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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  What a Great little Car!!! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Melissa - September 3 - 6:13 am

  I purchased this car to get me from school and work to home. Ive been driving a lot and my new Durango was killing me. This is a 3rd car for my family and I wasnt sure Id like driving a car again, but I love it. I havent driven the truck since I got it! I bought this car used, but it only had 17,000 miles and was clean. It is so fun and comfortable to drive. Peppy, handles well, rides pretty good on the freeway doing 80mph. My husband is 63" and fits well and my daughter sits behind him with plenty of room. I consistently get 39 mpg even going 80! Cant beat that!

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  Stunned in the Toyota Pre Owned Lot - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By lindrith - September 3 - 4:33 am

  After 10 years of Hondas, and with leases running out, my wife and I went shopping. Toyota was very willing to help us. While we had our sights on a 2010 Rav, when my wife saw the 2009 Venza, she got excited about its Lexus quality looks, feel in a 4 cylinder crossover. The car has 16000 miles on it but was practically immaculate. We have driven it in town and on I25, and it drives like a dream. Gas mileage has been creeping up to the 26 mpg level. it has a feel of richness for both appointments and handling. And all those cup holders......a PU drivers dream. CON: Only negative is trying to find the cargo cover. The Toyota cover is over $800! Internet still costs $575. HELLP

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  Great Ride - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Hood - September 2 - 11:13 pm

  Id still have this car if it wasnt destroyed in a car accident. I had 71k miles and the only thing I had to do was change the battery this past fall which in the grand scheme is minor. The car rode smooth and was the best as far as gas went. Very affordable!

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  WORST CAR EVER - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Alan Thiede - September 2 - 9:29 pm

  THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. LAST TOYOTA.

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  Mini wagon fits all! - 2008 Toyota Matrix
  By musicman - September 2 - 5:23 pm

  I had a Focus wagon that did everything I wanted. I upgraded to an MPV, but took such a hit in the mileage and repair bills that I needed to downsize to something more reliable. I fell in love with the Fit Sport, but couldnt quite squeeze my gear (instruments) in comfortably. When I put them in the Matrix, they fit with room to spare. Its fun, sporty, spacious and thrifty. Great purchase!

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  I Love This Truck - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Mutine Bullfrog - September 2 - 2:03 pm

  Best truck I ever owned hands down. On and off road is great. Get one fast.

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  All the things you need in a vehicle for today - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By DelaRAV4 - September 2 - 11:44 am

  Shopped for a variety of vehicles that could be an answer to a variety of situations. The RAV4 checks all the boxes. Oil consumption issues deleted the Subaru Forester from my list; the Crosstrek was a strong contender but the lack of room deleted it from my list as well. Vibration issues with the new Honda CR-V crossed itself off my list. The Subaru Outback had a strong lead, but something in my gut said no. The RAV4 meets most of my criteria. Its a sharp vehicle and Toyota has done its homework in tweaking aerodynamic features to maximize efficiency (vortex generators, anyone?). I came out of a Nissan XTerra, which I loved but was killing me on ergonomics, and was a poor carpooling choice. The RAV4 has a huge rear seat, room to drop the seats and sleep in this vehicle, good cargo carrying capacity, an AWD button that turns all four wheels up to 25mph on demand, a traditional 6spd transmission, great fuel economy (averaging 27mpg mixed, but I did replace the standard air filter with a K&N filter), revised IIHS crash test scoring, expected resale value, and (lets hope) Toyota reliability made me land on the RAV4. The Limited is a rough rider, but 18" wheels and a taut suspension are the reason. The sport button adds life to this machine, and the eco button drains any pep - nice to know those features are there, though. The navigation screen is dismal (best in class for navigation goes to Ford and its SYNC system - miss my C-Max, too!) Stop griping about the lack of a place to store your sunglasses - if thats all you have to complain about, life is pretty good.

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  Best truck on road - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By Kristen Ohler - September 2 - 11:43 am

  I owned a 1990 2 wheel drive Toyota extra cab for 18 years. Best vehicle I ever owned. I sold it with over 300,000 miles on it. I wanted a 4 wheel drive new p/u. I love this pick up more than any vehicle I have ever owned or driven. It is a fast and good looking p/u. I love the stereo system/cd player. It has a lot of pick up and contrary to reports Ive read my pick up is very quiet. Ive had no problems at all in the 14 months Ive owned it. Although the running boards look great, they are in the way trying to get into and out of the p/u. I would never own any other kind of mid- sized truck besides the Toyota. To me it is the best truck on the road. Bar none!

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  2010 Sienna Not For City Driving! - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By bobwern - September 2 - 10:03 am

  My new 2010 Sienna LE FWD is getting a disappointing 14 mpgs city, and 19 mpgs highway. The on-board computer displays an average of 16.4 mpgs for the 1,600 miles Ive driven it. This is far short of the 17/27 and average 19 mpgs advertised. The vehicle has an extremely wide feel to it which is threatening when you are on narrow city side streets with on- coming traffic. The turning radius is wide. Turning into a narrow parking lot space is a challenge. Its hard to pull into a space evenly straight, The Van is usually angled and you have to jockey it back and forth to straighten it out. This is not an agile vehicle for tight city driving. Its a very smooth quit ride on the open road.

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  A Great Little Car - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Alex C Brown - September 2 - 2:46 am

  Firstly, the cabin space is surprisingly big with plenty of legroom all round. The toys are great - Bluetooth for the phone and a good sound system. On the motorway with rolling 40-70 mph traffic I get 60 mpg+, urban consumption is around 58 mpg and at constant 70 mph gets me 52 mpg. If there is anyone getting less than 50 mpg then either the car has a fault or they are not using the "float" method, i.e. very little pressure on the accelerator to keep the car spinning along at the same speed. Ever so quiet engine and with the ECVT drive it gives a very smooth ride.