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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  98 LE 4cyl - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Arthur - September 24 - 9:13 am

  Great Car other than regular maintenance no issues with it. Its clear that the people who rated this car so low DOESNT actually own one, and are just plain full of it. How could so many other people not have problems .

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  Love this SUV - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Frank - September 23 - 8:10 pm

  I just traded in my 2008 Highlander for this car and loved it the minute I sat in it. Toyota made a mistake making the 08 too big and bulky. The geometry of the earlier Highlander is perfect! Seat comfort, interior ergonomics, transmission, visibility, handling are all perfect. HVAC is not cool enough but this might be a repair issue. Other than that a perfect 10! Getting 21 MPG in mixed driving. Fine for me for a very responsive 6 Cylinder. I got the limited with leather for a great price. Plan to hold on to this car for many years.

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  05 Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By TYT - September 23 - 6:33 am

  Just got ours. Very happy with the buying experience and the car. Drove both 2.4L and 3.3L. V6 definitely smoother. We dont have a use for the 3rd row (only child size) but might be useful for resale. Looked at Murano -- not as spacious, and X3 - overpriced for what you get for. 2nd hand market is also very good. A lot of demand not much supply.

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  Impressed - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Nate - September 22 - 7:20 pm

  Coming from a Dodge Grand Caravan the total package is so far ahead that it is amazing. The acceleration, handling, fuel economy and comfort put it ahead of it competitiors. The only thing lacking is some sort of second row in floor storage (handy for storing the kids stuff). With less than 1,000 miles on it we are getting 20-22 mpg in town (in cold Wisconsin Weather) and on our first roadtrip we got 25-26mpg while doing 75-80mph (vast improvements over our dodge). The only complaint is a rattle of some sort just started right above the driver side sliding door.

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  Transition - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Carol Lavoie - September 22 - 1:53 pm

  With my husband passing away I had to downsize from 2 vehicles to 1, a full- sized excursion van and a quad pick-up. I show dogs and did the research for interior size, safety and reliability as I am 57 years old and would be traveling by myself quite often. I also wanted a good looking vehicle.

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  Heavy Weight Sport Truck... Champ! - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Rman - September 22 - 9:30 am

  Great truck,The gauges look great, very nice design.The controls are all in easy reach (except a couple of the radio buttons) steering wheel controls might be a good thought. Borla has headers and a true chambered exhaust coming out soon, some other companies are too and with underdrive pullies... oh yeah.Take a look under the hood, looks like big block hiemi type heads (similar). The 2 piece (1 alumium and 1 steel) is another nice design. This really is a great truck. Traded a 2005 Silverado LS Z71 and I like this truck a lot more. Last thing a skid plate is a 4x4 must.

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  Solid vehicle - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By okc_al - September 22 - 7:03 am

  Bought the 4 cylinder SE 2 months ago and sitting 3000 miles. So far so good. 30 mpg with mixed driving. Both interior and exterior styling much better than previous model. Compared against the Sonata, Fusion, Cruze, Altima and were so glad we went with the Camry.

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  2008 Toyota Prius - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By 1ljsurfer - September 22 - 4:30 am

  My wife and I love driving this car. Its great on gas, averaging 46 - 48mpg, mostly hwy driving. Im able to get my 10 surfboard inside with no problems. We got this thing fully loaded w/pkg 6. Its comfortable, easy to drive and doesnt lack the power to blend onto the freeway.

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  I traded my "Cadillac" in for my "Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Portia - September 22 - 3:50 am

  Its the most fun car to drive and the fuel economy is amazing. I gave it a 9 in comfort because power locks and windows should be standard. This is my first Toyota, and I will buy another when this commuter, is done. I drive an average of 30K a year, and it was my parents, Toyota Camry with 340K miles that made my decision to look at the Yaris.

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  Sienna - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By ocean - September 21 - 8:40 pm

  Our sienna is a well designed minivan, and I am very happy with the 3.5 liter V6 and 266HP. And the 3rd seat is easy to stow and useful.