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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  Fun and style all wrapped up in a SUV - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Peabody - April 22 - 9:00 pm

  Lots of fun to drive/Plenty of spunk and handles very well/Not much road noise and the leather seats are very comfortable/Moonroof is big and great/ Plenty of leg room front and back/The optional JBL 6 disc stereo is mind blowing/sound is hard to believe with the voice coils in the upper part of the door/ have not been able to turn volume to max since there seems to be no max with no distortion whatsoever/Short on optional accessories to dress it up but the hood deflector adds a nice touch.

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  4th celica - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By jeff - April 21 - 3:43 pm

  This is my 4th Celica. The quickest and best cornering. 1st was a 1977, then a 1985 GTS, and then a 1992 AWD Turbo. I have had this one 2 months and enjoy the 6 sp, the cornering, braking, styling, quickness, and fuel economy (~30mpg). Visibility is poor (blind spots), tight entrance in/out of car. Reliability questionable so far, although all covered by Toyota platimum certified program: cigarette lighter power unit, front speaker, fan belt tensioner, idle startup vacuum - have all needed repair. But the car is a blast to drive and with 6 gears there is always a sweet spot. Have not found the need to rev over 5000rpm -plenty of power below and the engine gets quite noisy.

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  Get up and go!! - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By C. R. Gould - April 21 - 12:48 pm

  I LOVE MY LITTLE 4 Cylinder does everything I need it to do. Great gas mileage. ACCELERATION Is excellent. Sold my SUV for great gas mileage. 38 in town. I love driving no negatives for me. For the price and quality great buy.

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  Noisey Cabin - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By chuck - April 20 - 7:46 am

  This vehicle is very noisy on the road. Its not wind noise, but road noise....must be poor insulation. It is very troublesome. Overall mileage for 13,000 miles is 21.4 MPG. the V6 is a rocket. Clock and radio are hard to read in sunlight....whatever happened to LEDs instead of LCDs?

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  TRD Sport - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By Brian - April 19 - 9:36 am

  I was starting a job, and I knew I would be driving a lot of miles, so I went with the Tacoma. I live in Northern California, and like to go camping, and snowboarding. I went with the TRD Sport 4x4, and it drives like a car. No body roll, or jarring bounces like other trucks. Very smooth ride. I used to drive a Volvo, which is notorious for having the most comfortable seats, and the comfort factor is very similar in the Tacoma. It has tons of interior storage space, and is very well laid out. I also installed a new exhaust system, and it gave me an almost 20% increase in MPG. 17 to around 19 city, and 19 to 23~24 hwy. Overall, incredibly pleased, and would buy again.

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  So many little problems - 2007 Toyota Sequoia
  By Ted - April 19 - 8:23 am

  I bought a Toyota for their supposed great customer satisfaction and reliability. I must say that this not what I have experienced. The car does start and run just fine. The problem lies in all the little things going wrong and the number of times that dealer visits are required. So far both mirrors have gone loose. The clock has failed, the rear hatch wont stay open, the power outlets have failed ... the list goes on. On top of that, the dealer and Toyota Corporate are great at stating that not all problems can be fixed under warranty even though the warranty has not expired. I still have 18 months left on the warranty and 10k miles to go.

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  Love the Ride but annoying to Drive - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Ed EE - April 18 - 7:23 pm

  First time Toyota buyer just loved the comfort and ride of this tight car. Clean, traditional and conservative styling. Very quiet ride - so much so that sometimes I didnt think the engine was still running. Peppy V6, good handling, gas mileage in high 20s. This top of the line XLE is so well equipped that it could have been a Lexus. But then Toyota cheaped out and didnt even include floor mats.

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  Solid As A Rock - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Steve - April 18 - 6:10 am

  We have had our Highlander since it was new and run up 70k on it. So far so good. No major problems. I have only changed the oil and tires. We do have an AC problem with it getting warm as you turn corners or hit a bump. Its a common problem and you need to pull out the control panel and soder the wires back on. I will get around to it some time. The gas mileage is fine for a midsize SUV, what do people expect when the buy the car? Highway driving will get you maybe 22 if you drive 65 otherwise its 19-20 mpg. Combined we average about 17. The Highlander suffers from some wind and road noise and the back seat could use a little more leg room. I have found it to be a very capable car.

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  Great commuter vehicle - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By Raymond - April 18 - 4:33 am

  I drive 65 miles a day round trip. This is an inexpensive, very dependable, and cost efficient vehicle to own. Its no frills, and its not "plush", but its comfortable enough on long DC area commutes, and tolerable on very long trips for one or two people. Theres a surprising amount of headroom for us taller people, and the backseat area and truck are more spacious than youd expect for such a small car.

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  $31K 2007 Carmy V7 XLE w/Nav = Yugo - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By SJTim - April 17 - 10:03 pm

  This my 3rd brand new Toyotas. After 2.5 yrs+ ownship, the 2955 miles on the odometer is my testimony of this car bought brand new in Aug 07 and most miles are going to the dealers to get things fixed,inc. sunroof adjustment,replacement of leather driver seat cover,disformed windshield molding,rattles/squeaks,SAFETY RECALLS. I dont want to drive the car at all. All the rattles/squeaks drive me crazy and want to just crash it. I am still driving my old rear-ended-legally- totalled-but-mechanically-perfect 97 V6 Carmy LE very day and enjoy every mile on it. But this 07 top-of-the- line is a very different story. With all the choices in the $30K+ segment, this is very likely my last Toyota/Lexus.