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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  BEWARE Do Not Buy a V8 All Wheel Drive - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Brett - March 27 - 8:40 pm

  I have been repairing cars/trucks my whole life and never owned a worse new vehicle than my V8 AWD--I have 22K miles and since 15K the vehicle has a severe driveline vibration which has become worse--Toyota tells me this is typical for this vehicle and currently there is no repair for the problem. I have been to 2 dealers and now Toyota tech says there is not a fix--the problem is soo bad the vehicle can not been driven. In addition I have had the following problems: OEM brushguard rusted at all welds (garage kept), scratched instrument cluster lens, brake noise (rear), hard shifts in transmission, all 4 Dunlop tires dryrotted between the treads, & the " drive by wire" system has problems.

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  Tranny goes @ 80k? - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Pat32787 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Im very mad and upset with toyota. this 99 has been seriously nothing but problems. my parents bought the car and didnt notice it was missing a rear seatbelt, the left door has to be slammed in order to close, the brakes go way too often, the suspension sux, and recently $4grand later the transmission went at 81k miles. we had a 98 with no problems and we get a 99 and its a hunk of junk.

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  2005 Toyota Corolla CE - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By joe - March 25 - 2:23 am

  The car is too small to find a comfortable position. Made for very small people, the power is... there isnt any. The seals leak on the window. Very noisy ride. AC cant really keep the car cool enough inside. The sound system is poor quality. Low and hard seats leave a person hurting after a trip around town. Visibility is very poor to the rear of drivers side. Low clearance under car makes a small road hazard a very big problem. Cheap paint, chips easy. Handling on icy roads very good, but low clearance is again a big problem.

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  Very Upset - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By jsnsgrl98 - March 23 - 12:11 pm

  I purchased the 2011 Corolla S with all the bells and whistles in March of 2011. I was satisfied with the car and was excited to have gotten my very first brand new car. Last week we discovered that there was oil all over the back of the motor. The seal on the cam plate had blown out. My husband, being very smart with cars, was very upset to find that instead of a gasket it was silicone. So either it was put together wrong, or it had already been taken apart before we got it. The dealership told us to brign it up to be fixed, so when I got there I traded it in on a new Jeep. Was not going to pay for a thrown together car. Plus I also realized I was not a car person and wanted another SUV.

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  Disappointed - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Nashua NH - March 16 - 10:10 am

  Bought this car based on owning other Toyotas. After slowing down, transmission has to be "kicked" to speed up. Doesnt have quick pickup to pass or after complete stop. Visibility terrible due to airbags and head rests. Cant believe any engineer would pass these defects. All tires replaced 26,000 and two more a year later. Every maintenance appointment brings a new problem. Ride seems comfortable and gas mileage fairly good averaging 26 city and 30 open road. Not like my 1996 model, though.

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  HUGE Mistake - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By BCQVETTE - March 15 - 11:23 am

  I have had 3 other Toyotas and I only wish I had read these reviews before I wasted my money on this car. The SE with the Ground Effect package looks very nice, that is where it stopped. After almost getting "T" boned for the 3rd time in a single day and the Dealership telling me I was his only one complaining, I sold it. I tried to get them to do the Computer test, but they told me nothing was wrong and my VIN number was fine and already had all the fixes on it (it was made in July 2007). I had it for 6 weeks and 4500 miles. I did not feel safe in it and sold it to another dealership. I am taking the loss knowing I should have done more homework before buying this car.

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  Tundra doesnt drive straight - 2013 Toyota Tundra
  By thomasntexas - March 9 - 6:23 pm

  Its been a nightmare with this 2013 Tundra TSS since the day I bought it. First the toyota dealer gave me a horrible trade in on my old car and way overcharged for the TSS I bought once I did more investigation. I wouldnt suggest this truck, its been in the shop 3 times with front alignment issues and eating tires after just 15K miles. Everytime I take it to the dealership it comes back worse than when I took it in, I was also hit with a surprise, at 30K miles the truck is due for a major service costing between $300-400! I was not told that when I was buying the truck. The gas milage is also oversold, I was suppose to get 19 mpg in the city its more like 12 mpg, total gas hog.

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  Transmission problems - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By lifethenwork - March 6 - 10:03 am

  Ever since I purchased my Toyota, I have had problems with the transmission wanting to downshift when going down a hill, and also not wanting to shift up when accelerating on the highway. The front dashboard has begun to pop up little air bubbles underneath the layer of vinyl covering it.

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  its maybe Average - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By clemwiz - March 6 - 12:06 am

  Average meaning I would not buy another one. At 75k miles it leaks oil and needs a rear seal ($3,000), it uses oil on the highway, it has an odd whistling noise that no one can find (when going against the wind on the highway), the gas mileage is NOT good. The only reason we still have it is because my wife likes it.

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  Better Choices in Sub-Compact Market - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By xoquixxoqafxo - March 3 - 12:40 pm

  Bought this car in March 2007 to get something more fuel efficient, I regret it today because I should have went with a 2007 Honda Civic LX which i looked at but choose this because it was 14,500 out the door and the civic was 17,000 out the door. I should have spend the extra 2500 because I am considering selling it and getting a Civic LX-S right now. Gas Mileage is the only strong point, average around 32 MPG combined, have gotten 40 on the hwy but its difficult because the 4 SPD Auto allows the engine to buzz away at 3k at 60 mph. Has crummy handling and unresponsive steering. Honda fit was way more fun to drive with the utility of a hatchback. Its been reliable but thats it.