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:

• 

  Nice car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By gtbk - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I own this car for 5 days and 600 miles, so far. I traded an 01 Corolla with 68,000 miles. I was looking for a 4 cylinder that has room and power. This car has both. I tried the Altima, nice room and style, no power and harsh shifting. The Mazda 6 no power, seats not designed for 6 footer. Accord felt cramped. The Camrys ride is smooth and quiet! Nice stereo. Controls are easy to reach. The brakes are mushy, but the ABS felt mushier. The hood is suppoted with a gas spring, nice not to have that rod in the way. Plenty of trunk space. I miss the automatic headlights. A great car for the price and of course Toyotas dependability.

• 

  Great SUV just has some flaws - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Scott K - December 26 - 8:04 am

  This SUV is almost perfect in every way but there are some flaws. The ride is quiet and smooth and you feel safe and most features are great. Weve put 28k on this in two years so its been put to the test. Tons of room and seating is plentiful. But there are some problems that you should know before you spend what is basically luxury SUV prices. The front seats are OK but firm. Hard to go much longer than a few hours before you need to stop. The entertainment system absolutely doesnt work correctly. You have to disconnect and reconnect all of the time. Our 2008 Camry worked better. And our fuel economy (although I would assume this is not the norm), comes in at 18.7mpg - not the 21 town, 26 hwy promised.

• 

  Great vehicle - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By GRP - December 26 - 5:50 am

  My wife and I are seniors and find our Venza a great car/wagon/etc. Its the golden umber mica paint and we get many compliments of its look. The drivers seat is not especially comfortable and I see in other reviews that is a common complaint. As the main driver I find it necessary to get out and stretch in an hour or two. Hard on the butt. Ours is not leather, but leather look and affords easy access and egress. Mileage - Overall since new - 27.45 MPG Best mileage -on a trip 37 mpg Worst mileage -in winter "09" 17 mpg

• 

  Ford F150 Owner switched to Toyota Tundra -Mixed - 2018 Toyota Tundra
  By bp - December 26 - 5:33 am

  I have owned 6 Ford F150s and my last 2, a 2007 and a 2017 really lacked quality and they spent a lot of time getting serviced. I was able to Lemon Law my 2017 F150, and made the switch to a Toyota Tundra. I purchased a 2018 Tundra Limited 4x4 with the TRD Off-Road package. Compared to my Lariat, it does lack some of the conveniences like tailgate step, auto-locking tailgate, remote start, LED lighting when unlocking, BLISS, etc. I know I could get some of this with other packages or add-ons...My biggest issue is the safety stuff on the 2018. The adaptive cruise control is too safe...putting too much distance between you and the car in front...the Lane Departure Assistance is irritating...sensitivity can be turned down, but not off. The backup camera isnt partnered with a sensor so no audible alert (my be a config Im not seeing)...MOST irritating is that Id like to add some accessories and modify my truck. The PCS sensor/radar is apparently impacted by any type of bull bar, leveling or lifting - per Toyota. Im seeing on Forums where these have been done, and you get mixed messages by service advisors. I wish I knew this before purchasing as I would not have purchased this truck. Now that Im stuck with it, its just OK.

• 

  Shifts a lot - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Henry 31 - December 26 - 3:50 am

  In many ways this is a very fine car, quiet, good looking, rides and handles well and thus far has been absolutely trouble free. The air conditioning is good and the radio is excellent. It has one characteristic however that can be annoying.I live in level terrain and this camry has a tendency to shift on all overpasses and even slight upgrades when going against the wind. It does shift smoothly but I would now would have to look closely at competing brands before buying this car again. You can nurse this car over these overpasses if the cruise control is not on, but I love cruse control and cruise control can prevent a lot of speeding tickets.

• 

  Wish they were still making it - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Susan - December 25 - 5:03 am

  Loved it ! Passengers always impressed with the look & interior very luxurious! Friends with Lexus thought it look like theirs!

• 

  toy - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By tracy - December 25 - 12:36 am

  Interior design only problems Ive ever had. Back of driver seat weak and carpet never has fit perfect but thats being picky. Trunk interior liner piece and loose and wont stay in place. Highway noise has increased with age but still acceptable. Normal maintenance of timing belt and CV joints only large cost incured. Engine and transmission still plenty strong with not a single leak. Still get over 30 mpg hwy and even gets better 35-40 with increase in speed. Cant explain that one. Absolutely no buyers remorse and no plans to sell this one for many years.

• 

  Smart Choice - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By ahjok - December 24 - 5:28 am

  We have owned 2012 SE V6 for about a month, traded in a 2004 Lexus RX 330 which was the best car we have ever owned. We looked at a new RX 350 before deciding on the Toyota. Heres why: The Highlander is larger than the RX inside and out and has more legroom and cargo space. It is less stylish, but for about $8 grand less we decided we could live without the Lexus badge on the hood. The Toy has great power, decent if somewhat numb handling, and were averaging 21 MPG in town, 24 MPG highway. The ride is very, very smooth with just a bit of jiggliness on the interstate. Very pleased overall.

• 

  Yes and No to a decent "car" - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By wld8hrt - December 24 - 5:16 am

  After only a couple of days the brakes started to squeak. The dealer replaced the brakes today so well see. The interior is very nice and well laid out (certainly one of Toyotas better looks). The exterior... boring, unoriginal but not bad. Rides a little rougher than it should. Not been able to get avg MPG past 19.3 but working on it. Climate control works well and I love the push to start button. Overall power is not bad and the brakes are very responsive. The rear door seems to be very picky as to when it wants to open for you but that is probably just a learning curve. No USB???? Annoying oversite! Bluetooth streaming works well but often needs resetting. Cruise buttons hard to find, see.

• 

  200k, The Most Reliable Car I Have Ever Owned - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By pmireland44 - December 23 - 9:44 pm

  The V-6 is very quick with more HP than most 60s Muscle Cars. I have personally put 200k on the clock from day one and the only repairs so far were wheel bearings and Struts at 150K. It didnt even need brakes until 90K! Still has the original battery. Oil changed every 5K. 25mpg in mixed driving and 31mpg on long trips. Everything still works, the interior has held up well (four kids). The paint has seemed to chip a bit easy but I have been on many 500 mile plus trips through the NW in winter. I have no intention of replacing this car before 300K.