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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  My Best Truck Yet! - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By jazzbone - January 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this under the premise that these vehicles are excellent and reliable. So far, all of the accolades seem to hold true. The ride is very truck like but the seat is comfy for my 6 250Lb frame. The cab could use more room, but is sufficient. Econmy is good for the roads I. I avg 19-20 on these roads, and get near 25 mpg on the valley flats. 4WD is exc and treads excellent in deep snow and very good on ice. The motor purrs and the 5 sp trans shifts smoothly. Im real happy with this truck, this lil Tacoma is doing more than I expected.

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  quality - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By thespire - January 9 - 2:00 am

  More backseat room would be highly beneficial. Very narrow for 2 car seats in back seat. Quality vehicle that is dependable, stylish and safe.

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  A winner - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By JGA - January 9 - 2:00 am

  Great truck. Typical Toyota quality. The V8 4wd w/ X-REAS really flys and handles extreemly well. A nice ride on road and performs well off road. Edmunds review gives a thumbs down to the breaks... I disagee, it breaks very well and Im used to driving a sports car.

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  2012 Venza Limited - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By roadrunner70 - January 8 - 7:49 pm

  Had 2012 Venza limited since 3/24. Like others, copared to Ford Edge, GM crossovers, Kia Sorrento. Came down to sorrento vs. venza. Preferred the sorrento for price and features but didnt care for seat comfort. Overall happy with purchase. Too soon to rate most catagories, but have to agree that the shifter is poorly designed. It is too long and should be 2 or 3 inches shorter. Not happy that CD player requries opening nav unit. Presume that 2013 venza has corrected these design issues. However, if it gives the same level of reliability that my 2002 highlander has given (two minor repairs in 125,000 miles), I will be very happy. Oveall, a good vehicle.

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  Toyota Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By effieloumay - January 8 - 6:03 am

  I am very happy with my prius, but the mileage advertised is not accurate. I have been averaging about 47mpg around town, and 48 on the highway. The service has been very good, but I have about 6000 miles on it. The hatchback gives ample room, with the seats down, I get more storage room than in my Accura sedan, It is surprisingly comfortable, and handles well at high speeds. The quietest car I have ever owned. And importantly, it is better for the environment

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  Great vehicle, but ours not as reliable as some - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By RobS - January 7 - 11:00 pm

  Maybe our 1999 4Runner 4x4 was built on a Friday, but we have had a few repairs that we didnt expect, given the reliability rating it gets. Starter motor, Oxygen and Mass Air Sensors, and starter failed at under 100K miles, a complete failure of a lower ball joint in the front end, rear axle seals leaked (then leaked again after dealer repaired them, just after warranty of course), Drivers side Master Switch for power windows went out, then after living with it for a couple years, started working again. Front Drivers Seat Belt Tensioner springs are about shot, so the seat belt doesnt retract most of the time. Water pump went out at 165K, even though we replaced it at 90K when we had the timing belt replaced as part of scheduled maintenance. At the same time, second starter went out, now on #3. The V6 has never made great power, but is OK. So far, its been reliable and doesnt burn any oil, and get around 20 MPG on the highway, which isnt bad for a 4x4. We did have to have the Valve Cover Gasket replaced. Some of the plastic covers on seat adjustment levers, seat belt return, are breaking. At least one of the 12V power ports should be On if the ignition is off. Seats could be a little bigger, but the vehicle is narrow, so no fault really. Controls are well thought out, and dash layout is good (could use full instrumentation for Oil and Alternator). One thing I smile about driving in the city every day is great turning radius, and overall maneuverability for a SUV, another is the Power Rear Window (which NO OTHER small SUV has)...our dog especially loves it! The repairs weve had to make are, in my mind, worth the overall experience of owning our 4Runner. Its a nice looking vehicle, offroads well (fire roads and unimproved logging roads), drives responsively in the city. It could have more room, but it drives and parks easily in congested San Francisco, so the tradeoff is OK.

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  Good Commutor - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Jim - January 6 - 8:23 pm

  We love this car. I drive it to work 120 miles round trip. We drove the car from MN to Maine last summer. Car has always run great. It is not a sports car, but it is good reliable transportation.

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  My Beautifully Defective 2008 Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By AT - January 6 - 11:36 am

  I was anticipating to write a rave review on my 3 month old car. Unfortunately, it did not live up to the high expectations. My gas mileage has been well below the posted 17/22. It has been 11/18 (18 after the car was repaired). Last month, the car would not start. It took five tries and pushing the gas to finally get it started. There was smoke and a burnt smell coming out my engine area. It took the dealership almost three day to figure out the problem, that being a faulty injector. Very frustrating process, poor service from both the selling dealership and Toyotas 800 customer satisfaction line. I find it ironic that our Chevy Silverado, now 6 years old has never needed a repair.

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  2012 Camry XLE at 50k miles - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By Gerry B. - January 6 - 9:04 am

  We bought this car as an early lease turn in with 22k miles. This is our third Camry & it was in excellent condition at the time of purchase. The car has a nice ride with comfortable seating. Leg & headroom in front & back is ample for 6+ foot occupants. The MPG is excellent if you drive moderately. Low MPG is 30 in stop & go traffic. The high MPG is 35+ at 75 MPH. The transmission shifts smoothly & the RPM is typically 2,000 at all set speeds. The speed shifter is handy & smooth allowing early downshifting on steep hills. The engine has reasonable acceleration for a 4 cylinder & is easy to work-on. Most of the negatives are interior related. The center console is an oversized box which is easily solved with a $12 tray purchased online. The entertainment controls are marginal. The band & station selector is sized positioned well on the steering wheel, but changing bands causes the station to revert back to the first preset rather than retaining the ones selected. The AM to FM volume disparity is high requiring that AM stations be boosted by 10. Toyota could not solve either of the previous problems. The rocker type air selector is difficult to use because you must look at the display as you cycle through the selections; a single button for each air selection is safer as they minimize your eye-time off the road. The backup visibility is poor as the trunk is high. Although, a highly rated backup camera can be purchased for $100 & installed by DIYers in a few hours. The windshield has a lot of dashboard glare possibly due to its angle or paint gloss of the dashboard. The visors require updating as the extenders are narrow & do little to block the sun with the visor on the side. Why doesnt Toyota use sliding visors like GM? They have been around for many years & work well. The most serious issue, in this car, is coasting speed. It is a safety issue as the transmission does not slow the car when your foot is lifted from the gas pedal. Maintaining control down big hills requires downshifting & heavy braking. Toyota claims it is done purposely to improve MPG. While this problem may just be with our car but I have not read other reviews with a similar complaint & Toyota could not fix the problem. Only one repair, besides 2 small recalls, was required in our 2.5 years of ownership. A single element, in the rear window defogger, was open which caused radio static with the defogger on. Turns out that the antenna is located in the rear window & was near the open element. The defogger problem was finally diagnosed & it was replaced after multiple complaints. Overall, this year & model Camry has exceptional reliability & is enjoyable to drive. Hopefully, the few problems have been fixed in more recent years.

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  Solid and durable... - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Scottywsly - January 5 - 6:13 pm

  This is a pleasing to drive near luxury car based SUV. Has been 100% reliable. My only wish is that gas mileage was greater, and styling is a bit more sporty.