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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  Great car - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By beanbear1 - May 12 - 10:40 pm

  I have had this car since 2003...it is manual shift though. It is peppy and I can fit both my kids in it and all of our junk. It is reliable and I have no concerns whatsoever. The only issue I have had is had to replace the breaks. Love the car so much that we looked this year to replace our mini-van with something more efficient and considered another RAV-4 (ended up going with the corolla after really thinking do we need two mini-SUVs????)

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  Bought it for safety devices - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Jim Yuhas - May 12 - 7:56 pm

  Im 74 and can use a little help driving. I like the lane departure warning and blind spot warming. I havent need the forward collision warning but Im glad it is there if I dont notice someone has slowed ahead of me. In other brands I could only get these features in upper trim levels at much higher costs. Other brands were as much as $10,000 higher to get all the new safety features.

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  Raving bout my Rav - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By Happy Hiker - May 12 - 7:51 pm

  If youre looking for a SUV that handles and drives like a sports car, this is your whip.

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  Dangerous in High Winds - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By FrankLloyd - May 12 - 1:40 pm

  Basic transportation at best. It is not built to the quality level of Honda. High Wind / Rain on the highway blow the vehicle all over the road, and provides for tense driving. Two hands on the wheel are mandatory. The car "sails" with virtually no feel of the road in rain conditions. Numerous dash rattles, squealing brakes, and a front drivers seat which doesnt sit in the track properly are primary complaints.

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  Your mileage may vary - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By hybrid34 - May 12 - 10:00 am

  We paid the premium for the hybrid because we keep our cars a long time and if we were going to get mileage close to the EPA estimate we would make up the difference in about 5 years. Now that we have driven it about a year we are getting on average 34 MPG Nowhere near where we expected. Our diving has mostly been city driving and when we do get it on the highway we get above 40 MPG. We took it back a couple of times to the dealer, they said there is noting wrong and when I called Toyota they said that 34 MPG was within what we could expect and does not indicate a problem.

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  Converted Ford Driver - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Butter - May 12 - 5:46 am

  Had to trade in my 01 F-150 for better gas-mileage. So far, the Tacoma is impressing me. Its not as tough of a truck as Im used to (No TRD pkg.), but the double-cab has great passenger room for a compact and the composite bed is big enough for the things I need. Got the bed-extender just in case it was too short. The 6-speed is MUCH easier to shift than the Ford. Only had it a week, but I havent had to pull into a gas station yet!

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  Commuting Pleasure - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Alys1 - May 12 - 3:23 am

  Great fun to drive, much better handling than expected. Have to keep an eye on the speedometer - easy to drive at high speeds without noticing. Fuel economy has been better than anticipated started out at 42 mi/gal, now getting mid 50s on a regular basis. I sent $30 on gas last month - with a 40 mile round trip commute in stop and go traffic. I am very happy with the car overall, it is roomy and comfortable with lots of cargo space.

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  Love my Camry - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Tami - May 11 - 8:30 pm

  My car was shot after 8 years and since I hate change I decided this next purchase should be something that will last over 10 years. Therefore I got it loaded with everything I love. What a car! It drives so smooth. Feels so safe. And all the research shows the Toyota Camry was the most dependable and trusted sedan to go with. The ride is so smooth and luxurious that we almost fall asleep while driving (which can be dangerous!). I LOVE automatic headlights, timing wipers, lumbar seat contols, roomy comfortable back seats, magazine holders in back doors, milk holders in large trunk.

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  Pass on this car - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Unhappy Camper - May 11 - 6:03 pm

  Not what I expected from Toyota! Frequent visits to the dealer for a variety of repairs including replacement of the intermediate steering column, repair of a faulty air bag system (which by the way involves disassembly of basically the entire interior), oil leak, and replacement of driver side leather seat for premature cracking wear. If thats not enough, its back in the shop once again because the faulty air bag light has come back on. I can not believe this is a Toyota. Had previously owned a Previa van that was extremely reliable. Would not recommend this car to anyone.

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  Dream Truck - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By D john - May 11 - 5:40 pm

  I use the truck for daily driving. It is rock solid. I also drive 270 miles to family several times a year and the trip is comfy. I travel in fields while towing and travel down poorly maintained dirt roads. So I cover a lot of different terrains and the truck functions. Interstate travel is quiet, the transmission shifts smoothly. Off road and dirt roads the truck performs well.