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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  Avalon XLS - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By Hexman - May 17 - 10:00 am

  I have always wanted this car ever since I sat in the back seat of a friends 1999 Avalon. I was amazed at the room. This model has lived up to the expectations. Besides the interior room, the riding comfort is outstanding. I have owned 2 Saab 9000s, and Im very pleased with the Avalons luxury feel. On the downside, while the handling is fine for me, it does not handle like my Saabs or other sports sedans Ive driven. I need to slow down a lot more going into turns with the car sliding more than hugging the road. It is fine on the freeway, but my wife feels it tends to drift a little.

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  Excellent Value for the Money - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Jay Rock - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Wow. This was a good buy. I had a 1998 Contour SE before this and its a much different feeling. Interior looks like higher quality materials were used. More convenience features like extendable visors make it nice. This is a soft, quiet ride. Even on the freeway. Albeit, more passing power could be used on the freeway, at the time I just couldnt find one with the V6 :( Insurance costs are a bit up there though but overall a good purchase in my mind. Avg 25 mpg with good mix of city & freeway.

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  Old Faithful - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By jdsiv - May 16 - 10:00 pm

  My need for a good solid truck rules out many of the vehicles made today. I spend as much time as I can at a remote family cabin and exploring the outdoors and often am very far from any type of assistance. My vehicle needs to get me in and out, and this one always comes through. I put Goodyear MTRs on it and they are top notch. I have had this vehicle in rain, mud, sand, and lots of snow. It plows through everything without trouble. There may be more luxurious 4x4s out there, but I see lots of those stuck in snow banks while the Cruiser keeps on trucking. If you go off road at all, the front skid plate is not an option. While comfortable on the road, it can be tricky to drive at times.

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  Major transmissin problem - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By ken - May 15 - 5:33 am

  My 4.6 litr. transmission acts like no other vehicle I have driven, it constantly is hunting for a gear and the gas pedal is not responsive to requests for a small amount of power to maintain a constant speed. When doing this, I apply pressure to the pedal and after an inch or more of down pressure with nothing happening, it down shifts. I tow a 5700 lb trailer and the poor response of the engine and lack of power on hills makes driving this vehicle ULTRA annoying. Toyota said the truck is normal, baloney!!!! If it responded like every other vehicle I have driven, I would not be writing this review. Ive been driving Toyotas for 30 years.

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  Great car for the ecomony and planet - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By craig opper - May 15 - 2:03 am

  I own the car for 6+ months and think the car is great. Good looking, very reliable and get great fuel milage. Averaging about 33.5 mpg and get over 45 on the highway at stead speed. Best highway milage at about 65 mph. No issues or idiosyncracies. Slightly louder than I would prefer on hard acceleration. Clearly fast enough if you are not a lead foot. Some writers for the major auto publications criticize the acceleration but they are generally younger people who arent concerned with the planet or their wallets right now. That will change as they age and even they will appreciate the technology in this vehicle. I look forward to the next generation of hybrids.

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  The Sequoia vs The Armada - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Gerald - May 14 - 2:26 am

  Went from a Previa to the Sequoia. We consider Armada a great vehicle with great acceleration (0-60 is 1.5 secs faster than Sequoia and fold away seats and bold styling. Armadas brake issue was troublesome though. Chose Sequoia last minute for the smooth, quiet ride and the Toyota reliability (despite a more conservatively styled exterior and 20hp less). Armada is great if you tow and have time to spend at the shop to remedy the brakes. The Sequoia is the ULTIMATE minivan substitute if comfort, dependability, gas mileage, and interior space/flexibility are paramount(rear seat splits while Armadas is one-piece). There are more things standard on Sequoia than the brochure indicates.

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  Work Truck - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By HL - May 12 - 11:16 pm

  I bought the standard cab V6 6 speed manual new as my work truck. It currently has 118000 miles with the original clutch and has only required the standard maintenance (tires, oil, filters, spark plugs, brake pads, rotors). With the tool boxes and welder it carries an extra 1500 lbs in the bed at all times with no problems.

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  Love it but ready to move on! - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By sailor2x - May 11 - 9:03 pm

  Weve loved the room and comfort of the Sequoia but we are spending a fortune on gas! It has been a very reliable vehicle for us but weve had a few problems. Air conditioning in 2nd row stopped working, VSC went out, front brake rotors warped, back latch broke. Spending 2K/year on maintenance.

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  04 vs 08 - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By joe - May 11 - 3:20 am

  I owned a 2004 extended cab Prerunner prior to my 2008 4x4. What a big difference! The 2008 turns tighter [better u-turns]. The ride is way better even with the TRD offroad package my 04 did not have. The 04 wandered all over the road, the 08 stays centered better. Every gripe I had about the 04 seemed to be fixed by Toyota in the 08. Dont get me wrong the 04 was a great truck, with absolutly no mechanical issues in 38,000 miles of use. Im sure this 08 will be the same. I just wish I had opted for the top line stereo. Was told it was only available in sport package. This truck tows my 2200 lb boat effortlessly. For the price, the towing package is a bargain for what you get.

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  Not My Best Decision - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By George - May 10 - 6:20 pm

  I thought I was making a great informed decision buying this vehicle given the Toyota reputation for quality. This was my first non big 3 SUV. I think the interior is ok in terms of design. The heating/ac panel is complicated to use. The windows make visibility a little more difficult than I would like. The transmission has some interesting options to downshift and upshift, but it is unclear as to the benefits. The performance in snow is awful. I have no idea how this has a good snow rating, worse than most cars I have had. The owners manual is very uninformative as to some of the most important features of the case. Overall it is going to be a quick trade here.