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:

• 

  So much better than I anticipated - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By ken - December 18 - 4:20 am

  For those of you who have not driven one, you will be surprised. This car has surprising acceleration and lots of space inside. The Bluetooth, MP3 jack and backup camera are a real plus. The downside is the comfort level. The seats have little support, and are not comfortable for drive that goes beyond 45 minutes.

• 

  Two nagging issues - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bamboo - December 17 - 11:40 am

  This truck looks awesome, the fit and finish is perfect, and for a 2.7L 4 cylinder it has plenty of get up and go. Gas mileage has been on average about 19 MPG combined. My only two complaints; between 55 - 65 MPH theres a noticable steering wheel flutter which occurs intermittantly. When using the A/C the power loss on the engine is agonizing. Enough that you have to gear down to go up any hills you would normally not have to down shift for.

• 

  60,000 miles on s-speed manual - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By Schooby - December 17 - 5:35 am

  I purchased this car brand new in Charleston, SC for $15,600. It features the 6-speed manual trans. I have just hit 60,000 miles and the car runs excellent. I average 41.6 miles per gallon, when the car was brand new it was 41.9 to 42 miles per gallon, mostly highway driving at 60 MPH. I am still on the original factory tires and they still have a decent amount of tread left. I change my oil every 5k miles using the cheapest 0W-20 full synthetic I can find usually at Napa. The main complaint is the Blue Tooth, periodically it will disconnect from my phone for no readily apparent reason. It is not the phones fault as I have had 4 different phones in this car and the blue tooth will disconnect and sometimes take 20 minutes to an hour before connecting again. Also quite frequently while parked the car will not go into reverse. You must inch the car forward in first gear to get the gears to line up for reverse. This happens abut 1 in every 4 times I need to use reverse while stopped. Not a big deal. The cup holders are in between the gear shifter and the center console arm rest, so tall drinks with straws may interfere with your forearm while shifting. I had the cruise control installed aftermarket for $400, both the brake and clutch pedal deactivate the cruise. The car isnt very fast off the line nor is it fast when passing unless you grab a much lower gear and get that engine to rev up higher. This car is designed to be affordable and reliable and it is exactly that. at 41.6 miles per gallon it is very cheap to drive. During the past 60,000 miles I have had no warranty issues at all, the only thing I had the dealership do was adjust the headlights a little bit lower. From the factory they seemed high and I was constantly having other drivers flash their high beams at me thinking I had my brights on. My wife complains that the head rest tilt her head too far forward and she flips them around while driving. I do not have this problem. She is 5ft3in tall I am 5ft8in. This is a timing chain driven engine which is a plus, no timing belts! Driving in the hills of Western NC near Ashville the car did very well on the interstate in 6th gear at 70 MPH, steep grades may require dropping into 5th gear. AC works well in 95+ heat and cools the car rather quickly

• 

  Very happy with my 3rd new 4WD Taco - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By gw7 - December 15 - 8:40 pm

  Very happy with my 3rd 4WD SR5 Access cab. Previously I owned a 1988 and 1999 both were 4-cyls-std. My latest is a 6-auto with TRD Sport Package. Like others my 3rd radio solved the problem, but otherwise this truck is great. I use it as a daily driver but often trailer full sized cars, which it handles easily. I test drove several different Tacos, and a Frontier before picking the TRD Sport. I found the Off-Road too stiff, and the regular SR5 seats lacking. I have no issues with the seating position some reviews mention. The engine is noisy at idle with the hood open, but I dont consider the engine noisy at high speed on the highway. Great truck!

• 

  4Runnin - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By ChiefJoJo74 - December 15 - 8:36 am

  I bought my 4Runner in September of 2002 (one of the last of its generation). Its my first SUV, and I wouldnt trade it for any other. The ride is rough/firm, gas mileage isnt very good (18-23 mpg), and its short on low end torque but... its the best looking SUV out there in my opinion, is roomy without being too big to manuver in the city, has a great multi-mode 4WD system with traction/skid control (great for rain/snow), performs extremely well off-road, has good brakes, great ergonomics, and is very solidly built and reliable (no problems after 38k mi) and will probably last for well over 200k miles with good maintenance.

• 

  Great fuel economy and value for cost - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By PATraveler - December 15 - 8:13 am

  Getting 41 mpg+ on just 2nd tank of gas which makes everything else non-significant. Runs very quiet. Automatic lights and door locks nice features. Missing features: need clock in radio. Have to reach for door arm rests; uncomfortable. Seats arent comfortable for long trips - lumbar area. Std. fabric quality is poor,will snag and show dirt quickly; already missing leather seats. Trunk latch in dumb place on floor, along with gas cap release, which will surely catch snow and dirt. Extra half inch of head room would have been nice as well as adjustable foot pedals. Since it only cost 20 bucks to fill it up after driving all day, I will learn to like everything else about the car.

• 

  Leaking water pump - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Ralph H. Randall - December 15 - 4:15 am

  Had to have the water pump replaced at 70K miles. Disappointing!

• 

  It works for me! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Sparkly Kelsey - December 14 - 8:56 pm

  Bought the car new and its never been in the shop, with over 77,000 miles on it, and I am a lousy driver and a rotten caretaker re: maintenance. This is my fourth Toyota and will stick with them forever. Got the base model and got every feature I wanted. Its pretty too. Still looks like new except where Ive banged it up hitting mailboxes, etc.!

• 

  Cant do much better! - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By opie - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I was tired of wasting all my free time maintaining cars. This is the most uneventful car experience Ive ever had. The only things I do are oil changes and put gas in the thing! It handles like a cloud and behaves well (very car-like). Its so quiet, its almost scary!It is wonderful for longer trips. I researched vans for nearly a year before buying this one. Only the new Sienna could top it.

• 

  The good & Bad - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Mini-Van Guy - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Drove Quest, Odyssey, T&C, Pilot, MDX and Pacifica before waiting 2 mths and paying sticker for Sienna. Purchased for design and available safety package #12. The flexibility is great with children and the visability promotes safe driving. Love vehicle but dissapointed in initial quality. Four visits to dealer for loose belts, mounts, plastic rattles, speakers vibrate and most recently a thumping from front end.