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:

• 

  Perfect for grownups - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By larry siegel - September 27 - 12:43 pm

  Car is really well designed. Plenty of room and very comfortable. If you want a sports car you can do better but if comfort-luxury-economy-and reasonable performance do it for you - this is your car. I had a 2003 Q45 and this is just flat our better for my driving needs than that. Not without shortcomings but a great value and a dream to drive 30 min to work daily. No bluetooth and it hunts for gears on hills, otherwise no negatives. Oh yea, the nav isnt touch screen and the laser cruise is a silly worthless toy. Otherwise its a solid winner.

• 

  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By nc3 - September 27 - 6:30 am

  This car is a complete lemon. I have had so many things go wrong with this car and Toyota DOES NOT CARE. This will be the last Toyota I ever buy. The sliding door has been broken at least four times, Ive had to spend money to replace several things in the drive shaft at a cost of hundreds of dollars, things fall apart and the quality sucks.

• 

  The Best SUV in the segment - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By kaushiksripat - September 27 - 4:13 am

  Hello, The Highlander is the best in the segment i would say. The ride quality is far better than other suvs in this segment. You got to drive this decent SUV ... I am sure there will be no one who would not love it. Decent fuel economy, Robust feel while driving ( sturdy), very reliable, Smooth V6 and superb drive quality, best for family with small kids, Amazing family car

• 

  Nice vehicle - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Momma3 - September 27 - 3:46 am

  I really enjoy driving this vehicle. It handles nicely and has ample cargo room. Back seats fold up easily for addl cargo room. Gas mileage is poor, but I expected that when I bought it. Great car for 3 kids who can climb in the back and buckle themselves in. Comfort is so so. We also own a Chevy Suburban and take that on road trips due to more comfortable seats and additional leg room. Placement of DVD player is poor - located inside storage compartment between front driver and passenger seats. Must pull over to put in new movie if alone in front seat. Placement of seat warmer switches poor. They get turned on accidently all the time. Dash controls are designed well.

• 

  Pleasantly surprised! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By elsie223 - September 26 - 10:32 pm

  My husband already owns a Toyota Taocma so I was told we were only looking at Toyotas and nothing else. So I was immediately put off. When the salesman suggested I drive the Camry, my husband said "dont show her any model but the top of the line" and good thing! The XLE didnt feel as boring as I expected. The interior is classy and since I got a red one, it feels very "me". Did NOT expect to like this car as much as I do. Have only had it about 10 days and can see myself driving this for a long time. Read other reviews about the headlights being dim, but what I noticed is a very defined cutoff on the top of the field of vision which is not present when the brights are turned on.

• 

  Nice car with a few glaring flaws - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Tom H. - September 26 - 9:36 pm

  Overall, the highlander is a good car. Soft ride with good acceleration...but you have very little feel of the road. Everything seems very well put together and of high quality. Basically, this seems like your typical Toyota vehicle. However, the instrument panel seems to have been designed by someone new to the technology. Most of the options wont save as default, the GPS is horrible, and trying to use the touch screen while driving is too distracting. The menus arent intuitive, and thingshe that should be prominent one click buttons require use of sub menus. These are things that you dont notice on a test drive, but really get on your nerves after having the car for a month.

• 

  Third one - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By j74b - September 26 - 5:20 pm

  After looking at others vehicles of similar size and power, the Avalon not only was the cheapest with most options, their price was less that 2010 models, with same equipment, second vehicle with sat radio a plus,not as exciting as a Taurus Sho, but better mpg and more rear seat room. Still learning the Nav system but finally conquered phone.

• 

  good - 2004 Toyota Echo
  By federico fernandez - September 26 - 4:53 pm

  Very good conmuter car

• 

  Reliability Issues - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By T - September 25 - 8:03 pm

  For a five year old van with relatively low mileage, our Sienna has had some serious reliability issues. In the past 12 months, weve replaced a front axle, transmission, drivers & passenger seat belts, and drivers exterior door handle. Fortunately, our dealer has gone to bat for us and the only out of pocket cost has been the $200 door handle. We also recently found out that we need a new ABS control module ($1800) and the spare tire wench wont lower the spare tire ($160). Theyve declined to cover either of these items, so weve formally appealed to corp. grievance. The first three years we loved the van, the last two have been very disappointing to say the least.

• 

  Good looks, poor ride - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By lizstx - September 25 - 6:16 pm

  Weve nicknamed our Matrix the "covered wagon" because of how horrendous the ride is. Every bump, pot hole, and dip is magnified many times over by the fact that the "sporty suspension" makes this car feel like it has no shocks whatsoever. Its loud, rough, and we regret the day we bought it. Spare yourself the pain and pass this one by.