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:

• 

  Glorious New Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Suburban Toyota - November 9 - 7:36 am

  The new Avalon is everything youd want out of a Toyota. Its fast, comfortable, and full of fantastic features.

• 

  Excellent car - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Gus - November 9 - 5:26 am

  People who criticize this car dont know what they are saying. This car is excellent all around. This is my second Camry and I love it.

• 

  Sets a Standard for quality - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By AJAX - November 8 - 10:33 pm

  I bought this Prerunner double-cab in Feb. 2004. It has the V-6 engine. My mileage has steadly increased to 22 mpg. There should be more leg room in the back seat area. The quality is superior. After 31,000 miles everything works perfectly. This is my second Tacoma truck and I continue to be amazed at the reliability built into these trucks.

• 

  I will buy another - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Alex - November 8 - 11:50 am

  My first Sienna and there is nothing about this vehicle that I do not like. It has a smooth quiet ride, lots of power, good fuel economy, plenty of room, everything fits and works well. It has been to the dealer 9 times for regular maintainence , oil, lubes only. It is a first rate travelling vehicle, a great highway cruiser. Our next vehicle will be the XLE with leather, 17" wheels, sun-roof, laser cruise etc but no flat-free tires after reading the comments here. Even the LE comes very well equipped with items that others call options. We have enjoyed 72000km (45000 mi) with zero problems.

• 

  Very Impressed - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Camille - November 8 - 8:33 am

  This is my first Rav 4. After a brutal northeast winter I had to get a reliable, sturdy car and fell in love with the Rav 4 on first site. Its a lot of fun to drive and with all the bells and whistles, I cant wait for winter. Even without the V-6 component, the 2.4 liter engine still moves like a rocket. Loving the Ipod Jack and the bluetooth features from the steering wheel- awesome!

• 

  21,000 miles in - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By EricnLA - November 8 - 8:02 am

  After nearly a year and 3 months of driving my Camry SE. I love the fit and finish. Very quiet no rattles or squeaks, or road noise like my Prius. Complaints; at $26K this should have blind spot and rear air vents standard. I wish the back lights had, well more lights LED stripes or something. SE no longer has fog lamps and the LED lights only are available on the XSE and XLE. The halogen DRL look dated on a modern car. They should come standard on all models and SE needs fog lights. The ride is harsher on the SE model than the LE or XLE. My tires are the Bridgestone. The dealer said they had to replace early 2015s because the tires were wearing to fast. He didnt mention brand. Just now they are using Bridgestone. I think if I get the 2018 I will upgrade to the XLE for the softer ride since I am only city driving mostly. Not sure if I want a hybrid again, depends on gas prices in 2018. Other than that I really like the car for room comfort and mpg for a non hybrid (average 26.2mpg)

• 

  Very poor reliability - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By GBouscal - November 8 - 2:40 am

  3050 miles to date and Ive had to return for service every 1000 miles due to the check engine light. There are fuel system problems. Ive spent 8 hours at the service center so far, with my next appointment next week, which will be my 5th visit.

• 

  2015 Camry LE-Tragically uncomfortable front seats - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By spaderbabe - November 8 - 12:51 am

  I switched to Toyota after 28 years of Honda loyalty because my moms 1997 Camry LE is still running strong. I first bought a 2015 Corolla LE Eco Premium and traded it after 2 months because the ride got so rough after driving it is was unbearable, not to mention a dash rattle and other problems. Traded it in on a 2015 Camry LE. Didnt think too much about seat comfort during the test ride, it seemed OK. I drive 3 to 4 hours a day for work, and after spending some time in the car, my back hurt and I couldnt find any position to make it comfortable. Tried pillows, different cushions, then wound up getting a set of $135 Conformax gel seat cushions (back and seat) with air flow covers and that makes it much better. I went to the dealer and rotated the OEM tires as recommended then at about 16,000 miles the ride was very rough. Wound up replacing them at 18,000 miles with Goodyear Comfortred Assurance tires and that did the trick. I get great gas mileage, love the backup camera and hands free phone and listening to music via the USB port. The bluetooth for music has buffering issues and will speed up and slow down like a record. I talked with the accessory guy at the dealership and the bluetooth buffering is an issue in the Camry. I love the MPG, the highest was around 44 and I regularly get between 35 and 40 MPG so the weight of the car is a trade off. It drives tight and solid and the LE model has the right amount of technology for me. I got the midnight blue and body side molding, so this is the sharpest looking car Ive had. Its a love/hate thing. I think I can make it work, but I would not recommend one if you do any serious amount of driving, because of the horrible seats.

• 

  What a cool ride! - 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By wartowne - November 7 - 10:39 pm

  I have a loaded 2011 Iceberg white 4x4. My whole family loves the FJ. My kids say that it would make a great Transformer! I agree...We came up with the name Brutus. There really isnt anything to not love about the FJ. Its super rugged, capable of tackling the street or offroad, and doing it with finesse. The interior is rugged and simple. I dont have any visibilty complaints, though without the back up camera, it would be tricky. Power seems to be about right, and fuel economy is excellent. Higher RPMs do sound a little harsh. Build quality is fantastic and I love the crash test results. Its like youre driving a tank.

• 

  Not bad! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By ksgirl1 - November 7 - 10:32 pm

  I bought my 04 used in 2008 with 55Kmi. I just sold it in Oct. with 90K miles. I thought it was a great car. Super comfy and great smooth and quiet ride. My complaints would be the heated seats never seemed to get more than lukewarm. I also thought it took awhile to warm the interior of this car in the winter. The other issue we had was the DVD player would sometimes not eject the discs but other than that it was a great car for us. The only reason I sold it was because I was ready for something non "mom like". I would reccomend.