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:

• 

  Weak horsepower - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By rfbry - December 3 - 6:10 pm

  I bought this car for my daughters 16th birthday so that she could take it to college when she is 18 and it is perfect for her. No problems at all. With that being said, my 2005 Sienna was in the shop recently and I had to put my family of 5 in it to go around town in. That put approximately 700 lbs of weight in the car. This car was very sluggish with this much weight in it. It had absolutely no get up and go to it. It is not a family car. My husband who is 510" had a really hard time fitting in the car and was very uncomfortable in it. This car is only good for one or two people and that is it.

• 

  Good Mileage, Adequate Transport - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By greenvan2011 - December 3 - 6:08 pm

  Bought Sienna new in 2010, now have 48K on it. Mileage is great - 20 mixed and 25+ hwy. Engine has lots of zip to pass. Interior plastics and trims feel a little cheap. Leather only OK. Price to buy was descent compared to crossovers. Towing capacity is a lie - there is a 45 MPH speed limit, special hitch, and electric brakes required. Had a problem that was quasi-warranty and Toyota dealer and corporate was absolutely positively without a doubt useless. Even though we like the van in general have put Toyota on our do not buy list.

• 

  Its mostly love! - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By meshee - December 3 - 3:03 pm

  Driving my Prius is great fun. It gets very good gas milage, but no where near the 60 it advertises. My average is 43mpg. Still better than most 4 cyl. With that said, the only other problem I have is the interior display (heat, radio, etc). Its displayed on a cool, TV like screen, but you have to jump to different screens to change each thing. i.e. You want to change your heat to defrost, or change the station on your radio. Theres lots that can be done on the steering wheel, but I find that equally annoying. If given the choice, you definatley want the rear camera (when you put in R a rear view comes up on that screen). But GET ONE, save yourself some money & save our planet!

• 

  AWD? - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By KJS - December 3 - 1:03 pm

  Sienna, along with Odyssey, is the top pick in this segment. As such, there is very little to complain about. The only thing dislike is the run flats that are standard on AWD models. The rigid side walls transmit every little bumps on the road. If you want a cushy ride then do NOT get AWD models. Every things else is just great. Functionality is well thought out and suited for family life. Many cup holders , bag hooks, and other minor details add up to a very usable car.

• 

  A good ride - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By ajhasnow - December 3 - 11:13 am

  I have now owned 2 Tundras and loved both of them. Comfortable ride, extremely dependable, peppy when needed, Service regularly and it performs well. A little crowded for a family of 5 when traveling far, but all seats are comfortable for full sized adults. Smoothest ride in a 4 wheel drive truck I have been in.

• 

  One awesome vehicle - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By MarineOne - December 3 - 3:40 am

  I bought this Venza for my wife. Traded in our 2005 Honda Odyssey for a what I thought was a smaller vehicle. To our surprise, the Venza is very spacious. Yes, we do not have the third row seating, but we only used it when family was visiting. The first time I test drove it, I was hooked. Very comfortable, smooth ride and a quiet cabin. The interior is very comfortable and Toyota spared no expense in the design. It is the best interior I have seen. I opted for the 6 cylinder. Let me tell you, if you are not watching what you are doing, you can find yourself traveling at 75-80 mph with no effort at all. The first time I passed a car on a two lane road caught me off guard with the great power.

• 

  own for 8 years - 1997 Toyota Celica
  By richie - December 3 - 2:06 am

  I bought this car with 65,000 miles. Now Ive had it for about 8 years and it has 193,000 miles and it never has given me any bad problems other then the starter and cv boots. Overall I enjoy this car.

• 

  ECM Killed the transmission - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Rav4 the junk heap - December 2 - 11:20 pm

  A week ago I wouldve rated this car a 4 out of 5 stars. Yesterday driving home the transmission went out. I lost the Drive gears and made it home in Low 2nd. Went online and discovered it is a common problem with 2001-05 Rav4s and is actually caused by a bad ECM (Engine Control Module). I called the dealership in the morning and they said it would be nearly $5,000 to replace the ECM and transmission. This is really bad for a Toyota with only 72,000 miles. Found out later that Im covered by a Federal Emissions Warranty mandated by the government. Called Toyota back and yes, I am covered after all, but only for the ECM and not the transmission. How ridiculous is that?

• 

  Highly disappointed! - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Don Martinez - December 2 - 9:58 pm

  Traded in out 2016 Toyota Van XLE for this and been nothing but trouble. Shifts horrible and at times the engine response because of it is flat and scary. Weve had it to the dealership 3 times now for a burning smell under the hood. Finally the dealer has given us a loaner car and had the engineers come to check the car throughly. Were scared to park it in the garage or drive it as were afraid it might burn on the side the road or worse yet burn our house down. Will update this review if they fine the issue. I would not recommend this car to anyone currently. Some of the interior pieces could have been made better and the lack of GPS on all models is disappointing but were not surprised because the GPS we had on our Toyota Sienna was not great either. Toyota missed the mark only offering the GPS option on the XLE and XSE and supposedly they have to be V6 models as well. One of the things that frustrates me the most about the 2018 Toyota Camry is the trunk. you can only open it from the button on the dash or the key. If the car is running the key will not open the trunk. Why is theres not a switch on the trunk lid to open it from outside baffles me.

• 

  Northern reliability - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Polar trucker - December 2 - 6:53 pm

  This vehicle is driven north of the 60th parallel. From -50 to +35 it has proven its worth many times over. Up here our roads are so rough that it seems like your off roading every time you pull out of the driveway. Did I mention that the City of Yellowknife only does snow removal once a winter (7 months long) and never plows on a pro-active basis.