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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  Give me my Mazda back! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By JoAnne Wise - May 16 - 5:44 pm

  The headlights are poor. Its so easy to outrun them. The first winter I had this car I had gas "sticker shock". I was only getting 20-22MPG and that was highway driving. The fob is set up awkwardly - Im forever accidentally hitting the trunk switch even when driving. Not good! The GPS is great as far as it automatically updates itself without purchasing upgrades but when it computes your drive time it uses a factor of 55MPH. And I was not impressed with my resell value. I always thought a Toyota held its value. Not! I did better with my 10 year old Mazda Protege than my 4 year old Camry with all the bells and whistles. Guess what Im now shopping for - a Mazda. Yeah!

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  Tough to get excited - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Something is missing - May 16 - 8:23 am

  When going up small hills the transmission will not shift up and jerks when it does shift. When the engine is under some pressure it sounds very strained. Acceleration is margional. I came from a Murano. The Murano had more power and was more fun to drive. The navigation is pretty good. Not unhappy with the purchase but can not get excited about getting in the truck everyday.

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  12,000 Mile Update - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By bh_okedoke - May 16 - 8:13 am

  Bought 01/06, car holding up well, AVG MPG now running @ 45 MPG 50/50 mix highway/backroad. Ive noted that the MPG computer reading overstates the actual MPG by about 2-3%. Run Tire pressure at 36 PSI. Car is still very tight, no squeeks, rattles, tracks well. Running Mobile 1 Full Syn oil. Looking forward to 2008 model with plug in feature and Turbo. Very happy with this auto.

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  I purposely find places to drive to - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By WilbursDad - May 16 - 6:34 am

  [1] Ride quality - its not a crossover, dont compare the ride quality to one. My wife drives the MDX, and there is a significant difference in the ride quality when we swap vehicles. Its a little rough around the edges, but then I expected that from the truck. However, it is a very solid ride. [2] Power - its sufficient. Its not fast nor is it meant to be a road racer. [3] Noise - this is where the truck suffers a bit. I havent driven the previous generation Tacomas, but from what Ive read Toyota has made significant improvements to dampen the cabin. However, it is not good enough to use the bluetooth to talk on the phone while driving. Also, the engine noise is a bit annoying, but nothing that drives me crazy. [4] Rear passenger space - my family members arent very tall. Were actually quite short, so having 4 adults in the truck is not a problem. However, I can see taller adults having a bit of a difficult time finding a comfortable spot in the rear seats. Its not ideal for long road trips, especially in the back seats. [5] Gas - I am averaging 19 - 20 mpg in mixed driving. [6] Infotainment - The system is reliable and responsive and I have no complaints. [6] Tires - I have the TRD Off-Road trim and the OEM tires are ok, but I will not be replacing them with the same tires when these wear out. [Summary] The ratings that I gave for this truck was based on its comparison to other mid-sized trucks. I think it would be unfair to compare the ride to a SUV as I wouldnt compare the ride of a Camry to a luxury sedan. Update 3/2/17: Having owned the vehicle for about half a year and using it as my daily driver, I still really enjoy driving the truck. The transmission issue that so many people complain about has been an issue for me, but the updates that Toyota are coming out with are helping. The truck starts off in overdrive mode and constantly wants to upshift, so you can either get in the habit of using ECT power or just give it a little more gas. The seats that many complain about isnt too much of an issue for me. However, for long distance trips (3+ hours), I definitely feel more fatigue. I listen to Pandora almost exclusively and while the Entune system is just fine when it works, sometimes it just has an issue establishing a connection with the vehicle. I dont know if its my phone, the vehicle, or just the app itself, but it is a nuisance as I will experience this a few times a week.

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  06 4Runner - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tom Grimshaw - May 16 - 2:56 am

  This rig has lived up to the Toyota tradition, but there are a couple of niggling annoyances. At 20K miles when I make a turn there is a creak that comes from the back. My friends call this car the squawkwagon due to the fact that the rear assist warning siren comes on and stays on whenever the car is in reverse. Im used to it but it really gets on passengers nerves. The dealership cant fix it either. Also I added a Westin Sportmaster grille guard and it looks sharp!

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  Big blue suv for countryside driving - 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Jim could - May 15 - 8:36 pm

  Excellent for my driving needs

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  Very dependable - 1996 Toyota Avalon
  By Rasheedb4 - May 15 - 12:36 pm

  I bought the car when it was 120K miles and it is still riding strong at 199K miles. This car is tough and is GREAT on gas, especially for its size.

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  Great - Practical CUV - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By ironjasper - May 15 - 11:35 am

  After six weeks with my new RAV4, I remain impressed. The car is comfortable, handles well, and has more than adequate pick-up. There is plenty of room in the back seat for my three boys and the cargo area seems big for this segment. We took the RAV4 onto the beach last week and it handled the deep Delaware sand like a champ. I have been averaging 23.7 - 24.6 MPG around town and rural back roads. During highway trips, I have averaged 26.5 - 27.3 MPG. When you have the sunroof open (even with the windows closed) the car is still fairly quiet, there is no loud resonance you sometime get in cars equipped with sunroofs. By the way, Im 6 1" and I have plenty of room in the front seat.

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  Good Car But - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By jlm - May 15 - 10:00 am

  There are two design deficiencies I have noted so far. Foremost, there is a severe glare of the dash on the windshield when driving into the sun or with the sun on your left shoulder and hitting the dash. The "hump" over the instrument panel reflects onto the windshield directly in the drivers view. I have not experienced anything of this magnitude in my 73 yrs. Secondly, and a minor flaw, when the sun shines on the digital clock the white numbers become red and you dont see the actual time. For example, at 3:43 pm I was seeing "1388" in red numbers. I blocked the sun and saw the correct time with white numbers. I would not have bought had I been aware of the reflection.

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  So Far So Good - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Leo - May 15 - 6:56 am

  Owned 1992 Toyota Truck. Problem free for the years driven. Man what quality and that 22R engine lasts forever. July 2007 purchased Tundra as work vehicle. The ride is nice but quality not the same. Paint job has thin spots on driver side that looks like they buffed out to hide. Left rear tail light cracked and leaking. Dash rattles. Id hope for something more "Toyota". Wish Id held on to 92 for back up. Drive by wire is new to me. Engine revs up at predictable times Ive noticed. Coming off freeway ramp doesnt decelerate quickly as does cable throttle throttle. No "sticking" pedal problem. Other noted quirks ie blind spots. Install tail gate step. Plan to replace with F150.