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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  Watch the DOORS! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By macdukep - May 26 - 11:10 pm

  Sliding rear doors have been malfunctioning since purchased. Do not buy this model if you live in cold climates: the sliding doors freeze shut on a regular basis. Also one of the sliding doors malfunction and will not open at all (feels like the child lock is on even when it is off.) Other people with same problems can be found on edmunds.com under Toyota Sienna. Dealer wants $850.00 to fix. It really seems like a defective door yet they want consumer to cover the cost. In addition, dont ever try reaching Toyota on their 800 number unless you have time to spare. I was on hold 60 min before they picked up. Other times I hung up after 20 min. Not concerned for customer.

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  Class Action? ...Anyone? - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By booorav4 - May 18 - 7:03 am

  The engine on my 07 Rav4Sport blew up at 86k miles. I had all repairs, replacements, even oil changes performed solely at Toyota dealerships. Something shoots out from inside the engine while Im driving on the fwy one day, spews ALL of the oil out from inside, about 6-8 quarts, my rear wheels kicking that sludge back up onto that stupid rear gate with the tire on it while I desperately try to exit the fwy. I get it towed to the dealership where I had gotten an oil change 6 days prior; to find that there is a 3 sq inch hole in the bottom block and that I need a new engine. I take this up with corporate, aaand theyre nice enough to offer me $1k toward the purchase of a new lemon.

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  OVERATED! - 2013 Toyota Tacoma
  By soreknees - May 17 - 4:06 pm

  most uncomfortable truck ive ever owned. The drivers seat is so poorly designed I can hardly walk when I leave the truck after 30 minutes of driving. Miss my chevy silverado crew cab. The dealership was terrible, didnt even offer to demonstrate the vehicle after the purchase. Just handed me the keys and walked away. (Smithtown Toyota, NY). I had to go find the truck myself. The truck is overpriced to begin with which explains the higher resale price. After driving full sized silverados with every option available for almost the same price, I was amazed that so few comfort and convenience options are available for these trucks i.e. power leather heated seats, climate control.

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  Worst car I ever drove - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Joni - April 30 - 11:20 am

  Purchased the car a month ago and will be getting rid of it just as fast.  The car drifts on the highway especially in the wind in speeds of 50 and over.  You cant take your hands off the steering wheel even to turn on the radio. When driving behind a truck, same thing.  Cant believe Toyota could let this thing on the road.  Seats are very uncomfortable. Will never buy another Corolla again.

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  GUTLESS - 2013 Toyota Tacoma
  By billwagn - April 27 - 11:58 pm

  I have owned this truck for almost 2 years now and think it is a piece of junk, it is very gutless and gets very poor mileage. I bought it to get better mileage than my 1999 gmc with a v-8 however it gets less mileage than the other truck which has ten times the power and gets 20 to 22 miles per gallon. this heap only gets 18 mpg on the highway and wont climb a hill more than 40 miles per hour, as well as it shifts into overdrive going up a hill and is loosing speed....wish I had my GMC back and toyota had this junk shoved down their throat

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  Mixed Feelings - 2007 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Thomas - April 26 - 8:10 pm

  I did a lot of resaearch and was awed by the reliability ratings of this vehicle and the reputation. I bought it based on these attributes but now I feel like I left a lot on the table in terms of style and features compaed to other similar vehicles. Some specifics that I miss in this suv versus my last one (and others I consdiered): -No Dual climate control -No Heated rear seats -Unattractive exterior styling -Handles poorly...lots of sway -Sound system poor especially when driving with windows open -No rain sense wipers -Big and bulky...not precise -A lot of plastic trim -No in dash cd changer -no auto dimming outside rear view mirrors

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  Poor interior engineering, cheap plastics, cheap fabric - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By malansworth - April 26 - 7:24 pm

  Interior engineering was not well thought out and is deficient in many areas relative to comparable cars. Insufficient storage compartments. The large storage area under the "bridge" is awkwardly placed and leaves objects exposed. Access to seat heater switches and the 12-volt auxiliary input under the bridge is inconvenient and a potential safety issue if you reach for them while driving. The console storage is large and deep, which means that you must pile up objects on top of each other. The USB port is inconveniently located near the bottom of the console storage, so there is the likelihood that the USB drive will break due to contact with the storage contents. Seats lack lumbar support.

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  Theres more to a car than mpg! - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By baldeagle8 - April 26 - 3:57 pm

  Bought 2012 Prius two four months ago. Unless speed control used cant get the 50 mpg. Road noise worse than my 69 Bug. Think all that interior plastic contributes to the noise issue. Display is almost impossilbe to see in the Florida sun. This is of great concern because you cant see the performance icons. Not worried about speeding, this car couldnt win the soap box derby. Cloth seats hard to get in and out of. High beam lights are not adjustable and need it badly. Selling dealer staff not knowledgeable about features. Lastly, never had a car hydroplane so badly whcih is a problem with the kind of rains we get in Florida. Has Toyota gotten overconfident?

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  2007 AVALON TOYOTAS FAILURE - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By 07avalonsucs - April 25 - 9:37 am

  This year and model should have lived up to the Toyota name, but sadly it is as bad as some American cars for reliability .They called it the closest thing to an American sedan, well they were right it fails in the engine after 40000 miles and continues to be a money pit for repairs, for years to come, DO NOT BELEIVE SOME OF THESE SAPPY OWNERS WHO DO NOT DRIVE THIS CAR ANYWHERE BUT TO CHURCH. IT IS NOT RELIABLE. The cylinder coils fail and fail regularly until you need new cylinders which sadly happen at less than 100k. Toyota should step up and recall these engines for failure, instead of touting the wondrous American-like sedan. Buyer Beware.

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  I hate what you do for me Toyota. - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By mcgovern1981 - April 24 - 10:27 am

  Sort and sweet. 3 recalls unsure if my car was ever safe to drive. An interior that constantly squeaks. Finally the last straw at 68k Im told I need a new transmission because Im getting a clicking noise whenever I take my foot of the gas they say its a broken tooth on the pinion drive gear..... Theres your legendary reliability. I wonder how much pro reviewers get paid to praise these cars.