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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  Wish Id gotten the X-3 - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By blade - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Dont see how it gets a high rating. Ergonomics are atrocious, fuel milage is awful, power steering grabs at low speed. Easy to lock yourself out or in as the case maybe. On 04 back quarter panel looks like its falling off and these big prongs stick out the back, no obvious utlitiy. Power outside mirrors are constantly fogged up rendering them useless, tried RainX to no avail.

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  Winter brake freeze - 2014 Toyota Sienna
  By kjp669 - September 30 - 8:42 pm

  I just returned from the Toyota dealer. I had made an appointment to repair the rear brakes that freeze every time the van is washed in winter. I was told by the service advisor not to wash the van when the temperature is below 32 degrees. I have owned several other mini vans & cars & have never heard of anyone being told not to wash your vehicle. We will never buy another Sienna again. It is a 2014 XLE and was purchased new.

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  HO-HUM - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Mike K - September 29 - 3:00 am

  I have owned this van for two months. I find the driver seat lumbar to be very uncomfortable even fully deflated. It doesnt compare in comfort to my BMW X5 seat. It is also a real gas hog. We are averaging about 14.5 mpg; I think toyota lies on their mpg ratings on the sales sticker. If the fuel consumption is going to be this low it should be a better performer. The dynamic laser cruise control can be a pain when it hits the brakes because of reflection from trucks in adjacent lanes not attempting to move into your lane. I usually run the cruise in "old fashioned" mode. The little curved mirror used to see the passengers is nearly useless.

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  Disappointed - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mike - September 28 - 3:32 am

  First let me start off by saying Im a Tacoma fan. Ive owned 4 total and Im 39 yrs of age.I sold me last one in preparation to purchase the all new resign. The exterior looks are impressive but for me thats all Toyota got right. The engine and mpgs are horrible. Acceleration and top end speed were mind boggling bad. the engine sounds absolutely horrible when accelerating. The new v6 Atkinson reminded me of a 4 cylinder sound coming from an old Ford Escort, Horrid!! The interior while looking kinda cool, feels like a plastic poop box.. Knock on top of the dash and hear the cheap plastic, lift the middle consol and move it from side to side and feel the thin weak plastic about to break. The "soft touch materials" above the glove box and door panels feel like bad 80s material and the seats look like something from a dodge neon. Toyota took a great truck and made it a cheap week disappointing pc of crap.. Why anyone would purchase this over the Tundra is beyond me.. I hate American made vehicles and even I would consider the canyon or Colorado over this. Toyota you should be ashamed!!!

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  herky jerky car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By jackhey - September 17 - 5:43 am

  Performance stinks due to transmission, always looking for another gear, constantly jerking, dash lights always dimming, lower grill always slipping out. Just an awful vehicle, goodbye Toyota hello American...

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  2013 RAV4 AWD Limited - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By paul280 - September 17 - 12:03 am

  We bought the car in mid-August. We really like the Blind Spot Monitor option. Also, an unexpected but convenient feature is that the music files on a USB drive can be played back directly. We also like the memory function of the driver’s seat. Our main complaint is that the ride is really bumpy, even bumpier than my 20-year-old Corolla. Another thing is that the air outlets have begun to make an abnormal sound when switching the air flow from the setting of upper body and feet to the setting of upper body. Since the car has less than 2000 miles on it and it already got a problem, I really question the long term reliability of this vehicle.

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  Driveline could not be worse! - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Indy - September 15 - 3:20 am

  Sharp truck, too bad I hate driving it because the transmission shudders so bad when shifting gears. The automatic shifting is infuriating all the way around. It down shifts like it has Jake brakes. Good luck trying to coast. Toyota claims that all these problems are not problems, but normal. I wish they had mentioned these normal features in their brochure.

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  Another lackluster Toyota product! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Edmunds Consumer - September 12 - 4:50 pm

  Bought this one because of absurd oil prices. Wanted a reliable smaller car that was good on gas but still had some interior room. The economy is good and Im averaging around 30 so far. Headroom is fine. Road noise is still too intrusive. The doors need protective moldings. The dash is terrible and too far away to read properly. Why cant Toyota put the dash where it belongs? The old style 4 speed automatic sometimes is jerky and I would wish for a newer 5 speed automatic like some competitors use. Also more power would be appreciated.

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  Fun but a possible health hazard - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Antonio - September 11 - 6:43 pm

  While the gas mileage is really poor for a hybrid, it is great for a SUV. This, however, does not take away the disappointment of frequent stops at the pump. Watch for the comfort of the front seats, the arm rests are cheaply designed and stick up when the seat is leaned. The rear windows should not be opened when moving. Has Toyota examined this problem and if not, why not? Since I need this type of vehicle for the outdoor activities that I enjoy doing, I can at least justify my guilt. Can you?

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  Toyota meesed it up - Hood Vibrates - Watch it. - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By and44 - September 10 - 12:17 pm

  Toyota with the RAV created this segment. Instead of improving with every iteration they are down grating on quality, workmanship, reliability and customer satisfaction. I own the 2013 Limited version since April 2013. It has 9,000 kilometers, the main issue is that the hood vibrates while driving on uneven pavement in the city and on smooth pavement on the highway. This is a design issue that Toyota needs to address. Toyota chose to have a flimsy hood for less weight. Two trips at the dealership could not resolve the problem. Toyota is referring me to the dealer, even though the dealer stated clearly there is nothing they can do to address this issue. Toyota is behaving arrogantly.