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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  Good small car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By SJN - February 3 - 5:43 am

  I bought this car w/10k mi. Likes: Fuel economy, 38 mpg (70% hwy). Comfortable seats, roomy interior, good trunk room with fold down rear seat back feature, good acceleration & power w/5 speed manual trans, & good ride on most roads. Dislikes: OEM Gdyr Integrity tires were worn out at 20,000 mi. Replaced with Gdyr Triple-Treds. These seem to be wearing much better but are noisier. Road noise is annoying,especially over coarse pavement. Wind and engine noise are also very noticeable at highway speeds.The radio sound distorts at higher volume (cheap speakers) and is nearly useless at highway speeds when competing with the road noise. The CD player sometimes skips when I hit a bounce.

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  Great Winter Ride - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Lila Sterling - February 3 - 4:23 am

  Ive had the car about a month and put on over 1,000 miles. I sold my Saab 9-5 wagon when it would not go up the driveway of our new home. The RAV has NO problem going up a very steep incline in ice and snow. It does make the "beep" sound to let me know that it is adjusting for slippage. I test drove it hard to make sure it could handle Catskill Mountain weather and it has proven to be just what it promised. Mine has "down hill assist" which I like because sometimes I have to go to work before the local plow person comes to our driveway and it really does help. Also there is LOTS of storage space. I picked up two big chairs for a friend and they went right in.

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  Love my new XLE V6! - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Susan - February 2 - 10:13 pm

  I bought the 06 XLE V6 Camry in early October and have already put over 5,000 miles on it, taking it through several states, to boot. This car is a GEM! I honestly cant see myself owning anything other than an upscale Toyota ever again. (My next will be an Avalon, I think!) My husband is a mechanic, and he went over the vehicle with a fine-toothed comb just looking for any flaws (body, interior, under the hood -- anything), and even he - Mr. Critical - was completely impressed with it. It drives like a dream and we just honestly couldnt be happier. Oh! And the gas mileage is even better than expected. I am so pleased with my Camry. And the salsa red color is beautiful, too!

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  My Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By AJ - February 2 - 9:36 pm

  I get pulled aside in parking lots and asked a lot about this car. Its sharp looking for a mini, much more affordable than the M-cooper, and get almost 40mpg. Peppy acceleration, great on turns.

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  first impression - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By scott h. - February 2 - 5:16 pm

  Ive owned the car for a month and will review again but for now I love it. At current gas prices ($2.60) I save $1,300 and was surprised to find it is $250 cheaper to insure than a 2003 forester worth a 1/3 the price of an 07 prius. As far as I am concerned it will save me $1500 plus a year x 5 years = $7500 of the $16,000 I paid. I do not consider myself a tree hugger type. If it were an uncomfortable econobox I would not have bought it. That said I do feel good about cutting my gasoline consumption in half.

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By carl - February 2 - 9:26 am

  Ordered the LE V6 Feb. 15th and delivery was April 15th. Read a lot of negative reviews so I wasnÂ’t sure what I was getting! Very sharp appearance and the drive is excellent! The 6 speed will take getting used to but is very sure and smooth once you are used to it. Gas mileage now is in the high 20s and that should improve with time. The handling is a little too soft in some situations but is very sure on good roads. Sound system is excellent and interior was adequate but the room is awesome! Would buy it again and recommend it.

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  Solid - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Terry - February 2 - 8:30 am

  Vehicle is solid. Very roomy inside. Nice stereo system. Great turn radius. And very powerful. Its very easy to speed without knowing it. The cabin is especially quiet.

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  Bad car - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Roger - February 2 - 5:18 am

  Use of way to much oil mine now at 67000 uses 3 to 4 qts about every 1400 miles toyota said that 1.1 qts every 600 miles is ok witch they say 0w20 only needs to be changed every 10000 miles in that case you would use a little over 19 qts between oil changes hate this car

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  Great Outdoor/Commuter Vehicle - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Jim Meyer - February 2 - 5:03 am

  I bought this car to replace my 15-year-old Camry. I like to go on hiking trips, and this thing has the suspension and the room to get me where I want to go. Its also a great commuter car, handles well in traffic, takes potholes with aplomb. No significant problems, great mileage for an SUV. Being tall, I enjoy not having to duck my head when getting in and out. I have driven this car over deeply-rutted, sandy and rocky dirt roads with ease, and have slept in the back during a 3-week camping trip. I was thinking about a pickup truck, but now I really dont think I need one - this car has gotten me to all the trailheads I have wanted to get to. After 27,000 miles I couldnt be more pleased.

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  As good as my 2000 XLS? - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Jims300 - February 1 - 10:10 pm

  It is a great large sedan and I love the space! My 2000 XLS had front seat adjustment memory controls which are missing on my new 2006 model. Wonder why they cut this out for 06? I liked those and would love to have them now. All in all, this car is a winner!