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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  Missing refinement - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Buca800 - February 11 - 2:50 pm

  Solid but plain-Jane SUV. Excellent power train. Comfortable interior. Good layout of instruments and controls. However, it is missing on refinements in the interior. Leather is thin and cheap, wrinkles easily. Hard to clean. Dashboard finish is thin and flakes off if even nicked. Radio antenna is weak and causes poor reception. Too many functions on light and wiper pods, which are unlit and hard to work at night. Cannot see instrument cluster even in daylight conditions. My first Toyota and Im disappointed with the overall chintziness of interior finishes.

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  2010 Tacoma - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Don - February 11 - 1:00 pm

  I purchased my new Tacoma with high hopes that it would match up to my old 1992 SR5 Toyota truck. I am very disappointed to say that it does not. The steering wheel does not angle high enough to get out of the way of my knee when I shift. Come-on Toyota. The center console storage compartment should lift back, not to the side. I already had to replace my passenger side seat belt because it was torn. The gas mileage is horrible for a manual,(15-16). The engine is loud above 2300 rpm. The engine does not throttle down fast enough when you shift so you get this horrible whining each time you shift gears. I had much more storage in the cab with my 1992 Toyota. 250K with this truck. Not a chance

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  Love My Tacoma ! - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By mptri - February 10 - 2:00 am

  Great versatility with room for 5 in the cab, but able to haul just about anything in the bed. Its my first truck & I would most certainly buy another Toyota truck product in the future.

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  Sienna transmission problem - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By houston, tx - February 9 - 2:00 am

  2 major problems within 1600 miles: A. Side airbag defect due to exposed wires. Driver seat had to be replaced B. Transmission failed while merging on the freeway - almost got rear-ended. Was very lucky to survive. Dont buy into Toyotas hype. This is my last toyota!

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  Traded in my Lexus for a Camry - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By purpchin - February 8 - 10:10 pm

  I traded my RX 300 for this Camry and after a week Im not disappointed at all, especially at the gas pump. I went from a V6 to I4 and theres plenty of passing power. I also went from leather to cloth seats and its not cold - no seat heaters needed. If you want more class upgrade to the XLE but get ready to pay 3-4K more. Thats a personal choice. Its only been a week but if I have to take it to the shop youll be hearing from me. I bought certified used (3,800 mis) and the best thing about that is that the warranty is 7/100,00 mi - better than new.

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  Happily traded the 2011 for 2015!!! - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By DLu - February 8 - 8:50 am

  The 2015 has made improvements in basically all the areas that Ive hated about our 2011 (Limited AWD). In terms of the driving experience, he steering feel and suspension have improved slightly. Rapid inputs in the 2011 are met with a very non-linear resistance, as if it would "catch" at different points of the rotation. Thats gone for 2015. The ride has firmed up a bit, but with an equal amount of improvement in body control. The 2011 was needlessly firm with still too much body roll. The improvement in NVH and the interior (see below) sealed the deal for us.

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  Tow Prep Package - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By wonder - February 7 - 8:46 am

  I purchased a new Venza with the tow prep package. Consumers need to know that a wiring harness to hook up a trailers lights is not included in this package. Also, a wiring harness from Toyota will not be available until January 2011.It cost me an additional $150.00 to get the trailer lights to work.

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  Expensive little car for what you get - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Tim - February 7 - 12:26 am

  I have owned this car for 11 months & have had no engine reliability issues. I began having problems with the moonroof sliding shade at only 5000 miles. It would rattle all the time! It took 2 trips to the dealer & a whole new sunshade to fix it. A month later the moonroof began grinding when tilting it up so that also had to be repaired. Moonroof aside, I really enjoy this car. Decent gas mileage, incredibly reliable, & good looking. It has the look of a more upscale car from the outside & the interior is simple yet sophisticated.

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  2010 venza dissapointed - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Anthony F - February 6 - 9:50 pm

  Loved the look of this car the first time I seen it. Very roomy interior Quiet, powerful 4cyl engine. Having a hard time finding a comfortable seating position, seat feels to hard on my back, firm ride, would of like a softer ride. Not so happy, enjoy driving my 2007 murano a lot more. No back pain in that car.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By gh81 - February 6 - 12:39 pm

  Upgraded from an Altima due to the arrival of my daughter. The engine and transmission are excellent, this is a fun SUV to drive with more than enough power to put a smile on my face. Interior is overall great, seats are comfortable, equipment on limited is generous. The ride and steering could be smoother. Trunk is very spacious and practical. This will be my one and only RAV as Toyota made the 2013 model much more boring.