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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  Great Truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By andy - January 20 - 5:50 am

  I have the 4wd 2.7L 4 cyl std trans. The truck is economical (22-26 mpg), comfortable and dependable. The interior is comfortable and utilitarian. Mine is a work truck and hauls my tools, firewood and bike with ease. It is comfortable on long trips, has a great stereo with disc player. My only gripe is that the speedometer reads high (about 8- 10%) with stock tires. Although it isnt that important to me I also like the styling.

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  Unpleasant Toyota Experience - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dirtydog1776 - January 20 - 3:40 am

  Purchased this truck to get better mileage than my old 1999 Dodge Dakota. So far gas mileage has been terrible ( I am a careful driver!), the engine is under powered and the rough downshifting on even slight inclines makes the cruise control useless. Ride is spongy, steering is loose, lots of noise from the engine and road.

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  Corolla Sport 2009 - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Corolla Sport - January 20 - 12:40 am

  No serious issues other than some rattles and squeaks. Gas mileage is not as good as the old corolla, but it is bigger than the old corolla , comfortable drive. Would have been perfect if there were no rattles. Dealer fixed most of the rattles, but still some there.

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  2017 Camry XLE, Very nice car with poor GPS App - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Harry - January 19 - 9:13 pm

  Solid, comfortable, quiet, feels like a luxury car. My car does not have integrated GPS. The only GPS app compatible for this car is Scout GPS Link which works poorly. I ignore it and use portable GPS or Google Map in my cell phone.

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  24000 Miles in 1.5 Years - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By adhoc - January 19 - 6:13 pm

  After having this 5M 2dr SE sport for 18 months, I found the combination of its fuel efficiency and power was just ideal. This is my 15th car and I am pretty happy with 33-34 mpg on highway and acceleration after 40 mph. It runs like >200 HP on highway with a regular 2.4L 4-cyl engine. I had no problem since I got in Feb 2004.

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  XLS Nice Ride - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By donb - January 19 - 6:10 pm

  I have about 500 miles on my new XLS. I have found it to be a very nice car. the ride is smooth and the fit and finish are excellent. I am still discovering new things on the car. This is my 3rd Avalon and I like this much better than my previous 2. Lots of power and gadgets. I am not impressed with the display on the XM radio. In addition the Nav cannot be adjusted or changed when the car is in motion. Overall it is a great, well made car. It should serve me well on the trips across PA to see the Grandkids

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  "I LOVE WHAT YOU DO FOR ME"!!! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By minivanguy - January 19 - 6:06 pm

  Toyota makes great vehicles. This is by far the best car I ever had. If you drive one for more then a couple of minutes, youll see and feel the cars Lexus like qualities. The interior and exterior design is very pleasing to the eyes and touch (except for a few cheap plastics in the cabin). The cabin is very quiet on all fronts via wind noise, engine noise, road, etc. Going over bumps is like driving over gentle pebbles. There is no rattles in the cabin just tranquility. Now if youre going to be driving your car like The Fast and Furious, it also does good in that area.

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  Motorboating - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By cowboy32 - January 19 - 12:54 pm

  A weekend trip to Texas found my TCH leaving a wake in the heavy rain soaked pavement. It did cause me to drive slower then but otherwise there was quite a bit of 75 MPH driving. All in all we covered 681 miles on 16.803 gallons before stopping to fill up. 40.53 MPG = Great for this driving. The car handled well on all surfaces and proved to be quite and comfortable as well as enjoyable to drive. Glad we got it . The local hailstorm saved me 35%. (Well just 25% off of sticker after repairs). Happy as a hog in new mud!

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  ITS A BUDGET SUV, DRIVE THE COMPETION FIRST - 2017 Toyota RAV4
  By Goose - January 19 - 9:02 am

  I had my vehicle, 2004 4Runner, in the dealer shop and had to rent a car. The Toyo dealer rented cars and I decide on the RAV4 AWD LE. First thing I did was reduce the tire pressure to the vehicles door jam specification. Here is my take. Its not as quiet as my 2004 4Runner, especially on rough roads. On the Freeway it is quiet, so long as the road surface is good. Seats are comfy but the hip bolstering can make it difficult to get out of the vehicle. Stereo sounded pretty good at a stop or stop light, but the sound quality goes down hill as the speed increases. Its nimble and the short wheel base takes all of the credit. The MPG was around 24 with lots of city driving, Im not a lead foot or a grandpa driver. So would I consider this for purchase? No, the deal breaker is the amount of noise that makes into the car. Id like to add that on the previous day I had a 2017 Ford Fusion hybrid and that thing was luxury quiet, on any road surface. I use to have a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and that thing was quieter and more fun to drive than the RAV4. So there is my take, good luck with your decision.

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  Everything I wanted. - 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By BG - January 19 - 8:13 am

  I needed to replace my minivan. I still needed a vehicle with 7 passenger capacity and wanted an SUV with great mpgs. I bought my first Hybrid and AWD which is a used 2012 Highlander Hybrid with 97k miles. It is smooth, quiet, comfortable, spacious and efficient. I was attracted by the 28 mpg EPA and pleasantly surprised with what Im getting. I drive 36 miles round trip to work each day and get 34+ mpg. My commute consists of 80% city and 20% highway miles. Today I got 34.5 mpg. Yes I drive differently to squeeze these miles out. The most effective tricks are to accelerate moderately (utilizes the electric motor), accelerate downhill and minimize the use of AC especially going uphill. There is an ECON button which regulates your acceleration, but you can shut it off if you are an aggressive driver. Im very pleased with the purchase of this vehicle. It is everything I wanted and needed.