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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  Camry is economical with comfort - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By LEON - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I have put 15,000 miles on my camry. I drive 98% highway and my gas mileage is 32-34 mpg. I set the Cruise control and stay the limit. Comfort is fantastic. Driving 12 hours from nc to Ohio is the best! Has good power for going through the Virginia and West Virginia mountains. Suspension is that of a high dollar vehicle with a fraction of the expense. With oil changes only due every 10,000 miles, makes it convenient as well. I have owned over 60 vehicles in my driving years and this is the best value for the money I have owned. I have had Chevy, Dodge, Jeep, Mazda, Ford, Subaru, Mercury, etc. I went back to Toyota twice. Yes, my Toyota is American made - Tennessee - another reason I purchased.

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  Like the Looks - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Paul C - August 5 - 10:00 am

  Totaled a a Mazda6 and found the lease price of the Camry to hard to pass up. It does not handle like the Mazda did but the acceleration is about the same. Our payment from the Mazda to this dropped over $100 and our insurance went down $50 a year. Im 66 and well over 300 pounds and fit like a charm. This car also gives my wife the room to sit between two car seats if she needs to.

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  SR5 V8 4WD - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mark - August 5 - 8:43 am

  Absolutely great ride! Perfect performer. Pulls 3400# Boat w/no probs (rated for 7000#) through mountains! Full time 4wd makes seamless driving in mud (snow tests this winter)! Miss my Tundras hauling abilities (the truck bed) but what could I expect? Yes, sulfer smell with rear window open and engine under pressure. Sunroof is great. MPG is 15- 20, constant 2-3 under what the onboard computer states.?. Tons of compliments!

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  Great Value, Reliability and Performance - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By S. C. Charles - August 5 - 1:49 am

  Ive owned the Avalon for 6 months and 3 weather seasons, Im very pleased with the performance, comfort and economy of this full size sedan. There are minor annoyances and all cars have them. This car has a few, Updates to the NAV expensive, Road noise a bit more than a car of this class should have and oral commands to the NAV and phone problematic. The high points are the ride is both firm and comfortable, the quality of the interior is exceptional, the sound system is very high quality, the engine is powerful and the effortless shifting of the transmission is flawless, the MPG in a full size car with 268 HP is unbeatable. I did purchase the vehicle used with 8K miles on it at a substantial discount to the sticker price and I feel I received a great value for a car Ill drive for at least 10 years. The reliability of a Toyota is accurately stated by biased and unbiased authorities alike. Suffice to say Im very happy with the purchase and looking forward to driving this car for a long time. Update Ive now owned the car for over a year (over 10,000 mile driven) and could not be happier with the purchase. Ive experienced no mechanical issues and the car is as good as the day I brought it home. Great Job on the redesign and continued reliability Toyota! Id gladly buy it again today! Update Ive now owned the car for almost 2 years and my initial review was accurate the cars interface with the phone/NAV has greatly improved. The mileage is very good at 26.5, the handling of the vehicle is that of a sports car, the ride is a bit rough for a luxury car but very quiet and smooth. Id buy the car again without a thought.

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  Best Truck on the Market!!!! I LOVE IT! - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By JacksonDean05 - August 4 - 10:23 am

  This is the first NEW vehicle I have ever bought. Ive now put 5,000 miles on my truck without a single problem. No sqeaks, rattles or anything. I think the gas mileage is great for a truck. Try to find an extended cab 4x4 truck now adays that gets 20 mpg in the city!! Fit and finish is top quality. I love the compact size and Im 64". I think there is plenty of room. Lots of storage area in the cab believe it or not. The reason I got this truck was because of the cult following they seem to have with them. Now I know why. I dont know about the new redesigned 05s but I am sure they will be just great. Great Truck off road it will handle anything you can through at it.

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  A Solid Ride and a Lot of Fun to Drive! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dennis Gale - August 4 - 2:22 am

  I was looking to replace my 2005 Avalanche (which I loved) but the size and price of new full-size trucks really turned me off. Started looking at the mid-size trucks and settled on a Tacoma. I looked around and found a good deal on a TRD Off-Road, 6.1 ft bed, 6 cyl model Tacoma with the automatic transmission. Had read all of the early reviews about the transmission/engine combo and the gear hunting. My truck did the gear hunting as well for the first 500+ miles but now it is smoothing out nicely. What previous reviewers failed to mention (or check out) is that the transmission is an adaptive transmission and it will adapt to the drivers driving habits. I called the dealership where I purchased my Taco and a service specialist explained the adaptive break-in of the transmission. He told me to drive the truck like I normally would and he was right. The transmission has smoothed out and the truck is performing well - certainly meeting my expectations. When I punch it, it responds nicely. It is a real pleasure to drive - feels very solid and has plenty of power for what it is. What it isnt is a full-size behemoth that surrounds you in a huge cabin with bell-and-whistle overload and handles and feels like a boat. Im fascinated with the amenities that it does have - navigation and sound system is great. Love the auto stick which allows for upshifting and downshifting like a manual but without having to push a clutch pedal (more leg room). Interior and controls are laid out nicely however I am not crazy about the position of the 4wd knob - too close to all of the other similarly shaped control knobs and easy to mix up and put in 4wd when you are not looking at it and think that you are turning on the fan. My first towing experience has also gone smoothly. Those who tow will love the back-up camera which is positioned in a manner that allows the driver to easily position the hitch ball exactly under the trailer hitch without exiting the cab. This is my first Taco and I couldnt be happier. The mpg is climbing and I have experienced as high as 23-24 mpg on the flat at 65 mph. Around town I am getting about 20-21 mpg. Towing about 3,000 lbs my mileage dropped to about 17 mpg but that also included a 1,000 ft gain in elevation. Some reviewers complained about headroom but I have found that there is plenty of headroom - I am 510" and have several inches to spare above my head. the room behind the seats in the double cab is huge - they fold down flat and create a very spacious platform for carrying gear, luggage, etc. Overall, this truck is very well-engineered and if you are looking for a truck that is solid, practical, responsive, fun to drive, and that wont break the bank, the 2016 Tacoma is the way to go!

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  Perfect for Tucson, AZ - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By desert rat - August 3 - 9:23 am

  Bought this 98 Rav4 in 2001 for driving around town and light off-road excursions. It has been extremely reliable and performs well in Southern Arizona. Handles well in tight spots and seems to be holding up to the rugged road conditions in "The Old Pueblo." Took it off-road a few times and the AWD was perfect on dirt roads. The 4 cyl. engine is a little underpowered, but great fuel economy. No major problems in over 3 years.

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  Great ride, excellent performance - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By R Chen - August 3 - 7:53 am

  As everyone stated, it is a great car. It is has a very nice ride, especially for family vacation. Great performance in terms of acceleration, passing, corner handling, and smoothness. Luxury interior design makes it no difference from Lexus LS. You get more luxury for your money.

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  FJC rocks - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Tom Deckowski - August 3 - 4:23 am

  Happy to say that the FJC has been everything I hoped for. The truck is designed to be utilitarian and very functional. The ride and quality are first rate and the performance is very good. There really havent been any items to complain about. I even love the fact that the truck does not need premium fuel so my running costs are lower. The fact that its such a cool looking truck is just a big bonus.

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  Very Nice Car - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Doug - August 3 - 3:16 am

  Weve had the Prius (package #2) for three weeks (~ 1200 miles). Its a very nice, comfortable car. It doesnt take long to get adjusted to the different controls. It feels very solid on the road and handles nicely. The acceleration isnt great, but certainly good enough for all reasonable driving, including freeway. The gas mileage has been outstanding, 50 - 53 mpg overall.