Toyota Owner Reviews
Read genuine car reviews from real Australian car owners. Discover what it’s really like to live with different makes and models with honest & first-hand experiences. Find out what everyday drivers think about their vehicles—covering performance, comfort, reliability and more - only on CarsGuide

2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid hatchback review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 04 Jul 2025
Multimedia is very confusing, with so many actions required to achieve specific outcomes. The safety technology is very impressive, however, proximity sensors back and front are not fitted as standard.
Generally, the interior is very dark/black, making it very difficult to see things clearly inside the car. Seating, both front and rear, while very comfortable, can be difficult to get into and out of. The rear cargo area is very cramped and space is quite limited. Again, this is most disappointing.
The driving experience is outstanding, very smooth, quiet and responsiveness is most satisfactory. The transition from electric to ICE motors and back is absolutely seamless, imperceptible. Could not ask for any better.
The vehicle was a brand-new purchase, so as yet, fixed-price servicing has not been undertaken but expected to be satisfactory. As the batteriess are charged by the regenerative braking system, no electric charging is available or necessary. Overall, petrol economy is extraordinary, very economical. When insurance was purchased on day one, the cost seemed more than reasonable given the complexity of the drivetrain system.
As this car is brand new, it is very difficult to give any real assessment as to reliability, however, as it is a Toyota, reliability is generally a given, and was chosen partly because Toyotas are generally unbreakable. Toyota have been building hybrid vehicles for almost 25 years, and having personally driven a Toyota hybrid in 2006, it was very impressive back then, so I have no issues in choosing this car.

2024 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 02 Jul 2025
Multimedia and safety technology are not to the standard I experienced in my previous Kluger Grande.
The practicality of the car interior is execptional, but the cargo area needs the additional rubber mat for protection.
The driving experience is exactly as needed, being what was sought after and not liking that found in the Kluger Grande. In particular, I like the ease of driving with a shorter body and wheelbase.
All running costs were cheaper than the previous Kluger Grande Hybrid by a long way, in respect to fuel.
The reliability of the car meets all expectations and I have has no reason to regret buying this model.
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2016 Toyota Corolla ZR review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 01 Jul 2025
Multimedia is great for 2016. Bluetooth connects quickly and calls are easy to make. Map function I don't use as much, but imagine it's not as useful. Safety tech is pretty standard.It's a small vehicle but feels spacious inside. Boot space is decent for a hatchback and has a removable cover for privacy, which is a plus. Seats can fold down to be more spacious for larger items.Driving experience has always been good. It's not as smooth, but that's fair for an older and smaller car. I've never had any issues with the vehicle, had always been an easy drive and is super reliable. Love how it's economical. Fuel for the week is around $65 for a full tank (sometimes more if its above $2). Insurance is roughly over a grand a year. Servicing has been straight forward.It's renowned for its exceptional reliability. With a reputation for durability and longevity, it delivers a dependable driving experience. Routine maintenance, such as oil changes and timely repairs, contributes to the Corolla's longevity, making it a reliable choice for many drivers.
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2011 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 01 Jul 2025
The 2011 model doesn't have the latest, fully digital interface. I am happy that it easily connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth and I can get my music without issues. Safety features are fine (well, if you think four airbags is the gold standard).Being quite tall, seating in the front seat can be a problem, particularly when you can't move the seat back (due to having more people in the car or a baby seat). So, I would love a bigger car. Interior space and the trunk are alright.It doesn't have the smooth features recent models and more premium cars have. But it's a decent drive for the price and we've never had any issues with it. There wasn't any need for extra servicing apart from the usual yearly inspection. Since we don't use it very often, it's six full tanks per year and the fuel usage is average, as expected. Insurance is cheap now (or at least average) so running costs are quite low.While this 2011 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport is nothing to write home about, it's a great second hand car that has (amazingly) retained its value and strength. It's very reliable and still feels decent; more like an like an eight-year old car than a 12-year old one.

2012 Toyota 86 GT review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 21 May 2025
The radio supports Bluetooth for phone and streaming music. There is no sat-nav, but I know where I am going. Best of all there are zero buttons on the wheel.
The rear seat folds perfectly flat, so it has no trouble taking rakes, shovels and other gardening equipment. For some reason Toyota fitted a solid rubber mat with high edges, similar to the heavy-duty packs for 4WDs. I have taken steel and rubbish to the tip. Brilliant.
An evening delivery to a family member’s house, only a couple of suburbs away, with not much traffic, eight degrees outside and lovely dense air. The free-flowing Miltek exhaust is a bit loud on cold start but soon settles down to a deep burble. I need no throttle up the slight incline of the driveway. I drive in my ballet shoes (aka Dunlop Driving Volleys). It is slightly difficult to heal and toe in the beast joggers. There is not one digital instrument in the base GT, so everything is calm. There are no reflective surfaces; they knew what they were doing. The HID low beam comes on slowly - I can adjust them up and down from the dash. The lights are nice. I trundle down the road and let the temperature come up. This is not any sort of fast drive, just an appreciation of the night. The 1179kg and the balance provided by the MCA coilover spec. The exhaust has given an 8% increase in torque but also lowered the RPM to 4700 - you just don’t have to work it. It is a joy to drive the car anywhere, in the wet or dry. I concentrate on the lines through corners and chicanes. I try to get every gear change perfect. I leave the dynamic stability control on the standard setting. Since MCA took out the anti-squat in the rear, any intervention is minor and short. I only once run up to 4K in third up a hill. The motor is warm and is promising so much. We are already at the 80 limit on high beam on a country road.Back home in the warm, out of the ballet shoe on wheels. The car burbled backwards into its home. It does not go out enough.
Servicing costs have been comparable to other cars we have owned. Country trips usually result in consumption of 6.5L/100km. Urban gives 7.7. The 205/55/16 tyres are easy to source and usually very good value.
The car went into limp mode a couple of times on a trip. A call to the dealer resulted in them identifying that it was a known problem with the oil pressure algorithm. They obviously updated the software instantly. The car has been recalled twice for potential problems with the power steering and the valve springs. No other issues.
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2022 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 20 May 2025
The Toyota RAV4 has lots of cool stuff like maps, music and connecting to your phone. It keeps you safe, too. It warns you if you're about to crash or if you're drifting out of your lane. Plus, it adjusts your speed to keep a safe distance from other cars.The inside of the Toyota RAV4 is made to be really useful. There's lots of space for people to sit comfortably, and you can adjust the seats to fit just right. Plus, the back area can fit all kinds of stuff, like groceries or luggage, because the seats can fold down. It's great for trips or just running errands.Driving the Toyota RAV4 feels really nice. It's smooth and comfy, even on bumpy roads. The steering is easy to control, so driving around town or on curvy roads is no problem. Plus, it's got enough power to get on the highway or go up hills without any trouble. Overall, it's a great mix of comfy and fun to drive for everyone in the car.The running costs of the Toyota RAV4 are generally reasonable. Its fuel efficiency varies depending on how you will drive. Routine servicing costs are affordable for five years as fixed $230, and Toyota's reputation for reliability can reduce unexpected maintenance expenses. Insurance rates are typically competitive, reflecting the vehicle's safety features. Overall, it's a cost-effective choice for everyone.The reliability of RAV4 is excellent because people trust the Toyota brand. It is tough build and works well for long time. I say that it is the most reliable car out there. I as a owner love it and recommend everyone to buy it if you can afford to.
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2018 Toyota HiLux Workmate review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 20 May 2025
Five airbags. AM/FM radio. CD player. Don't know how to use anything else. It has a screen, but not sure how it works. Keyless remote broke after five years and is far too expensive to replace. So as I cannot lock it, I don't leave valuables inside. Suits me fine.As it is a utility, it is perfect for my business. Perfect for carrying one tonne of weight (e.g. 1sqm of rocks or a pallet of pavers). Interior is basic but has everything that is needed. Air-con, electric windows, nice driving position, great vision, easy turning and parking.The easiest car (utility) to drive. Heaps of power (2.7 petrol). Five-speed manual with perfect gearing. Light. Great cornering. Good brakes. Drives better with a not-so-heavy load in the back. Armrest at the right height. Everything is positioned for effortless driving. Steering is light but direct and safe.With petrol at roughly $1.90 per litre on average, and a 60L tank, it costs over $100 to fill from empty. But the distance is a miserable 450-500km on a full tank. My previous two Hiluxes would achieve 600km on a full tank. Maybe emission control?One word: Toyota. This is the 6th Toyota (three Corollas and three Hiluxes) I have owned. The most reliable car on the road. Starts first time every time, and when it doesn't start first time, you know the battery will need replacing soon enough. Just keep regular servicing of the vehicle.

1998 Toyota LandCruiser Sahara review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 19 May 2025
What tech!?
Excellent.
Smooth power delivery from the 12HT with automatic (Australian-delivered Saharas were all autos). It's basically unbogable, at least I have never been stuck even towing my camper trailer through soft sand. I have been places with the trailer that a 200 Series towing similar weight could not get to. I think it comes down to vehicle weight vs traction, really. The trailer actually has inertia once moving too, which is one aspect a lot of people don't understand. They think they will get stuck with a trailer, so they put all their gear in the vehicle and it becomes far toe heavy. Engineering dynamics 101!
Oil changes and tyres. Like most four-wheel-drives, you can get through tyres depening on where you go. I tore up a Cooper on some rocks hidden in grass last trip, so you must always carry extra wheels two spares at least. The oil changes can be expensive at around $130.00 every 5000km. But overall I have not replaced much else on this vehicle in 20 years. I think the alternator comes to mind, although I did rebuild the engine when I first bought the vehicle (385,000km), but nothing major at all since. I had to replace the viscous fan hub as its thermostat was seized and a radiator recently. Not too bad for 23 years of service.
Unbelievable.

2005 Toyota LandCruiser Prado review - Long-term owner
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By Owner Review · 19 May 2025
I assume the car orignially came with a very limited multimedia system, so an aftermarket Bluetooth module with rear view camera was installed. That works really well.Scores well for safety features, the 4x4 system features all kinds of settings and warning lights in case you're doing the wrong thing. The car's height provides the driver with a really good overview of the suroundings.
The car is super practical and very spacious. It comes with seven seats including the two standard rows that easily fold up or down. There are two extra seats in the boot that can be folded to the sides when not used or completely removed to create extra cargo space. A disavantage is that the front seats only adjust forward and backward. That's a bit limited.
Very smooth driving machine with easy steering and it sticks to the road due to its weight. The car is very high (1.9m) and the wind can sometimes have an impact while driving. Other than that, great visibility from the driver's seat and although it's quite big it's easy to manoeuvre.
Although these cars go forever, they need to be maintained properly and some repairs can be costly. Parts are widely available, which makes it really easy to get it serviced pretty much anywhere. My Prado has a 4.0-litre petrol engine, which is very thirsty. Ir runs about 13.5L/100km which is not very efficient. What I do love is the fact the car has a dual-tank system which allows you to fill up up to 180 litres at a time.
These cars are known to be very reliable. Mine has over 200K on the odometer and is still going very strong. Most similar advertised cars have driven 350,000km+. They are built to last and perform well under hard circumstances - crossing Australia or when taking the car off-road to remote places.