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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  The Best - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By evelyncj100 - March 29 - 10:00 am

  overall the car is sturdy it has a smooth quiet ride far as handling and performance. the fuel econoy isnt all that great but itll do.

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  Reliable - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By Chad - March 28 - 10:30 pm

  I have owned my 4runner for 6yrs and have 167,000 miles on it and have done nothing but regular maintenance. It is a little under powered but very reliable. I have been on several trails in Moab and in the Black Hills of SD, (great 4wd system) I have the Sport package with the electronic locker in the rear diff. Toyota has built a very reliable and dependable vehicle with this one.

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  2001 Toyota Tundra with 203,000 miles - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Ron Sweeney - March 28 - 3:06 pm

  Bought the truck new in 2001. I have 203,000 miles on it and it still does not burn any more oil then it did when new. My only problem with it is the under designed brakes. Toyota admits that the braking system was under design, but would not help the consumer with the problem if the consumer was beyond the 36,000 mile warranty period. I drive a good deal of highway miles (75%), so my brake usage was not typical. But Toyota would not help me. Not even a discount on an upgrade. Consequently, the brake pads and rotors need replacing more often then necessary. Cost a lot of money.

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  comparing to my 2011 RAV4 - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By riverrav - March 28 - 9:21 am

  Nice looking, more car like, great driving SUV. The new 6-speed transmission is great. Handling is very good. There are three modes to choose from, Eco, Sport, and the default. Seems to effect how the transmission is used. In heavy traffic I prefer Sport mode because the car stays in the proper gear so you dont have to brake all the time. Reasonably comfortable (I used to own a Buick). I upgraded to the 2013 model primarily for the top-hinged hatch. I make frequent trips with an inflatable kayak to the river and got tired of having to deal with the side opening door. Much easier to work with now. The back seat folds down nearly flat. A big plus.

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  CE: Road Noise/Rough Ride - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By CE: Noise/Ride - March 28 - 8:30 am

  The Sienna CE is our second Toyota minivan, and we purchsed it due to the outstanding reliability of our 93 Toyota Previa minivan. The Sienna is a good overall value, but has an unacceptable level of road noise for a Toyota. The ride is equally out of character for Toyota quality. Both issues are evident and compounded on long trips. Our 13 year old Previa has a better ride that our new Sienna. The Sienna CE is not for the family that travels.

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  Mama loves this SUV - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Cuz44 - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Looked at the RX300 and MDX but they were either too small or rode too roughly. The Sequoia does neither. Both intown and highway driving are a pleasure and my wife loves the height, visibility and secure feeling she gets. Toyota quality helps, as well. So far, so good; we both are enjoying this vehicle.

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  Exellent ride - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Markus - March 27 - 4:43 am

  Very good vehicle, though after owning 3 4Runners and one FJ Cruiser which were built in Japan, I was really disappointed with the interior plastic materials used in Tundra. Im afraid of being caught in a vehicle fire and my body get molded to a mass of plastic, I guess its to save weight, but sheez what is up with the fake wood? its also made of plastic.

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  Initial Excelleration - Poor & Brakes - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Coupe - March 27 - 4:40 am

  Over all I would give my Solara SE V6 a low grade because of its very much like a turbo engine. A friend of mine is a Toyota mechanic and he explained why there is so much excelleration delay similiar to a turbo lag engine. For this review, Im only referring to low speed performance. At highway speeds it is more than adequate. I think it is unsafe, because when you need instant excelleration, its just not there. I have owned a manual turbo engine car before and it was very responsive from low end to high end speeds. Would I buy another Solara? NO! Another problem I found is that the brakes are to spungy. I dont get that positive feedback from the brake pedal.

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  Better than expected - 2012 Toyota Prius c
  By oddsandends - March 26 - 12:12 pm

  At six foot four, I expected to be ridiculously cramped. At 1.5 liters, I expected it to be ridiculously slow. Neither are true. I dont have an excess of room, but theres enough. It doesnt have an excess of acceleration, but its enough. I just manage my drive carefully and am rewarded with 60+ mpg on my morning commute. I also own a BMW 740i that I bought used for 1/3 of what I paid for the Prius C. When I need to go fast, I take it out. Otherwise, I am very pleased with my little gas-sipper. Build quality is good, ride is quiet, and there is room for groceries. Id buy it again tomorrow.

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  Practical, Reliable Truck - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By bob - March 26 - 11:13 am

  Weve had this car for over 6 years now and it still looks and drives like new. We looked at other SUVs in 2000 but nothing compared to this one, and still nothing compares to this. The only problem we had with this is with the cd player and the brakes. Solid truck.