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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  Love our Highlander Limited - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By bev - September 8 - 3:56 pm

  traded a 2003 Toyota Camry with 85000 miles on it. The new Highlander is one of the best cars ive owned and love all the features. Toyota is number 1 to me.

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  Switch from GM - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Bernie - September 8 - 1:36 pm

  I just picked up my 2010 Tundra, reg cab, 4x4, LB, SR5, 5.7 truck. After only one small road trip, I am impressed at the Toyota quality. Coming from a Silverado the past 2 trucks (11 years), I can say I am glad I made the switch. The 5.7 seems to have awesome power (yet to tow anything). The space behind the the seats is massive and will fit most anything I could want back there except a person (comfortably). The ride is acceptable for a truck. My only concerns/complaints so far is the storage. There is no map pocket in the back of the seat. The center storage is also a little slim. With that said, I didnt buy the truck for storage...I bought a truck to use it as a truck.

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  A Great Three Years - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By TOM - September 7 - 10:30 pm

  Three years and 42,000 trouble free miles after buying our first Avalon, we are Avalon fans. Our XLS was ordered with the "wing" to liven up its bland appearance at least a little bit. We are even starting to think it is a nice looking vehicle! Really! We tried out a 2006 Avalon Limited recently and found the driver visibility of our 2003 to be far better so we are hanging on to our present Avalon. Highway mileage is routinely 30 mpg + and seems to be gradually improving with age.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Michelle - September 7 - 9:53 pm

  Love this SUV! Bought new. Im still driving 8 yrs later and 120K miles. Only problem was the tail light bulb seems to go every other year which got me a ticket :( Mechanically very sound, well built, still runs like the day I purchased. Ive replaced the water pump/timing belt only due to miles. I get 17-19 mpg in city and 23+ on open highway. I do agree with the others though that the ride can be a bit bumpy, slightly larger tires seems help with that a bit. Cost to own very good at 25K new in 2002, retail today in mint condition is $8-9K. Not bad at all! Debating whether to trade in only due to mileage and mpg.

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  Trixie the Matrix - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By GreenMile - September 7 - 11:30 am

  I replaced my Limited 4 runner with a more gas efficient Matrix. I thought I would hate at first but really it has all the space my 4 runner had and way better milage (33 mpg) on average. I have 25000 miles on it and have had no issues at all. I love driving this on my daily 100 mile roundtrip commute.

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  Corolla experience - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By JAC2488 - September 7 - 8:23 am

  This belongs to my wife which she initially bought unbeknownst to me! My initial reaction was met with derision until my first behind the wheel outing. Very powerful, no hunting of gears with the automatic transmission in OD, no mashing of the gas pedal in passing or accelerating situations even with the air conditioning on while going up a grade. Fits my wife like a glove which is what counts!

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  I like the 4Runner - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By New VDP - September 7 - 4:10 am

  My 4Runner has been a great and reliable car. The RWD has been sufficient to navigate construction sites and occasional soft dirt without a problem. The ride is more comfortable than 90% of the cars that I have ridden in lately. The visibility of the displays and access to switches and buttons is superior. The V-6 is a strong and nimble performer, the car is fast for its segment. I have had only two problems: 1) electrical problems with locks wouldnt allow driver to unlock or lock the rear right door. 2) A/C switch burned out for some reason.

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  very good family car - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By kris - September 6 - 10:10 pm

  We own a 2003 Toyota matrix and we never had a problem with it. though Toyotas suffering from the recall media hype, we still consider buying a venza. WE LOVE IT! the interior is very well crafted with all the electronic gadgets in mind. JBL speakers are awesome. we got the panoramic roof and the kids enjoy the view. bluetooth saves us tons from buying different headsets. the backseat is very roomy. the leather seats are spectacular. i just wish we can save on gas.

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  I hope they dont change it - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By goyaris! - September 6 - 5:00 pm

  This zippy little car has totally exceeded my expectations. Its got phenomenal gas mileage- almost as good as my inl-aws hybrid civic, and for half what they paid for it, so really its a better deal. Way bigger inside than it looks, really attractive body style (I especially love the front, it seems to smile at me whenever I walk out to it), and it doesnt feel or sound like a tin can which is often the case which cheap cars. It feels like a much more expensive car. It took me about a day to get used to the center gauges- now I prefer them, and about a week before I realized I could simply shut off the vent in front of the cupholder if it was making my hot drinks cold (duh, I know). Go Yaris!

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  Sun visors - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By john - September 5 - 10:43 am

  I love this car. There are two things I would like changed, mirrors that retract and an extension on the sunvisor to use on the drivers door side. The car runs great, the ride is very comfortable, and the gas mileage is great considering its size and power. The pickup is unbelievable.