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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  Rock Solid - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Atlanta Renegade - July 4 - 1:10 am

  This truck is bulletproof and surprise me everyday. Bought it 2.5 years ago and never missed a beat. Its built by Hino which is Toyotas truck division, very solid and great smooth 4.0l V6 engine. Ultra low maintenance. I use it to tow my boat and also do some offroading. Great vehicle is you like using your vehicle to do adventure outdoor type of stuff and dont want to worry about damaging something on the vehicle. Do yourself a favor and look underneath one and youll find that the truck is way overbuilt and great bang for your buck.I enjoy mine and use it everyday

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  Excellent auto - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By RICHARD BURNS - July 3 - 9:43 pm

  I bought this car used in 2003. The body and interior look brand new, it drives like a new car. I havent done any repairs. I perform the schedule routine maintenance and am thoroughly satisfied with the performance. I see no need to purchase a new car at this time as my Camry is totally reliable.

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  Driving the Best - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Chris Rollins - July 3 - 3:43 pm

  Personally, Id prefer a solar generated vehicle but since that isnt available, I chose the next best environmentally friendly vehicle. I feel good about doing something constructive about preserving the environment.

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  Newbie to the SUV world - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Faus - July 3 - 3:23 pm

  Even though it has been a short period of time, but after having owned several sedans and mini-vans in the past few years, and having rented other SUVs ocassionally, I can say I am amazed about this car. It is easy and fun to drive, it has most of the features you would ever want, and it is very safe and stable to handle. Finally, visits to my dealer are also fantastic.

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  Does everyting well - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By gwnorth - July 3 - 1:03 pm

  We bought this car in need of a vehicle with enough space for two kids, two dogs, and two adults with the hopes of getting some respectable mileage. It has meet our needs well and so far we have averaged about 27 mpg using the econ mode and focusing on how we drive the vehicle. Toyota builds a great car, just not a very exciting car. Dont get me wrong, it does everyting it is supposed to do and does it well, just very conservatively and below the radar. We are pleased with our purchase and hope to get many great years out of our new HH!

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  Hybrid Avalon Touring 2014 - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By Hybrid Avalon 2014 Touring - July 3 - 8:01 am

  For some reason Edmonds doesnt know theres a Hybrid version of this car so I selected the V6 version. I Really like the Avalon now that I got rid of the OEM Toyota chosen Bridgestone Turanzas. DO NOT get an Avalon with Bridgestone (rocks) tires. I test drove the care with Michelin tires and the ride was firm but comfortable. My located Avalon came with Bridgestone Turanzas and the car rode brittle and handled terribly. I did some investigation and found others had Bridgestone Turanzas and hated them and got rid of them. At 16k miles they were getting so loud I couldnt bear it any more. I went to Toyota and they did not care or help. So I was on my own and put Pirelli P7s on the car and it rides, handles, stops, goes through rain great and is very quiet and is a LRR tire that gets great MPG. My headliner behind my sunroof fell down and the Toyota dealer fixed it once (including nasty fingerprints all over the headliner that I had to argue with the dealer to clean) and it fell down again. Toyota came up with a second headliner fix and they got it right. The radio every once in a while goes dead on AM or FM. It works fine through Bluetooth or other sound inputs, radio just dies. Its intermittent so of course the Dealer cant fix it. Poor quality radio though buyer be ware. The NAV system that Toyota provides would have been outdated in 2008. It has no speed limit and updates are horribly expensive and dont come out very often. My $100 Tom-Tom Nav or my apple phone do a far superior job than the one Toyota sticks you with. Regular free updates and speed limit display on the Tom-Tom. So after my flawless 2012 Camry XLE Hybrid, this Avalon has come with some issues and Toyota has not been much help. What I do like is the MPG for a car this size. Comfort is pretty good. Ive gone on some long trips and the seats are firm but not fatiguing. I would expect more padding in the seats for a car like this. Overall I like the interior layout. The armrest on the driver side at 17k is starting to wear through. Not too happy with the lack of durability of the arm rest vinyl. The steering is great. very low effort and accurate with decent road feel for a big car. The styling is pretty nice for a car in this price range. Over all a pretty nice car that I enjoy driving now that I prematurely had to get rid of the Toyota OEM Bridgestones. I have always owned Toyotas, and I still like this Avalon, but the quality and customer care is sadly slipping from Toyota and the dealers.

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  Amazing! - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By holdem185 - July 3 - 3:11 am

  I have always wanted a 4runner and I finally got one for Christmas. It drives awesome! Its so smooth and quiet. Gets up and goes taking off from a stop light unlike my old car. Roomy front seats, comfy leather seats. Just an amazing car! Highly recommend.

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  An appliance - and not much more - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By RealityCheck - July 2 - 8:56 pm

  Im a little disappointed by the quality of the interior materials and some of the design decisions. I cant quite get the right seat/steering wheel setup, the LCD displays are hard to read in sunlight, and the electric power steering is atrocious. Its been 30 years since Ive driven a car that required so many steering corrections. Engine performance is OK in first gear, a dog in any other gear. The ride/handling trade-off is surprisingly good for such a cheap car. Maybe Im spoiled, by my 2006 Pontiac GTO has a much nicer interior than either this car or the Camry - surprising since everyone talks about how bad GM interiors are.

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  A Nice Transition - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By travelkat - July 2 - 11:50 am

  I bought the Camry SE after driving a 2002 Camaro Z28 for 7 years. I have been very happy with the sport suspension on the SE model (did not like the feel of the LE model at all -- much too soft). But my silver Camry SE with charcoal leather interior is fabulous! It looks great, feels great, and its easy on the wallet. I became interested in Toyota when my husband bought a Tacoma back in the spring. I decided Toyota equals quality! We test-drove the Prius but I felt like I was riding in a tin can. When I drove the Camry SE I fell in love. This is how a car should drive! I dont understand the reviews that say the car is bland or unexciting, maybe they did not get the SE model.

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  No More Fords For Me - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Randy - July 2 - 8:13 am

  After almost buying a 2009 F-150 4.6L, I decided upon the Tacoma. I was leery about the 150s fuel mileage, and checked many Tacoma Forums for their mileage assessments. That being said, I have NO regrets at all. The Tacoma, to me, rides like a car with the benefit of a truck. I owned two Ford Rangers previous to this purchase, and the difference is night and day. Interior is superb and luxurious compared to the Rangers plain design. Seats are more comfortable but the seats are lower, which is the only dislike I have about this vehicle. Id much prefer to sit up a bit higher. I feel a bit like driving a Miata with my legs out rather than in a normal sitting position.