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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  My daily driver. - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By David Hicks - January 25 - 10:46 pm

  This is my fifth Toyota (third camry) that I have owned. This car has been very good without any problems except the factory audio system. The am/fm radio is very poor in quality, the windshield antenna does not pull in very many am or fm stations. The XM Satellite radio performs very poorly, the stations fade in and out because of the poorly designed and mount position of the XM antenna. The LCD display is a very dim green and almost unreadable during daylight conditions. The engine and five speed automatic transmission performs very good. Very comfortable ride and good fuel economy, 24 mpg around town 29 mpg on the road. I will buy another Camry, 2007 SE V6.

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  camshaft - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By mselder - January 25 - 1:59 pm

  I have a toyota yaris and this car is good on gas and reliable. however it went from good to bad in no time. I use my car to commute to/from work and i drove 150 miles per day. I got a oil change on april 16th and the 23rd my camshaft broke with no clear reason why. there was evidence of oil burns and foul play i dont think. Im thinking that the camshaft was faulty and finally gave out or toyota yaris 2008 is no good after 84,000 miles. There have been many recall for yaris 2008. I seen many people complaining about break pads or something to that nature. but if you google recall there have be some recalls. My car should not be having my major engine problem especially before 120,ooo

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  2007 Toyota Camry - Gutless Wonder - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CaliforniaCommuter - January 24 - 6:36 pm

  I bought this car for the following reasons, in order of importance: 1) Price (based on features) 2) Safety - front and rear airbags (for the 3 kids) 3) 4-wheel disc brakes 4) Gas Mileage. 5) Reliability (its a Toyota!). The car is gutless, however, and should not be used for passing other cars (I have a 4 cylinder). There have not been any major issues, with the exception of some brake squealing in the beginning, which Toyota fixed. It serves the purpose in which I bought it, and I really do like the roomy interior and the new styling, but there really is no fun factor to it. I still dream of replacing the Camry spot in the driveway with a Corvette.

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  Rear Entertainment System issue - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By jkb7 - January 23 - 10:51 pm

  Just bought this vehicle with rear ent. sys and was extremely disappointed to find that Toyota decided to apparently use a new radio this year that is not connected to the rear entertainment system. Audio for movies is available through the included wireless headphones or you have to use an aftermarket solution like a bluetooth connection (not provided) or run a manual cable from one of the headphone jacks of the ent. system to the auxillary jack on the radio which should work in theory. Considering Toyota is still charging a premium price for the Rear Entertainment System, and the dealers are not even aware that the sound is not avbl thru the speakers, I wanted to warn potential buyers.

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  Camry 2008 Automatic - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Prasanna - January 23 - 8:03 am

  Camry is a good vehicle to own and drive. It performs well on good roads. I have not had the opportunity to test it on bad roads, so I cant comment. I would rate the vehicle overall 5 or 6 in a 1-10 scale.

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  New Camry after 18 Years - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By tyly - January 23 - 2:30 am

  I selected the Camry for its comfort and reliability. My old 1989 Camry is still running well giving great mileage (40+mpg highway) with minimum maintenance. This new Camry is indeed very comfortable with quiet and soft ride. This car coasts well with no pedal as is the old one. Usage is too short for any words on reliability. Actually a little turned off with the new styling. What I dislike most about this new model as well as most new sedans these days is much reduced visibility, big blind spots, thick body and thin windows. Styling is to blame. I have to get the body size molding from eBay because the dealer cannot provide them. Mileage is mediocre at an average of 25.

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  Windshield Issues - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By William Morris - January 23 - 1:17 am

  I traded in my 2009 Tacoma for the 2016. First impression was that it had everything that I wanted that the 2009 didnt have. It was lacking a little in the storage compartments with the redesign, but for me that is a minor issue. I love the technology, but do struggle a little with the bluetooth which doesnt want to talk from time to time. Could be a phone compatibility issue. I love the style, the comfort and the brand. But, with this model there is one thing Ive had problems with and thats the windshield. At 200 miles on the odometer, I picked up a pebble on the interstate that smacked the windshield and spider webbed it. I used to get hit by pebbles all the time in my 2009 and never even got a chip, much less a crack. I figured it was luck of the draw until I went to have it replaced. The windshield replacement company made a comment on how many 2016 Tacomas theyve had to replace windshields on. I did some research and found that they are using a new multi-glass layered windshield to cut down on cabin noise. It only makes sense, more layers = thinner glass on the outer layer making it more susceptible to cracking or chipping. At $1200 its no cheap replacement either. But, after paying my deductible, the insurance company took care of it. Now at 2700 miles on my odometer, guess what? Another pebble and now another cracked windshield. Because its new, they have no data on breakages at Toyota. I filed a report today. I have a strong feeling this will be a recall issue.

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  Corolla, Not a Bad Little Car - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By Robert Gould - January 22 - 12:10 pm

  I was the third owner of this Base Corolla with 97,000 miles. It was a little beat up, but in great running condition. Had to put a timing belt on at 100,000 miles, put some speakers in the back"only came with two up front" and cd player. I have not had any mechanical problems, runs well and rides like a compact. The Clear Coat finish was flaking a bit on the roof and truck when I bought it and has continued, not sure if it pays to have it fixed. I payed $4800 in February 2009. Overall this car is nice, not very big and does not ride like our 96 Camry. Good cheap car.

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  Toyota Reliability? - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Thomas Anzalone - January 22 - 3:03 am

  I purchased a Toyota Avalon because I thought I was purchasing a reliable vehicle-this has been anything but the case. At 58000 miles I noticed a trail of oil leading up my driveway. Upon looking under the vehicle I noticed oil pouring out of the engine compartment (oil light never turned on). The vehicles vvt-i oil lines failed and the vehicle needed to be towed to the dealership. Ironically 2 weeks after this happened I received a service campaign notice from Toyota "recalling" the faulty oil lines. Incidentally the oil leak contaminated the alternator resulting in it being needed to be replaced. At 59000 miles the steering shaft began to clunk and now needs to be replaced ($379).

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  happy not elated - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By joe driver - January 21 - 10:00 am

  This 2000 SR5 V6 x-cab has taken a beating! The reliability is fantastic! With 215k and climbing fast, it has never stranded me and has required only minimal maintainence and repairs. The power is terrific and mileage is 22-23 ave. I have had exactly 1 tuneup and it still runs beautifully. All that said the comfort level leaves a lot to be desired. It bucks like a bronco on bumpy LA roads, the cab gets fumes or exhaust smells frequently, and the rattles, squeeks and whistles are numerous. Being a professional driver(courier) the reliability and low maintainence outweighs the comfort problems and high sticker.