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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  Owner for 2 weeks - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Kristen - March 12 - 9:03 am

  We purchased our new Rav4 two weeks ago. I love it. One thing I did notice was that when I was driving on the highway and opened just the two back windows and not the front, the interior of the auto sounded like a freight train. It was very loud and the pressure actually hurt my ear drums.

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  Fabulous collision safety - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By John Cavaluchy - March 11 - 9:27 am

  2 weeks after purchasing the car we were T-boned by a driver go full speed thru a stop sign without attempting to stop. The 40 mph impact smashed both passenger side doors but protected all the occupants from injury. The side impact beams were a Godsend. Although we compared the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna, we gave the edge to the Sienna because of the styling. Everything was too close to call.

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  Mileage Disappointment - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mileage disappointme - March 11 - 4:16 am

  I have had my Camry for almost 2 years. The initial sticker on the window had 42-43 city and 37 highway. The actual mileage is 31 city and 38 highway. Since then the actual mileage on the 2008 and 2009 models is more realistic. Just had to replace 4 tires at 19,000 miles, after being serviced at the dealership regularly. This was another disappointment. The car runs well, but purchased it because of the anticipated mileage. The government credit did not turn out to be the full $2,600. When you complete your tax forms it says "potential" credit so beware of this. The $2,600 turned into $1,800. Otherwise a nice car, glad I purchased it with the gas prices currently at $4.00 per gallon.

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  Good fuel mileage - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By SSG JOE - March 11 - 3:00 am

  I average 44 mpg all the time and about 38 mpg with winter gas. I have got as high as 65 mpg. But 44 mpg seems to be the normal for normal driving (20% less than listed). The car is fun to drive but not for a very long trip. I drive it about 8 hrs everyday M-F, & the seats are not comfortable enough. I love the power up windows, cup holders, on board touch screen PC. I dislike the reverse back alarm, short leg room and the delay to shift into gear. I have noticed it lunges forward when the motor kicks in sometimes. It is great for holding a lot of stuff but is still a car.

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  brand new vehicle - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By cballou - March 10 - 12:56 pm

  This is a brand new vehicle. It could use a case for sunglasses like the tundra, moulding on the outside of the car to prevent dings from other cars opening their doors and I would have preferred the shifter on the column to allow for more leg room, aside from that, it holds my 300lb frame comfortably and gets great mileage.

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  Pruis 10 after 2 months - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By GoinGreen - March 10 - 5:06 am

  Definitely an engineers dream car. Very high tech and well finished. Significantly better than 2009-- especially the interior and additional power. The handling and braking is exceptional. And the scheduled maintenance is as close to none as possible. It does take some time to get use to and its almost 500 page manual does a good job explaining the differences of driving a hybrid.

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  Some Bugs - But Good - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Highlander Owner - March 10 - 3:56 am

  The check engine light kept coming on (Which does not mean much in current automobiles). After three trips to the dealer they finally changed out the entire computer mother board and fixed the problem. Other than that it is an excellent car with great looks and lots of power. After test driving the Highlander all the other SUVs seemed to drive like U-Haul trucks. Definitely get the color coded fender wells, chrome tube step rails, and spoiler, or the truck will look like a minivan.

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  Good car for what you want it for - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Donut44 - March 10 - 1:30 am

  When it comes to just needing a quality car for a pretty good price, this is hard to beat. It has decent power when you need it, as long as that is "needing it" like once a day or less. The 4 cyl is built for comfort, mpgs and lasting ability. Cant speak for the latter yet, but the first two have been really good. About 28mpg on city travel, not sure on long distances yet.

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  Overrated - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By tacmot - March 10 - 12:20 am

  When I initially bought this 2006 TRD Tacoma, I was initially blown away with the styling and capability. Did a lot of bragging for Yota and probably sold a few vehicles for them. Fast forward 2 years, "the honeymoon is over" and it time for real solid engineering and time tested design to take over but I feel that this is not the one. This truck has not left me on the side of the road but is giving "indications of potential unreliable conditions" i.e. the tranny works but feels like it has begun a death march. The engine runs but sounds like it could have some problems in the not so distant future. learned my lesson, you be smart, learn from my mistake, buy an F-150, ford Im coming home.

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  Handles well, underpowered - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By sendme - March 9 - 11:48 pm

  6 months of use. Changed from Honda coupe (V6, manual 6) to 4dr, 4cyl Auto. Firm ride but power steering too strong for good tracking and feedback. City stop/go driving gets 35-30 mpg, interstate driving 33-36 mpg. 2 trips (1 hour, 4 hours) with more go than stopping and less than 65 mph gave over 40 mpg. With cruise control turned on and going uphill, the computer downshifts from 6th gear to 4th gear AND then figures out it only needs to be in 5th gear. Transmission logic needs adjustment. 4 cylinder is slightly underpowered but manual shifting helps.