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 with minor bugs - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By riddleja - April 27 - 7:53 am

  Major components are all solid and reliable, but fit & finish arent up to my expectations of a Toyota. Numerous dashboard rattles (not fixed after 20 trips to 3 dealerships), had a water leak, and windshield washer pump broke. Gas mileage could also be better, but its on par with similar vehicles.

• 

  Second Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By arizonaboy - April 26 - 4:51 pm

  I loved my 1988 Camry - cried when it got totaled out at 387K miles. Bought a 1999 Toyota Camry 6cyl - 5 speed (never owned an automatic). Love this car! It now has 266K miles on it - just regular maintenance - brakes/batteries (Arizona weather kills batteries), and tires. Had the timing belt changed every 75K. The car drives great, runs smooth, and Ive never had a problem. Drove it from Phoenix to LA at 85 mph - no issues, drove from Phoenix to Vegas - no issues. Would drive this car across country! It may be a little sun faded, but still looks great and drives fantastic. I know a stick isnt for everyone, but I love it.

• 

  Nice Little Car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By obsessed2 - April 26 - 3:53 am

  I bought this car for my wife on our 19th wedding anniversary and almost a year later am completely satisfied. Contrary to Edmunds review, this car has very good pickup with an automatic transmission. It offers all options including power windows, locks, and mirrors, as well as a security system that automatically locks the doors after about 30 seconds. The gas mileage is a huge plus. I average around 40 mpg during normal every day driving. The center display takes some time to get used to but after a while is no problem and actually feels well placed. 15 inch tires makes it handle extremely well. Overall, this is one nice little car when upgraded with available options.

• 

  The Best! - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By John - April 25 - 8:46 pm

  I have had my 08 XLE for almost a month, it has been awesome. The engine is very strong and i have no problems passing cars on the freeway. I average about 21 mpg around town and on the open road i have gotten up to 28 mpg cruising at 70 mph. The seats are very comfortable and the ride is smooth like a Lexus and quiet too. The JBL sound system is awesome and the navigation system is very easy to use and has bluetooth and satellite radio. The build quality is top notch and resale value is the best.

• 

  Noisy - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Durangokid - April 25 - 8:00 pm

  For a Car in this price range the ride is too firm and the wind noise is high at highway speeds. Also the car is jerky and not very smooth at takeoff.

• 

  ok but there are better choices - 2015 Toyota Tundra
  By Daniel Graber - April 25 - 6:41 pm

  I think its the worst looking of all the full size trucks and the redesign is a even another step backwards, but I thought it would be better in quality & feel than the others brands because of the Toyota name plate. It has great power! Transmission seems to have the right shift points, The heat & air controls are cheap feeling. The steering requires constant corrections going down the highway and fuel mileage is terrible!

• 

  Great SUV, Terrible XM - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By ToyotaMan - April 25 - 3:46 pm

  Ive had this car for 6 months now. Im averaging 27 mpg in mixed driving. I really love the way this car drives and looks. The 2nd row seats are very roomy and great design. The 3rd row that I thought I would never use, has saved the day on several occasions. I love every single thing about this car except for one. The XM radio receiver I had installed at my dealership came with a little surprise. Toyota engineers didnt think to make the radio display scroll information. It only displays 13 characters. So while Im enjoying the wide range of music, I get to play a guessing game if the name of the band or song are more than 13 letters. Huge disappointment!

• 

  Best Car I Have Ever Owned - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Georgia Williamson - April 25 - 2:35 pm

  I took one test drive and knew this was the car for me. Several years ago we drove a Prius hybrid rental and liked it, but it wasnt anything special. As soon as I started driving the 2016 Prius I was enjoying the ride, even in rush hour traffic. It handled easily, provided a smooth ride, easily kept pace with traffic, both slow and fast and was quiet. I bought it that night. The gas mileage is exceeding what I was expecting for combined street and highway driving. Even my husband can drive it. He is 6 5" and the joke has always been we had to try on cars rather than picking the one we wanted, we had to take the one that he could get into whether it was comfortable or not. Even with the moon roof, his head does not bump the top of the car. I can get 3 dog kennels in the back and still have room for luggage. AND it also fits into our garage even with the full size van, freezer and storage in the front part of the garage.

• 

  Best Car I Have Ever Owned - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Georgia Williamson - April 25 - 2:34 pm

  I took one test drive and knew this was the car for me. Several years ago we drove a Prius hybrid rental and liked it, but it wasnt anything special. As soon as I started driving the 2016 Prius I was enjoying the ride, even in rush hour traffic. It handled easily, provided a smooth ride, easily kept pace with traffic, both slow and fast and was quiet. I bought it that night. The gas mileage is exceeding what I was expecting for combined street and highway driving. Even my husband can drive it. He is 6 5" and the joke has always been we had to try on cars rather than picking the one we wanted, we had to take the one that he could get into whether it was comfortable or not. Even with the moon roof, his head does not bump the top of the car. I can get 3 dog kennels in the back and still have room for luggage. AND it also fits into our garage even with the full size van, freezer and storage in the front part of the garage.

• 

  New Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By jeff McCollum - April 25 - 12:46 pm

  It is about time that Toyota kept a luxury car instead of giving it to Lexus. This is the finest car in its class. Plenty of horse power(280) gives this car ample pickup and top line speed. This car is extremely solid, and very quiet on the road. Inside is very roomy and large. I am over 6 feet tall and there is plenty of leg room and head room.This car is as nice as the Audi A6, and the Infiniti M35, but is $10,000 cheaper.