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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  4-runner - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By mike - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Nice sized 4-wheeler with Toyota reliability. Excellent turning radius with good steering feel. Would be nice if the 5.7 v-8 from the Tundra was an option- could use a little more torque going up steep hills. Seems like the Bean Counters took over the final design of the latest 4-runner.

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  From MBZ e-class to Minivan! Love it! - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By toyo mom - April 6 - 10:00 am

  The van is great! Great utility, storage, comfort! The back up cam is very helpful! Been on 3 family road trips and avg. 20 mpg. Pretty good for such a big hauler! Great for kids! Love the sliding doors with shades and optional 8th pass seat if needed. Drove the Odyssey and felt there was too much road noise.

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  Owner - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By zoraida perez - April 6 - 6:26 am

  I really like it even though there are things that I dont like but its very dependable and great in gas. Doesnt make noise when I go in the freeway and is easy to drive. I like how the lights turn in automatic. I like the design. My son have long legs and he really likes this car because it has space for him. Over all is a great car I wont change it for anything else.

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  I love it! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By LQ - April 6 - 12:06 am

  I just bought this car a month ago and I just love it. The car is incredibly quiet and easy to drive. In addition, the drivers seat is extremely comfortable. I used to get a lot of lower back pains when driving my old car, especially when sitting in traffic after getting out of work everyday, well, ever since I got my new car, I dont feel any more back pains. The different seat controls for the drivers side gives you so many options that its just impossible not to be comfortable. I also enjoy the space inside the car. Even though, Im a petite person, I usually have tall people driving with me and they feel very comfortable in the car.

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  COROLLA ROCKS - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Hair_Nation_Fan - April 5 - 8:30 pm

  This car is wonderful in all aspects. Handling is tight and engine is very peppy. Great to maneuver in all situations. Not a long distance travel car since it is small in size. 35 MPG on average! Did have on instance of high engine acceleration while stopped at traffic light. That led me to reconsider owning it since the repair shop found "no problem". Since traded it in sad to say. I will miss the Toyota Corolla greatly.

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  A Great Minivan - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Clem - April 5 - 3:26 pm

  I bought this Minivan in August to replace an aging Pontiac Montana we had previously driven. Since GM has decided to give up on minivans, we had to move on too, and love Toyota reliability. We are very pleased with the Sienna so far. It is equipped pretty nicely in the LE model with the Power Doors, power seat, etc. The Sienna drives great, has a very smooth ride and drive. It also feels very solid when you shut the doors, etc. So far were getting pretty good gas mileage, cant complain too much for such a large vehicle. Also, this van has power, it really moves, with the most HP in its class. The Sienna is very roomy, the flip and fold flat rear seats are great! So far so good!

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  A VERY solid SUV to purchase - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By mkjyoung22 - April 5 - 6:30 am

  A very good value for your money. This SUV has a ton of power (269 horsepower), and handles exceptionally. The fun factor CANNOT be matched by any vehicle in its class, and probably not by many out of its class. The mileage is very good too, as mine gets 24mpg over all. The interior is comfortable for five people (I am 6ft 3in) and the third row people can sit reasonably comfortable, depending on how you adjust the second row of seats... but is fantastic if you have a few kids. The quality is very solid, the doors seem heavy when you shut them, and the items that are plastic do not have that cheap feel to them. The controls are well placed and very helpful. I am very satisfied overall.

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  A fun little car - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By peterm - April 5 - 3:43 am

  We love just about everything about the 06. Its sporty looking, comfortable, and quiet. It has more pickup than I expected. I agree with others that a telescoping steering wheel should be available and ABS should be standard. We bought ABS & the side airbags. The rear seat has enough legroom (not roomy but not cramped). The upgraded sound package (VV) wasnt very impressive. We easily added fog lights to the LE (which is already wired for them) and wish it was an option.

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  May be the best sedan for the price . . - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By brown3 - April 4 - 9:40 am

  Though other automakers may offer a model that beats the Avalon in one or two areas, taken as a whole, factoring in power, ergonomics, features, build quality, reputation for reliability, and fuel economy, this may well be the BEST 4-door sedan under $35,000 on the market. (A Lexus 430 is better, but though it’s pushing twice the price it’s not nearly twice the car.) As to my actual experience, there was a little “jerkiness” in the shifting initially, but by 1500 miles it had smoothed out to near CVT levels. I’m getting 25+ mpg on regular gas in what I’d term “hill country suburban” driving, excellent for a sedan with performance rivaling what passed for a “muscle car” in the late ‘70s.

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  Great car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By D Biggs - April 4 - 7:10 am

  This vehicle drives like a dream. I found it to be a superior ride to the Lexus ES 330. Features abound for the money. Just wish the cooled leather seats had come with this model as the weather here is extremely humid. Though the Limited model had this feature, it was a little too expensive as outfitted and had a number of features I personally did not require.