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:

• 

  Great But Could Be Better - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Elaine - December 2 - 6:50 pm

  I love my Highlander! It is a great vehicle to drive. Comfortable seats. Music is good but should have more speakers in back. Needs air for back also. One of my biggest upsets is the paint job. The paint gets scratched very easy, too easy - Im not happy about that. She has a beautiful purr.

• 

  Fuel economy sucks! - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By John C. - December 2 - 1:07 pm

  First and foremost, you will NEVER EVER see anything close to 30mpg. If the wind is pushing you from behind and you are going down a large mountain slope you may get 27. But I average close to 23 mpg highway. Maybe 24 mpg on a good day if the wind is just right. However 50-60 mph seems to be its sweetspot, you will average 35 or better, but for whatever reason once you hit the highway doing 70+ its all over. So on that end you are better off buying something with a V-8. Power is adequate but if you want to pass somebody it takes a while. The brakes are noisey especially if it sits outside for more than 12 hours, the rotors rust up very fast, but the noise goes away after 10 minutes of driving. Had an issue with a window leak the first day of my lease. Interior is roomy, very easy to get in and out of. Older friends getting in and out of the back seat sing praises. Back seats recline which is nice and also fold down for much needed room when moving large items. Dirt and road salt seem to find its way easily under the door trim which tells me in a few years you can count on rust issues. The 4wd is nice. It does what its supposed to. Gives you the confidence to drive in almost any driving conditon. Overall, the LE model is basic transportation. Nothing flashy. Nothing to brag about, it just gets you to your destination and back. If it truly got 30mpg, I would like it much more and Id probably keep it, but the fuel economy is what kills it for me.

• 

  Special Car - 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Richard Wass - December 2 - 4:58 am

  All around great car. Excellent in Snow. Stuck in traffic, gas engine shuts off and vehicle runs on battery. 31 MPG around town when new. Thats great with a V6 and AWD.

• 

  Gotta love my Camry - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By V. Arnold - December 2 - 1:40 am

  I purchased my Camry used 6 years ago. I drive a lot of city miles. It is great. I have driven newer models of the Camry over the past few years, and they do not compare. I am not looking forward to giving up my 1998 model. It has been a God sent blessing in this fuel economy.

• 

  Pleased - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By dave - December 2 - 1:00 am

  My third SUV, last SUV was a Lexus 300, This vehicle rides nearly as well, Additionally I get excellent MPG with responsible driving. I have gotten as high as 27-28 mpg on open road and avg 23-25 with normal driving. Reliability has been excellent.

• 

  Pleasantly Surprised - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By cf - December 2 - 12:56 am

  This is my second corolla and it is a solid car. Great mpg and more comfortable than I expected! The 1.8 is as good as it gets for an economy car and the sport look is outstanding. Got the package discount and what a difference that makes! The ride is steady and sure and the feel is vague at highway speed but that will take getting used to. Cheap plastic but this car stickered for the same as my 99 corolla with more features!

• 

  Love My RAV4! - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Kerrie - December 1 - 3:10 pm

  Ive owned this 97 RAV4 for seven years and it still runs like the first day I bought it! I really love how it handles, very responsive for an SUV, like an extension of my body... great on gas, excellent visual access (no blind spots!), and so reliable! (Well, it IS a Toyota!) No problems, have just kept up the servicing and off I go... into the California Sunset!

• 

  An Update - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By twocruzin - December 1 - 12:36 pm

  This is an update to a previous review. I have had this car for 14 months now and 17000 miles. It still runs as flawlessly as when I bought it and the ride is still as harsh as it was at the beginning. It rides okay on highways or the interstate, but its quite rough on less than ideal city streets. The suspension is quite hard. I mean the car barely moves when I push on the front bumper. I have not had the paint chip problem that many reviewers comment on. I have metallic paint on mine. Im not sure if all models do, but my experience has been that metallic paint holds up much better. Other than the ride, everything has been good - build quality, handling, appearance.

• 

  Love this car! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Caroline Gardner - December 1 - 7:56 am

  I have had the Prius for a month and came to love it after the first week of getting accustomed to it. The car has a lot of pick-up; it gets 50mpg most of the time and handles really well. I am hooked and in addition, I feel I am doing something good for Mother Earth. It is also roomy inside. I had a Nissan Altima for 7 years and loved it but the Prius has won me over.

• 

  This car is awesome! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By J.Jasper - December 1 - 4:03 am

  I bought it a month ago and its phenomenal! Great on gas, I average 36 mpg and thats mostly street driving. This vehicle is so stylish! Great car at an affordable price. I see this vehicle lasting many years. Its fits any liftstyle, Im single with no kids and I think its very stylish, but it also has room for a few car seats should I decide to upgrade in that area soon! If you want a reliable, fun to drive, economical, stylish sedan this is it! I recommend the manual drive!