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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  The Prius - a fun car to drive - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By gkadey - September 7 - 6:26 am

  Average litres per 100k 4.3 Litres, 63/65 MPG Canadian over 3,000K.

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  FJ is Fantastic - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By wittman88 - September 7 - 1:33 am

  Only had for a couple weeks but love this vehicle. Have had a 4runner for 9 years and love it but the FJ is so much cooler. The sound system is sweet and it rides very nice for a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Although it does have street tires on it, not off road ones. My teenage sons love it so now they will ride with me again.

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  I Love my new 2010 Camry SE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Zak - September 6 - 9:56 pm

  I checked out the following cars before I purchased the SE Camry: Accord LX/EX & Mazda 6 different trims. I liked all makes, but Mazda6 was a little smaller, Accord steering was heavy. The Camry was the best bang for the buck and you get more options as standard. I chose SE over LE for the sporty looks, performance and handling. The SE is worth the extra $1500 over the LE.

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  Excellent value and utility - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By medina607 - September 6 - 12:46 pm

  Traded in an Explorer for the RAV4 and havent regretted it. Amazing cargo space with the back seat down, and pretty good with it up too. The 4 cylinder engine is very peppy, although with my lead foot and in-town driving I average 21mpg. No mechanical or electrical problems at 33,000 miles. For a single person, couple, or small family its great.

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  I like it! - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Ali - September 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought the highlander about a month ago after doing my research on crossovers and SUvs. I chose the highlander after seeing all of the wonderful reviews it had. I am very pleased with my decision although I do believe as with other people there could be a few added upgrades on these vehicles. I purchased the 4 cyl and average about 28 mpg highway going about 60 mph. Im very satisfied with my choice.

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  Inferior - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By GARY - September 6 - 10:00 am

  Bad gas mileage and lacks power. Runs a little better when the air is off. This is my first and last Toyota truck. I traded a 95 Suzuki sidekick with 150,000 miles and was a better made vehicle than this thing. My truck has 10,400 miles and already has signs of rust on wheels and frame. Dealer and Toyota agree it is from road abrasion and wont cover problem. I have a 2002 Ford Taurus with 50,000 miles and has no signs of rust. A blind man could see that the wheels has very little of the paint on them. The price of the truck should have more accessories. The truck is hard to shift and sometimes impossible to get into reverse. The radio when first purchased had a mind of its own. Warranty stinks

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  Comfort, utility and fun to drive - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By Corey - September 6 - 10:00 am

  Recent purchase. Avg MPG is about 22 or 23 combined. Interior is well thought out, with lots of storage and amenities. Limited road/wind noise. Got the tech package, which added heated mirrors and back-up camera. Only complaint is that the cargo cover takes up valuable storage area in the back. Love the 2nd row stow and go.

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  Good purchase overall - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By lynn - September 6 - 10:00 am

  Being someone young without kids, the thought of a minivan haunted me at night, but after outgrowing my sequoia and the poor mpg I looked at the new sienna. After shopping multiple dealers, ended up saving 4k off sticker price. It drives VERY nice! Drives like a car yet the room of a full size suv with way better mpg. So far around 21-22 mpg combined driving. Nice interior although sunroof is a joke, only opens about 1/3 of the way. Navigation was worth the $$. Still cant believe no auto-lights in a $38k vehicle. With a bad back, I was a little disappointed with seat comfort. The heated seats help though. Besides the minivan stigma, Im happy with my purchase.

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  2011 Toyota Tacoma 4WD Manual Off-Road - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tran - September 6 - 10:00 am

  My truck is 8 weeks old Tacoma. The truck is beautiful but Im having problem with the engine. I would call it raving problem. The bad thing is it does not happen all the time. Sometimes, when the truck is in neutral, the RPM is jumping up and down between 1 and 2000 rpm. The engine also roars. There is no pattern of when and how it happens. I took it to the dealer and they said the computer chip did not register any problem.. I start feeling regret that I bought it and will be stuck with the problem for a while. With all the negative publicity, I thought Toyota would care enough to have a better quality control.Does anyone out there have the same problem?

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  High Utility in Smaller Package - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By BPark - September 6 - 10:00 am

  I have owned nothing but Ford trucks since 2000, but when looking to replace my 2002 Ranger, which was still screwed together tight, just too small, I looked at the Sport Trac, F150, Frontier, and then finally chose the Tacoma. I have the basic Double Cab 4x4 with the 6 foot bed, mileage is the same as my Super Cab 4x2 Ranger at 19 mpg, tows 6000 lb. The interior is comfortable and appealing, very Camry-like. The ride is smooth, and the truck eminates a quality feel. Although almost as long as a crew cab F150 or Sierra the truck is nimble. My only complaint is the low seating position in the cab. The truck sits up quite high, however the driver is seated much lower than in my shorter Ranger.