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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  Excellent family-hauler with a few flaws - 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By AB - December 31 - 12:18 pm

  Lots going for the Highlander Hybrid: unmatched fuel economy (in class), AWD, comfortable interior, and great reliability. Ride is soft, smooth and quiet. Handling is numb; not for spirited driving. Active Safety Sense features (standard) seem to work well and are non-obtrusive, though I havent really experienced the pre-collision system. Toyotas Entune+Navigation system seems quite dated; wish they would just support Apple Carplay / Android Auto. (At least Bluetooth works well.) Also considered the Honda Pilot EX-L (AWD), but I got the Hybrid XLE for almost the same price, and have no regrets!

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  Still loving this car - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By judyc135 - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I wrote a review in 2007 about how great this car is and it is just as terrific now. What a totally reliable vehicle, how do I get another one just like it, maybe I wont ever need another one? I have 187,000 miles on it now. I think the body style looks current and the seats/mats are better quality than the 2009 Civic. Plenty of acceleration for me, excellent mileage, great A/C and defrost, perfect usable size. I cant believe the resale value now is only $1,000, it is worth so much more.

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  Versatility - The RAV4 is You! - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By maxi - December 31 - 10:00 am

  This my second RAV4. Since my 2007 model, Toyota has improved the engine - more power, less gas, a LOT smoother. Its comfy for 4 or 5 adults with plenty of legroom; extremely roomy and useful cargo carrier with the seats down. With a light foot, it will top 30mpg on the road; about 25mpg average in mixed driving. Dull interior; this is a Base model but even the pricey Limited isnt much better. The ride is still a little jiggly, but it corners much better than youd expect. Excellent brakes and steering, too. Solid build quality. I got a great lease deal on it; much cheaper than the used SUVs I was looking at.

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  Poor Build Quality - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Dissappointed - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 2010 Prius IV for 11 months and 11,000 miles. The interior rattles are so annoying and constant that the whole driving experience is spoiled. In addition, parts have started to come loose under the glove compartment and hang down under the dash.

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  Bad Ride - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Kenneth Prickett - December 31 - 10:00 am

  The quality of this transmission is terrible. When getting ready to shift the first time, it makes a clanging noise underneath. Service Dept. says it the ABS Brakes resetting. The valves peck until the car warms up. The clanging in the transmission will continue as driving down the road. Sometimes it sounds like youre driving on gravel. I traded a 2005 Sonata for this car and am very sorry. The service dept. says this is normal in all cars, and thats not true. I dont recommend the Camry and hope they start recalling this vehicle and get it straightened out. Its too much money to spend for junk.

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  Awesome SUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By jde_ny - December 31 - 8:10 am

  Great SUV, car like handling. 4 cylinder engine is powerful. It seem to drive well in snow and steep roads.

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  Happy I bought it - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By Surfdogg - December 31 - 6:20 am

  This is my first Tacoma (and following up a bad Chevy experience). Overall I am happy with the truck, it shifts smoothly, has power to go when needed, and it has the options I wanted.

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  Better than expected Performance - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By John - December 31 - 4:10 am

  2009 Prius really could have more comfortable seats with power adjustment but I was very surprised after putting good ice/snowtires how well it performs on the winter roads. I was worried about driving the Prius on the busy Interstate Hwy 5 in California where everyone drives at 80 mph or more but the Prius handles well and performs well with good passing power between 60-80 mph. Pleasantly surprised with the power at the higher speeds compared to other small 4 cylinder cars. I also found the visibility out the back window better than most of the vehicles I have owned.

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  Overall Im happy with it - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Charlotte - December 30 - 12:36 pm

  This is my first Toyota, after many great reviews on them from friends, and so far so good. The ride of the car is a lot smoother than its competitors (Honda CR-V and Jeep). The fuel economy is great, and was a big factor for me. I dont think its a really sexy car, but for the price point its a great combination of attractive, reliable, safe and good on fuel considering how spacious. I do think the drivers seat is a little hard, but not too bad.

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  Nice allround - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Bill - December 29 - 11:46 pm

  Boring inside design, moonroof has given more problems than it should...elct. wiring up behind headliner is always coming loose making for roof rattles and the drain line[s] for the moonroof clog up so I end up with a lake in the front pass. side floorboard after a heavy rain. Otherwise its been a great car and I really dig the power of the 3.0 V6. On the highway with cruise control set at 62-63 mph....Im getting 30 MPG.