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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  Drive it for yourself and see - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Happy Toyota Owner - March 4 - 11:20 am

  It took a while for us to drive a bunch of the SUVs closely resembling the Highlander. Before test driving several vehicles I had already sold myself on an Acadia. After the test drive the obvious winners were the 2009 Pilot and Toyota Highlander. We had looked at the Highlander a couple of years back but it was smaller and the dash was just plain ugly. The new redesign and the plush drive just did us both in. The Pilot would have offered a little more room but the dash looks like its made out of cheap plastic, and unless you get the all black interior the two tone effect was not very appealing to us. We have a family of 4 so we can leave the third row down and use when needed.

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  I love our 4 Runner - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By mchagberg - March 4 - 10:00 am

  We just bought ours

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  Initial impressions - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By rcf8000 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Took delivery of the XLE with Package #14 today and put about 120 miles on it. I am quite impressed with the smooth, quiet ride, smooth engine, and good handling. The drivers seat is comfortable, although it could use more thigh support. Passenger seat comfort leaves a lot to be desired.

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  Great Mileage! Great Quality! - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By BT - March 4 - 5:06 am

  There are many reviews of the Highlander Hybrid out there by the professional automotive writers. They seem to vary widely, depending on the reviewer. My real-world experience is an average of about 30MPG in city and highway driving. When I tried to baby the car, Ive gotten as much as 38MPG in moderate traffic. The car is well built, parts fit neatly and securely, and road noise is very low. The moonroof, when fully open, makes a horrible pulsing sound, but closing it halfway eliminates this. This has been the only negative Ive found with the car.

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  fun - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By mosh - March 4 - 3:10 am

  Great car, I will never go back to regular gas engine agian.Lots of power and fun to drive. Looks sharp and soooo quiet.

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  2006 Corollas are the BEST! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Lyn - March 4 - 3:03 am

  I drove my brand new 2006 Corolla across the country from Ohio to Seattle in November 2005, and the performance was outstanding. Fuel economy was consistently between 41 and 46 mpg, and this included going over the mountains. It was comfortable to drive, had more storage than I had expected, handled very well in all weather conditions, and even survived hitting a deer in Colorado (although the entire front end had to be replaced). It is a peppy, fun little car to drive -- particularly with its smooth, quiet manual transmission. City driving up and down the steep hills of Seattle still gives an mpg of 34. Passengers are always amazed at how much room is in the back seat area, too. Great car!

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  My Little Mini-Hummer - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By aggie_fj - March 3 - 8:03 pm

  This vehicle is awesome. I first read about the FJ when I was deployed to Iraq. For circumstances beyond my control, I did not purchase this vehicle until just recently. All I can really say is that this vehicle is awesome. I absolutely love all the features on this vehicle. I purchased it as a Certified Used Toyota in Houston, TX.

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  Most Underappreciated SUV - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4Runner2003 - March 3 - 8:00 pm

  Im 19 years old and have had two 4runners, a 1999 and a 2003. I test drove every midsize SUV and some full size before I bought the second 4runner. I kept telling myself that I should get something different but this vehicle just fits me so naturally. Everyone who I let drive my 4runner comments on how stable, predictable and comfortable it is. Its also very capable off road. It seems no one has fully picked up on the 4runners excellent traits. Theres still way too many Explorers on the road.

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  So far so good - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By D.Lewis - March 3 - 7:06 pm

  Ive been reading the reviews so far and it seems like people just obtained a defective version. So far I love my truck. The interior design is of good quality and it appears upscale in comparison to other trucks. The exterior makes the truck seem bigger than it is. I purchased the manual version of the truck and so far I have not had any issues with it at 16000. My only complaint is the fact that the front drivers seat is not as roomy as I would have hoped. This makes adjusting it leave no room for the back seat passengers. Im 6 foot tall.

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  Outstanding Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By goldston - March 3 - 7:00 am

  We ordered my (husband) Toyota Highlander last Feb 2001 and picked it up late June 2001. We love this vehicle so much that we are now buying her (wife) a Highlander also!