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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  poor gas mileage - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Mahendra Gupta - August 11 - 7:58 am

  My Toyota Camry SE 2015 consistently gives me less that 28 miles/gal on freeways, which is well below their claim of 35 miles/gal. Same is the complaint from my neighbor who also bought the same model the same time I bought.

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  It looks nice, but has been a nightmare - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Timothy - August 10 - 1:56 pm

  Before purchasing our XLE Limited we had rented an LE for a 3 week road trip....that sold us...into a nightmare. Bought it for almost 40k, fully loaded. All of the features are nice however at 60K miles we are on our 4th AC system rebuild, 2nd center differential (first one locked up at 70mph on the freeway), 2nd drivers door (check strap broke, punch through the outer skin). In short we have had it for 4 years, and spent almost $7000 in REPAIRS (not maintenance like oil changes, tires, brakes, etc). Our case has been review by Toyota several times, and we have been told the situation is normal...both my other cars (Cadillacs) have 170k+, and have cost a lot less then this to keep running.

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  OK - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Jeff - August 8 - 1:30 pm

  1st time buyer of a Toyota, bought one because of (so called) reliability. I know I have over 100,000 miles on it now, but I bought this to replaced a Chevy with 160,000 miles on it and have sunk more money into this than I ever did in my Chevy. Look out when you reach 100,000 miles. I had to replace water pump (leaking), power steering pump (leaking), rear struts, tie rod ends, rear cam seal (leaking) and now I have noticed another leak on my garage floor and dealer tells me it is the front cam seal and they have to pull engine (very expensive). Rides rough and rattles. Feels like you are in a go cart it sits so low. Repairs are higher than domestic cars. My wife wants us to trade it in.

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  an extremally everage car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By sasha - August 7 - 10:00 am

  bought it used with 18k.The very second week took it to a dealer to fix as i found out collapsed chaircoal canister.Two month later couldt start it and again my dealer fixed problem with engine oil flooding sparkplugs.When loaded (2-3 people inside)the car hits speedbumps with its buttom. Horrible bodyroll, jerky acceleration, average braking power and totaly looses traction and stability when driven over uneven pavement. This car was a dissssapointment.

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  Mixed Review - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By tnboy - August 6 - 6:45 am

  Less than a week ago I bought a 2013 Highlander Limited with no options or accessories. I rated it three stars in all categories because Ive had it for only a few days. The good: Exterior is up to Toyotas relatively high standards...fit and finish appear to be good. Interior room is good for four adults. Engine power is adequate for the weight of the vehicle but not superb. The bad: Entry space at every door is too small. Either the doors dont open wide enough or the seats (even in their most rearward positions) dont allow enough room to comfortably enter the vehicle. The interior has way too many plastic surfaces for a $38K vehicle (more below).

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  Just ok - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Johan - August 4 - 9:15 am

  I didnt exactly buy a Toyota for performance, but for a cheap car with great reliability. My cars been fairly reliable, at least compared to German cars, but i was disappointed that ive already had to replace the alternator and water pump at 60,000+ and 76,000 miles respectively. Another thing that bugs me is that the front seat is not comfortable and makes my back ache. If i have enough resources in the future, i would avoid buying a toyota corolla.

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  Shouldve bought Honda Odyssey - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By tony22r - August 3 - 10:00 am

  VERY Disappointed in Toyota. Build quality has really gone DOWN. -Front Brakes squeal after only 7K miles -Rattling sliding door. 6K miles. VERY annoying! -Pulls to the left; alignment off since brand new. -A/C vent fell off. 5K miles -NOISY Firestone OEM tires! Replaced myself with Yokohamas, much better ride now. -Transmission hunting for gears/lunging. -3.0L V6 is underpowered, NO low-end torque at all! Must rev it High all the time to keep up with traffic; not a comfortable way to drive. Especially with fears of oil gelling/sludging in this infamous V6.

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  Downsized - I hate that! - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By dustync - August 1 - 11:36 pm

  Really got sucked in by the new and beautiful exterior of the 2013 Avalon. Only to find it so very uncomfortable compared to my 2011. Did not sink in until after the purchase that this car is 2" shorter than its predecessor, with most of that coming off the rear passenger leg room, which is Critical TOYOTA! I often have my office associates with me, and they are big guys! Now they are cramped! Why would you make the flagship car.... SMALLER? If I wanted small, I would buy the Camry. And the front seat is narrower, and less comfortable. Front seat comfort of the Avalon has always been an issue; now its much worse! (for the distance driver).

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  Literally feel every bump on the Road - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By my2009toyotamatrix - July 31 - 11:06 pm

  In 2009 Toyota came out with a new sharp style Matrix with powerfully 2.4 engine instead of 1.8 . So I bought it after what I thought was a long test drive. After having it for a while It started bugging me with the road noise driving literally any where. Road noise and bumpy ride is finally starting to drive me nuts. It has those showy 17 inch rims with hardly any tire meat on them to absorb simple roads conditions. It looks like 2 inches thick makes a really terrible bumpy ride. Now I am stuck with a $20,000 car that looks cool but rides like a milk truck. They made the disk brakes so big you cant change it for a smooth ride, I better trade it in before word gets out. This car is done.

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  Make sure you have the right tires! - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Brian H - July 27 - 4:05 pm

  If you buy a 2015 Camry, make sure they either put 16" tires or 17" Michelin MXM4 or MXV4 tires. The XLE V6 comes standard with Goodyear Turanza tires and the ride comfort was substantially (dare I say, catastrophically) worse than on the Michelins. Nuff said.. otherwise, the car is a GEM.