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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  2007 Tacoma 4X4 V6 Acc. Cab TRD - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jon - February 10 - 6:46 pm

  This is my third Toyota truck. Ive had an 86, 99, and this 07. It rides well, gets the same gas mileage as my last one and better than my old 86 four cylinder, but with more power. Engine is smooth, quiet and powerful. Transmission shifts smoothly. Very comfortable inside. Fold down rear "seatlets" work great for holding ice chests for camping. On the down side: The rear end bottoms out easily under load. Can be remedied with add-a-leafs or air bags. Not much ground clearance, I may get a lift kit.I liked the old lever-type 4X4 range shifter better. New electronic dial type range selector works reliably, but not as smooth and predictably as an actual lever did.

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  Best Prius so far - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Bill M. - February 10 - 4:26 pm

  update - Oct 29, 2016 - 10,600 miles on the car and Im still delighted with it. Mileage has averaged 62 mpg -- by actual measurement, which is about 3 mph lower than the dash readout. My daily commute is 60% highway and 40% local roads but not much bumper to bumper. I always drive in ECO and drive sedately but at or above speed limit and definitely not hypermile-ing. No mechanical problems with the car. Still like the same features as in the original review - esp great headlights, comfy interior, enough power, great but touchy brakes, and esp love the rear cross traffic alert, the auto braking, and other driver tech package features. Original review: I have 2600 miles on a 2016 Prius Four. I have previously owned a 2007 Prius and currently still own a 2012 Prius, which my son now drives. Though Ive been hugely satisfied with the previous generations, this 4th gen Prius is even better. The gas mileage is averaging 60-62 mpg over the 2600 miles by actual measurement (not via the electronic read-out which is about 2.5 mpg higher). I dont accelerate or brake hard but I drive at or above the speed limit. My commute is 60% highway 40% city driving. The car accelerates a little faster than the previous gen. I got both the Advanced Tech package and the deluxe equipment package. The interior is very nice though not Lexus luxury. Great JBL sound system. Power driver seat with excellent power lumbar. The nav touchscreen is large and is not washed out in bright sun light. Speedo etc is not located so much differently than previous generations and is easy to adjust to. Headlights are fantastic - super bright, automatic low/high beams plus DRL. Nice heads up display on the windshield - easily seen but not distracting and you can turn it off if you want. When using the nav, the heads up display shows turn arrows. Neat! The dynamic cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind spot warning are highly useful. The best tech feature for me is the rear cross traffic alert, which greatly eases the worry about slowly backing out of a spot with obscured side vision. It detects cars 2-3 seconds before they cross behind you, leaving plenty of warning to brake. Large color backup monitor - via nav screen. Toyota wisely moved the transmission lever back to the dash and improved and lengthened the armrest. My 2007 had the best armrest ever made and then the 2012 backslid to a center console with trans lever. The 2016 corrected the error. Cons: not many and not very bothersome. The rear legroom is a bit less but still adequate. The rear headrests fold down - much like the 2012 -- so the rear visibility is about the same. No spare - not a deal breaker - so a little more rear cargo space. The brakes are touchy. Wind and road noise are supposedly better than previous models but seem the same to me (i.e. perfectly acceptable). The driver position is a bit lower than the 2012 - visibility isnt hindered as the window sills are lower - but I have easily adjusted (while admittedly preferring the old, higher level) On balance, this is a very significant upgrade. The tech package is worth every penny. Note that the Prius Four Touring does not have a sun-roof.

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  Love my Prius - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Julie L. - February 10 - 10:20 am

  This car is so fun to drive. Its quiet and has a smooth ride. I love the display screen on the console that displays current tank of gas mileage, has the radio and DC player controls, AC, and other features. The car has plenty of pick-up speed to pass other cars on the highway, though doing this often will certainly decrease gas mileage.

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  The Corrola that beats Mustangs - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By Jerome - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. Jerome(the car) has been the most reliable, gas efficient, fun to drive car I have ever driven.

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  NEED MORE HYBRIDS! - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Atlanta Sparky - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 2002 Prius 6 mo and over 6000 miles. It is quieter than my Buick, fun to drive, gets extremely good mileage, is very comfortable, environmental and is an ideal everyday commuter vehicle. I am most impressed with the overall quality of the experience of driving a quiet, efficient, environmental and relaxing car back and forth to work every day. This little car is the ideal vehicle for the urban American! I see no disadvantages for the hybrid approach in a regular vehicle and it has numerous advantages over the conventional gas vehicle.

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  The #1 Car!!! - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By Emon Saee - February 10 - 10:00 am

  its a really awsome car!!!

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  The BEST - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By Shekar - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Well.. This is my first car, but I have driven many others. This one is the best. The steering is smooth, can be controled with a finger. Pick-up is fantastic. Spacious for 2. No machinical problems yet.

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  the thing is a truck - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By ryan536653 - February 10 - 10:00 am

  ok so the design is getting old but why ruin a thing thats going so good, its reliable it can take a punishment and you can build it up looking real nice. the only thing it need is more hp nut then you can just get a trd supercharger for that.

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  Everything I thought it would be. Great - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By sim davenport - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I have driven my 2000 Avalon for 2 1/2 years and have 72,000 miles on it. I have not had any defect at all show up and the performance has been great. Obviously, I thought it was a great looking car or I wouldnt have purchased it. Who needs Cadillac or Lexus when you have the Avalon!

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  Swan Lake - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Maharaja - February 10 - 10:00 am

  This truely is a dream like machine. Perfect quality, not a single blemish, not a problem in the 1st 6,700 miles we have driven, great snow traction, a head turner as you drive, a joy. Interior, console and trim are what you expect in a pricier Lexus. I read that Toyota uses the same suppliers as the Lexus. Our choice between the roomier Acura MDX ($3K more) and Highlander. Our Honda Accord experience was so bad that we decided go for the Quality leader. MDX reviews say Transmission Clunks and windows/sunroofs leak. I am glad we stuck with Toyota.