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:

• 

  Good SUV, Bad Tires - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By TopDawg - May 9 - 11:40 am

  Love the car itself. Have 22K miles on it so far. Toyo A20 245/55R19 tires are nearing the end. Dealers in town know these tires are fast wearing but only want to sell the same or the equally bad Bridgestone Dueler HL. Toyota still putting A20 on 2010 models. Local dealer said I can change size but it may throw off performance. I see posts of near accidents related to tires on this site. Otherwise car handles quite nicely with VSC option and has lots of room and zoom (V6).

• 

  Best Mid-Sized SUV on Market! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By klegg - May 9 - 10:56 am

  Ive read most of the posts here, and most of positive ones are right on. We have the 2005 v8 4x4, and its exceeded our expectations. Plenty of power, interior room is good and the height-adjustable driver seat is very comfortable and accommodates a variety of body types. Towing our 2300 lb popup camper from Denver to Page AZ with climate control gave us 16mpg at average of 65mph! Thats pretty good! Control layout is very good. MPG in town has been a consistent 17, and weve had as much as 24 on highway. Its been as bad as 16, but if you dont drive it like you stole it, it will easily do 18.

• 

  A comfortable powerful cruiser - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By tblewy - May 9 - 6:50 am

  A very comfortable highway cruiser with good safety features and gas mileage. We love this car for its space, comfort level driving ease. Long trips are much less tedious than in the old (1997) Intrepid although it is a nice car it is not near the equal of this new Avalon.

• 

  Third Prius - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Noel Marcovecchio - May 9 - 3:35 am

  This is my third Prius since 2002. They keep getting better.

• 

  Best coupe in its class... - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Mac - May 8 - 6:56 pm

  Engine a sleeper? This car is much faster than Accord with 240 ponies - greater torque, and at lower engine speeds + sequential shifter... For all complainers out there - try to shift it while driving - this car just might surprise you... I bought it for my wife and she loves it - beautiful interior, Lexus-like build quality, quiet engine, great performance, awesome stereo (option), and red interior with high quality beige cloth interior. I highly recommend this car instead of much overrated Accord....

• 

  I never thought Id buy a hybrid until - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By nu2grn - May 8 - 6:43 am

  I saw her, a black/bisque leather TCH beauty amidst a sea of new dealership arrivals. I was considering the Prius, but just couldnt hang with the "egg with suspenders" look. After one look and drive of the TCH, I was totally enthralled. The technology is just mind-boggling! I have much to learn about the science (and art) of the hypermile, but so far I am grinning ear to ear each time I get behind the wheel of this gem. Comfortable, smooth and quiet ride, geek-numbing techno gadgets (Bluetooth, nav, way-cool energy monitoring capability, audiophile JBL system,etc.), legendary Toyota reliability and fit/finish. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this outstanding vehicle!

• 

  2008 Rav4 Sport 4wd V6 - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By solo - May 8 - 2:23 am

  After trading in my Xterra, I am very happy with my RAV4 Sport model. What impressed me was the tremendous acceleration of the V6, the safety features and the "on demand" 4WD system. No more locking in hubs or shifting into 4WD. It took a while getting use to the different configuration of the stick shift. There is good visibility out the front windshield due to the short angled hood. Road noise from the tires is apparent and is probably due to the brand of tires. The seats are not too comfortable on the Sport but these shortcomings are minor to me compared to my previous vehicle. The gas mileage is quite good although it needs more breakin to see more improvement.

• 

  55+ MPG and Getting It! - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Steve n Donna - May 7 - 9:13 pm

  We purchased our Prius after waiting a month for it to come in. My wife drives 50 miles each way to work and we felt with the rising fuel prices, we needed a change from the PT Cruiser she was driving. This Prius has tickled us to death so far. Its averaging 55 mpg on the Hwy and around 58 mpg in town. We live in a rural area so we have more "country driving". The car is very comfortable with lots of leg room (6 tall). So far weve found nothing to grumble about, and Im picky. Treated extremly well at the Joplin Toyota dealership too. Kept up to speed on delivery and made it happen. Excellent all around sedan with great warranty too!

• 

  My Wonderful 95 Camry Wagon - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By mikes_myth - May 7 - 11:54 am

  I got this car 16 years ago this Jan 25th from a Toyota dealership. It had come in after a two-year lease. Best car Ive ever owned - Love it. Flash forward 16 years - The car has served me extremely well. No plans to get rid of it, even though its showing a bit of wear. Then nearly two months ago I got broadsided and the passenger front and rear doors are severely pushed in. The ins co wrote it off as a total loss. I havent settled yet - still looking for an exact replacement. I may buy mine back in case I have to steal parts or do an engine swap. Mine is a dark green 95 Camry V6 LE with a roof rack. Looking for an exact model in the Los Angeles area.

• 

  Oh What A Feeling - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Frankie Machine - May 7 - 11:16 am

  A great car/truck for New York City driving. Easy to parallel park and handles those pot holes with ease. After getting rid of my 10 year old car, it is good to have the feel of a tight suspension again. Although my wife uses the car to go back and forth to work, I look forward to the weekends when I do the driving and we plan more "Road Trips" for this fall and winter.