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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  The once mighty Toyota - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Junk John - October 16 - 10:00 am

  We were loyal to Toyota since 1989; the purchase of a Highlander has led us to BMW. We had two problems: when you opened a window or the sunroof the air pressure change was drastic; and the bass in the "premium" stereo varied from engine off and engine on. The feeling in our ears and sound from the air pressure changes was analogous to what it must feel like in a helicopter. The stereo was still very unpleasant when the bass was set at minus 5. Toyota did nothing to accomodate us. In Toyotas view, even though service tech acknowledged two problems, performance was "within specification". We never thought we would get response like this from Toyota. We no longer believe in Toyota product.

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  Awesome - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Hurst - October 16 - 10:00 am

  What more can I say " I Love my Toyota".

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  A surprise - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By sandrag - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I was reluctant to give up my 6 yr. old Honda Accord 4 cyl which I loved. Im surprised how much I enjoy driving this, sitting up high. I am getting surprisingly good gas mileage (22- 24comb.) I think my husband likes it better than me. It has tremendous power and quick handling. I dont know how much the Lexus costs, but Im pretty sure it was more than a few thousand more. And insurance was cheaper than a new Honda would have been. Good choice!

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  Highlander 2005 -- Lot of outside noise - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Smart Consumer - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Purchased a Highlander last week. The performance of the vehicle is very good, and gas mileage is better than most SUVs. The only drawback is that you will be able to hear lot of outside noise. During the test drive, turn the radio off and drive on the freeway, and you will hear the cars passing you. If its important for you to purchase a quite vehicle, then, dont purchase this SUV as you will regret it. If you decide to purchase this SUV, dont purchase the additional KARR security, as this SUV already has a chip in the key for the iginition kill. Also, after market security systems are lot cheaper than the dealer, do some price comparisons.

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  camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Belinda - October 16 - 10:00 am

  It is nice and soft, but it should be bigger in the inside. It is not for tall people

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  Im confused! - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By markieg123 - October 16 - 7:03 am

  Please tell me how youre all getting such great gas mileage and liking this car! I live in a fairly flat city and am getting 17 city/23 freeway. And, this car sure does rattle a lot for a brand new car and whats wrong with the front end suspension? After two trips to the dealer, the rattles are still there and the car still shimmied (they "cannot duplicate" either complaint.) Finally had an independent tire shop balance all four tires and align 3 of the 4 tires, which helped but something still isnt right. The dealer said to file a complaint with headquarters if I want to be reimbursed my $130. I guess I should have comfort in knowing I leased rather than buy this. Only 3 more years....

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  Awesome!!! - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Solara6 - October 16 - 3:46 am

  I have has this car for 2 months and have 2000 miles on it and I have to say it is an excellent car!! I paid 20k for it with a power drivers seat, spoiler, and 17-inch rims (from the 06 Avolon XLS)!! The ride is smooth and quite, the interior is sporty with the "silver" trim, and the dash at night is amazing. I get definite power with the 4 cylinder, and if i want more I can drop into a lower gear for more with the electronic shift. You can keep it in manual mode all the time to get optimal power. The looks of the car are amazing, everyone has commented on the style of the car, it is HOT!!!! I wish there were more after market accessories for it though. A great buy for the price!

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  Thorough review after 6 months - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By 4bras - October 15 - 5:55 pm

  Overall a very good SUV. Its a Toyota, so their quality is good. I found the transmission very responsive depending on the mode you select. Its 6 cylinder will of course shift gears more often than say a 4 cylinder. But we also enjoy 27-29 mpg in mixed city/hwy driving.

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  Do Your Research! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By 08CamryXLE - October 15 - 5:16 pm

  After 1 month and 1,000 miles I would have reservations about recommending this car. It looks great, and is overall fun to drive. The navigation, sound, and bluetooth operations make the car easy to drive. The interior is roomy and looks great. When merging into traffic on the second day of owning the car, I almost totalled the vehicle as there was NO response from the engine after pressing the accelerator. This happens constantly. Check nhtsa.gov for current reports. The dealer doublespeaks the issue. I also had defects in the paint that resulted in a repainted bumper. A taillight also didnt fit and required body shop work to fix.

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  Great Pickup - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Steve - October 15 - 4:43 am

  This is probably the cheapest new vehicle you can get today. Drives great, good quality, big improvements over last truck I had from 1982!