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:

• 

  Best Truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Marc - November 29 - 5:26 am

  I did my homework and looked at all the competitors even full size. The new Tacoma is head and shoulders above all others. The ride, size and power combination is perfect for driving in SoCal. The truck looks and drives great. All of my friends are jealous. Toyotas reputation speaks for itself. It truly is a world class truck. Buy one you will not be disappointed!

• 

  30 MPG with a 260 HP V-6! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By George - November 29 - 5:13 am

  I drive 40,000 miles a year and was looking for a dependable car that would be comfortable as well. I wanted navigation, bluetooth, leather and auto temp A/C, so I went with the XLE. I have seen people saying that they were getting 30 mpg on the highway with the Camry V-6 and they are right, first tank was 29.86 mpg (90 % highway). Car is much quieter than the Honda.

• 

  99 4Runner - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By jerryhutcheson - November 29 - 4:06 am

  Not one problem. Trouble free. Retrofitted K&N cold air intake. 20-21 MPG. A Pleasure to drive.

• 

  Best built and looking SUV made - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Big Guy - November 29 - 3:16 am

  We love our 4 runner, it is handsome, well built, reliable and we feel very safe driving it due to its great visibility and so many safty features. In addition, with its powerful V8 we average over 19 MPG. We plan to own our 4Runner for many years and miles to come. We give it a 9.5 rating only because it lacks a 6 way passanger seat.

• 

  Toyota Did It Right - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Macs Ride - November 28 - 2:30 pm

  Having just retired and buying new cars for over 40 years, we were looking for something that would sum up all the cars weve had before...good ride and handling, fuel efficient, luxury, roominess up front as well as storage, looks beyond on the norm both inside and out, quality, and feeling good after long trips. We have about 3400 miles on it and have no real complaints. One minor issue was the speaker covers on the attached had to be realigned for a better fit and that only took about 5 minutes with the dealer. To date we really like our Venza and this car really has summed up our cars in the past, including Mercedes, Cadillacs, Infinitis, and yes...even a few sport cars.

• 

  New 08 Highlander FWD - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Dale - November 28 - 9:23 am

  Purchased the 08 Highlander FWD on Thursday. Very solid and well built vehicle, with a powerful V-6 engine and well matched 5 speed automatic. The interior is upscale and flawless. I also have a leased 05 Sienna van, and the ride is very similar. I noticed the power steering is slightly overboosted, and could give a little more effort and road feel, but that is the nature of the electrically assisted steering, as opposed to the older hydraulic power steering. As noted by others, the liftgate is on the heavy side, and requires some effort to close. My Sienna has never been back to the dealer, I do my own oil changes and brake pads (very easy), and I expect this Toyota to be as reliable.

• 

  Avalon 2005 - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By jfwynne - November 27 - 11:46 pm

  The 2005 Avalon is the steal of the year. The XL is equipped with all the features you would expect on a vehicle costing thousands more. They have a great product which will set the level in competition against the best Europe has to offer. Toyota has done their homework on this vehicle. Plenty of room for six footers.

• 

  Happy at last - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By sandra - November 27 - 10:00 pm

  Love it! Love the back tailgate door swinging out instead of up...much easier to use, especially when your arms are filled with packages. Its comfortable, drives beautifully, great mileage, has a lot of pickup, lots of room. I love the interior and exterior design, plenty of cargo space and compartments. I feel safe in it!

• 

  4Runner for Highlander - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Lawrence C. Reardon - November 27 - 8:41 pm

  I needed to replace my 2007 4Runner Trail with a new vehicle that would get me, passengers, the dog, and goods, through the snow, the mud, and the dust to my camp in central Maine. I also needed a safe car that I could maneuver on the highways up and down the East Coast, get decent mileage, and have a solid array of safety features. Unfortunately the new 4Runner does not have adaptive cruise control, blind spot/cross lane warnings, crash avoidance systems, etc. I refused to pay an extra $10,000 for the Lexus. So I ended up with the AWD Highlander Platinum Limited and its extensive array of safety features. Obviously, there is a big difference between driving a truck-based and a car based SUV, such as the Highlander. In this respect, I dont miss the 4Runner Trail. Well see when Im stuck in high snow whether I miss the 4WD. But for now, Im thrilled driving the Highlander. While the interior looks massive, it isnt a big car. While I thought about the Ford Explorer for a couple of days, as I liked the parking assist and the safety features involving the front of the car, I opted for the Toyota because of quality assurance and the cheaper price. I have driven it for two months, including nine-hour trips up and down the East Coast. I have stopped worrying about changing lanes because of the safety features. I was able to carry more goods than the 4Runner. And on the last trip North during a cold winters day, I averaged over 25 mpg...with only 1500 miles on the odometer. Who knows what Ill get during the summer after it has been broken in. My personal list of likes besides all the safety items: a comfortable seat, a decent sounding audio system, a nice interior design, especially the shelf in the front to carry wallets, phones, etc., the flip-up back window, the car handling, the automatic headlights/bright beams, and the automatic windshield wipers. I only wish they had included front parking radar. I am one of the last to have a Windows phone, which doesnt quite mesh with the Entune system...but it works. While I miss the rugged 4Runner capability, but I now have AWD and all types of safety mechanisms that will keep me safe. So far, it exceeds expectations.

• 

  Very Stylish and Sporty - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By 0hheck - November 27 - 8:02 pm

  When replacing my previously leased car, I was looking for a quality vehicle that had a great reliability reputation. I looked at Honda Accord, Chevy Malibu and the Toyota Camry. I wanted specific features, such as push button start, remote start, proximity entry, quite/comfortable ride and excellent fuel economy....all for a reasonable price. The Camry SE Special Edition had all the features I wanted and was the best buy in terms of cost as well as future resale. Im currently getting in excess of 41+ mpg on the highway with the way I drive. Around town, Im getting 27+ mpg. If youre looking high performance, you may not choose this model as it only is available with the 4cyl engine. However, this engine provides quick acceleration and passing performance. For my purposes, the V6 is more than I would need. Overall, Im quite happy with my Camry.