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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  Under engineered brakes - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By NancyH - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had to replace front and back breaks every 25,000 to 15,000 miles. I live on a hill but think brakes should last longer than this. Brakes were never a problem with my 4-runner or pathfinder driving the same hill everyday. Each time I replace the brakes its about $300. I like the car alot but want to trade it in for another car that has brakes that can handle the hills.

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  My red tundra - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By RedTundra - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I havent had this truck long...its been good so far. Good, not great. After 3,000 miles, I noticed a popping sound coming from the passenger glove compartment and rattling under the drivers side console. Im sure this has something to do with the cheap plastic interior, and I didnt expect a $30,000 truck to have problems such as these. But for hauling, towing, and driving, its been perfect so far. Great engine and ride.

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  GoodTruck - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By kenlao - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I do highway driving weekly and I find this truck quite comfortable but just a bit much on gas. The sport TRD pkg has Plently of power for towing. Dont get the 4x4 sport TRD pkg if you dont need it(too much Gas). Lumbar support works a little but it just was a wasted option added. Overall its a great truck as for the money and its reliability.

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  Great alternative to SUV - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By jschaefer - April 5 - 8:43 am

  I bought my V6 AWD Venza mainly for the interior room and advertised fuel economy. Theres plenty of room in the back seat for adults or a child seat. Plus the trunk area has tons of room for bulky items or a large dog. The downside for all this room are lots of blind spots. The quality of material throughout the Venza is excellent but build quality seems a little below par. My passenger seat rattles when nobody is sitting in it, lots of wind noise from the driver door and excessive road noise on highway. I was disappointed with the AWD during the snow this winter and actually parked my Venza and drove my wifes Subaru. Combined fuel economy for V6 about 18 mpg but still better then many SUVs

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  Not bad... - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By klowhorn - April 5 - 1:53 am

  Ive had mine for 1,800 miles so far. Im getting a combined avg. of 35+ mpg and over 40mpg on the highway already. I dont mind the clock like some others on here have complained about. Im not a fan of electric steering boxes in any car, and it took me about a week to get used to this one, but I dont have any problems with it now. Im 64", and although head and shoulder room are great I wouldnt mind an extra 1-2" or legroom up front. The dead pedal is nicely placed and angled well though. This isnt the most exciting car Ive ever owned, but acceleration is adequate and fuel economy is great. This is a really good and practical commuter car.

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  Agreed! Poor Gas Mileage - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By Beeman4u - April 4 - 6:50 pm

  Had a SUV, but wanted better gas performance and needed a big minivan. Very safe, side airbags and stability control. Loved the design over the Honda Odyess. But HATE the gas mileage. The best we get is 13-15 city, 23-25 hwy after 1,900 miles. First week of purchase was getting 8-10 mpg city. Expected better city and hwy. Questioning if I should have keep my SUV or considering going back to one. Drive is nowhere near "car like" but the wife is happy. Shes the primary driver so I wont add my 2 cents in.

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  4 runner - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jenn Davies - April 3 - 9:53 pm

  Runs well, no problems that Im aware of...

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  I love and hate my Corolla XRS - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By leslie - April 3 - 2:06 pm

  I love driving it, I like how fast you can go but have not been over 85 in it. I dont know how hard it was driven before me but March 2008 the transmission went out. June wheel bearing went bad, replaced it and again in July. And in September gotta replace again.

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  Great Everyday Car - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Lance - April 3 - 11:01 am

  We purchased this vehicle in September this year which just happened so randomly since we are only at the dealership for my wifes 2013 Corolla maintenance service, we saw the car and fell in love with it. Toyota did a very good job with this car compare to previous Camry models, very comfortable ride and the 4-cylinder actually very powerful for me, great handling on tight corners, cabin noise is minimal but it can be a little loud when speeding on the freeway. Toyota App is very annoying it will ask you to connect to your cellphone every single time you start the car, very poor Bluetooth connection and registration to every single music app is required dont not why it keeps on logging me off, cant use Pandora directly from the app, instead ill use the app from my phone. Toyotas GPS app full function is required to be connected thru USB port which is very inconvenient for users and feels archaic. Center console material used is a dust magnet and looks very cheap, I have OCD and I have to wipe it off every single time to keep it from dust and smudges. As of this moment the car is in the dealership to check my moon roof that keeps on squeaking that can be very destructive when driving.

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  Camry fails my expectation!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ToHo - April 3 - 10:50 am

  I bought my Camry March 07, its at 4000 miles. Overall the car did not fulfill my expectation. It failed! The car hesitates as many already pointed out. The brake doesnt respond promptly, sometimes it jerks forward when you step on brake, after almost a second it slows down and the brake is very very soft! The fuel efficiency never gets the number that Toyota advertises. After 3000 miles, highway only gets 28~29 mpg. City, awful, < 22. After one week, I found a rusted conjunction block, which mounts the transmission. I dont know how and why? I sent the car to dealer, they have not decided what to do (fix or replace). The air conditioning is very weak.