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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  Prius Number 2 - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Ron Whited - September 18 - 4:00 am

  This is our second Prius, We has a 2001 and both have been excellent vehicles - I love it! when driving on the road "Prius" owners always wave to each other...Its so much fun

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  Still Going Strong - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Barnone - September 18 - 3:46 am

  Bought new, 91,000 miles now, just put new front drakes pads, thats it for repairs. The tires lasted 60,000 miles. About 20 MPG highway or city. Not great but OK. Runs and drives very good.

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  After 8 Years, Still Love It - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By Happy Camper - September 18 - 12:26 am

  Ive owned my 2001 for 8 years and I still love it. Never had a problem with it after 125,000 miles. Passengers get in it today and remark about how nice and comfortable it is. I liked it so much I purchased another new 2008 Avalon 6 months ago for my wife. I kept the 2001 and use it as my daily driver. The 2001 is still worth 1/3 of my purchase price, but I dont even intend to sell it. Ill probably end up giving it to my grand-daughter to drive when she turns 16 in a couple of years. This has been the best car Ive ever owned, including "S class" Mercedes and 740IL BMW. The only difference is the V-8 performance and the cost was 1/3 the price.

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  Dont know what to think - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By emotional06 - September 18 - 12:16 am

  Ok. So I went to buy a Honda at the Honda dealership and at the time I couldnt afford a new one and the old ones had to many miles. So they had an 07 Camry. I thought Toyota are safe. Why not? At first I had no problems. After about 2 years thats when the recalls came. I had 4 on my car. Then it just start falling apart. Poor transmission that was jerking. Cheap paint that was coming off every time I washed it. My wife was scared to drive it because of the recalls. So I decided to trade it for a new one. The Toyota dealership didnt want to give me anything for the trade. Talking about safety issues. WHAT! Its your car. Anyway, traded it for a Honda Accord. What I should have got the first time.

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  Great road-trip and family car - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By pinheadh78 - September 17 - 6:56 pm

  We started our car shopping with about 30 cars of various van, sedan, hatchback, and SUVs on our list. We tracked everything in spreadsheet from safety, mileage, price, everything. After several test drives and reviews the 2013 Rav4 was the winner with the most features, cargo capacity, mileage, safety, and driving performance. The Honda CRV 2013 was our 2nd choice but it wasnt fun to drive, felt sluggish with no "go" feeling. The Rav4 has the acceleration, handling, and styling that the Honda does not.

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  A Step Back in Quality - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By genesis1 - September 17 - 2:06 pm

  I previously owned the 2014 Tacoma SR5 Access Cab- a great truck that unfortunately was totaled in a recent wreck when an unlicensed driver pulled in front of me . So off to the dealer I go to replace the 2014 with the new "improved" 2016 model. On the outside, the 2016 model has become sleeker, sportier and more stylish looking- more plastic where there used to be metal- but still with the new curves and grooves built into the body its sure to impress younger drivers. Also on the positive side Toyota finally got rid of aerial antenna thing (always a problem for car washes and tree branches) and put the antenna on the cabin hood where it belongs. What is most disappointing about Toyota however is the obvious attempt to "go cheap" on the newer models by greatly diminishing the quality of materials on the interior of this vehicle. In particular, the seats on the 2016 model are hard and uncomfortable, whereas the 2014 model had great seats. The glovebox- now really more of a glove "cubbyhole" has been greatly reduced in size and you can barely fit anything more than a couple of maps and sunglasses inside of it now. Adding the divider shelves was poorly thought of idea Toyota. Theyve eliminated the easy to use lever that used to control the side mirrors and replaced it with a flimsy piece of plastic knob thing that will surely break off when used too hastily by big handed people- much harder to adjust your side mirrors now. On the outside the factory tires are now cheap looking Hankook tires that look more like passenger car tires than truck tires- a step down from the factory tires on the 2014 model. While the V6 engine seems to have plenty of pep, the transmission in the automatic models seems to be slightly jerky and does not have smooth feel to it. Some owners have claimed to be getting mid to upper 20s in the MPG category but so far Im only getting 20 mpg on mostly highway driving at 60 mph average. I really hope this gets better but dont expect much. I give this truck three stars instead of 2 because of the expected and known reliability of the engine and the lifetime powertrain warranty that most dealers now provide. Its just sad that Toyota has decided to go cheap on these trucks- while raising their prices considerably- in an obvious effort to boost profits.

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  Great Commuter Car - 2012 Toyota Prius c
  By krebscycle - September 16 - 2:04 pm

  Between a Prius C and a MINI, I ended up choosing the Prius, mainly because of the fuel economy, reliability, and cost. My other commuter car is a 1990 Honda Civic DX, also a small hatchbach, and my second commuter car for the household. Surprisingly, the Prius C engine is much louder when driving on the freeway in comparison to my 1990 Honda! You can tell the engine is working hard on the Prius to speed up, but you can still pass cars easily on the freeway if needed. The interior is spacious, and there is a nearly-hidden cup holder on the plastic compartment thing on the passenger door! Ive never driven with a back-up cam and have no problems with the Prius C.

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  Good and Reliable - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Faithful to Toyota - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Im currently at 90,000 miles. It runs like new. Very reliable car. Ive also had minor interior problems such as driverside visor mirror/light fell out. The coin tray has been replaced. Toyota Dealer replaced these and my front brakes at around 50,000 for some unpublished recall/problem with the breaks (all no charge). I just had to replace the battery for 1st time. I am on 3rd set of tires.

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  Love it but kind of weak - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By lemonhead43 - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Ive been wanting this car for years. But before I got this car, I had a 2000 Ford F-150 truck so it was really powerful but it guzzled gas like no other. I sold it and got the matrix. I just love the matrix but I miss the power that I had before. The car is very roomy and fun to drive especially during the summer.

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  Not a bad deal for the money - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By arjun metha - September 15 - 9:26 pm

  I bought this car with 70,000 miles. It runs good, but did have some problems here and there. I believe the brakes could be better on the car. I have gotten the brakes done by the dealership, and still dont feel a major difference. Other than that the car is not bad overall. One more thing, I believe the headlights could be better on the car.