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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  RAV4 driver position - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By cigsmh - February 14 - 4:35 am

  After a having the car for a month I am still fighting to find more or less safe position to drive. I am afraid to lose control of the car because my right leg is in awkward position and I cant figure why. I have Montana 2000 and I have took all the measurements of the pedals and seat trying to understand where the problem coming from. I even tried to drive bare foot - even worse. I tried different seat cushions and padding - no luck. This is leased car and I have 1 year return back if lost the job. I will have to use this option if I cant figure out how to fix the problem. We suppose to go to Safari tomorrow and I am scared to drive with my family.

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  Not too sporty but man is it reliable - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By VD Drew - February 12 - 3:30 pm

  Celica is my wifes car prior 2 us meeting and weve purchased 2 newer cars since marrying. Having kids Ive tired to sell this 2door however after 2 years of spending $ on the newer cars, this celica has the most miles but 20% of the cost of maintaining the other cars. Its underpowered, doesnt have enough torque, and has a very disappointing rt=rear blind spot, horrible rear seats, uncomfortable for tall drivers, slopping dash where u cant put anything on. I found other small cars better and faster like the Mazda 3, Corolla, Vibe. Pros are its nimble, good looking, good gas mileage, easy to maintain, awesome on curves.

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  Pain in the butt! - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Joseph Raney - February 8 - 2:00 am

  Hi, ever since I got this vehicle I have been back and forth to the dealership at least 8 times, thats not including servicing. I just purchased the truck 5 months ago and its been giving me probs ever since I first got it.

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  Throttle Body Failure - Recall Coming? - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By pt - February 5 - 6:33 am

  As has been reported to Toyota and the NHTSA, the throttle body will fail on this vehicle due to a design flaw. Do a web search on this model of Toyota and youll see numerous instances of "throttle body failure." We just had to spend $1100 getting it replaced on our 2004 Camry and because it is a design flaw, it will fail again. The car will simply stop in the middle of the road with no way of restarting it.

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  Design flaws - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By own no more - February 4 - 7:46 am

  this the 4th toyota i have owned and probably the last. i drive 90% highway miles (hint zero to none use of brakes) and had to replace the rotors and pads at 14,000 miles. Door rattles, 4cyl lacks power for the hills of PA worst when AC is on, but my biggest peeve is when descending down hills at almost any speed the car down shifts into 4th gear and then into 3rd which sends the rpm so high that the pistons could shoot through the hood, not good at all for the motor. i know what Toyota would say that it is to help in braking but id rather replace brakes than a motor. will i buy a Toyota again? not likely?

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  RAV4 no more - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By sjeppson - February 3 - 11:46 pm

  I have owned this vehicle 4 weeks and have it has been in the service department half that time and it still there

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  Wait A Year - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Wayne - February 2 - 9:26 am

  Nice car. Everyone should have a Hybrid! But dont be shafted by the dealer. Camry disappointing in interior quality of components and trim that doesnt match in color and alignment. SHAME on you TOYOTA! And the damn beeper they have beeps at everything you do. GET RID OF IT. Center console too bright at night time. But quality in trim is seriously lacking. Stone Mountain Toyota, GA ripped me off, so beware and dont go near that place. The are "under new management" every other month. As a Hybrid the vehicle is fine and economical to drive for sure. Economy button for the A/C is UNDER the dashboard! WHAT were they thinking??? Brand new car needs an interior redesign already.

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  Dont Buy This Car! - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By BurnedBeth - February 2 - 2:00 am

  I have owned many cars in the past. My most important criteria in a car is reliability. My Sienna is 4.5 years old with 48k miles and I have to spend $1300 replacing all 6 fuel injectors - not covered by the 5 yr 60k warranty. Toyota does not stand by its products. I have never had to spend so much on any car - even those I had for 10 years! The first month we had the car the master cylinder for the ABS failed and left us with no brakes. There are so many vans to choose from - Dont choose a Toyota Sienna.

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  Problems Galore - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By aternie - February 1 - 5:42 am

  I bought this Tundra hoping to get that Toyota quality. At 45,000 miles, the radio just quit working. At 60,000 miles the drivers door lock actuator quit working immediately followed by the front passenger door lock actuator and then the drivers side rear door lock actuator. The drivers door is just a nuisance but the other doors are now totally useless since there are no keyholes for those doors. At 65,000 miles I have an oil leak and a water pump leak. In other words, at less than 80,000 miles, I have about $4,500.00 in repairs. So much for Toyota quality. As others have said, the body dents too easily. Other than that it is a powerful truck. I just would not recommend one.

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  Direct Compare 2017 and 2007 models - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jack Cloxet - January 29 - 9:03 pm

  I currently own a 2007 Tacoma TRD Off Road that has 100K miles on it and have been delighted all the way around with this truck . My wife was always in it so I gave it to her and got myself an identical 2017 model without much thought..... thinking they could only get better after 10 years. Well, was I wrong. The 3.5L Atkinson V6 engine paired with the 6 speed automatic is disappointing. Between the sluggish performance, the constant gear shifting and the incredibly loud engine/exhaust system noise under load, I cant wait till my lease is up. And it is LOUD under load. My wife and I have a modest 20 foot travel trailer and have done identical trips to the same campground with both vehicles and the difference is remarkable. Although the 3.5L is rated to tow more than the old 4.0L, it responds horribly compared to the 4.0L. Even when utilizing the the 3.5L ECT PWR option while towing , there was still incessant gear hunting and a deafening howl from the engine and exhaust as it frequently ramped up to 4200 RPMs on slight inclines. Gas mileage was much worse as well while towing as the 3.5L came in at 9.4 MPG and the 4.0L measured in at 14.2 MPG. As far as some of the other odds and ends, I found myself using the GPS on my phone as it is far superior to the one in the truck, many of the new controls for some of the new technology is not intuitively placed and depending on what screen youre on you get the speed youre traveling in three different places and the time is nowhere to be found. Weird. On the upside, the truck handles and brakes well, but so does the 2007. All in all, its not such a bad daily driver but we use the 2007 to tow the trailer as the experience is far superior. Ive also decided to keep and invest in the 2007 as I have a feeling we wont see anything new on the market like that for some time to come.