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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  Rav4 review - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Ho Y - August 9 - 9:33 am

  Long brake distance, feel every bump compare with sedan and minivan.

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  Good family car, need to improve some designs - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By juan_preciado - August 9 - 5:36 am

  I change this van, upgrading from a 07 Honda Oddysey, I have more than a year with it, and will said that I miss the honda, but this have some new features, like the electric power steering, that is a big difference from a hydraulic one, this will make the city drive more comfortable, but I think, I need more attention to drive on the road, because steering is so soft to move. I believe that the honda had better aceleration on the start (low RPM). The new dessing for the middle seat are not rigth, the seat are getting too hard to move, my wife can not move them anymore, and the floor mat get stuck under the seat very often. The front seat has the problem that the plastics keep falling off.

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  Tires replaced to often! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By leanneasa - August 8 - 11:37 pm

  I bought the 2005 Limited Sienna Van brand new. We have had to replace the tires every 23 to 26,000 miles. We have had the tires rotated, alligned and balanced as suggested. The tire manufactures cannot figure out why the tires will not last and have been replacing them free because they are not lasting until the warranty period is up. Firestone has given us 3 free sets of tires, Gateway gave us 1 free and 1 prorated. The local Toyota service manager told me that this is just the way the vans ride and it is normal????? BEWARE

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  This car works for a living. - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By John L - August 8 - 6:53 pm

  Other than standard maintenance, this car has had zero problems. Performance is considerably better than expected in all categories.

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  GOOD CHOICE BUT ONE QUIRK - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By MikefromAlberta - August 8 - 3:43 pm

  We bought our second hand 07 Matrix XR in April of 07 and had it for almost 3 yrs. It has been very reliable. It has adequate power and is decent on fuel (about 42 miles/imperial gallon).It is extremely versatile and has great interior room. With winter snow tires, traction is excellent and it has no problem handling our Canadian winters. It does have one quirk and Im not sure if our car is unique. It has the standard 1.8 engine and an automatic transmission. I brought it in a couple of times to the dealership and mentioned that it did not upshift smoothly after slowing down in city traffic. They couldnt help but by accident I realize that burning higher octane fuel solved the problem.

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  Solid Economy Car - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By NYCCT - August 8 - 12:06 pm

  Overall happy with the vehicle. Repeat Toyota buyer, but did switch one vehicle to Honda FIT this year.

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  Wonderful - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By Doughh - August 8 - 10:00 am

  Great ride, handles well, very high quality.

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  Owned nearly 2 yrs. +s & -s - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By jamiedaniel - August 8 - 7:10 am

  Its a great car for what it is. Ive put close to 40,000 miles on mine. Would I buy one again? Maybe. The car is noisy, and the Good Year tires are ill handling, and contribute to a lot of said noise. I just replaced mine with non LRR Michelin Primacys. The car rides much better and feels more secure on wet roads. My mileage only fell by 2-3mpg. I average anywhere from 38-45. No complaints there. I havent had to have anything else done, aside from oil changes. Toyota recommends every 10,000. Im not willing to go that long. I do between 4 and 6k with Toyota filters and Mobil 0W-20. I find it the cheapest at Wal Mart.

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  2 WD Limited 4 CYL - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By David - August 8 - 6:00 am

  This car has been getting 28 MPG with mixed city and highway driving. The power is fine even with the 4 cyl engine. My last vehicle was a 2005 4Runner and the interior head room even with the moon roof is much better than the 4Runner. The Bluetooth hands free stereo is a must. The backup camera is a waste (too small). A back up beeping sensor is much more useful. The only quality issue I have found is a clunking sound shifting from reverse when the engine is cold. This appears to be a common problem with the Rav4. The interior room with the seats flat also rivals the 4Runner. The only thing the 4Runner does better is off road. By the way a 6 cyl 4Runner with 4 wheel drive averaged 20 MPG.

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  Jack of Most Trades; Perfect Cruiser - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By nicoszlu - August 8 - 1:15 am

  My first car was a new bare bones Civic. It set the standard for what I expect from a new car. Fast forward to 2014 and I chose the Camry SE V6 as it checked all the boxes for a larger, comfortable, more powerful car A master of most trades, Camry is for the most part a no brainer but in less than a year I have found a few things that make me question Toyotas quality. The Camry is the perfect interstate cruiser and an overall good value checking all the boxes at the expense of a few shortcuts in build quality. If you want a spacious 4 door, efficient & quick ride with a sporty flair in your daily driver,the Camry is a great option and easily matches the V6 Accord in that quest.