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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  Very nice van - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By dmakoski - November 2 - 10:00 am

  We looked at the Honda Ody but it offered no leg room in the passenger seat.

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  2002 cmary xle - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By rev4 - November 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car based on quality, exterior looks and interior looks. Performance was important but not at the top for consideration. However, my expectations for performance are based on every day driving needs, not on image or hard driving. I dont drive my cars hard. This car is more than adequate for all normal driving needs. My other car was an 1997 acura cl which drove/performed very nicely. This XLE models is Lexus like in its looks and quality. Indeed, my black XLE can easily be mistaken for a black 2002 Lexus ES 300. This is a very attractive car.

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  Stepping up from 2001 Camry - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Eric Skinner - November 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought the SE version with the new 4 cyl. Thought about the V6 but couldnt see paying $2500 since the 4 pulls strong, much stronger than the 2001 4cyl I had. The ride, due to the SE suspension tweaks, is a bit jouncy but not irritatingly so. I have not had a chance to drive it to the Oregon coast yet to see how it handles. The JBL sound system is excellent. Overall, the car is a huge improvement over 2001- -more room, more power, more comfort. Still not a head-turner, though...

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  Engineer who designed the key system is a moron! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jack Kendrick - November 1 - 7:40 am

  Overall I am very happy with my Tacoma TRD Offroad. My decision came down to the Taco or the Colorado and while in some ways the Colorado beat the Taco, I was looking for a camping, off-road, rough country performer and I felt Toyota had a superior 4WD system and was overall a more rugged vehicle. It drives great and feels unstoppable and indestructible. The Colorado would have been my choice if I was looking for a work truck that would spend most of its life on pavement. The Tacoma is the best vehicle I have ever owned. That said, the remainder of this review is going to address my very low opinion of the key system for the 2016 Tacoma. I admit that I am a little anal about keys. I need a set, my wife needs a set and there must be an emergency set. So the day my Tacoma arrived I went to the service department and ordered an extra set of keys. In my opinion, the Toyota engineer who designed this abomination should be stripped of his engineering credentials and reassigned to Fukushima clean-up duty! The design is moronic and I get the impression it was cobbled together from unwanted bits and pieces of other Toyota vehicles. And God help you if your ever need to order a duplicate set! It takes no less than THREE (3) keys to fully operate the Tacoma. Ive never heard of a vehicle that required 3 different keys to operate. There is one key for the tail gate. All it does is unlock the tailgate. It is just a simple mechanical lock. Toyota does not even bother to give you an extra one; they just give you only one key. If you order a spare key you are in for a surprise. The key blank is a $30 chip key but the CHIP DOES NOT DO ANYTHING because the lock is just a simple mechanical lock. So instead of selling you a $3 blank they sell you a $30 blank with a worthless chip in it. But at least these keys can be cut locally at your dealer. I actually got this key the same day which is far better than I did with the other two keys. The doors and ignition keys need to be special ordered and they dont come quick. I pity the poor fool who loses his keys because you might not get into your vehicle for two weeks while you wait on Toyota to pull their head from the nether regions and actually come up with a replacement. It is really two keys: an electronic proximity fob and a laser-cut mechanical key which stows cleverly inside of the fob. They cost about $150 dollars EACH which is beyond obscene and totally unnecessary. To add insult to injury, the fob costs an additional $55 to program. The fob can lock and unlock the doors with a push of a fob button or if it is in close proximity allow the key-holder to unlock and lock the drivers door by swiping the drivers door handle which is pretty neat but I bet I will be cursing that thing when it fails about 20 years from now. The fob also is needed to start the vehicle and must be in proximity (your pants pocket works) of the push button start which looks to be a leftover from a Prius. The fob is what you would give to a valet attendant and pray to god he does not lose that nearly priceless piece of hardware. I finally got my extra fob about 10 days after I ordered it. Thank goodness I was not locked out of my vehicle! The mechanical laser cut key can unlock the drivers door (nice if the battery is dead), and can also unlock the glove box. You would retain this when you gave the fob to the valet attendant which is clever. But why, Why, WHY could the witless Toyota engineer not design the tailgate to use this same key? How stupid is that? And what advantage is there to this laser cutting technology where a customer in Wyoming has to wait for a key to be cut at enormous cost in Battlefield Missouri? I am failing to see or appreciate the $150 of added utility over a simple $3 mechanically cut key that I could get made in 5 minutes any hardware store locally. Three weeks after ordering, I am still waiting for my replacement key. The first one was completely the wrong blank. It was too wide to fit in the fob or the lock. The 2nd one was cut from the correct blank and fit in the fob and the door lock but was cut with completely the wrong pattern and now I am hoping that about a week from now (a month total), the third try will prove to be the charm. My local parts guy showed me the orders that he had sent in and he was ordering the right thing. It is Toyota in Battlefield that is apparently incompetent. If a set of keys is so expensive and hard to obtain, it sets off some alarm bells. I just hope that this truck does not break very often because apparently Toyota parts are both dear and scarce and their parts process is sub-standard!

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  A car thats growing on me quite well. - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Planetal - October 31 - 8:13 pm

  I perhaps am different that most, as I purchased this car to essentially carry stuff as Im a weekend musician and needed a car capable of carrying quite a bit of equipment. I hate mini-vans and SUVs are horrible in terms of load-in and load-out (plus drive AWFULLY) so this or a Subaru were it. This car does what I wanted it for quite well. I didnt initially care for the handling of the car, as it feels heavy to me, but once I became used to the car it drove quite well. It drives quite well fully loaded with equipment as well as filled with adults. The stereo sounds great, the bluetooth and nav work well and the care is very comfortable. The more I drive it, the more I like the car.

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  Dont waste your money - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Dave Trupp - October 31 - 3:43 pm

  Bought in Aug 2005. We have 7500 miles on it now and can only get 22 mpg. Its sad since the regular version gets 20 MPG (hwy). We are not aggressive drivers and drive with the lightest foot possible. The dealer told us to drive this vehicle hard for the first 5000 miles when we bought it so the computer would learn. Learn what??? I bought this vehicle, I stuck with it but I will not make the same mistake twice. They simply are not worth the money. Honesty works best. Toyota should learn that and stop advertising the high MPG when they know its not true. Per my service adviser "normal range for the highlander hybrid is 22-28 MPG" Isnt the 30+ number they tell you when you buy it is it.

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  Almost a luxury, but.... - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Brad C - October 30 - 7:06 pm

  Good balance between Performance, size and fuel Economy. Great power, large interior particularly the rear seating. Smooth quite ride, but feels a little floaty driving. We had some issues with the inside trim with fasteners on the window switch housing popping up. It makes me question the interior durability and craftsmanship; however, I believe the engine and transmission and drive components will prove reliable. The leather seems a bit lower grade than my old Acura Legend, but all the newer cars seem to use thinner leather. A nice chunk of paint came off when a large rock hit the front. The large doors/higher rear ends make the car harder to see out of while backing and merging.

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  75K Review - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Sid - October 30 - 1:53 pm

  I had a 1998 Corolla VE before I bought this used vehicle from the previous owner at 65k miles. It was well maintained with detailed service records and looking at the records, there were no quality problems. Since then I have kept up with the Toyota maintenance schedule for this car and have not had any problems either. Overall, it has been reliable, fuel efficient, comfortable and rides quietly. The manual transmission makes it fun to drive. Clutch engagement at lower gears is a little abrupt. However, as you get used to the car, you will figure out how to work it smoothly.

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  engine sludge - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Little Johnny - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Be very careful when buying a Toyota V6 because of engine sludge problem. Other than arguing with Toyota to fix the problem, the Avalon is treating me nicely.

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  Lots of good; some bad - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By JoshB - October 29 - 2:00 am

  The Matrix is a good car if you need headroom - Im 66", and it fits me perfectly with room to spare. It is an economical, reliable, relatively capacious car. It gets great mileage (low to mid 30s) and has not had any mechanical problems after 32,000 miles. It has decent cargo and passenger room. I would prefer that there be more lateral space, but its a compact car, after all. The interior build quality is VERY poor - the dashboard rattles everywhere. The exterior paint is VERY easy to scratch. The stock tires (Continental) are rubbish.