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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  Wife took over my truck! - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By Rod - December 9 - 4:43 am

  In my previous review, I mentioned longer life for brake rotors, come to find out the front brakes were under excessive load and not balanced with the back brakes. Problem has been fixed and I am proud to report smooth stops! The truck is great and I plan on keeping it until it drops dead around 500,000 miles. Truck has plenty of room for your "stuff", SUV owners should consider this truck as an alternative with more room in the back (-w-camper shell). It is easier to park in the smaller spaces at the shopping center, I traded a size pickup for this reason got tired of backing up and trying again to get into a spot.

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  My 05 PreRunner 10 Years Later - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By timztoytac - December 9 - 4:28 am

  Generally speaking, the Tacome is without a doubt the Best Looking Mid-Size Pickup out there. The 4.0L V6 is an excellent power plant with great acceleration and towing capability. The interior is average at best, although improvements have come on later models, it is stil very comfortable on long drives and easy to get Ina and out of. The handling capability for this truck is pretty solid around turns and the ride suspension is pretty decent as well. Obviously Tacomas Rule, because everywhere I go, I see them more than any other truck.

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  2001 Toyota Tacoma - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By Toyota Lover - December 9 - 4:26 am

  I bought this vehicle brand new in 2001 and still use it for delivery business. I have put 328000 miles on it with only minimal problems. Replaced auto transmission at 300000 but that is the only thing major gone wrong with this many miles. Still starts easily and drives perfect. Does not smoke or burn oil and runs like a sewing machine. Most dependable reliable vehicle ever owned.

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  Bens Review - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By bmatula1 - December 9 - 3:36 am

  Excellent performance, comfort and reliability. Performance is excellent for a relatively large car and a V6 engine. Amenities like automatic windshield wipers and keyless entry/start set this car apart from others.

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  new owner - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By rod - December 9 - 1:13 am

  This is a very comfortable car, plenty of power and excellent quality and engineering.

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  13 - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By fid1 - December 8 - 9:38 pm

  The car rides great and looks great but I have a few suggested improvements. The drivers seat has very hard side panels, why are they not the same consistency as the center sections?

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  Unbeatable Value - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Bill - December 8 - 7:53 pm

  Unquestionably the most practical, reliable, efficient gasoline passenger automobile with best resale period. The LE version has everything you need and nothing you dont. Street priced around $3K below sticker, a name brand and very plentiful, it has no meaningful competitor for basic, safe and reliable transportation with lowest total cost of ownership.

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  Beware of this minivan - 2015 Toyota Sienna
  By D.P. - December 8 - 7:11 pm

  We bought a new 2015 Sienna during the summer of 2015. Though large inside the vehicle is hard to see out of and has sizable blind spots. The car no longer comes with regular tires and the runflat tires that come as standard equipment are of low quality. We only got 20K miles out of ours and replacements cost twice as much as a decent conventional tire. You dont need runflats since if you end up having a problem you wont be able to pop on a spare and continue your trip. You have 50 miles to get to a tire shop or dealer in order to get a new, overpriced tire. While the car is still under warranty the TPS sensors are starting to break. Toyotas policy is to ask customers to commit to paying a fee to determine if the sensors are covered under the warranty. I ask you, if you have to pay to use it what good is a warranty in the first place. Neither Toyota nor the dealer that sold me the car will put this policy in writing, they just refuse to do the work unless you agree. In this day and age you can do better. Be warned and learn from my experience. If I had known then what I know now I never would have bought the car. Update as requested by Edmunds. Minivan continues to have problems. Most recently a door recall that the dealer required to be done during the week and was an all-day fix. For those who work being unwilling to do recall repairs during their scheduled weekend hours shows the lack of customer service Ive come to expect.

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  TCH decision confirmed -again - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By SE TN TCH - December 8 - 12:00 pm

  We were not going to purchase a replacement for our 02 Honda Odyssey van for another 3 years, but it was totaled in a severe accident. We were on a 4 month wait list for a mid-optioned Prius. Due to size & crash-worthiness concerns with the Prius, we purchased a base 09 TCH. The first tank back home at 65 MPH was 41 MPG. In first 3K miles, we average 38 MPG in mixed cycle driving. This is an increase of 21 MPG over the van (17 MPG in same cycle).

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  New LE 8 pass over the Odyssey - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By ttekcol - December 8 - 10:06 am

  We purchased a 2005 LE-8 pass with pkg 8 (DVD etc). We selected it over the odyssey for the two reasons that the 8th seat is much more comfortable than the middle/middle seat in the ody and because it can tow our tent trailer easier. I liked the guages, auto-temp control, dual power doors, 6 disc CD, and handling on the ody. However, with 3 sons and tons of camping trips - I needed 3 comfortable seats in the middle and Honda blew it. Seat fabric is fair (shows wear from our car seat after two months) and the pull cords for the seat recliners is a pain. Sienna has 3rd row vent windows, better 2nd row fold/tumble seats, smoother transmission, better pricing- $5k off price. so far so good.