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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  Excellent Sedan/Wagon/SUV - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By tictoctictoc - November 13 - 2:50 pm

  Ride: Have driven on I76, I80, I 90, I190, I78, I70, I86, Route 22 central PA and really its all smooth drive except for some bumps on I 86. Pickup: Good. Did well on the ups and downs of the Alleghenies. Noise: I contradict on the critics comments on the wind & road noise- Driving at 65mph and can hear the crisp and crystal clear music at level 6-7 maybe the premium JBL system (std on venza) is the performer. Engine & Mileage: V6 is powerful but fuel efficient. Driving between 50 mph-65 mph highway will give an avg fuel consumption of 27-29 mpg... isnt it wonderful!!! Tire: noise is also very low (have 20" Michelin). Seats: Leather seats are comfortable for a 4-5 hour dive at a stretch.

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  Highlander Review - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Andrea - November 13 - 10:46 am

  Great SUV, roomy and comfortable, very smooth ride for passengers (front and back). Navigation is great, useful, and amazingly accurate. First hybrid weve owned, but the gas mileage is better than regular SUV, but not as high as advertised. We average 22mpg Hwy and 26 mpg City. Great visibility, easy to get in/out. Overall fun drive.

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  A Very Good Car for the $$$ - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By dan4182 - November 13 - 4:43 am

  A very fine car for the $$$, matches up well with others (Lexus, Lincoln and Cadillac) that cost thousands more.

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  A Great Not So Little Truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Andy - November 12 - 6:33 pm

  Absolutely no problems for 12000 miles

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  Great MPG and Comfort - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Marvin Mortensen - November 12 - 4:00 pm

  One of the nicest vehicles I have ever owned. Recent trip to NC gave me between 33-34 mpg. Amazing and thats going 70-75 mph most of the trip. The only complaint I have is that you cannot shut the wipers "off". They are completely automatic and come on whenever a few sprinkles hit the windshield. I would recommend this car for overall comfort and fun to drive and of course the great mpg.

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  Love This Car! - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Brooke - November 12 - 9:22 am

  I purchased my 2007 Toyota Corolla LE, 5-speed manual transmission car from a dealer in 2011 after parting ways with my 96 Honda Civic. I love this car. It has great get up and go and is super reliable. When I first got this car, I had a long highway commute each day and I got amazing gas mileage (36 MPG). Two years ago, I moved and my commute is now a 10 minute drive through town and even though my MPG dropped is is still averaging about 33 MPG. Not bad! When I purchased the car it had 75,000 miles on it and since then I have nearly doubled that to 135,000 miles. It is still going strong. No issues. No super expensive repairs, just regular maintenance. This car is great! I had planned (and would love) to drive this car until it refuses to go anymore but our family acquired two large dogs so I am forced to seek out a larger vehicle. But I am sad to see my car go! I would buy it again in a heartbeat!

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  Great big Little Car - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Pepe - November 12 - 3:53 am

  Purchased a new Prius 06, love it, I am 6ft 5in and 300 lbs fit better then the Accord, Civic, Camry or Corolla. Excellent features, fit and finish, was really surprised on the passing power. I was driving a Chevy 1500 HD with 300 hp engine so was used to power. But this vehicle did just great. Drove it back had to go up the Grapevine in CA, no problem maintained 70MPH. Just love all the technical features, i.e. rear view camera, Bluetooth, navigation system, power info.

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  The first 260 miles - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By HERB - November 12 - 1:30 am

  The car is excellant.It has a very nice ride and the interior looks an feels great. I have every thing I want on it. I will be very happy with it if it holds up to all the raves.

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  They dont make them like this anymore. - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By ncguy33 - November 12 - 1:06 am

  Bought this car used with 126000 miles on it. Now a few miles from 200000, I havnt had to do anything but oil changes to it. These 2000-2004 model Avalons are the last of the great Toyotas. The newer Toyotas quality cannot compare. Theres no better used sedan out there, bar none.. from the comfort and the gas mileage to the realiability.

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  Better than I expected - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Kaybee - November 11 - 7:23 pm

  I traded in a 2005 Honda Odyssey for the Sequoia as my wife tired of driving a minivan. I researched this purchase for almost six months and determined that the Sequoia was the best vehicle, for our needs, on the market. After purchasing, I couldnt have been more right. What we lost in fuel efficiency we certainly gained in vehicle enjoyment. Our fully loaded Limited has a fantastic ride and plenty of bells and whistles. The backup camera, sound system (although would like to have a 6 disc changer vs. the available 4 disc option), moonroof and Bluetooth are awesome. The second and third rows have a tremendous amount of room for our four kids.