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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  It gets the job done! - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Hurasame - October 14 - 10:00 am

  My wife totaled our 2006 Corolla LE. Decided we wanted another Corolla but with a little sport. So we purchased the S Model. Car looks sleek and aggressive. I agree with some posters that the paint needs to be more durable. Like maybe 3 or 4 layers. Gas mileage is incredible and you have to love spending about $30 dollars to fill up the tank. I wish though the seats can be adjusted in more different ways and the steering feels at times a little artificial. Other than that, Id buy another Corolla.

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  2011 XLE V6 - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Henley - October 14 - 10:00 am

  I would have to say coming from a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am, I am in Heaven. I love having all of the power features, and a back seat that will actually sit an adult. I do mostly high way driving and sit in a lot of traffic on my way home and have been averaging around 28 mpg. I have hit 32 mpg on the highway with no traffic. I was able to get the car with the 2 year 25K mile maintenance. I am surprised that i was able to get the car for just over $25,500 brand new. I come from a family of Toyota owners (some have moved up to Lexus) and I can see why they keep buying them. I am sure that I will by another Toyota the next time I buy a car.

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  Good MPG for the long trips to the city - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Jack - October 14 - 7:00 am

  I purchased this car in 2/08 in Tempe AZ and save about $3K instead of buying it in ABQ, NM. Im getting about 38.5 to 41 MPG a week. Car is great on gas and has low engine noise. AC works great and came with most of the options of the LE (i.e., cruise control, tire pressure sensor, power locks and Windows variable speed windshield wipers etc). Good suspension and no interior problems. Seats fold down and tons of trunk space. It been a good little car.

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  Rattling Noise, MPG not up there - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By chewyxrage - October 13 - 10:26 am

  Ive had my Corolla for one year now and have driven it approx. 7,000 miles. I enjoy the car overall but there are some things that really annoy me about it. The panels for the side curtain airbags rattle and it annoys the bejesus out of me. It comes and goes. I have also recently noticed some more rattling noise (again, comes and goes) from the back area of the car. The gas mileage I get driving around the city isnt as good as advertised. It appears to be more like 25 for city driving and 30-33 on the highway. This was my first economy car. Being 63, I fit pretty comfortable in this vehicle. The engine is very quiet and has some quickness for being a 4 banger.

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  Highlander I4 base - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By pady - October 13 - 8:23 am

  I bought new Highlander I4 for more than a week. Drive is smooth and quiet. I think it has enough power from start and good gas mileage. First trip average is 27.7mpg/gal highway. If you drive both I4 and V6, you can see the different in acceleration, but if you not plan to race, you will be fine. Overall I am happy with it.

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  Love It! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By NHMountains - October 13 - 7:00 am

  We love our new 2008 Highlander. We were looking at the Honda Pilot but are very glad we went with the Highlander. Gas mileage is what you would expect for an SUV of this size but better than stated by Toyota. Living in the mountains I have used the downhill assist and it worked great. We also like the ability to switch to manual shift. It will come in handy this winter. Havent used the snow button yet but will probably use it quite frequently this winter. We went with the base because the price of the additional features wasnt worth the extra money for us.

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  I think about selling it - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Pavel - October 12 - 10:53 pm

  This is my second car - I bought a new one in Nov 2006 (my first car was an old Mitsubishi Galant, which I drove from 60K to 100K miles). Actual mileage (city + some freeway) = 25 mpg. The battery went dead at 6K miles, after I didnt drive for 2 weeks. The car has a good ground clearance, but when I drive on a windy freeway, it feels like the car is going to be blown away. Not enough power entering a short or ascending freeway on-ramp.

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  Generally a nice car - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By driver - October 12 - 4:13 am

  All around this is a fun car to own. Sometimes its hard to find the right gear when shifting and there is not enough inside lighting on the control panels on the dashboard. There is no lighting in the trunk and it is impossible to find things at night. This is definitely a safety hazard (personally). At night with a flat I had a frightening experience .

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  Very pleased - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By dvd0060 - October 10 - 3:53 pm

  For the money this car is fantastic! The 1.8 liter engines has plenty of get up and go (I was surprised!) great breaks, handling is light and steering was quick and accurate (made it kinda fun to drive). The seats are comfy and theres plenty of room inside. Stability and trac are standard! This car feels more substantial the you might imagine. Low road noise and very absorbent ride, all help make the car feel like quality.

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  DRONE Noise - 2009 Toyota Avalon
  By piercy42 - October 10 - 10:02 am

  My 2009 Avalon XLS have an annoying DRONE from the rear. The dealer tells me it is the tires. Im on my 3rd set (replaced because of the problem, they were not worn out). Problem cotinues and seems to be getting worse. Rotating tires also does not help. It is very annoying. Also have a friend with 2009 Avalon and he has the same problem. This is my 2nd Avalon. The 1st, a 2002 was a great car.