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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  Dangerous Accelerator - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Econpasha - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Traded in our 18-month old Tacoma truck for the Highlander. Same pushy salesman/dealer for both. In less than 2,000 miles, the accelerator "lost power" three times. Second time, I went to talk to the sales people; they told us to bring it in to the service dept. the next time it happened. Two weeks later, it happened again. Luckily the third event happened near the dealer. They kept it overnight and replaced the accelerator pedal! Almost got hit on a main road because the car would not move no matter how much I pressed on the accelerator. I could not get of the way of oncoming traffic. Scary! Lost all confidence in Toyota, even though I still own a 2008 Lexus LS460.

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  lots and lots of problems - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By georgejacobs - March 23 - 3:43 am

  Weve purchased our 2011 Venza new and have had it now for three years and 35k miles. We have had continual problems with the alarm going off for no reason. Its been in the shop three times but Toyota cant fix it. They did manage to silence the horn on the alarm but the lights still flash. On and off the steering makes a whining or creaking sound. Recently the sun visor on the drivers side broke--it wouldnt stay up or down, just mid-way where it obstructed the front view. The mileage is not quite what Toyota claimed--we get about 22-24 on the highway. For a vehicle that had a sticker price of $40k, its definitely a disappointment.

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  Sequioa - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By ss5jeter - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This a good big family SUV but it is hard to drive in alot a traffic. It is great in the snow and can tow big loads. It is also nice to take on long trips because of all the passenger room.

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  Poor Quality Truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Michael_F - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Purchased truck from Molle Toyota of Missouri in KC. The truck was delivered to me with a leaky radiator hose & a deformed plastic piece that surrounds the clock inside the truck & several other defects inside the truck. Some of the other defects inside the truck as follows: (1). Flexible rubber cover that covers the seat hinge gets crushed into the hinge when you move the upper part of the seat completely forward, you can check this out for yourself on any Toyota truck. (2). Cutouts in the carpet of the seat for the head rest are too large for the plastic piece that is designed to cover them up. (3). Dash pieces are cheap & do not line up properly.

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  Utterly disappointed - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Disappointed! - March 22 - 7:33 am

  Bought the van as a replacement to the 04 Nissan Quest. The engine whines if gas pedal pressed even slightly. The engine loses power if the foot is taken off the pedal and takes a few seconds to shift down e.g. while making a corner. Interior material is acceptable but stereo needs work. Handling is adequate and interior is roomy. Fuel economy is 18.9 miles to gallon in the 1500 mixed highway/city miles driven so far. Overall very disappointing because of lack of any sort of excitement while driving it due to passive powertrain and bland exterior. Would not recommend this van to anyone due to above.

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  Camry Problems - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By 207roy04064 - March 20 - 6:16 pm

  2008 Camry was sluggish and changed gears often. Cruise control varied 5 to 6 mph from actual setting. Traded this Camry 1 year after purchase. Bought it new 9/2007. Since purchase the CD player had to be replaced, did not pass state inspection because 4 struts were leaking. Then a front wheel bearing had to be replaced. This was a very unreliable car so I traded it in.

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  6 months later looking to ditch my XLE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By neil0311 - March 18 - 2:23 pm

  I rated this car pretty high when I first bought it. 6 months and 7K mi later, and the tranny has been replaced, the dash rattled all winter, and the starter makes weird noises when its cold. BUILD QUALITY IS TERRIBLE. Im so disappointed that I may take the hit and just ditch this for something I feel good about driving that doesnt rattle like a 10 year old piece of junk. Im just amazed that these issues havent gotten more widespread notice. DO NOT BUY an 07 Camry new or used, unless you enjoy visiting the dealer often.

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  Doesnt always start - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Zack - March 16 - 11:16 pm

  I bought my car in march and absolutely loved it. I noticed in august my passenger window didnt always stay rolled up and then my car wasnt always starting. It would eventually start but the dealership just made me feel as if i was crazy or somehow at fault. Unfortunatley, as is with most issues, not everything can be duplicated at the dealership and Ive had my car in the shop at least once a week since November. Its now a week before Christmas. Since my car is under warranty, I hope this issue is resolved before my warranty ends.

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  Where is MPG? - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By george - March 16 - 6:50 pm

  I have not gotten an MPG over 20 mpg (mainly stop & go traffic), with the panels in the door column coming off. Mechanical noise coming from the engine contributed to the gas by the toyota dealership. the head rest is uncomfortable and unmovable. I thought Toyota was famous for their quality.

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  Long Term Review - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By CJH - March 16 - 5:20 am

  Ive owned the Yaris since it first came out in July of 2006. Mechanically speaking, this car has been perfect. Never had a problem with 45k miles on it. That being said, this car has serious faults in other aspects. 1) The interior quality is abysmal. Ive had a dash rattle for 3 years now that 3 dealerships have been unable to fix. My window roller broke within 3 months, and the trunk has had issues with sounds and closing. 2) This car failed me in the snow, spinning out and nearly getting seriously wrecked. 3) Over time you feel claustrophobic in here. 4) Jumpy acceleration is unpredictable from a stop, sometimes hurting my neck, or almost hitting other cars. 5) Serious lack of power.