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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  Not as reliable as Toyotas should be - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By toyofan8 - August 29 - 6:12 am

  This SUV is nice and comfortable. A long time Toyota owner I was completely surprised by the constant issues. Rear window wiper motor, sunroof, NAV system had to be replaced. The lugs nuts are two piece shells and loose its cap each time you remove a lug nut. I forced the dealer to replace them at his cost every time he rotated the wheels. The tires cost about $1400 (poor choice and expensive) and regardless of the warranty they last only a mere 19K. The tire size is limited to two manufactures and thus the high price. Got stuck in snow and had to reverse the SUV to get out. Embarrassing to say the least for an SUV. Lastly, the traction control truly does not work, it slides everywhere.

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  Gas Mileage/Reliability - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By mark.k - August 28 - 7:50 pm

  My 2007 Prius Touring model with Navigation is excellent in two areas: gas mileage (EPA 44-48) and reliability. People should not expect it to drive like a sports car, to ride like a luxury car, or to perform like a high clearance 4WD SUV in winter conditions. However for what it was designed to be, it is a very good car. Just dont have unrealistic expectations and you will be very happy with a Prius. I have also owned an Avalon and two Camrys and they were very good cars.

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  Wonderful Road Trip Vehicle - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Gilbert Frey - August 28 - 4:02 pm

  Rides like a mid sized sedan. No blind-spots! Easy to get in and out. Outstanding tow vehicle for small camping trailer (Casita about 3000lbs). Finish holds up just great. Minimal maintenance so far. Put heavy duty struts on at 110000 miles. Heavy duty premium brakes and rotors at same mileage with serpentine belt and timing belt at same time. Flushed transmission and trans-axle at same mileage. Always used full synthetic oil. Wash monthly and as needed. Wax every 6 months. Vacuum weekly. Note we replaced the 2006 Highlander with a 2016 Highlander Limited Platinum in January 2016. Love it! Higher towing weight was primary reason for the change. GF

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  Good, except gas mileage and 2nd row - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By Jim - August 28 - 2:48 pm

  Good power and handling for such a large vehicle. A lot of interior space. The regular maintenance itemized by Toyota is a small list, including oil changes only every 10k miles. I like that the powertrain is relatively standard (e.g. no engine start/stop, cylinder de-activation, direct injection, timing belt, or CVT), which I hope translates to high reliability. Problems: 1. Center console latch broke. Fixed under warranty. 2. Some small paint chips on front plastic bumper. 3. Alarm light flashes when parked, even if not locked. Dealership said this is normal, but I dont think it occurred when new. Issues with design: 1. I wish the van was not so large. It is not "mini" at all. The size of the Ford Transit Connect would be preferable, for me. 2. Poor gas mileage. This obviously partly correlates to the "standard" powertrain I like, and to the size of the vehicle. And it is inline with the EPA ratings, so no surprise. Just wish it was better. 3. The 2nd row is terrible. The 8 seaters 2nd row middle seat is ridiculously narrow, short, and the seat bottom is lower than the adjacent seats. Also, there is no LATCH attachments for the middle seat. It is almost useless. Finally, when you remove the 2nd row seats, there are runners in the tracks that remain. This makes it a non-flat load floor and the runners could get damaged when hauling items. Just an absolutely terrible design by Toyota for the 2nd row. Look at the Honda for how it should be done. 4. The 3rd row only has 2 sets of LATCH anchors, and one of them is in the middle of the wider section of the 60/40 split seat. So, you could not have two passengers in that section if you use the LATCH. Again, the Honda gets this right. 5. Not a full size spare tire.

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  Good all round functional family vehicle. - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By francho - August 27 - 9:12 pm

  Decent Japanese built vehicle which does everything a family requires from a vehicle well. Doesnt really impress me greatly in any aspect but never seems to disappoint either. I just purchased it with low miles 60k and it gets real world 28/23 mpg hwy/city. Not too impressive highway mileage but great city economy for a vehicle its size. Drivers seat not really up to American comfort standards. 2.2l 4 cyl. lacks a little power off the line but has plenty for uphill pulls on the highway.

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  Not bad for a Japanese car - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By ToyotaGuy - August 26 - 11:16 pm

  I bought one of the first 2003 4Runners, SR5 with V8, before the V6 became available. Main reason for the purchase was the great powerful V8 and silky smooth ride. I still like it, but wished I had waited a couple of years and bought a used one, since the value dropped so quickly. The car is so reliable and well built, even after almost 7 years it seems like new, so I think that picking up a decent pre-owned one seems a pretty safe bet. Anyway, the 4Runner is not for tall people and it is not the most spacious SUV out there. If you have a big family, I would go for its big brother, the Sequioa, or the Honda Pilot, if you dont need the V8 power.

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  A great mid-engine sports car - the MR2 - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Robinsonimages - August 26 - 1:16 pm

  I will most likely keep my MR2 till I can not drive any more. Sure there are better sports cars, bt you can not get a better one for the price and the gas mileage 25-34 mpg

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  Still a lot to work on - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By eshifrin - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Car is OK overall. Few problems: 1. Front window is crap (5 scratches on it in 2 years) 2. Losing all power if you put regular gas. 3. Hard to reach front display. 4. No alarm on XLS Style 5. Brake shose must be replased after 25k (should be after 40k)

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  The Bullseye - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By unbiased-a - August 26 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car for the beginning family. It accomodates taller individuals well. However, I do find the driving position akward at times. A telescoping steering wheel would solve this problem. If you are looking for a well rounded car with a great reliability recorded stop looking. If your looking for spice and performance go else where.

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  Quality truck with better gas mileage - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By javax - August 25 - 9:00 am

  My first truck! I test drove F150 FX4, Nissan Frontier, and Titan but decided to get Toyota Tacoma in the end. I liked the F150 and Titan but I just couldnt buy either one because of gas mileage. The Frontier truck was good also but didnt have many configurations. Tacoma was built like a truck and runs like a truck too. If you want to get a truck that runs like a car, stay away from this one. However, if you are after quality, this one is for you. It lacks (4cyl 4X4) horsepower to accelerate fast on the highway but it handles sharp curves like a car. At high speed around 70 mph, the truck makes quite a bit of engine noise. The exterior is very stylish and interior is well designed.