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:

• 

  Eh. - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Kathleen - July 5 - 12:06 am

  I bought the Corolla in April of 2003 to replace my 1997 Geo Prizm. Mechanically, you cant complain about the Corolla. It is a sold contruction and quality materials. As a Toyota, you know it will run forever. And the gas mileage is unbeatable. On the flip side, though, this car is way too tall for its wheelbase. The first time I drove it on a windy day I was unable to stay in my lane. I did not feel safe in the car, which ultimately led me to get rid of it. The engine is kind of pokey, too. I had to floor it getting on the highway. Toyota would be wise to give a bigger engine option and stabilize the car.

• 

  Good SUV with bad workmenship! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By mesa-sticky - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Over all good SUV but many bad poor workmenship compare to Honda. Very comformatable seat and quiet engine. Be ware with saleperson, The dealer at Keaney mesa do not know what the sale. bad service.

• 

  oil leak. - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Tom - June 26 - 2:13 pm

  I discovered an oil leak coming from above the oil filter area. The dealer stated that it is a major casket and toyota issued a technical issue on this item. I understand this is not a normal occurrence but will require a major pull of the engine and replacing formed caskets...

• 

  Toyota--a whole lotta shaking goin on! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By MrMark - June 26 - 10:00 am

  There is a constant vibration in the steering wheel that Toyota can not fix. It feels like an alignment problem but the alignment, wheel balancing, toe-in have all been checked. Toyota is saying we just have to get used to the feel of the car. Odd that the steering wheel of our 92 Sable doesnt vibrate as much as the Toyota. Were already out looking for a new car and this on only has 2300 miles on it and weve owned it less than 8 weeks! Were very disappointed in the Toyota Camry.

• 

  Good, efficient transporation - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By benson11 - June 25 - 11:14 pm

  This car is good for what it is intended, getting from point A to point B. It is definitely not a sports car or the ultimate driving experience. It is great on gas and gets better mileage during the summer (when it is hotter). I am afraid to bring this up to the snow since it is somewhat under powered (for the higher elevations) and it isnt all wheel drive. Overall, this is great, practical transportation.

• 

  Great car until the hybrid battery pack failed at 109k - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By armory - June 23 - 7:31 pm

  Bought used with 58k miles. Car is extremely quiet. Car gets around 48mpg after changing your driving habits. You can fill up the gas tank for about $35. Changing the oil is easy b/c the oil filter is attached at the very bottom of the engine and nothing is below it. My hybrid battery died at 109k miles. This is a $3500 repair at Toyota. I would not have bought a Prius if I would have known the battery would not last longer. I replaced the battery pack myself with a refurbished one from priusrebuilders.com for about $1000 and sold the car. Money saved in gas was used to pay for repair. A Prius sitting and not being driven is the number 1 reason for battery packs not lasting.

• 

  Time to Redesign - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By whatsup - June 15 - 1:06 am

  Has this design been around for what seems like 15 years now. For todays standards, this SUV is underpowered. The interior is very tight especially the width and lack of rear legroom. The ride is rough. Unless you offroad, forget it.

• 

  Sloppy steering - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By txr - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Great looking paper tiger. Clutch is spongy and fights off efforts for quick shifts making for a fast car but a slow takeoff from the line. More horsepower and better exhaust is desperately needed. Steering has bad road feel feedback with a plus/minus 3 degree float. Power steering needs to have less boost. Taking it on a overnight trip - fogeddabotit. Youll need to sleep in what your start out with. Storage for about a 6-pack - without ice. Tires suck - buy new rubber right off the bat.

• 

  Poor Toyota support. Very poor traction. - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Will Keith - June 7 - 3:23 am

  Our 2003 Matrix, only 58,454 km. Alternator dead. Car is past the 5 year warranty period. However, alternators - especially on Toyotas - should last longer than 58,454 km. Toyota Canada says replacing alternator not covered, even at this low mileage. Toyota suggested I pay a Toyota dealer to check the system officially, but admitted they likely wont help us out on this anyway. Replace with a rebuilt - not new - alternator is over $500. The fact that we have 5 Toyotas in our family didnt seem to matter: the person on the phone just kept reading from the policy manual.

• 

  If only Nav wasnt so bad - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Marty - June 4 - 3:08 am

  We have about 3200 miles on the vehicle. Drove it to Florida from Ky for family vacation. Vehicle is quiet rides pretty good and handles well for an SUV. MPG is not what is advertised in my opinion if you are driving over 65MPH (which 70 and up is standard for our area now). We still have our 2008 Nissan Quest minivan and if I were to do it over, another minivan would be in store. However, my biggest complaint is the Audio system, Navigation, and the lack of Car Play and/or Android auto. If the Nav was better I could do without the Car Play and Android. But the Nav is horrible. And why cant we do map updates through our phones when on wifi?? Toyota has dropped the ball on this and dont do what we did and thought the Nav would be handy, it will cost you a ton of time, is hard to use, and just isnt near the level of Google maps and other competitors in the mapping world. Voice recognition is spotty at best. I had high hopes as this is our first Toyota but looks like it will be our last. Glad we are leasing.