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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  Ill give it an A - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By sequoia A grade - October 7 - 8:00 pm

  Bought new. Has been a great people hauler and very reliable. The only think I had to change was the VSC computer, expensive $1400 or so. Other than that it was routine maintenance. Original tires didnt last, replaced with Michelins and they look great after 30k miles. I am trading in now for something a bit smaller and got good value even though its a big SUV in the times when thats not cool anymore. Have averaged about 15-16 miles per gallon since we got it in mostly city driving so really cant complain. Someone will be getting a great truck.

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  GREAT CAR - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Marc - October 7 - 6:20 pm

  I was leasing a 2002 Honda Accord SE, and my lease is up. I was initially looking at BMW 3 series, Acura and Cadillac. I really didnt want to spend the extra $$$, and decided to give the Camry a test drive. Within the first 5 minutes of the test drive, I knew I was going to buy the Camry.

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  Great Ride, loads of room, and no spare tire - 2014 Toyota Sienna
  By carlryan - October 7 - 6:12 pm

  I am pleased with this car, 15k miles in except for the run flat tires and lack of a spare. the AWD versions of these vans have this serious design flaw, and the run flat tires are twice the price of standard tires, and wear twice as fast. So the buyer can figure on a factor of Four times the expense for keeping rubber on this car. As a lessor, I am disappointed that I will have to buy tires at least once for this car, and the run flats are absolutely awful for AWD traction and performance once they get to 4/32.

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  Poor navigation system - 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By W. H. Hall - October 7 - 3:53 pm

  The navigation system has not performed since the purchase. Two separate dealerships have tried to get it to operate, without success. In both cases the mechanics did not even understand how to operate it. The instructions are confusing and inadequate.

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  Nice ride, but not perfect - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By kate10167 - October 7 - 11:09 am

  We went back and forth for months between the Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander. We finally chose the Highlander because of the smooth car like ride and spacious middle row. The visibility is quite good and I forget that Im driving a fairly large car because it seems quite nimble. With that said, there have been a couple of disappointments. I had to take it in within the first 100 miles for an alignment issue and more recently (now at 350 miles) Ive noticed that the drivers side door has a tinny, rattling noise when its closed. I really dislike waiting for 3 plus hours at a dealership to repair things that should have been assembled correctly at a factory.

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  A lot better than you think - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By joe - October 7 - 6:56 am

  This truck tows my 8500# work trailer so well that I dont even cringe when a stop light turns yellow at the worst time. Mileage is a lot better than I thought it would be. I have had 8.9 towing to 21,1 HWY, driving it like a hypermiler.

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  Best Car Ever - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By Joe F. - October 7 - 5:56 am

  This is the first car Ive ever owned for six years and driven for over 60,000 miles, that I can still say drives just as well as the day I bought it. Ive had no problems from the beginning and can honestly say its the best car Ive owned in my 46 years of driving. I plan to keep it another 10 years and put at least another 100,000 miles on it.

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  Excellent value! - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Bert - October 6 - 12:20 pm

  Just purchased for my college daughter - 150K miles - $4,250. Such a solid car. Very quiet, extra roomy, powerful V-6. As others have noted, it has suspension issues, sounds like a bucket of bolts on rough roads. Going in for suspension overhaul next week, should be set for another 100,000 miles. Little to no rust. Love the car! My wife and I own an 02 Avalon, so I was very happy to find a family-owned used one for my kid.

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  Runs Like a Tank - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tim - October 6 - 8:20 am

  I have had my 4runner since 2002 and have taken it on several cross country trips. It now has over 130,000 miles on it and it has never let me down. I have also taken down the beaches in Mexico and I find myself pulling others out. The only thing other than routine maintenance like a timing belt was I had to replace the starter once. It performs well both on and off road and it cannot be beat for reliability. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Excellent SUV - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Reeses Mom - October 6 - 6:13 am

  I have been extremely pleased with the Sequoia. I bought it for safety (for my daughter) and for its beautiful design and powerful maneuvering abilities. Mine is black with dove gray leather interior.