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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  NOT VERY GOOD - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Jim K - July 19 - 7:29 am

  I owned a 2001 Camry for over 13 years and used to be a Toyota fan, not any more. After owning this particular Camry for three months I find it mediocre at best. The three worst problems are; ROAD NOISE, NAVIGATION (Voice commands) and FRONT SEAT COMFORT. These three problems, alone, make road trips terrible. The road noise level is so high that to hear the radio, the volume needs to be very high. The Voice command feature is unusable at highway speeds due to the road noise. Combine this with the seat comfort and I dont want to take long trips. I guess you need to go to a two week course on using the navigation system. Nothing is intuitive, I guess that you can do a lot with this system but finding information, while driving, is difficult at best (Im still trying to learn this system). There are several other smaller problems; the display screen is washed out during the day by the sunlight, the digital speedometer does not match the needle speedometer and other small issues. Keep in mind this is the XLE Camry (one step below the Avalon) and should much much better. I hate to admit it but I rode in a Nissan Altima yesterday and found it much quieter and more comfortable than my Camry (I have never been a Nissan fan, maybe should re-evaluate the Nissan). Ill take my 2001 Camry LE over this one any day. I fail to see why this Camry is rated so high by many people, confused!

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  Disappointed - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By searching15 - July 19 - 6:15 am

  We bought our HH new in 2008. We have replaced the 12v battery 3 times, replaced tires twice, and now have the car at the dealership for the 5th visit related to fueling issues - mainly that I can no longer fuel my HH. The car has been in for recalls 5 times, and the customer service at 5 dealerships has been seriously lacking if not all together absent. Definitely a lemon, and we have owned 3 other Toyotas without reliability issues, but the experience with this vehicle has left us disappointed and we will certainly not be purchasing another Toyota.

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  Better than all the rest - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By manny - July 19 - 5:06 am

  I had my heart set on the F150. However, owning an old 94 F-150 with a multitude of problems and hearing about questionable reliability through consumer reports for all GM and Ford trucks led me to Toyota. Youre not gonna get the fancy interior. What you do get, is lots of power in the 05, awesome handling, a silky smooth auto trans, and whisper quite ride through 50 mph, with the sound slowly increasing as you pass through 70-80. I avg 14.5 mpg driving around town. Im not a leadfoot. If you slam on the gas, youre gonna get 12 mpg. I can get 16.7 mpg on the highway (75 mph). and 17.8 mpg (premium gas). The cockpit is simple but very spacious and functional. Test drive IT NOW.!

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  Now Bigger Squintier with Less Head and Leg Room - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Jeff Harris - July 18 - 10:03 pm

  I took my beloved 2006 RAV in for its 120,000 mile maintenance. and drove a new 2015 Rav 4 for the day. I first noticed unfortunate design changes while attempting to get in the car. The seat was higher. The roof lower, and the steering wheel moved less. Anyone over 6 feet tall will not be comfortable getting in and out of the drivers seat of the 15 Rav 4. Thats a shame because the ample headroom and easy entry was one of the reasons I bought the 06 Rav 4. Visibility from the drivers seat , which wasnt ideal in my 2006 Rav4, was even further from ideal in the 15. The ribbon windows in my 06 model have become mere slits in the 15. No backup camera is a risky thing in the Rav 4; I had one installed after reportedly backing into objects hidden from view. The 15 has even less view of what is behind it. Clearly, tiny fashionistas with an obsession with squinty windows and headlights have taken control of design and the car suffers from it. The only improvement I detected was a decrease in road noise.

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  love it - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Teresa - July 18 - 1:33 pm

  I love my Yaris, and have taken it on a few long trips, did not notice it didnt have cruise till I took it on a trip and was disappointed it was not pointed out by dealer but love it anyway and would recommend to anyone for the economy of it.

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  Better than expected - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By MS - July 18 - 1:16 pm

  Bought 2010 5 door Yaris for the gas mileage alone given my commute, but found the car to be enjoyable overall. I can get all 3 of my kids in the back if I need too. The manual is bright and easy to shift, power even at 1500 rpm, so Im in 5th unless I am stopped or on steep hill. Nice stereo, with Ipod jack, "plasticy" interior but expected. zippy and I can park anywhere. If youre ready to save money and the environment get one. FYI Toyota does not make one without the power package so add 1k + to the price, I paid $14,200.

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  No Complaints - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By peakcoach - July 18 - 10:03 am

  My 2004 Highlander has 170,000 miles on it, is running strong, and not one problem This vehicle has served me well. Only general maintenance like fluid flushes, filter replacements and tire replacements.

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  toyota - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By kevin - July 18 - 10:00 am

  this is an extremely sophisticated and fun to drive and is pretty fast for a hybrid

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  Awsome car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Cycliste1961 - July 18 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love this car. Low initial cost and low cost to maintain. I have lifetime oil and filter changes. I am a no fuss guy who wants a reliable car with the lowest possible fuel consumption. Great steering wheel response. Super maneuverability and great road feel. This is equivalent to the Corolla of the 80s. A car for those of us who cannot be bothered with vehicle problems.

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  Great Vehicle/ Questioable Price. - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By G .A .H. - July 18 - 10:00 am

  Loved it but,If I new That just driving a new one off the lot automatically dropped the value of the vehicle to 25,000 or less.I would have searched and found one a year old and would not have spent more than 23,000.Shame on Toyota for ruining yet another lifetime customer. P.S. Im still going to keep my old toy trucks though. Must have had real engineers (or not Harvard,or Yale). You get the point.