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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  Toyota missed the mark on this one - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By NMR - January 5 - 7:53 am

  The check engine light has been (and still is) on since I think day 2 of ownership. Took it to Toyota several times, the last one they stated the code is generic and represents over 500 possible problems it could be. It took 3 months just to get it to pass PA inspection, brakes/rotors replaced too many times within 70k miles of driving, the stainless steel tube at the power steering resevoir blew out, the seats are the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in, the interior is chincy looking for $26k, the engine is sluggish and noisy, weird wind noise w/ 4 windows down. This is the 2nd and probably last Toyota for us.

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  Worst Car I Have Ever Owned - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Disappointed - January 3 - 9:26 pm

  Transmission is terrible -- acceleration lag is a safety issue. Transmission also cant decide what gear it wants to be in. Interior noise level is unacceptable - this is one noisy car on the freeway. Drivers seat hurts my back. Air recirculation button randomly goes off. Tires were shot after 27,000 miles of gentle driving. Will not buy another Toyota.

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  What not to buy - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Joe Munsey - December 30 - 10:06 pm

  I traded in a good Chev Silverado Ext Cab for this thing. Top 3 things I hate and will not buy Toyota again. 1. no power - I live on a ranch with some steep hills, it has trouble climbing 2. Mileage - rate at over 20 mpg have yet to see over 15 mpg 3. Warranty - just because my truck sees dirt daily (my driveway is dirt) item that should be covered is voided just because it used off road - written in fine print of the warranty The drive axle needed to be replaced - not under warranty. Bearing went bad in the front - not under warranty.

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  Blown up rav4 @ 90K - Not recommended - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By nomorerav - December 22 - 11:17 pm

  Just paid off my 2007 rav4 when it blow a motor. The water pump is located in the back and it broke. My wife drove it and blow up the motor. 8 grand for a new one. Even if she did not blow it up, the water pump is on the back of the engine. This requires the motor to be pulled to change it out. A $2000 to $3000 job depending on where you get it done. I had electrical problems. Tire wear issues, brake problems. All the senors would randomly go off on it. The Tire pressure senors where always needing replaced. I ended up junking the car, basically threw 20K down the drain. I know 2 other people that have had issues with water pump or rear main seal. And they all had there engines blown.

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  Learning experience - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Gabriel Castrillon - December 10 - 6:44 am

  Toyota is the most expensive brand out there based on their internal "agreements" they have with dealerships. You get a lot more car for your money looking at other brands. Too much money for the quality of their cars. Materials are borderline cheap and finishes are poor. Interior design is small and not. As comfortable as other brands.

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  Problems - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Problems!!! - December 9 - 6:20 am

  My truck has been in for service over 15 times. Everything from driveshafts and valve tapping to interior parts falling off.

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  Will NEVER buy a Toyota again - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By Steve T - December 7 - 6:26 pm

  We bought a 2007 Sienna XLE 4WD. We paid market price for it: no discount. The air sensor on the tires leaks air and we get a flat tire...or two...or three, every couple of months. We missed the lemon law by 5 days...we have fought with Toyota and the dealership for months, but they refuse to fix anything...NEVER AGAIN will I purchase a Toyota...it is the most UNSAFE car I have ever owned. I will teach my kids to avoid Toyota like the plague.

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  Excessive problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By NIki - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I cant believe that this vehicle has the reputation that it does! My vehicle has been in the dealership for 7 separate warranty problems. I have wasted too much of my own time in the dealership waiting for my car to be repaired. I have asked the dealer to make arrangements for appointments or a loaner to accomodate me for excessive problems with my vehicle and they are not willing to help. I will not buy another Toyota product.

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  After 4 months Im sorry I bought it - 2009 Toyota Avalon
  By bmallek540 - November 26 - 6:30 am

  The vehicle is smooth once you get cruising at about 60mph. However, staring from a start there is a hesitation which causes you to almost lunge forward. The roof molding has loosened and almost come off. The transmission is sloppy and flops around both up and down as you accel and decel. The electronics is from the year 2000. And, the GPS is the worst that there is! The GPS is very outdated and has very limited POIs. The voice command is a joke and now the GPS has started locking up on me. I am waiting for the dealer to get back to me on that. The stereo unit in the car is just average. This is not the car I bargained for at all. After 4 months of driving it I am sorry I bought it.

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  Dangers of Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Fred - November 24 - 12:53 pm

  In the daylight, it works like an ordinary mirror, but at nighttime it works like a strobe. In city driving each time you pass a lit sign it decides whether to darken or stay in daytime mode. Theres a lag time in its transformation, resulting in blinding light reflecting in your eyes when you pass a sign, followed by the mirror darkening, then going back to daytime mode just in time for the next lit sign, thus blinding you again. On the highway, when a car is directly behind you the mirror stays in the nighttime mode, when that car changes lanes the mirror switches to daytime mode and youre blinded by the next car until it gets close enough to activate the nighttime mode.