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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  Disappointing number of rattles - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Bioarches - July 4 - 2:00 am

  The interior looks great but LOTS of rattles from the sunroof area. The drivers seat arm rest almost fell off and the hard plastic interiors of of the big and little storage bins means everything rattles like crazy when you hit a bump. Sun glass holder is too small to hold sunglasses. The conversation mirror is too small to use and too close to the drivers eyes. No map pocket on the back of the front passenger seat (the driver cannot reach behind his seat to grab a map) The exterior styling is nice in profile but pretty "dweeby" looking from the front and the back. Why cant Toyota design a truly beautiful looking automobile.

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  How to ruin a great car - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By DisappointedOwner - July 1 - 10:00 pm

  How to ruin a great car? Put the worst pos nav system in it and discriminate against people who dont have or want a smart phone. Seriously, not offering integrated nav as an option is the worst decision toyota has made. Everything else about the car is great but we like having nav that doesnt require two apps and then tells you to drive through a creek.

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  Alignment Issues From Day One - 2013 Toyota Tundra
  By dontbuytoyota - July 1 - 11:36 am

  I was so proud when I was able to purchase this truck new, but the feeling didnt last long. After 100 miles of driving, I started to notice excessive wear on the outside edges of the front tires. Then, I started noticing a pull to the right, and hard pull to the right when braking. I went to the dealer with 300 miles on the truck and was told it was an air pressure issue. The pull continued to get worse, so I had the alignment checked, and it was out bad. The front end was aligned, but is not fixed. Now 5 more alignments have been done, and the front tires replaced at 3,500 miles. I contacted Toyota and was told there was nothing they would do because my truck has the TSS package.

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  Loved it at first, now I absolutely hate this car. - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By rex81 - June 29 - 8:31 am

  Dont get me wrong, the Prius is a great car to get from A to B. But it has so many faults, mostly in the way it drives, that I had to get rid of it after 30,000 miles. For efficiency of fuel and space, its unmatched. Its roomy and gets great mileage. But... The auto on/off of the engine is choppy, the brake feel is eneven, rock hard seats, the steering is numb, the ride is harsh, there are a ton of rattles throughout the car, and the car feels like it weighs twice what it does. Just a terrible driving experience. I was getting about 39 mpg consistently. No reliability issues whatsoever. But in the end, life is too short to drive a car like this. Thats why I got rid of it.

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  Too many issues - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By mm - June 16 - 7:50 pm

  Good: ride, airbags, tether, handling. Bad: quality (started rattling at 20000 miles), warranty repair, failing steering column at 31000 miles in non-demanding driving conditions (mostly flat or slightly hilly terrain). Very dissapointing experience with my 3rd Toyota.

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  Transmission blew at 115,000 miles. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Deston Nokes - June 12 - 11:07 am

  I enjoyed owning this car until its transmission blew out at 115,000 miles. I was under the impression that Toyotas lasted a lot longer. Wont get fooled again.

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  Not too bad - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Fred - June 9 - 9:40 pm

  Looks good, nice interior. Jerks around too much when engine switches from gas to electric!

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  2016 Toyota Tacoma auto transmission is terrible - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By joe - June 5 - 7:33 pm

  I purchased a 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD sport and the transmission shifts way to much and the gearing seems to be off when shifting.very lousy design and would not recommend this transmission to anyone looking to purchase a Tacoma,hopefully Toyota will correct there mistake.

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  Back Problems - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Rick Paul - June 1 - 5:57 pm

  I have to get rid of this car because I cant drive it without being hobbled by back pain even for short distances. The front seat has a "lumbar support" that digs into my back just above my belt line. Ive adjusted the seat every which way possible. Ive tried after market seat cushions and pillows to no avail. I wanted to give this vehicle a chance because there are many things to like about it compared against the other cars Ive test driven. I will lose money when I rid myself of it after only 3 months. Otherwise, I like the smooth power delivery and most notably the quality of the interior. It comes without a lot of frills that come standard on some competitors, like adjustable speed intermittent wipers, automatic headlights, and push button start but it has a high quality feel. The interior switches and the fit and finish are top notch. This is why I bought it. IF YOU HAVE ANY BACK PROBLEMS, OR EVEN IF YOU DONT, TAKE A LONG TERM TEST DRIVE OR RENT ONE FIRST. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS, DO NOT BUY THIS CAR.

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  Blown Head Gasket Engine 4cyl Bad News - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By toml1958 - June 1 - 5:26 am

  Beware of the dreaded code stating leakage in exhaust system, for this is an idication of the head gasket going and leaking coolant. Upon further review it is found thatrear head bolts are stripped due to excessive heat most like caused by foam insulator pad between plastic intake manifold and engine. Some say engine is toast, but the fix rec. is a time sert insert kit (approx $500 helicoil) with drill guide. Mine is to be currently repaired at about a total cost of $2,900.00 as long as the helicoil kit holds the head bolt torque, we will see? It is a design flaw in my opinion as it seems to be a regular issue with the four cylinder Highlanders approx.2001-2005? Failure was at 160,000 mi.