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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  Pleased Overall, With Some Caveats - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By daveinNJ - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Took over the lease on this car. Engine is powerful but vehicle does torque a bit when accelerating quickly. Quiet enough on the highway but the audio system is poor. Nice high driving position. Interior is versatile; seat fabric in Sport Model is very thick synthetic something or other. I like this car much better than my old gfriends 08 CRV EX-L. Some small things left out, e.g., no light in glove compartment. Looking forward to replacing the OEM tires (Yokohama) - theyre not great. Easy to back up for an SUV - spare tire helps you gauge how close you are to whatevers behind you. If I can find a way to upgrade the stereo, Ill definitely by the car when the lease is up.

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  Jeep. Nah! Get the fj! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By FJfan! - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Bought my black one in 3/10 w/ 50k on it now have 65k and love it! I have always had toyota pickups and jeeps and have always had a lot of fun, but my fj takes the cake! For the money you cant beat its capabilities off road...and on. Takes corners well, accelerates nicely w/ a throaty stock sound, has a lot of room in the back w/ a decent amt of room in the back seat also. The back doors can be a bit of a pain when in tighter parking, but overall not much of a problem, still easy to get in and out. Slightly heavy in sand, but with the locker, not a problem. Get the rack on top if youre "outdoorsy"! Runs like a champ, looking forward to many more miles and some upgrades!

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  Tacoma 2010 prerunner - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert Klee - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Nice mid sized truck, But when you let your foot off the gas pedal, in town and put in back on, it feels like it hunting for best gear, but its to low of a gear most of the time, and the engine revs and it not all that smooth, very disappointed.

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  2007 Toyota RAV4 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By GBS - May 4 - 12:50 am

  If you want a reasonably priced SUV that has a LOT of power and versatility, look at this one. Some people may find the ride a bit rough. Unless you are shelling out BIG bucks for variable suspension, there is a compromise between the responsiveness of a stiffer suspension, and a smoother, "I cant feel the road" ride. Its all about what you like. The Limited IS highly responsive, but also has a reasonably smooth ride. The interior quality is good (I didnt say great!) and in-line with the price. The rear seats can be moved forward or back, accommodating large passengers or more cargo. Its a mid-sized SUV that offers some interesting features for a reasonable cost. Go for the 6cyl version!

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  So far so good - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By jk - May 3 - 7:20 pm

  We bought this a week back. Only have 300 miles in it. It drives well, although the road noise is pronounced (not what I would have expected from Toyota). The instrument panel is well laid out. However, I have not yet mastered all the buttons. Did not buy AWD based on negative run-flat tire reviews. We got 17.5 mpg (60% highway) so far. We have a 3 yr old, so she does not use the wireless headphone, so all of us have to listen to her DVDs (have not yet figured out how to mute the front speakers). We have two camrys (10 & 12 yrs old) and this is our third toyota, based on our experience with toyota reliability. Did take the extended warranty based on the pervasiveness of electrical systems

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  Update - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Don - May 3 - 6:13 pm

  This is an update of my earlier review. Now that we have had our Corolla for several months I can be more accurate about the mpg. With careful driving we can get 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, using the AC will reduce this to about 28/38 mpg. This is fantastic for any car. Fast drivers will of course get less. We drive between 65 and 70 on the freeways. All in all the Corolla is a great value for the money.

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  Missed the mark but the SE is a good SUV - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By RGP - May 3 - 3:04 pm

  First the "stop/start" technology is absurd. No way to permanent disable and vehicle jumps when you take foot off brake. There is no way anyone is getting 1 mile more per gallon in city. And it fails, lookout, that feature is integrated with everything. Acceleration is awful for a engine with 295hp. With a MSRP of $41,000 and not have a premium sound system is a ripoff. GPS is unchanged and has no Interactive capability. The best value is the LE plus with google maps, no start/stop feature, BUT you cant get the black grille. Rides nice and low road noise

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  Bulletproof Pickup - 1998 Toyota Tacoma
  By srsage107 - May 3 - 12:59 pm

  I have owned my 98 Tacoma for nearly a decade now. The truck is running 238k miles and the last California smog it had last year, it passed with flying colors. The mechanic was not surprised in the least that with all of the regular normal maintenance I do, that the Tacoma was still passing smog like it had at 5k miles. In the entire time I have owned my Tacoma, I have only replaced the battery once, the water pump and radiator at 220k miles and the alternator at 200k miles. I use only genuine Toyota parts. This truck has hauled boats, motorcycles, sand, cement, u-hauls and still sparkles like the day it came out of the factory and has not lost any power over the years. Solid truck!

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  Good Car for the Money - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By Joe - May 3 - 7:46 am

  Youll pay a little bit more for a 4-Runner than you would for an Explorer but you are getting a better ride and have a more reliable vehicle. I have had the car for a couple years. Have not had to put any money into it. The rear window really pays off in the summer.

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  Just what I wanted - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By SeattleJ - May 3 - 6:50 am

  Build quality and mileage have been great. Features are nice and Im looking forward to taking it up to the moutains to see how the hybrid system does there.