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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  Horrible truck - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By tmoney09 - June 9 - 5:10 am

  the paint job is very terrible, you could rub your fingernail across it and tear the paint off, it tries to take off but unless you push to the point where it roughly takes off it wont go, yes it turns sharp but when you go around curves at even low speeds things fly all over the truck, it also has horrible gas economy, i mean its expected of a truck but the gas tank is too small so filling up often is ridiculous, also the interior is not built very well who builds a center console with cup holders in the middle causing it to have a little storage space

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  First toyota very disappointed ... - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Vardhar - June 5 - 7:26 pm

  The delay in acceleration and poor mileage makes this car worse than any other car in the segment. The delay in acceleration is so much, dont know how toyota let this car out in the market. Neither they have issued a recall on this. Ill file a complaint with the fed on this. It is a very basic necessity of the car that is incorrectly done.

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  wish I was impressed - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By mel4reviews - June 4 - 4:57 pm

  132K miles and second time its the catalytic converter. Additionally, for a 4-cyl, I should really get better gas mileage. Need to go back to a different maker. My first and ONLY Toyota.

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  Deeply disappointing - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By corolla09 - June 4 - 12:12 pm

  My first tow back to the dealer was at 26 km. Sadly things went downhill from there. When I complained about all the rattles and excessive number of engine repairs a Toyota official told me "you cannot compared the Corolla to the Dodge Neon -- theyre not in the same class". Three years later Ive come to realize they werent joking. As an example of the corner-cutting in this car notice that Toyota chose tape rather than clamps to hold the windscreen washer hoses under the bonnet. Now just out of warranty, and at just 19,000 km, Ive been told the piston rings need to be replaced.

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  It a complete lemon - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By "Lemon" - May 28 - 1:03 am

  Our Lexus RX300 was stolen from us and we had tofind a reliable vehicle fast. We were planing on getting another Lexus but we were paying off a house. So we got the "cheaper cousin" instead. We test drove it and it was fine. Once we got it, it was horrible. There is no acceleration on thr V6 and it is a bumpy ride. Sound system is horrible. We test drove the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee and we saw it at the dealer and it was very beautiful. We immediatly traded it and it is an awesome vehicle. It feels like a BMX, Lexus, and Land Rover combined into one incredible "Useful Vehicle" The Highlander is horrible and i cant believe Lexus parent Toyota makes such refined vehicles but Toyota is garbage.

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  Oldie but goodie but not for us "oldies"! - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By KJW - May 12 - 8:39 am

  The passenger does not have full power front seat as the driver does. Very important to have the power lumbar and to raise the seat up! And we do NOT want 3rd row. Make an option for bench seat and only seats 5! Then we would have purchased. We chose the FORD Edge Titanium because it has the features we need!!!!!

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  Safe car if you are in are rear ended but terrible - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Z Minhas - May 4 - 1:52 pm

  I purchased two 2015 Toyota Camry at once - one was an impulse buy. Ride and comfort are terrible - seats are absolutely atrocious - especially the driver seat. There is no cushion and I have a constant back pain now. Tire wore out on both cars quickly and so did the brakes - the only good part is that the car saved my wifes life when she was rear-ended on the highway at full speed by a distracted motorist. crumple zones did their job - my wife did sustain back and neck injuries but that was due to the impact. Geico would not write off the car, after $10,000 in repairs - so i have to drive it - the car run ok but the comfort issues are there. Will be trading this car for something better - any recommendation?

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  Bad experience, not what they were - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By RyanMurphy - April 24 - 2:00 pm

  I expected a solid car that would get me around town. What I got is a car that barely gets me around town. The car is a clunker in all honesty. I have 51,000 miles and Ive been to the repair shop quite a bit. My transmission went out. My intake manifold cracked and had to be replaced. I have been through 2 sets of brakes and my steering wheel is all over the road. My tires are new.

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  G3 Update really just a failed G2.5 - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robs - April 21 - 4:56 pm

  Bought this full redesign 16 Tacoma Ltd 4x4 in September of 2015 after my friend, a fleet manager at a Toyota dealership, told me how great it was going to be. We had a 5 year old FJ Cruiser and, although we loved it, we needed a truck and the full size would not fit in out garage. I liked the G2 Tacoma; however, felt it was somewhat outdated and was impressed by what Toyota was doing by supposedly changing much about the truck, including the engine and trans. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed in both the truck and in Toyota Customer Service, and my dealer. Soon after buying, I took the truck on two long trips and found out that a buzzy vibration in the steering wheel, floorboard area, and gas pedal at 2100-2400 RPMs, put my hands and lower arms, up to my elbow, to sleep, which I felt was a major safety problem. I reported this to my dealer, and the mechanic said he felt it but that there was nothing they could do at this point. I complained directly to Toyota, who had me bring them the truck for two engineers to check it out. They felt the vibration; however, when I got the letter from Toyota, it said that "the steering functions as designed" and the investigation was closed. When I reported back to my dealer (from whom Ive purchased numerous vehicles, including referring many sales to them, too) they just shrugged and said that unless Toyota comes up with a fix, there was nothing they could do for me (on a $41K+ truck, no less!). Besides the vibration issue, there was a problem with the new engine and trans combo. Shifting on the new A/T was horrible and the engine had to be pushed to get any performance out of it at all, kind of like an old 2 stroke engine that needed high revs to get into a power band. Cruise control would downshift quickly, then never upshift at all unless you tapped on the gas, making it useless. All of my comments were met with : Functions as designed. I could never get even 20mpg out of the vehicle, even on the highway. My FJ Cruiser was a much better vehicle, smooth, quieter, shifted easily, more comfortable, and regularly got me 21-22mpg on the highway at speed. I regretted trading it in for this much inferior truck, and wish I would have just bought a Gen 2. After fighting with both Toyota and my dealership for 9 months (and being relegated to just using the truck for local driving due to the buzziness), my wife and I just traded it in for a different truck, one that doesnt buzz, is more comfortable, handles better, and gets good mileage. I hated having to take a several thousand dollar loss on a new purchase like this; however, IMO, this upgrade was a total failure on Toyotas part. A month later, Im glad I got rid of it. Never thought Id ever say this about a Toyota.....but it appears to me that these are selling on the fine reputation of the G2. I would stay away until Toyota can figure this one out and get it fixed. (Note: a master mechanic with 30+ years experience at the dealership pointed out that the 3.5 came from Lexus; however, thinks the problem is the Taco used hard rubber engine mounts and the Lexus uses hydraulically controlled oil-filled mounts. He also noted that the Taco has a single exhaust header piece and the Lexus uses a multi-piece system. This is where he felt the issue with the vibes was. He also pointed out that the trans was "over-programmed to get you better mileage, and a re-programming would fix that issue." When I asked him about any pipeline fixes, he responded that Toyota has been hinting at them for over 6 months; however, nothing had yet been done. He thinks that as long as the truck sells well, they wont do a thing. ) This truck does have potential; however, it is just not ready for prime time. Buyer, beware. UPDATE: I got tired of Toyota stating "functions as designed", and traded it in for a new Honda Ridgeline. Even though I lost almost $6K, it was the best decision to make. Unlike the Taco, this RL is smooth, quiet, handles better, has better tech, and gets me 25-28 on the highway and 20 around town, and is a great hauler, to boot. We also had an issue with a falling headliner on our 13 Avalon. Toyota (and the dealer) didnt want to help, even though it had been a service bulletin a few years ago. Hot-glued up the headliner and traded that car in, too, and the wife bought herself an Acura. After years as a Toyota family, we are now Toyota free and will not buy their product ever again. Their quality has just tanked, along with their customer service.

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  I Hate this Car! - 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Carol - April 6 - 6:50 pm

  The engineer who did the interior layout of this car should be fired! It is the most random placement of the rear A/C controls (above and behind the left rear seat?!). The Navigation system told me to make a u-turn and then after 100 yards told me to make a u-turn again! It shows me on roads Im not even on! The voice activate button doesnt work! The rear seats fold up in a complex non-user friendly way and then to hold them up you hook a strap to the overhead handle! This SUV is so OVERPRICED! You cant get tires for this thing because they are 18" wheels! Its got too much body roll! The tailgate makes it imposible to reach in the back!!