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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  Love the Car, not the mpg - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By tthelin - August 28 - 12:16 pm

  1) We dont get the fuel economy we had hoped. We do a lot of driving on rural roads and highways, so speeds or 45 to 80 are the normal range, and we average about 25.5 mpg long term. Even on the rare occasions when we use an entire tank of fuel while driving in the city at 35 mph or less we only get around 28 mpg or so. 2) We installed a trailer hitch, which was easy to do and cost less than $250. Around $150 for the hitch online, and $75 or so for the wiring jumper from Toyota. The Highlander Hybrid pulls a 3500 lb mgw trailer very well, even when fully loaded, but the fuel economy drops to around 15 mpg with the trailer. 3) We purchased an special treatment for the cloth seats, since we have kids, and it doesnt seem to have helped at all. The seats stain pretty easily, and we are to far from the dealer to bring it in for cleaning or to use the warranty we purchased. I wouldnt recommend it. We still like the cloth seats better than the leather seats, but we should have used the $500 buck or whatever we spent on the treatment to buy good seat covers. 4) We also purchased the Diamon Glass treatment. It didnt keep us from getting rock chips, although we did use the warranty to repair a couple of them. We have learned that most full coverage insurance will cover windshield repair anyway, so we could have saved the money on that treatment also. It also doesnt keep the water off any better than a good Rain-X treatment. 5) We were mystified by one electrical problem a year or so ago in which we started to experience a delay in the starting of the Hybrid System when you turned the key to start. At the same time we noticed we could not leave a door open, or a light on in the car for more than a few minutes with the car turned off, or the battery would die and the car wouldnt start. We lived with this for about a year, just being careful to not allow the battery to drain, and occaisionally having to use a jump battery(which I always carry for emergencies) to start it. The I finally decided to test the car battery, and found it going bad so we replaced it. the Hybrid is back to working like new now.

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  Capable Cruiser - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By shendee - August 28 - 11:30 am

  We needed car-like ride and handling and the Highlander delivers. Plenty of room, especially front-seat footroom, plus a noise-free ride. Outstanding dependability and top-notch build quality make an excellent value. The transmission is especially smooth and the standard audio features user-friendly knobs and big, lighted buttons. The 220-hp V-6 is smooth and powerful enough. Mileage is as advertised, 23 mpg when driven sensibly. The 60-40 split rear seat easily folds flat creating 81 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The quality of interior materials is good, although the dash is hard, grained plastic and the plush ivory cloth is not child-frieldly. Visibility and handling are strengths

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  I Love my ECHO - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By ECHO Lover - August 28 - 10:26 am

  I was drawn to the ECHO because of its reputed gas mileage and I have not been disappointed. I average 38 miles to the gallon in town, and over 40 on the highways/freeways. I love the instrument panel and was surprised at first at how roomy the car was. When I moved last year I got all of my belongings minus my furniture in the car! My boyfriend, who has a penchant for cars, looked disappointed when I drove home in it the first time - but digs it now for its handling and wants to get it out on the racetrack!

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  You wont like the lugging - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Eric Chartrand - August 27 - 9:27 pm

  You know that feeling you get when driving a car/truck with a manual transmission and you shift too early. Thats what this truck does constantly. To try and maximize mpg, Toyota designed it to shift into a higher gear early which causes the rpms to drop to the low 1000s and results in that lugging/stuttering feeling. I have over 6000 miles on my truck now, this sole issue drives me crazy. It is something to be aware of during your test drive. You will notice it when maintaining speed only; not when accelerating. I notice it most when going 40-50mph. On my 5K scheduled maintenance, I told the service mechanic and they told me that is normal for all automatic tacomas. He said that he hears these complaints several times a week from owners. I will say that I love everything else about the truck. If they could fix this one problem, i would be so happy.

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  Love my Matrix XRS - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By hlnkid - August 27 - 1:30 pm

  I purchased my 2009 Matrix XRS 3 weeks ago, downsizing from a Highlander. I absolutely love it! XRS model comes with 18" wheels, that roughen the ride a tiny bit, but they handle beautifully, esp around turns. Great sporty look and feel. XRS comes standard with rear spoiler, helping to give the car a bit more ump to its looks. Good interior room, easy controls. A few small blind spots in rear, but easy to get used to. Im not at all disappointed with my purchase. Id highly recommend the 2009 Matrix to anyone looking for a solid smaller car with great handling, good gas mileage and one thats fun to drive!

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  Great car for the money! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Steve - August 27 - 12:36 pm

  The Toyota Camry Hybrid (TCH) has a very smooth and quiet ride. You hardly hear the gas motor and the electric components are silent. On the freeway at under 70 MPH can average 38 to 40 MPG. Over 35 MPG in city driving too. Although it is not a Lexus, it is very close to the ES300. Very good deal for the money as a fully loaded TCH can be purchased for about $5000 to $6000 off MRSP.

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  Still running strong despite ME! - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Portly Pete - August 27 - 12:23 pm

  I have really enjoyed this car. Nice blend of qualities rather than strong in one area. Performs great, looks fine, comfortable. The V6 has enough power to be fun but it cant beat a Ferrari! Well, I did once probably because my friends and I just scared the dude! LOL!

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  Smooth and Balanced with Bite. - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By zachary - August 27 - 11:20 am

  I love this car. Its agility and balance are comprable to that of a roadster. This light weight sport version of the corolla has shed the econo-type that most think of in a sub $15K car. The Corolla S demonstrated its superb handling and drivability on my cross county trip where I sliced through corners in the mountains of North Carolina. Road conditions were varied from dry/smooth to wet/rough and even some gravel roads, through it all the outstanding suspension didnt even hiccup. The car balanced itself through every turn pulling a perfect line. Awsome "drivers" machine.

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  Gets me around - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By kevin - August 27 - 1:56 am

  Good car until recently I had to spend $300 for a starter then 2 weeks later $1400 to repair the manual transmission. Needed bearings, ring block for 5th gear and a few other things. Mechanic said the original fluid was still in there after 140,000 miles. It should be replaced at least every 40,000 miles so I guess it was my fault. Otherwise a great car.

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  Excellent Car - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Sean - August 26 - 10:20 pm

  I traded in my V8 Ford Explorer for the Camry Hybrid and have been very happy with the decision. The Camry Hybrid is not going to win awards for performance (though it is not bad, just kind of average), but it is well designed and looks great. It also gets great gas mileage (I am getting 36 mpg so far). Well worth the money.