag and you will have to pay out of pocket 200 dollars for a new SDCard. This truck has incredible drive line slop and axle wrap. When you come to a stop the whole truck will settle and make a thud and when you accelerate the entire drive line has to pick up the excessive slack and you will notice it. You will regret this purchase and at 35k + you will be ignored, given the run around and treated like an idiot. Buyer beware and understand these trucks were designed to hold together for maybe 1,000 miles before they just start falling apart on you. Just long enough for it to be registered and leave you stuck. Then you will have to decide if trading it in and rolling negative equity or just living unhappily with it is what you want to do. So save yourself the stress, headache and embarrassment and look else where.

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  Fresh Whip - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By NDubK - May 2 - 12:56 pm

  Ive had my Red 2000 Toyota Celica GT for 2 years and have had only few repairs done to it. (Tire router, Tie rod, O2 sensor) and it runs amazingly. The Celica does not have the strongest engine, seeing its only a 1.8L engine with an inline 4, but it does have a surprisingly fast acceleration due to its light-weight design. My Celica has been turning heads everywhere I go, and thats half the fun of driving isnt it? She hugs turns with amazing grip. I can go 45mph on a highway ramp without any body roll! Ive kept her in amazing condition, and babied her for as long as Ive had her. I highly recommend buying a Celica if your looking for an inexpensive sports car.

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  great for students - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By miser - May 2 - 10:00 am

  this car is very reliable and cheap to keep

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  lexus minivan - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By ktanza - May 2 - 10:00 am

  have had this van for 5 months now and put 5200 miles on it and still love it! gas milage has been 17.5 miles per gallon according to the computer which seems less than other reviews here.And i find the head rest to be a little annoying .(protrudes foward to much). may still need to break in .otherwise this is the best minivan out there.

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  FALLING APART - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By ray - May 2 - 6:26 am

  The cd never worked it eats cds, never fixed. Immediately after the warranty went out 2 expensive air pumps went out. Toyota is aware of the problem in these trucks, parts to replace are on back order. We are paying 920.00 a month for a truck we cant drive. They have no idea when parts available. The repairs take an hour and truck has been in shop over a week and no idea when parts will be in. Dealership has no compassion for our problems. We thought we would have a dependable vehicle. We have only had 1 year.