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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  Best car Ive ever owned! - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By cantrells3 - November 6 - 2:43 pm

  Ive had my 2000 celica since 2006 when I bought it used and it has been amazing. I have had almost no problems with it even though I bought the car with 80,000 miles. Only thing that has happened is the distributor went out at about 100,000 mi, and one of my CV joints went out at the same time( which I highly recommend fixing as soon as it goes out, the car used to turn on its own with the broken one) Besides that though nothing seem to be going wrong my check engine light is one at 150,000 but still runs as smooth and powerful as the day I got it.(most likely O2 sensors)

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  Do not buy one!! - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By alititude2087 - November 6 - 12:26 pm

  Seems to be quite a few unhappy Venza owners writing reviews here, here is mine. Our car has 26,000 miles and also has the "common" transmission issues such as slow shifting, and a vibration while changing gears. Toyota calls all this behaviour normal. Ours has several rattles coming from the seats and dashboard, toyota has made two attempts to fix these only to have them return a shot time later. Our battery has gone dead for no reason THREE times. Just recently the A/C quit, and the ride feels much more bouncy than normal. Top this all off with a poor average of 17mpg mostly highway fuel economy- Terrible!!I hope I can get a good trade in value for this lemon!

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  A head turner - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Old fart - November 6 - 8:56 am

  When new, the truck got more than its share of attention. Good mileage and great ride are pluses. Cargo capacity when camping or hunting cant be beat. Also has gone places 4X4s wouldnt go. Air conditioner has been only problem with radiator and now A/C clutch needing to be changed.

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  Bad brakes - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By JJB - November 5 - 11:33 pm

  Had the Camry for about 7 years and it ran well the whole time. I did have to replace the brakes two times in 4 years. Also the alignment was always getting out of whack. First gear was a little tricky too, but that could have just been my car. Another thing to think about is the gas mileage - not as good as you would think. Spent a lot more on gas than I should have. All that aside it was a very reliable car, and the only real work I had to put into it was the brakes.

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  Absolute Work of Art - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Ken - November 5 - 7:53 pm

  Ive got the model with the BBS wheels and the concave body kit. I love this car and everything about it. Traded my 2006 VW Passat in on it and couldnt be happier. There arent many cars on the road that look better than this one. 4 cylinder engine runs like a champ. Plenty of power (especially for the wife).

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  Im LOVING it! - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By redhot888 - November 5 - 5:46 am

  I just had my GEN III Prius V 9 days ago and so far...I am falling in love with the gadget and new technology that comes with it. Every day seems like a new small good surprise. I love the exterior and interior...it makes feel secure and at the same time...feeling awesome!!! The most amazing part that I like from my Prius V is the 17" alloy wheel. It really gives you the feeling of stability even at a higher speed!

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  I love the new Improved Venza! - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By smrt50 - November 5 - 1:29 am

  I owned a 2011 Venza, 4 cycl., and purchased the new 2013 Venza, XLE, 6 cycl.,Nav. Leather,power rear door lift, rear camera, 20 inch wheels. I love this vehicle, the ride has improved... My commute to work is 35 miles one-way, this vehicle is a joy yo drive. The Nav., Bluetooth, HD radio, Satellite Radio, make my commute easy to handle. The quality and interior workmanship has improved!!!!

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  Gave the Sienna another chance but now regret it. - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By Tonya in Michigan - November 4 - 6:49 pm

  We were pretty happy with our 2015 Toyota Sienna LE and drove it to almost 200,000 miles. Our only issue was with how fast the Sienna went through tires even with normal use. Rotated and balanced the tires as recommended and even used two different brand tires but would have to replace all the tires at 40,000 miles (purchased 65-80,000 Mile Warranty tires from Michelin and Yokohama). Was told by the Costco tire department that 2004-05 Siennas had a known problem. When it was time for a new vehicle, we were torn between the Odyssey and Sienna. We ended up choosing the Sienna because we liked our local dealer and, of course, they would have fixed the tire issue over the course of 10 years, right? Nope! Just had to replace all 4 tires on the new Sienna (with 26,000 miles) due to excessive wear on outer ring of tire to the point they were legally bald. The middle and inner part of tire had normal use so we were told to have the alignment checked. Alignment came back fine but we were recommended to have the camber bolt replaced at the cost of $280 dollars. None of this is covered under warranty. We will be moving to a Honda Odyssey when our lease is up in a year.

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  Beeps too Much - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By KrisD3 - November 4 - 3:35 pm

  WOW!! Love the exterior of this car and it is a dream to drive. My only complaint is that it beeps too much especially when I am trying to get into my tiny one car garage. I agree with the Edmunds Review, "overly sensitive". It also happens if if the road curves just a bit and I am too close to the white line when driving. I think they should have used a soothing voice instead, saying something like "Driving too close to outside curve" but instead its this jarring beep. I end up talking to the car, and saying things like, yes I know the car is too close to the edge. Usually I just crank up the radio. Once I thought it moved itself to the center of the road, so i wasnt so close to the white line. I am wishing I had leased now so I could get something probably equally as annoying in three years, but maybe, by then it will be a smooth quiet voice rather than those annoying beeps!!! (I got the 2018 but on here, I had to type in 2017 as there is no button for it)

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  Good car--dumb interior - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Sue in Colorado - November 4 - 1:26 pm

  Test drove & extensively researched both 2010 RAV4 & CRV before buying--(previously had a 2002 CRV & loved it). Comparison was a tossup, so got a RAV4 mostly just to "try something new". After 2 months...its a great car, but overall, think I preferred my CRV. RAV4 interior design/quality leaves much to be desired. Biggest letdown is the whole front console/storage/cupholder arrangement--storage room is unhandy and limited; your drink blocks access to some controls & dashboard storage nook; plastic is flimsy; center console too low for an armrest. And if they can dispense with the clunky exterior tire on Sport model--why not on ALL RAV4s??