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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  2009 Camry LE review - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By D Winegar - June 6 - 3:24 pm

  I will only own Camrys. I love them. I like I can have an outside thermometer to tell whats happening temp wise--especially if it gets really cold and its snowing-- I can know if it is below freezing and slow down, ect. I like the pep my 2009 has. It is dependable, drives smooth, and is quiet. The negatives are a few, but not major I guess. The heating/cooling system is not great. Not much power even on high. Takes a while to cool off/warm up and the feet vent is poor. The ability to see blind spots on both sides is not great. I have to turn my head and look for actually a second or two to really see whats coming-- and actually even w/ side mirror on my left and turning and looking for a car on my leftside, I almost had a car hit me.

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  Most Trouble with Toyota - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Hank Q - June 6 - 10:10 am

  This Toyota has given me the most problems of any Toyota Ive ever owned. Ive owned more than six Toyota products, including a Lexus ES300. The car has 112000 miles and Ive had to replace the catalytic converter, two engine mounts, and now the transmission may have to be replaced because the gears are rotten. Thats only the most recent issues that come to mind. Other Toyotas have had more than 220000 miles with only normal maintenance costs. What happened?

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  My favorite car ever - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By looking4car - June 6 - 9:26 am

  I have never had luck with cars, so when I have purchased this car from a friend I thought as long as it gets me through a year. But this has turned out to be my favorite car I have ever owned, and there have been many. The mileage is great, and I havent had any major problems. I would say that cruise control would have been nice in this car but not necessary. I would buy another car like this if I could find one.

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  Getting my 2013 Avalon Repaired - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By avalonowner63 - June 4 - 10:07 pm

  I live in Alpharetta Ga and recently purchased a 2013 Avalon Touring Edition. Im enjoying the car. However; Im very disappointed with the dealership for customer "No Service". I took my car in for its 5k servicing. A clip to the back panel of my drivers seat was faulty and the panel is coming off. I was told to come back tomorrow and they would repair it. When I drove back the next day, I waited 45 minutes for them to tell me they dont have one but will in a week. They would call me. They didnt. I call again, left message with service technician to call me. He did not. Called again. Part not in until October 24. Mind you its August 29th.

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  Very Uncomfortable II - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sadly Dissapointed - June 4 - 8:30 pm

  Bought the TRD Off Road package: very sharp looking truck. Great ride, great features except for the seating. The seats sit very low and are extremely uncomfortable. I test drove the truck 4 times and the seating issue was not noticeable on short rides. Any ride over 20 min however, was another story: could never get comfortable. Took the loss and traded for a Silverado LTZ after only 6 weeks.

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  Not So Great - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Dag - June 4 - 12:40 am

  This Highlander I bough in June of 2005. Until the middle of july, this car was great. Then, a few things went wrong which the toyota dealer said it was an "abnormal configuration". I will tell you what went wrong. The disc brakes failed at a stop light and I slid into the car infront of me. The air bags deployed and I didnt get hurt. Then once i got it fixed, the antenna fell off. This vehicle after that was preaty good. The interior design is preaty boring and could use some spicing up. Very comfortable and fun to drive. Having a Chevy Venture before this, and having a accident in it before I got rid of it, the highlander looks much and is much better. It is also VERY comfortable.

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  224k (12-2-2011) on Clock and the engine still running like new. - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By superdjlgyboy - June 3 - 6:07 pm

  Best value for the mid SUV class. This car would not give any troubles if following all the maintenance schedules.(including O2 sensors and fuel injector cleaner and drive belt every 100K). :) Never call roadside assistance again after purchased this vehicle.

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  Your Basic Car using less mideast oil - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By jeremylopez - June 3 - 2:00 am

  The car has performed nearly flawlessly for me in the 14 months that I have owned it. Overall the design is very user friendly and the features work well. The car has comfortable seats and very good visibility. The engine is peppy enough to merge in heavy and fast moving traffic. I test drove the honda insight and was horrified by its performance. These was nothing when I hit the gas pedal. The Prius passes without a problem. The back seat is a bit squished. I highly recommend giving this car a chance. I live in Minnesota and the cold weather (today -10 F as I drove to work) has not been an issue for the car.

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  Disappointing Hybrid - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By LBailey - May 31 - 5:56 am

  This is my third Toyota vehicle, and second Prius. While there is more interior space and extra standard features, it is more difficult to see out of the windows than with my previous Toyota vehicles and the rear seats are too low for most of my tall friends to be comfortable without their heads touching the roof. Perhaps the most disappointing, however, is the grossly inflated gas mileage. I would never have purchased this car if I had known it got the same mileage as my previous Prius and only a little better than the Echo I had before that. Shame on Toyota for their deceitful gas mileage claims!

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  2016 toyota camry , bluetooth phone killer. - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By michael see - May 30 - 11:53 pm

  had a 2013 camry now have the 2016 camry se. the 2016 from the stand point of road noise is not acceptable. you cannot use the Bluetooth phone capability while moving and when stopped only if you turn off the air conditioning fan. this is my 6th Toyota product and the only 1 I wish I had not bought , only because of the road noise. I wonder if its the tires they put on them this year? or location of microphone or sensitivity of microphone ?