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:

• 

  Good Truck - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By bailme - May 18 - 10:56 am

  I bought my truck in March of 08. I have a 3" lift (max lift under warranty) with 22" wheels. I also put a magnaflow exhaust and Toyota intake. THe navagation system is weak, it is not user friendly like my Acura TLs nav. MPG are 12.8 to 13.5. I thought it would do a little better, but Im sure the lift has something to do with the low MPG. Lots of power and the stereo system is pretty good (JBL). A lot of cargo room, Im 63" and I fit comfortably. I am a Chevy guy, but I wanted to try the Toyota. I dont think you can go wrong with the Silverado or Toyota, the others just cant compete.

• 

  solid car - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By justink - May 18 - 7:10 am

  This car is a solid, dependable car. I bought this car coming from 2 bad experiences with Pontiac and Lincoln. I am hoping that this car is as reliable as corollas of the past. So far, i am getting 36 mpg on average. On the highway i am getting close to 38, which is great. The ride is smooth and relatively quiet. The stereo system could be better, but I may upgrade that myself. The seats are comfortable, and I love using the auxiliary part of the stereo for my IPOD.

• 

  The best vehicle a guy could ever own ! - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By taz779 - May 18 - 6:05 am

  Bought this truck right off the lot in 2004. It was my DREAM truck. For years I watched waited and prayed that one day it would happen and it DID ! I think one of the sleekest design moves that Toyota did with Tubdra that year is the rear window that amazingly to this day I am still getting comments about. Goes all the way down !!! I love the way ppl are freaked out by this, in addition to this day ppl are still wanting to buy my truck. My final word I have had a very hard time coming to the decision untill this year which my mechanic helped me with I going to KEEP HER !!! My next DREAM VEHICLE is Toyota ( LAND CRUSIER) ...YES Go drive one today !

• 

  The Age of the Sequoia - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Richard Golden - May 18 - 5:46 am

  This is one magnificent vehicle to own! The interior is comfortable and large, the overall size of this monster is magnificent, and it hold 8 most comfortably. This is one fine vehicle for the price, and has the Toyota quality that makes it so much superior to the rest. A fine example of how a large SUV can also drive like a car and not like a truck. A smooth ride!

• 

  Good as it gets - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Phlyr - May 18 - 12:46 am

  This is my second MR2. I owned a mkI and had to sell it because my wife said I needed a grown up cars to move my kids around in. Now they have their own rides and Im back where I belong. This is the most fun you can have with your clothes on and Im not giving this one up! Sure, theres no trunk. Big deal! I couldnt find a trunk large enough to carry the grin I wear when Im driving this car. Think of it as a motorcycle with doors and if thats what you are after the Spyder is your car.

• 

  Beyond my expectations - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By luvtoyota10 - May 17 - 7:56 pm

  I rented a prius because I wondered how it was, my moms friend has one and likes it so I tried it out. This car is amazing! The gas mileage is fantastic. I can fit inside of the car with 3 other people! This car handles well, better than my Venza. The steering has a decent weight to it. The car is like a computer, I loved the display and with the back up camera with the nav, parking is a piece of cake. On the highway this car was quieter than my Venza, It also had great pick up in power mode on the highway. I knew the car had a CVT so I was not suprised by the sound of the engine not shifting. The seats were comfy too. The shifter was cool too. IT felt like a real car.

• 

  It is what we thought it would be... - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By iknowhatikno - May 17 - 5:20 pm

  If you are looking for a used Avalon, this is the year to start from. The revised 6 speed transmission is a marked improvement in smoothness, gas mileage, and reliability over the 5 speed autos from 2005-07. There are numerous websites and complaints about thse tranys). Also, the car was freshened on the exterior and has an Ipod plug. The one issue with the 08 model year is the headlamp assemblies, which are a well-documented problem. The good news is that Toyota extended the warranty for the headlamp assemblies for 5 years and 75000 miles from the original in service date. But you have to call Toyota because many dealers will rip off the unsaavy. The Avalon is otherwise a great car.

• 

  2007 4 Cylinder Camry SE = 19 MPG - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Raymond Hoag - May 17 - 2:56 pm

  My 07 4 cylinder Camry SE gets 19.1 MPG. Every advertisement from my window sticker to Edmunds.com says this 2007 Camry should get 24 to 33 MPG. We are not guessing. We have recorded every single gas up on a spreadsheet, its simple math. For 10 months our Camry has averaged 19.1 MPG. We went back to the dealer. After three visits they tested the vehicle and said nothing was wrong and it must be our poor driving habits. Please note: We have two other vehicles that we drive the same way, gas up at the same stations, and drive on the same roads through the same weather conditions. Our 02 Sante Fe/6 cyl gets 22 MPG, Our Impala/6 cyl gets 25 MPG. PS. Just updated our gas ups....18.9 MPG.

• 

  Cant go wrong with 49.5 miles per gal - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Ray - May 17 - 5:43 am

  We sold our 2001 BMW 330i for the Prius without thinking a second thought. The build quality is great, especially love the blue tooth hand free phone and voice activated GPS. Another nice thing is the MP3 DVD player, I burn 200 MP3 songs in one disk easily as oppose to the BMW that I have to burn separate CDs that can only hold around 15-20 sounds per disk.Trunk space is amazing in this car. We went to airport with 4 people travelling oversee and 2 lungages per person. Fit everything in the trunk.

• 

  Faithful,Reliable, and Powerful - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By luvtoyota10 - May 17 - 12:28 am

  This highlander is my grandmothers i own a toyota venza she got this car before I got my venza, that was when I had a 2000 Toyota 4runner and This car was perfect for her. It has a nice ride, I loved the sterring feel, and it is roomy. I drove this car down to Indianapolis and it was great only thing wrong was the wind noise. Overall, This is a fine Crossover.