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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  much better than honda - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By rph - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Has better acceleration and ppears easier to drive than my 2000 honda

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  We love it! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By alburtusfamily - March 19 - 2:00 am

  What we love best about this van is the roomy trunk. It makes traveling much easier when we can fit all of our suitcases in the back.

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  Awesome car - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By jazzdee - March 19 - 2:00 am

  I have enjoyed this car thoroughly. It handles and responds like no other car I have ever drive. Relaxing and fun to drive.

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  awesome - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By epcotme - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This is an incredible van. I was dead set against getting a van but my husband talked me into it. I hated the way vans handled (I always had sports cars). This van is a dream. It turns on a dime and has amazing gas milage. It had 6 miles on it when we purchased it and I am upset that someone else got to enjoy those miles. I would recommend this van to anyone. Its a 10 out of 10.

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  Family Fun Van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By rcbs - March 19 - 2:00 am

  My husband had always been the driver of old 1996 Odyssey but I thought that because I am always the one who takes our girls back and forth to school, swim practice, softball practice, Church and all the other things they do, I should be the one driving it. I gave my husband my two year old Avalon and grabbed the keys to this great fun family vehicle. I think because I drive so much for my job that I will miss driving the Avalon. It was so comfortable and pleasing to drive. I now find I enjoy driving the Sienna and am planning great long trips we can take, knowing the girls will have the space and the comfort to stretch out and not get on each others nerves.

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  My favorite van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Peterson - March 19 - 2:00 am

  I have two children that outgrew our voyagers bench seat. They are both very tall and need a lot of leg room. I found the Sienna had plenty of leg room, even in the 3rd row for their 512" friend!

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  Drivers Dream - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Holly LaFosse - March 19 - 2:00 am

  The 2004 Sienna is a nice ride. Even nicer to drive. We recently decided to look for another van. Our current van is a 1998 Sienna. We test drove the van and were impressed. The handling on country roads is a critical issue for us. This vehicle certainly takes the bumps in the road. It corners like a sports car without losing a bit of traction. The engine doesnt bog down under a load such as mud or snow and ice. It bares down and does its job. We were surprised of the room in the van, a bit more than our current Sienna. We will be purchasing another Sienna. This time with an infant seat and a DVD player.

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  Didnt want to own it for long - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By thinkingman - March 18 - 1:16 pm

  Well, its gone. Bought it for SUV room and all weather capability but it didnt deliver. And the reliability wasnt what I expected, either. Problems with rattles, stereo, air in brake lines, and loud road and wind noise all doomed the RAV. I did average 23 mpg, and the tires had plenty of tread after 31k, but the Toyota reputation didnt deliver. It does have good room inside and a comfortable back seat (no third row on Sport). Missing a lot of features that are standard on other cars like homelink, 5sp automatic, heated seats, good stereo, audio controls on steering wheel. It just failed to live up to the Toyota hype. Sorry.

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  Not Completely Satisfied - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Preston - March 18 - 11:20 am

  While the Highlander is extremely agile, quick and tight, I am thoroughly disappointed in the mileage. Many Features are well thought out. Placement of third row seat belts, so as not to obstruct rear view is one of many of the smallest things that Toyota is well known for. They excel in details. However, highway mileage has been as expected around 26. Sticker claims 27 hwy/31 city, but city mileage at best has been a max of 23 with an average of 17. The car currently has 2500 miles, but I cant imagine that there needs to be a longer break-in period. I did do my homework before purchasing the car and saw that a lot of folks were not happy with the mileage, but I expected 27 - 30 city.

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  Love my venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By dmkent - March 18 - 10:56 am

  Our 15 year old Mercedes e class was totaled in an accident and we made safety a priority in buying a new car which led us to the venza... It had a phenomenal amount of safety features and was able to make it out of our steep driveway due to the 8 inch ground clearance... When we drove it we were impressed by the feel of the car and by the overall design... At this pricepoint other vehicles dont come close... It can never replace our Mercedes but it is giving us a great safe ride and a big bang for out buck!