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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  Love this truck!!! - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4runner_momma - May 1 - 10:50 am

  I LOVE this truck! Toyota builds the best vehicles on the road and my 4Runner is no exception. It gets me where I need to go, keeps my kid safe, and does all this without asking anything in return of me except regular maintenance, and new tires! I do wish it has a few more creature comforts...softer chairs (mine are leather), and latch restraints for the car seat, but all of this is addressed on the next generation. Overall I am extremely satisfied with this truck, and I am sure my daughter (9 mo. old) will be driving this when she turns 16! It will need a new paint job by then though...

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  Update from OKHunter - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By OKHunter - May 1 - 9:30 am

  Update to a review written not long after I bought the truck. Now have almost 130K miles. Did the normal timing chain/water pump at around 90K, and have had all the scheduled maintenance performed. Only problem I thought was a design flaw was the front ball joints, which wore out at about 60K miles, due to poorly designed seals. Also replaced the stock muffler w/ a Flowmaster, and the stock air filter w/ a K&N cold air induction kit; that raised the mileage to about 19 mpg combined. I plan to drive this thing until the wheels fall off, then Im going to put em back on and drive it until they fall off again. If you want a solid truck for the long haul, look no further.

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  Fast, quiet, and very comfortable - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By Deep Value - May 1 - 9:19 am

  I traded in a 2011 Mini Cooper S Clubman with a manual transmission for this car, as I wanted something more comfortable, with rear doors, that shifted its own gears and didnt break as much. Im into cars, and painfully picky, so I drove the 2013 Lexus ES 350 (a little cramped and a lot expensive), the 2016 Honda Accord V6 (uncomfortable seats), a 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Touring (excellent car, but couldnt justify the premium vs. the Camry) a 2015 Ford Fusion SE with the 2.0 turbo (a little sluggish, wild variation in noise, vibration and harshness from car to car). I ended up buying a 2013 XLE V6, certified used with 16,700 miles, for $20k. Its a luxury car in terms of performance and comfort: Its electric car-quiet around town, the V6 is ridiculously powerful and fast, and the seats are EXCELLENT, with lots of adjustments and terrific lumbar support. I can get into a great driving position in about 10 seconds after someone else has driven the car. The tires I got were Bridgestone Turanza EL400s and theyre just awful - get the Michelins if you can. The Bridgestones are bumpy for the first few miles after sitting overnight (I think because they develop flat spots), they dont have much grip, and theyre noisy. That said, the cars handling isnt bad... its not the Mini, but its predictable and the steering has good feedback, with no numb spot on center - its easy to drive quickly. It understeers into sharp corners, and you can hear the tires complain, but it works. I knew that going in and dont mind; Im middle-aged and I dont race around corners anymore (plus, thats not why you buy a Camry)... but I do like to go from 0-speed limit in a hurry and this V6 engine is one of the greats for that. On a related note that nobody talks about, you can shift the auto transmission manually, and it works really well. Put it in 2 on an entrance ramp, get the revs up to 3,000 and stomp on it, and youd better be holding on tightly. Seriously. Other "useful in the real world" stuff: The back seat is huge and comfortable, theres lots of storage and plenty of 12-volt power outlets, the keyless entry and ignition is one of those things you cant give up once you have it (if you have the car for 5 years, youll get to skip pulling your keys out of your purse or pocket at least 3,600+ times), and the backup camera has those alignment lines that help you hit a parking space dead center. Ill get less than the 25 MPG combined, and I dont care. The rush of the V6 is well worth it. My plan is to replace the terrible tires with Michelin Primacys, drive this thing until its tired, then give it to my kid so she can drive it another 150,000 miles. I think the cars just an amazing value. In short, the Camry is the best-selling car in the world, and the V6 XLE is the best Camry. Update: I asked the dealer, Acton Toyota of Acton, MA, to swap the Bridgestones for Michelin Premier A/S and they did! They didnt charge me for the tires, just the labor for mounting and balancing... this dealer is truly excellent. The tires make an enormous difference in the ride: theyre quiet, smooth, and handle much better.

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  Love My Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By hutch34 - May 1 - 7:30 am

  I came out of an Acura MDX into the Avalon. I waited for months for the new Acura RL to come out but was disappointed in its cramped feeling. IMO the Avalon is just as nice as the RL but much more comfortable. It approaches Lexus quality at a Toyota price. A really fine automobile.

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  LIKE THIS CAR ALOT - 2016 Toyota Prius v
  By Leslie - May 1 - 7:02 am

  Of course my preference would have been the Audi but that was 80K. This is my third Prius. Got the V as it is a bit larger than the regular Prius - I see it is referred to as a wagon but I would have never thought to call it that. There is a definite interior redesign - the central console is going which is kind of nice actually and the interior panels are redesigned. Seems much more higher end - whereas the others were not - but also test drove the Lexus Sedan - the i - and I just am a good fit with Prius - I like the way they handle and particularly like the interior of this new one - in fact better than the Lexus I test drove - very space ship looking. The V is much larger inside and I like that but as a family of one, I really didnt need it but it will be a nice plus to have. The pick up is much better in this one and the redesign on the hatchback - for my test - has a much much better rear view mirror. Really love this car but its day one. Lets see how the next six months go.

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  enjoyed my 1995 tacoma more - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By bslashbar - May 1 - 3:56 am

  This is my third toyota, I doubt I will be buying another Tacoma because I dont believe the quality is the same as the 1995 model I had. Got nearly 300K on it and I can only hope this one will give me half as good of service. Fuel mileage and power are both lacking in my 03 (avg 18 mpg) and the comfort, noise level and interior design seems to be lacking quite a bit. Have had some trouble geeting std trans to shift into reverse several times and had to move forward in order to get into reverse. Cup holders are really of no use as they are in the way and will not hold cups very well.

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  Iconic Vehicle - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By nilopol - April 30 - 11:36 pm

  I purchased my 2000 LC in 2003. Since then with regular maintenance I have had absolutely no problems. I put in a new muffler and exhaust manifold, but otherwise still going strong. I put in a navigation and backup camera, and it acts like a 2006-2007 ride.

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  Just bought it and love it already! - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By paige808 - April 30 - 9:51 pm

  I used to own a 2000 BMW for 3 yrs. I never thought I would love another car but I must say for a old big suv, I love already. I sold the BMW cost me way too much to fix and broke down on me all the time. Ive had my 4runner for about a month and its sooo fun to drive and runs great! Even tho it has 165,xxx mi the ac is icy cold and with my kids they have ample room to grow in :) I love that rear window that rolls down and its classic look. I put a new timing belt in so I hope shell last me a life time.

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  2007 Toyota Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Steve Kellett - April 30 - 8:20 pm

  This truck is great. It has tons of power, seats are very comfortable, 6 speed trans is great, SR5 package is great. This truck is huge, everybody who comes close to look all say it. Number of gauges and what they are for is very comprehensive. Auto trans temp gauge was great idea. Build quality is very good. Comes with Michelin tires. 6 speed trans with sequential shifting is nice feature. Two haul mode is nice feature as well. Stock radio/CD player does the job nicely. Plenty of drink holders. Plenty of storage behind seat. I got rid of an undependable Ford F150 and could not be happier with my choice of trucks.

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  Im thrilled with my RAV4! - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Elliebird - April 30 - 12:13 pm

  I was hesitant to buy an SUV because Ive had small cars all my life and had trouble maneuvering and parking the SUVs I had been test driving. My first time in the RAV, I did a tight U-turn and fell in love! The RAV is small enough to easily handle, and when we packed for our first vacation, we had cargo space left over! The fuel economy has been as advertised, if not better. However, I dont drive aggressively, and I followed the "first 1000 miles" recommendations. The first week of ownership, I was aware of slight road vibration under my feet (I was coming out of a luxury sedan) but I no longer notice it. I highly recommend the RAV4.