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:

• 

  Problems - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By mad - September 1 - 9:03 pm

  i have had my car almost for 5 years and in the three months i have had to take it because of the engine light coming on. 400.00 for a new sensor and right now waiting to see what s wrong this time. Toyotas used to last for 150,000 miles or more but this is crazy my car is maintenanced regularly and this is what i get. never never again will i purchase a Toyota

• 

  excellent mini - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By kennyg1221 - September 1 - 12:53 pm

  After purchasing a honda odyssey ex 2007 back in 2007 i loved the mini. Had a minor problem with the power steering making noises @ 10000 miles got it fixed. other than that no problems. Went to the sienna because of the options that came with the vehicle. Plus checked autobeef.com seen that the odyssey had tranny problems where as the sienna didnt have as much not knocking honda, but my sienna i love it. If i had to do it over again i would probably get the odyssey because of the looks of the exterior back in 07, vs the sienna looks, but would have brought the sienna for its reliabilty in 07,08,09,2010,11. so to sum it up go get a 2011 sienna like i did u will love it.

• 

  Lemon Engine - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - September 1 - 12:25 pm

  Got my 02 camry 2.4L on Aug 2013 from a bay area dealer, it did have 36K miles on it. I barely used it, it was my backup/weekend car and for 2 yrs I have the car, Ive only put in 18K on it. I had the water pump replaced on Feb 2015 by a Toyota tech that does outside job and I did replace the serpentine belt on Dec 2014. Decide to use this car to work one day and noticed my temperature gauge start hitting hot, park my car to safe area and check my coolant reservoir, it was empty. I remember checking it 2 days ago, it was full. As I remove my radiator cap, there was no coolant in the radiator, put water in it since I did not have any coolant with me and decide to take it to one of the mechanic I go to, it was close by to the area where I was at. I did check my oil and it was still fine, did not see any water oil mixture. As Ive mention the issue to the mechanic, he already knew the problem with this models. Strip head bolt and coolant is going through it or either leak back, recommended engine replacement. Took my car home and used my daily driver car, 92 camry with 279K (original engine). Same day, Ive contact the Toyota tech mechanic, he had mentioned to me that this has been an issue with this cars but usually its about 130K. I was aware of this issue a yr after I bought the car, google engine performance, I was hoping it would last me up to 130K. I would stay away from 2.4L Toyota engine from 2002-2010, bad engine engineering, either a strip head bold or piston ring issues, coming from the Toyota tech mechanic. I will have to replace my motor since I dont want another car payment, hoping it will last me at least 4-5 yrs just to get my money back. It will cost me about 4K with the Toyota tech doing the work.

• 

  Can Not Find a Better Bang For Your Buck Even Used! - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By shodon_main - August 31 - 7:57 am

  Wow! I knew that Toyota had one heck of a reputation when I purchased this truck used with 40,000 miles on it but now I am a true believer sitting here with almost 100K on the odometer. This thing is built like a rock! I have driven it from Colorado to South Padre Island and back hauling 4 buddies and our gear. I have towed heavy loads from Colorado to NY, NY to OK, OK to AZ and never had so much as a hick-up with this thing! It is very comfy and can easily seat 5 grown men. I am not afraid to go off-road with this vehicle as I know it can stand up to some punishment. I have had to perform nothing but routine maintenance since purchasing. It is very easy to take care of.

• 

  i love it!!!! - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By jamie keifer - August 31 - 7:00 am

  I enjoyed this car more than any other that I have ever driven in my life!!!! It is the best car that exists!!

• 

  Smooth ride, excellent fuel economy - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By topcat - August 30 - 10:20 pm

  Toyota made this one right! A luxury car-like ride with the security of AWD. Excellent fuel economy. (almost twice what our 2000 Pathfinder got!) Very quiet interior, unlike most other SUVs.

• 

  Not Bad, but some workmanship problems... - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Love Sienna But... - August 30 - 3:16 pm

  I always love Toyota cars, so I bought Sienna 2010. However, I find that the air conditioning unit didnt work at all for the second and third rows, just after I bought it on the third day! It took me twice about 5 hours to replace the unit at the dealership. I complained to Toyota Canada, but until now, nobody from Toyota takes it seriously and no apology or compensation from Toyota!

• 

  Great all around Mid-Size SUV - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Ben B - August 30 - 1:53 am

  We compared this to the new Honda Pilot before buying. The Pilot really shined from the 2nd row back where it has more room in the 3rd row and storage space behind. The Highlander also had similar acceleration and handling. One of the deciding factors was how horrible the new Pilot looks. Let me put it this way if a Civic and an Odyssey had a child it would be the Honda Pilot. On the other hand, if a Camry and a 4 Runner had a child it would be a Highlander. The active safety features can be a little overwhelming at first, but they all have sensitivity adjustments. It really pays to sit and read the manual on this car as there are a ton of customization features from the loudness of the beep when you lock the door to the color of the buttons on the stereo. Im amazed by the quietness and smooth ride of this SUV. The steering is effortless, but there isnt enough feedback. It feels too much like a computer controller. Ill add more to the review later as I have more time driving the car.

• 

  Best car I owned - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By Rich Gerenza - August 29 - 4:38 pm

  Best car ever owned

• 

  Happy new owner - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Don - August 29 - 2:40 pm

  Months of research and test drives came down to Flex vs. Highlander. Went with Highlander largely due to more conservative styling. Extremely quiet, comfortable car. Black after-market leather looks sharp with silver exterior. Great visibility, light steering, easy to drive. Factory tires seem questionable, prone to slipping under even light acceleration. Ride can be a bit bouncy, but overall a very refined, quality vehicle.