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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  A Work in Progress - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By twinbridges - July 7 - 1:10 am

  My 2005 Avalon XLS has a lot of nice features including, lots of interior space, reclining rear seats, good visibility, as well as good power. It has wide easy entry doors. However, there is ample room for improvement. For example, the transmission and engine hesitate at low speed. The "stainless steel" exhaust leave rust spots on the garage floor. There is only one keyed entry on the car. The rear window has significant optical distortion. The windshield also has some also. The side mirrors are not breakaway like GMs so figure on buying at least one in the next 5 years at $340. The suspension system could be stiffened. You have difficulty reading the odometer in daylight.

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  The GTO of SUVs - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - July 6 - 7:40 pm

  The sport package with the V-6 was the clincher. The i-4 is more than adequate but the 6 is in a different league; quiet, smooth and very quick. The Rav looks better in "sports wear" as opposed to the Limiteds "formal attire". No spare tire on the back of the Sport V-6, is a big plus (run flat tires maybe not so much; well see). Ive never been crazy about the dash and theyre a little stingy w/options. Fit and finish are great and Toyota reliability is tough to beat.

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  Not as good as the 2001 model - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By roger d - July 6 - 4:23 pm

  Ive had this car for one month. Im only getting 27 mpg hwy while I got 31 in my old 2001 Avalon. The transmission does some weird things when going slow. Real jerky. Ride is nothing like my old one. Much rougher and the most annoying thing is engine noise. I admit I was spoiled with my last Avalon so maybe with time Ill adjust. They changed the way you change the oil and filter to deter you from doing it yourself. When you test drive one of these cars, ask to drive one of the 2004s or earlier and compare. Climb underneath and look for the oil filter. Its inside the engine now Im told. They replaced the steel pan under the front of the engine with some cheap plastic. Im not happy.

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  Toyota 2000 Avalon XLS - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Dan - July 6 - 4:13 pm

  Big car. Great when having friends or large family trips. 2000 Model looked good inside all controls convenient. Did not use sun roof but came with car. Skid control was not worth the extra I paid for it. Would not purchase that again even though I live in Northeast did not use it much. For 6 years most everything stayed intact and no problems. You have to love the interior room for everyone it is great! Also not that bad on gas. Had a very quiet ride. Into my 7th year things started falling apart. From 7th to 9th year replaced close to $1,300 in sensors over two years. Small parts started falling apart. Could not use mid grade had to stay with Premium or got poor performance. Leather not soft and plushy even started to wear a lot.

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  Not for gravel roads - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Finn - July 6 - 1:06 pm

  We purchased this vehicle because we live in the mountains and need a lot of ground clearance and off road handling. The only area in which this car has disappointed me is in its off road handling, which unfortunately in our situation, is a huge chunk of time. When we purchased this vehicle we were aware of its "truck like chassis" but this car is downright scary to drive on our gravel (sometime washboard) roads. Im not going any faster than 20-25 miles per hour, usually less. This car fish tails or skids over the slightest washboard. I have talked to other people in this area with the same problem.

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  2007 Tacoma Short Bed 4 Door 4wd - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By John M. - July 5 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a replacement for my 2001 Jeep Wrangler intending to do better than 12 mpg. The Toyota delivers about 18 mpg highway (thanks to the terrible new corn fuels that are terrible for the environment anyway) and 12 mpg city. After about 7 months of ownership, my check engine light came on. $6,500 worth of warranty work and 4 trips later, it is off. My dealer kindly loaned me a fully loaded Avalon to drive in the mean-time. I hate the plastic bed, but Im certain the decreased weight saves on gas mileage. The looks are ok, I prefer 4th generation Tacomas (2001-2004) over the 5th. Paint chips like crazy on my silver model. The painted plastic bumpers, etc are a bad idea.

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  Worth the investment? - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Desert Don - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Spyder now for better than 3 years. Its used as a fair weather driver exclusively. For its design as an "inexpensive sports car" its a winner. Dont buy this one expecting to use it for much more than FUN. Luggage/Storage is a joke. Although its a very light vehicle, I find myself looking for just one more gear (5 isnt quite enough) and a bit more power. Simply a FUN TOY if your in the market for one. Bottom line, drive this one before you spend the added $$ for anything else!

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  My Last toyota - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Mackie - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I boutght toyota because of its reputation for quality. Havent had any problems unitl this year. I had to pay over $700 to get the climate control fixed. I plan on trading it off. No more Toyota cars for me.

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  Typical Toyota - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By Mike Noble - July 4 - 2:00 am

  The V8 runs very well, but a little underpowered. Needs VVT valve technology to get the power up. Heater system inadequate. Not enough air, and to the wrong places. Build quality typical Toyota (very good). Needs a little help with transmission logic. 2 to 1 downshift at low speeds annoying, especially on slipery surfaces. Overall, a good reliable pickup, if youre not doing "full sized" chores. This is NOT a full size pickup. But then again, I bought it because it wasnt full sized.

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  After 9 months - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By dcdc - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Camry for 9 months now. Its a well built machine. Never any problems. Im very happy with my choice.