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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  Toyota wins again - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By p. morris - May 9 - 11:13 pm

  My guess is the first generation Prius has hurt the new model. Most folks are amazed at the interior room of front and back seats, Front seats are very ng vi easy to take on long rides.Grey cloth seems to show slight wear after only 10 months and easy use. Perhaps the 2006 will have better cloth or even leatherette would be better. Car is smooth at all speeds and especially quiet for the driver.Engine shut down in traffic is great feature that few cars can have.$75k BMW owners do not have this great feature. A/C works great at all times, even at a stop. Technology is terrific at this price.MPG complainers are possibly inaccurate in their tests as my typical reult is 53 mpg in mix

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  Best full size truck - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By JAG - May 9 - 4:56 am

  This is a great truck. I have the offroad package and I love the bilstein shock that come with it. I find if you inflate the tires a little above max. It doesnt bounce on the highway as much. Which is one thing some people complain about. The response of the engine is great. Overall a great truck

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  Comfy, but lacks refinement - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By rkramer455 - May 9 - 3:06 am

  Overall its a comfortable vehicle with lots of leg room in the rear. However, using it for travel to cycling events has shown major problems. With a hitch rack on the back and gear inside, the rear end squats and the front raises up. This causes the front to wander dangerously, especially in the rain. The tire wear problem is well known and at 35k miles, expect to replace them. There have been numerous rattles in the doors and currently the rear seat vibrates loudly even at low speeds. The FWD just has poor traction and easily spins its wheels at the stop light.

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  best SUV on the market - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By cruiserman88 - May 9 - 1:50 am

  two years of ownwership never have a problem,one of the best SUV on the market,very comportable on long distance driving,definately a head turner if you dressed up with after market accessory.much much better than ml320 that i owned before. Owned one of this TLC and you will not disappointed.

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  Zoom Zoom !!!!! - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Bill - May 8 - 11:46 pm

  Owned now for one year, drove 15,000 miles, I love my Matrix!! great on gas, fun to drive, zips in and out of traffic, I never bought anything that would not fit into the car!!! Toyota has a real winner here!!! I have had 8 back surgeries and the height and comfort of the seats is great,mine is an automatic, I get between 30- 35 mpg depending on my lead foot, a true driving pleasure!!!!

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  My first Japanese car - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Steve Z - May 8 - 10:56 pm

  I traded in my low-mileage, garage-kept 2003 Buick LeSabre Limited for the Camry Hybrid due to the fact that I drive in a mostly urban environment and out of fears of soaring gas prices. The trunk is much smaller than the Buicks, but I still have my minivan for the big stuff. My only complaint about the vehicle is the poor quality of interior materials which deliver their own symphony of sounds until the cabin warms up. I expected better in a Toyota. Overall - I am happy with my purchase and would do it again.

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  Best SUV value - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Barbara F - May 8 - 10:43 pm

  I bought this SUV late June after considering multiple sedans and other model SUVs. I test drove the Highlander and instantly fell in love with the drive and comfort. So far, gas mileage is OK (havent really officially clocked city and highway) and the air conditioning system is great! (Cools the car within seconds.) Overall, this car is a great value for the money. The 4 cylinder engine has enough pep for both highway and city driving so I didnt see a need to purchase the V6 model.

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  THE FUN OF GOING GREEN - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By jjm - May 8 - 9:50 pm

  My 07 Camry was delivered with every option for MSRP (dealer installed XM @ + $449). With a little effort most should get close to the EPA milage 41/38 per gal. This car replaces my 328i BMW and is equal in quality of workmanship and most features. Next week Ill test AZ mtn roads and uphill driving performance. The seating is very comfortable and ride quite. The synergy drive is smooth and many gauges are available to monitor energy useage. For those who just want to fit into the crowd this car doesnt scream HYBRID, like the Prius. The Navi-system is better than the Avolon and other 2006 Toyota models, many neat features. take delivery before 9/30/06 get Federal Tax credit of $2600.

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  Meets our Needs, Expectations - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Tom S - May 8 - 6:03 pm

  Great for mountain roads at high altitudes. Great 0-60 acceleration Plan to have passenger seat ADA modified for tall passengers.

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  Best-priced but must drive first - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By G Folse - May 8 - 12:03 pm

  While deciding on the Camry, I drove 1 SE and 3 LEs. The SE definitely had the better tuned suspension, but the seat comfort (especially in the rear) and bumpy feel were a turnoff. The paddle shifter did not tune down the engine enough to be effective and it sometimes did not switch back to automatic shifting while it was still in D. Sit in the middle of the back seat (like a wooden 2x4). LE was much smoother and more comfortable; however, I began to notice the wind noise in 2 of the cars (1 more pronounced from passenger side and the other on the driver side) as well as a bad vibration above 60 mph in one of them. I finally found one with no noise or vibration. They all had Michelin tires, so you cant blame the tire unless mfr is putting out sporadic poor-quality tires. Camry had good acceleration from a stop but hesitated after slowing down. If you slap it into S and down shift a gear or two, there will be no hesitation!! Also, steering is very vague when going slow and weaving from lane to lane. But I had absolutely no issue with it cornering (as good as my 06 Accord). I strongly recommend test driving the car before purchase and ensuring you are happy with it. For comparison, I tested the Legacy and Accord. Similar feel for the Accord Sport - not into the bumps and paddle shifters do not affect the transmission enough to be fun. 20-60 mph acceleration was the best, but 0-20 was very sluggish. I want to accelerate the fastest from 0-40. Accord LX is nice (looks better on inside and more functionality but no ability to downshift when needed. The Legacy was my favorite. The ride was a little noisier but mostly comparable. The interior looked and felt cheap (and not as comfortable). But the drive-ability was by far the best. Paddle shifters torqued the engine well for breaking and resumed in drive when accelerating. You can go manual with it like in the Camry. It is very punchy for 0-40 mph. The Legacy is also well laid out for maintenance. The problem I had is there are not enough Legacys on the lots to get a great deal. And you have to hope they have the one you want. The dealer by me had maybe 6 on the lot and was not getting any more in until the 2017 models come out in 4-5 months. After driving my wifes Acura, I do NOT want any lane-deviation warning or front collision warning!! And you can throw away any deals for a while if you wait for 2017s.