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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  issue with brake and gas pedal - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By steve475 - June 23 - 3:00 pm

  The gas pedal and brake pedal are 3 inches apart, not enough space for a size 12 shoe, on two occasions I have had the engine RPM go to 3,000 when pushing the brake , if my foot is at an angle the gas pedal will be depressed too, the 269 HP engine over rides the brakes, the Smart stop technology only works under certain specific conditions, this is not one of them , have contacted Toyota with the suggestion that a new brake pedal be designed to have up to 5 inches between the pedals, their reply was this is a safe vehicle, have already found several people with 2007 and newer V-6 models that have had the same issue , all have size 10-12 shoes

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  Green is Good! - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Mary - June 23 - 7:00 am

  Ive wanted a hybrid for a couple of years. Giving up my Montero was tough - it had great style and fit my large family well, but the Earths needs came first so I bought the HiHy. We are more cramped than we used to be but we are very comfortable. The ride is much more like a luxury car. I find that I drive with a more relaxed style now since I can see on the display how Im using the engine (EV, EV-assist or gas). The roofrack is adjustable so our topper for our camping gear and my kayak will fit nicely. My absolute only complaint, and its minor: its got no style. But Ill take not much to look at for the super low emissions and the comfort. Im very pleased with it.

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  Tundra - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Jeff - June 23 - 5:26 am

  Bought this truck new after my 10th time at the shop to fix my 03 Dodge 2500 diesel. The Tundra is a good, reliable truck, in four years it has never been in a shop. I change the oil myself. We live 25 miles from any dealership and the Tundra never needs one. We use it to haul hay, do ranch tasks, tow a stock trailer and our camper on vacations. I try to keep loads under a ton. The Tundra is really comfortable and is great in the snow in 4X4. Spends half its miles in 4X4 on dirt roads, 99% of its time hauling or towing, usually both. Someone needs to tell the Dodge/Ford/Chevy guys a long warranty and free fixes do us mountain folks, far from dealers, NO GOOD!!!

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  2008 Toyota Highlander Sport - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Richard - June 22 - 7:13 pm

  The 2008 highlander has been a huge upgrade over our 2003. Thank you Toyota. More room, less noise better braking more safety features and lots of bells and whistles. I know I wont have to worry about workmanship. For as fuel economy it all depends on the driver and the elements.

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  Bought it new in 2005 and would drive it anywhere - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Larry Ro. - June 22 - 5:17 pm

  I hated this car when I first bought it new in 2005. My previous car was purchased new in 1995 and it was a Maxima with a six cylinder engine and five speed transmission and I kept it until I bought this Camry. It had 229,000 miles and it was a lot more fun to drive. It took me a while to get used to my Camry with a four cylinder engine and an automatic transmission and a lot of my friends teased me over this car. I used the Camry for my business and used to drive it a lot so I wanted better gas mileage. Anyway, 11 years later and with 143,000 miles and climbing I would still drive it cross country and know there would be no problems. It does smoke when I first start it if it sits for a few days and I read online that the valve seals leak (smokes for about 10 seconds) which causes the smoke but it is never down very much oil when I change it at 5,000 miles. Some people have complained about the paint but my battleship grey color has stood up very well. Anyway, it is a basic car and boring by many standards but it runs great. The maintenance has been one battery, I change the oil every 5,000 miles, tires and Ive changed the transmission oil and coolant at 70,000 miles. Ill be doing it again very soon. Also the front brakes were changed and the rear brakes are original. The exhaust, water pump, timing chain, tranny, engine, radio etc. are original. With that said, it has been a great reliable car.

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  The Ultimate Van! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Love It - June 22 - 10:50 am

  We purchased this minivan a year ago. We picked it over the Oddysey because it has more room. We did not get the DVD player because the screen was to small.We got a 10.4 inch screen installed from Circuit City. It got recalled because a gas leak. We love this minivan!!!!!!

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  Cream puff - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By jp tang - June 22 - 7:13 am

  Extremely quiet running and is very comfortable and very reliable. An excellent car.

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  Me and my Echo - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By dham2 - June 22 - 6:50 am

  This is a terrific little car. People who ride with me cant believe how big, solid and quiet it is compared to its exterior size. Love the placement of the instrument cluster-center and far enough away to maintain distance vision. And I average 45 miles per gallon.

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  Toyota Quality - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Roger Chagnon - June 22 - 4:10 am

  The Toyota Highlander has the highest level of quality, reliability and fit/finish of any vehicle that I have ever owned bar none. The only downside is the EPA estimated mileage. We are getting 28-29 MPG combined. That is not bad considering that the non-hybrid model that our friend owns averages about 16 MPG combined. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with this vehicle including the GPS system.

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  Sooo much better than Honda Oddy! - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Katrina - June 22 - 1:06 am

  I bought the Sienna in June of 08. The Sienna is quiet, has a smooth ride and is very comfortable!!! The 8th seat is a must!! I am thrilled with my purchase! With 30k miles so far I have had no problems