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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  AWESOME!!!!!! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By maggie - June 15 - 6:33 am

  I am thrilled with my Yaris!! It is stylish, comfortable, fun to drive and economical! Of course, with gas prices being what they are these days I wouldnt mind being able to claim about 10 miles per gallon more than what I am now recording. However, 38/39 m.p.g. on the freeways and 32/33 m.p.g. in-town driving isnt too shabby considering its the summer months and Im driving with the air-conditioner on full blast! I think I got a great deal on my 2007 Yaris.

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  Great dog & adventure-mobile! - 2008 Toyota Matrix
  By wawoof - June 15 - 5:36 am

  We decided to replace our 2002 Subaru Legacy wagon (EPA: 18/25) with a more fuel-efficient car. We went with the Matrix because it was the most fuel-efficient, economical, and reliable car we could find that would fit a large dog in the back. Great dog car! The dog barrier screws into the back of the rear seat - much more secure than any other dog barrier Ive encountered. The plastic lining the cargo area is SO much easier to clean than the carpet in other cars. It even came with a bunch of useful nets and screws to organize the cargo area. Perfect car for us and our dogs. And I love how all the seats on the passenger side fold down and the rear window opens to accommodate long items.

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  So far so good... - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By B.A. - June 14 - 10:15 pm

  Very comfortable. Today 97-98 degrees, a/c comfortable. Stereo good. Bluetooth connection to cell phone/pandora good. Seats very comfortable in front, with firm good support. Would prefer stronger seat covering than cloth, but this is base trim. Would prefer LED or high intensity headlights, but not on this trim. Good acceleration, very good road holding. Road trip from Colorado to Calgary and back via Glacier, Banff, Yellowstone, with 5 adults and baggage comfortable, except for third row seating. Mileage for trip: 24.5 - 25.5 mpg. Car very smooth, and so far, pleasure to drive. Bought Toyota Platinum Extended warranty, zero deductible 125,000 miles, 10 years. Would be great if I never have to use it. So far, I am happy with the purchase. Things to watch for when purchasing: Make sure gas, and temp gauges are working and are accurate. If must be replaced, part of instrument cluster which must be replaced as a unit, and includes the odometer. Toyota can be difficult about this, requiring car to be left at dealer for several weeks while part ordered. Check this thoroughly on test drive.================================================Update 1/15/18: One star removed (now 4 stars) due to perceived cost of future maintenance, see following: This is probably the most comfortable car I have ever owned. It is responsive, quiet, handles well, holds the road well. We are coming from US made Saturns, a 2007 Vue with 216,000 miles and 2004 Ion with 138,000 miles. We keep cars forever, so reliability and longevity are key for us, as well as low costs of ownership, and low maintenance costs. We were looking at RAV4, priced right, but seemed a little cramped... and the salesman suggested Highlander. We drove an LE with V6 and AWD and really liked it. Got a good price and the rest is history. We like how the car drives and looks. Very comfortable, with the performance being there when needed. We are getting approx 24 - 25 mpg with a combination of highway and local driving. We were able to purchase a Toyota extended warranty to 125,000 miles or 10 years (whichever comes first). We would give the car a 5 star rating, except for these items: 1). New plugs are required to maintain the emission warranty every 60,000 miles. To get to the plugs, a manifold must be removed, raising the cost of the service. 2) At 120,000 miles replacement of a brake booster vacuum pump is required as part of regular maintenance. The part alone is over $1,000... and labor is additional. This is required maintenance and not considered an extended warranty item. 3) The wheels appear to be alloy wheels. However, they are coated with clear plastic, which looks like they could be damaged by scraping a curb (ours are still fine, fingers crossed). There seems to be no way to repair this damage other than replacing the wheel, which I am told cost $700 each if purchased from Toyota. I would like Toyota to focus a bit more on low cost of ownership. 4) We have not experienced this problem as we have an LE (manual rear hatch) but there are some reported instances of failure of the electrically operated rear hatch on other Highlander models.

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  Quality Check - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By bruinville - June 14 - 3:36 pm

  I just bought my 2011 Toyota Sienna LE from Irvine Power Toyota. When trying to store the 8th passenger seat in the designed trunk area, the car was missing the parts (hooks and belt) to store the seat correctly. As I looked around the dealership, this looked to be common in other Siennas (XLE and Limited included). While this issue is not life threatening (I took the car back and the parts are on back order leading me to believe this is a common problem), I question the quality control process. Given all the negative publicity of the company, one would think Toyota would have stronger checkpoints in place to eliminate problems. Anyone else experience the same issue?

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  2003 Toyota ECHO - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By Sharon - June 14 - 2:53 pm

  Its even good in snow! Amazing! Once around Erie there were two cars off the road in a squall, I called and the dispatcher said there were 200 cars off the road in that county! AND I just kept going without a problem! I dont get tired on long trips of 8-11 hours!

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  Love It. Minor Flaws - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By KG - June 14 - 1:46 pm

  Purchased my 2010 SR5 two months ago. Love the color gray. Averaging 19.5 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. Love the ride--smoother than many cars and most SUVs. I purchased the 2010 model after driving a 1999 SR5 for the last 11 years. Gas mileage is o.k. but I was hoping for a little better (low 20s would have been nice). I like the fuel economy meter and interior gauges and controls. Quality is great so far. I like the masculine looks, inside and out. Here are the minor flaws: no running boards, radio illumination gets washed out (too dim) when the headlights are turned on, rear wiper could be better (why doesnt it swipe the entire back window?). Overall, a great vehicle. No regrets.

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  Great car for the $ - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Manny - June 14 - 1:20 pm

  Need car after 10 yrs w/Infiniti. Considered many others, 4 & 6 cyl. Avalon smoothest suspension & plenty of amenities; seems as if its on Lexus LS platform, w/o the price or quite the cache-but also w/o premium gas requirement. Avg > 30 mpg on my first highway drive & overall ave. ~ 24.5 miles per gallon in mixed city and hwy driving. JBL 12 spkr very nice. Highly recommend.

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  2011 Avalon (Great car, Horrible dealership services) - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By avalon_lova - June 14 - 7:56 am

  I love my new Avalon. The suspension is smooth without the floaty ride. Rear seat legroom (roomier in class), adjustable rear seat comfort is a nice touch. Great car to own if you have a personal driver. A/C and Nav controls are intuitive and easy to operate. Only tech missing is the adaptive cruise control.

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  Fun to Buy - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Robert Parker - June 14 - 6:43 am

  Most exciting car to "discover" on the showroom floor. At 72 years it made me an up-to-date consumer with all the technology aboard. With all the comfort and assists available, it is tempting to keep "running out" for items that you once shopped for once a week.

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  Almost a year - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By raverrr - June 14 - 3:46 am

  I bought my Rav last year. I have absolutely no complaints about it. It has performed very well, no problems at all. I have the 4cyl 4WD which is very peppy, no problems passing on highways. Handles flawlessly on snow and ice. The only thing I would suggest to anyone considering a base model... dont. Mine is a base and I regret not getting the Sport for about 1200 more. Am not crazy about the base seats, theyre light colored and can easily show stains.