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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  Ranch Truck - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By cowman - May 5 - 5:13 pm

  Good employee! This truck works like a one ton on the ranch. Regularly hauls 3000 pounds of feed, pipe, fence posts, etc. Heaviest load in the bed was 8000 pounds (100 bags) of concrete readymix, which it hauled 150 miles without complaining. Frequently tows a bumper pull cattle trailer that weighs over 10,000 pounds loaded with squirming livestock. Most mileage is in pastures and on dirt roads. No repairs, only oil changes for 32,000 miles. Except for going to town, I just leave it in 4WD and still manage 16-17 mpg over rocks and thru creekbeds. On the highway, I have gotten over 21 mpg. Unlike my Dodge and Chevy, the Toyota allows me to be a rancher, instead of mechanic.

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  Its a great little car for the money - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Eva Alice - May 5 - 10:01 am

  I drove my Yaris, Barney, for five years. I bought him used in 2011 with about 45K miles and he has been a very reliable car for me. The only repair I have had to make the entire five years is the serpentine belt, which cost me about 60 bucks. The fuel efficiency has been great, the oil is super easy to change yourself, and other repairs are easy as well. The car is basic, it does not have a bunch of bells and whistles, but anyone who is shopping for this car should know that. It is cheap to drive and it gets you where you need to go. I had no problems with it in the snow, it drove really well in snowy weather, although I could not get it all the way up my driveway in snowy conditions unless I put on chains. The seats are a little uncomfortable for long drives, and even though the car seats five, it really is only comfortable for four. Ive taken this on road trips with the family, and it is a tight squeeze. The backseat is very roomy thought for two people, lots of leg space. It does have a lot of plastic on the interior, and it is a little annoying, but super easy to keep clean. The AUX jack is finicky, and sometimes it takes some fiddling with to get it to work (it doesnt recognize that a cord is plugged in). This part is easy to replace yourself though, but it costs about $80 for the part! The headlights are a little tricky to replace, the manual will tell you to try to reach in behind the headlights under the hood to replace the bulb, but that is impossible unless you have the hands of a newborn baby. What I ended up doing was pulling the front bumper partially off, which was surprisingly simple (it just snaps on!). And I do not agree with the other reviews regarding it feeling unsafe. I felt perfectly safe on the freeway in this car, and elsewhere. The only issue I had in regards to ride was when it was windy, the car got pushed around a little, and also the road noise is really loud. Overall, for the price and the cost of maintenance, this is a great car! The only reason I have decided to give the car up is it is only a two door and I need something bigger to haul the family around in.

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  long distance driving - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Terry - May 5 - 2:58 am

  How can Toyota come out with such a great cat with one big flaw.. the seats for long distance driving are the worst of any car I have owned. we latterly crawl of the car after a long road trip. this is the reason I will get rid of it asap. will get less millage but better seating in something rather than this. (have owned 5 Toyotas.

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  Strong Truck - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By Nam - May 2 - 1:26 pm

  Ive had my 5.7L for about a year and will exceed 25K miles this year. This is a well-made vehicle. It replaced my 05 F250 diesel. Now this is no F250, but I do pull 6000 pounds with it and its pretty good. Without the trailer its just plain fun to drive. Of course mashing the accelerator cost you lots of money because the fuel mileage is pretty poor. Im mostly highway and I average around 16 mpg. The price I got a year ago was incredible. This is a whole lot of truck for the money. Only real complaint I have on this truck is the paint. Its very thin and scratches very easily. This is a common complaint of the Toyota Truck Forums.

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  Fast, quiet, and very comfortable - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By Deep Value - May 1 - 9:19 am

  I traded in a 2011 Mini Cooper S Clubman with a manual transmission for this car, as I wanted something more comfortable, with rear doors, that shifted its own gears and didnt break as much. Im into cars, and painfully picky, so I drove the 2013 Lexus ES 350 (a little cramped and a lot expensive), the 2016 Honda Accord V6 (uncomfortable seats), a 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Touring (excellent car, but couldnt justify the premium vs. the Camry) a 2015 Ford Fusion SE with the 2.0 turbo (a little sluggish, wild variation in noise, vibration and harshness from car to car). I ended up buying a 2013 XLE V6, certified used with 16,700 miles, for $20k. Its a luxury car in terms of performance and comfort: Its electric car-quiet around town, the V6 is ridiculously powerful and fast, and the seats are EXCELLENT, with lots of adjustments and terrific lumbar support. I can get into a great driving position in about 10 seconds after someone else has driven the car. The tires I got were Bridgestone Turanza EL400s and theyre just awful - get the Michelins if you can. The Bridgestones are bumpy for the first few miles after sitting overnight (I think because they develop flat spots), they dont have much grip, and theyre noisy. That said, the cars handling isnt bad... its not the Mini, but its predictable and the steering has good feedback, with no numb spot on center - its easy to drive quickly. It understeers into sharp corners, and you can hear the tires complain, but it works. I knew that going in and dont mind; Im middle-aged and I dont race around corners anymore (plus, thats not why you buy a Camry)... but I do like to go from 0-speed limit in a hurry and this V6 engine is one of the greats for that. On a related note that nobody talks about, you can shift the auto transmission manually, and it works really well. Put it in 2 on an entrance ramp, get the revs up to 3,000 and stomp on it, and youd better be holding on tightly. Seriously. Other "useful in the real world" stuff: The back seat is huge and comfortable, theres lots of storage and plenty of 12-volt power outlets, the keyless entry and ignition is one of those things you cant give up once you have it (if you have the car for 5 years, youll get to skip pulling your keys out of your purse or pocket at least 3,600+ times), and the backup camera has those alignment lines that help you hit a parking space dead center. Ill get less than the 25 MPG combined, and I dont care. The rush of the V6 is well worth it. My plan is to replace the terrible tires with Michelin Primacys, drive this thing until its tired, then give it to my kid so she can drive it another 150,000 miles. I think the cars just an amazing value. In short, the Camry is the best-selling car in the world, and the V6 XLE is the best Camry. Update: I asked the dealer, Acton Toyota of Acton, MA, to swap the Bridgestones for Michelin Premier A/S and they did! They didnt charge me for the tires, just the labor for mounting and balancing... this dealer is truly excellent. The tires make an enormous difference in the ride: theyre quiet, smooth, and handle much better.

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  Just bought it and love it already! - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By paige808 - April 30 - 9:51 pm

  I used to own a 2000 BMW for 3 yrs. I never thought I would love another car but I must say for a old big suv, I love already. I sold the BMW cost me way too much to fix and broke down on me all the time. Ive had my 4runner for about a month and its sooo fun to drive and runs great! Even tho it has 165,xxx mi the ac is icy cold and with my kids they have ample room to grow in :) I love that rear window that rolls down and its classic look. I put a new timing belt in so I hope shell last me a life time.

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  Nice, reliable car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By lynn321 - April 30 - 12:56 am

  I have owned this car for 9 years and did not have ANY problems with it until it was 12 years old. The car has been extremely reliable and I would recommend it to anyone without hesitation. The only things that has gone wrong with this car during the 9 years that I have owned it was a power steering leak, a problem with the air conditioning and 2 broken rear seat belts. The car drives like it did when new even though it is now 13 years old.

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  Cant get anything better - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Psynopsis - April 29 - 6:50 pm

  My parents purchased our Camry used in 1997 and it has endured years of use. It never has failed me. I came into ownership of it in early 2007 and Ill admit I have abused it yet this amazing car keeps going and going! Its gone through 6 ft of water, taken off road, even slid off a road a few times during a snow storm yet it still runs strong. Currently has over 242,000 miles on it and shows little signs of aging. Quiet, efficient, and forever reliable. If you want something that will last you forever, get a Camry. P.S. I dont abuse the car anymore. :]

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  1998 COROLLA LE, black - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By guitartec - April 29 - 10:56 am

  1998 COROLLA LE AUTOMATIC. I bought it in Sept 2012 with a confirmed 98K on the odometer with the intent of keeping it for MANY years to come. I drive 100 miles per day, so I want the ride quality top notch (well balanced). Due to this, I personally installed a new Bilstein suspension, including new "normal ride height" springs, all greasable good quality fittings, super heavy-duty inner tie rods and polyurethane bushings. I did this because the orig. suspension was sagging a bit making it tough to get over the bump at the foot of my driveway.

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  Good at First - Not happy now - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Bill - April 29 - 4:20 am

  The car was great for a year, then the heat mixer dial broke, dealer fixed, then I push the 4 way button and it falls into the dash, ok, dealer fixed, lately the car has a bad idle vibration and engine stumbles at stops, dealer said this is how this engine runs, paint scratches easy and its starting to rattle in thedash, I dont think toyota quality is all that great. Dont go with this one, wont buy toyota again, Ill trade it for a Mazda. Oh the door under the stick keeps popping open like a jack in the box. Dont think this car will last.