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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  My Wife and I Fight Over Driving This Car - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Matt L. - July 5 - 11:35 am

  My wife and I both love this car. Everything about it from the looks, to the ride, to the power is great. Lots of tech. We both like that it reads your text messages to you while your driving. Navigation works great. The backup camera is crystal clear day or night. Very comfortable car. We have taken two, long drive family vacations in it and it was never uncomfortable or made us start squirming in our seats. The engine, although we only have the 4 cylinder, is very smooth and has a lot of power. We like that is has a true six speed transmission instead of a horrible CVT transmissions like they are putting in most newer cars. The car has a huge trunk and is also very roomy on the inside. Weve owned this car since October of 2014 and we have been very pleased with everything about it. One very minor complaint is the JBL Audio system. For the money it doesnt sound that great. Not terrible, but could definitely be better.

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  Wow, is this a great car! - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By O Picher - July 5 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this car for nearly 3 years now, and I just love it. A mini Lexus in its interior styling. Well- engineered and runs like a top. The acceleration is impressive (it has two engines, after all). Floor it, and leave the other cars in the dust. As for the eco-side of this, all I can say is this: once you sit at a stop light, with your car being dead quiet, you notice all the other cars around you still belching out exhaust. All cars should be this way. I wouldnt recommend it as a first car, but it has made a great second car.

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  MAKES AN OLD MAN FEEL DECADES YOUNGER! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Richard Thies - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Owning a Solara SLE is like driving a dream car! This is so close to having a Lexus, you can taste it. It was love at first sight, & its great having one of the first ones in Omaha. I used to draw cars as a teenager, so can appreciate the curvaceous lines of this sculptural work of art. The interior is glamorous, sleek, and invitingly perfect! Driving the automatic with the upshifting/downshifting capabilities is just so much fun, especially in city stop & go traffic. It makes me feel like a kid again! I LOVE THIS CAR!!!

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  what were engineers thinking of? - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By rebecca phillips - July 5 - 10:00 am

  WHY make a back window that would go down with the remote access and not be able to go up I feel like I am looking at the sunvisors every time I get in this vehicle. there are people with long torsos. AND the fact that you have to be Godzilla to pull the back door down? it would be nice to have at least two phone portals or should I say phone/computer or just plain more than one in the front. I find the one near the console VERY cumbersome. Sounds like a lot for someone who rather likes the vehicle but that window is BAD!!!! and those door locks are horrible!!!!!!!!

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  Tough Truck - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Michael Meyer - July 5 - 10:00 am

  The Toyota Tacoma is a solid, quiet truck. Hunters have been amazed seeing the truck quietly approach their camps. The interior is very easy to keep clean, looks like new after a quick vacum and wipe down. Fuel economy is great for a pick up. I am a believer in the quality and reliability after owning this, my first Toyota.

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  A Pretty Good Van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By driver99 - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Weve owned the vehicle for about 7 weeks, with a 1800 mile road trip with 3 kids under our belts. Got great gas mileage 23mpg, 70+mph and the AC on all the time. Good turning radius for a vehicle of this size. On the AWD version there is no spare, relying on the run flat tires to get you home. You can have one installed but it will occupy the area located behind the rear seat eliminating the ability to fold half of it down.

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  You wont get valet parked out front...BUT! - 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Tom Blanchfield - July 5 - 5:01 am

  This is my second TLC. I had the 2012. This is such an improvement in all the things that make a long drive comfortable or not. The adaptive cruise control on the early edition was overly sensitive. This one seems to know what is coming and gently accelerate or brake. The lane departure warnings and driver alert warnings are important/useful safety aids. The automatic brake thingy saved me front a very expensive accident! It is super quiet on the highway and this car just eats up miles! I traded in another vehicle that I liked that got better fuel mileage(RAM Eco Diesel), but the ownership costs of a Toyota are among the best. RAM had frequent service visits. I have had Audi Q7s with their brake jobs every 12000 miles and recalls. This thing is expected to be both reliable and cheap to maintain! My last TLC was! While it would be nice if the 3rd row folded flat into the floor, Id rather have the toughness and reliability of the TLC. I love the rear tailgate, and again you may think you want a powered clamshell rear door, but a split tailgate is so useful in real life situations. The roof hardware is very stout, no need to get a stronger Thule support bracket, like I had to with my Denali. When you add it all up, this is the finest large SUV out there! People who know quality and actually need an off road capable, snow/ice capable, towing capable, night on the town capable, kid capable - large SUV will love their LandCruiser. Those who want the valet to park it out front will get a Range Rover. Only issue is that Toyota should add Wifi like the American vehicles.

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  191,000 miles and still drive it daily - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rob U - July 5 - 2:59 am

  Have put 120,000 miles on the 99 4Runner. The only repair issues are a small oil leak, replacing the clutch every 8-10 years, and a brake job or two. All relatively minor repairs. Handles and drives great. Wonderful in the Colorado snow. Great visibility. Sturdy design. Relatively quiet inside although newer models are even quieter. Its a V6 so it has decent power but not great, especially up mountains. If youre thinking of buying a used 99 4Runner and its got 200k miles on it - Do it! Plan to drive mine another 100k miles at least. Older, reliable vehicles are better for your bank account than losing thousands of dollars in depreciation every year. Repair costs have been minimal in the 9 years Ive owned it.

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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By 2nd owner - July 4 - 12:46 am

  We bought our Highlander with 50k miles 5 years ago and have put over 80k additional miles on it. It is the most reliable car we have ever owned. It has great performance, decent fuel economy, comfortable ride and is a nice looking car as well. I would recommend it to anyone regardless of mileage. I have seen them with 300k miles and still going.

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  More Bang For Your Buck - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By John Webber - July 3 - 6:40 am

  Ive had my Corolla for two months now, it did 25.8 mpg city with a heavy gas hitter. The trunk has room for all my golf clubs and the split seat works well for my fishing rods. The placement of everything is logical accept the clock. The center console is a bit small along with the little compartment with the outlet. The plastic does scratch easily leaving marks. Everything feels solid nothing loose and feeling like it would break. The seating position can fit all, Im 511 with long legs and its really comfortable. If your looking for an economy car that gives you the most bang for the buck, this is it. A very big improvement from last years model.