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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  Sold back at a big loss - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By nmn - November 12 - 2:00 am

  What a terrible experience we had to endure! The van was recalled for a gas tank replacement. Two months after that, it experienced a serious gas leak problem causing the engine to suddenly stop. Neither the dealer nor Toyota headquarter bothered to take the responsibility. We sold the van back to the dealer for a $5K loss - amazing. We decided to lose the money than to risk our lives. We were fortunate the incident occured in a residential area when the van speed was only about 5 miles per hour. Had the gas leak occured on the freeway, the outcome could have been much worse.

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  2005 Toyota Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Dee - November 11 - 11:36 pm

  Its just a fun car. There is a learning curve involved with getting the promised mileage. Once you learn to ease your foot off the gas and trust the electric motor, the gas savings can be impressive.

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  Corolla with no repair bills! - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By LauraJWHIT - November 11 - 7:23 pm

  Ive had great luck with my Corolla! I follow the manufacturers guidelines for routine maintenance. Most of the many miles I put on my car are highway miles. Other than oil changes, tuneups and new tires, Ive only replaced the brakes - and that was at 98,500 miles! The mechanic didnt believe they were original. Ive yet to replace a muffler or anything else! What a well built car!

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  Smooth, Quiet, Fast, and Great Mileage! - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By robsis - November 11 - 6:02 pm

  Wow, are we impressed. This vehicle is such a great road car. Quiet, smooth ride, with lots of punch if you need to pass. 30+ MPG on the highway and 23-24 in town. Love the new dash re-design and the six-speed automatic. You can barely tell its shifting. Plenty of room both in the front and back. Heated/cooled seats are a joy. Our friend, who drives a Lexus LS460, said our Avalon was quieter than his LS, and just as smooth on the open road. Our final choice was between the Avalon and a Genesis. Genesis was a nice vehicle; however, comparably equipped, the Avalon was thousands less and we liked the FWD for our snowy winters. Test drive it for 30 minutes or more and youll be sold.

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  Happy to have a Toyota - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Joanna - November 11 - 3:10 pm

  I just bought a 2006 RAV4. While I have not had it that long, I am very happy with this vehicle.I was surprised at the great deal I received. I also looked at many, many other small SUVs, but not one could beat the price and value of the RAV4, even with the the massive rebates offered by the other companies. I couldnt find any that had better gas mileage. Also, the resale/trade-in value is better than most other vehicles. If I were to say anything negative it would be that the back seat does not look like it could fit three comfortably.The middle seatback actually folds down to become an armrest and cupholder. I sat there, and it doesnt feel too uncomfortable. The bench seat itself has a ton of room and reclines.

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  Love this Truck! - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Ballplayer7 - November 11 - 6:26 am

  Ive had this truck over a year now, love every time I drive it. Had access cab before, love the double cab and 4wd. Truck came with dealer 3" lift kit, TRD Off Road Pkg and over sized tires. Still drives awesome in city or highway and wife feels comfortable driving also. On nice flat roads with cruise control Ill get 20+mpg, I had to do the calcs twice to confirm. Plenty of room in back for my fellow softballers, headroom and leg room, no complaints. Installed hard cover on bed and love the locking tailgate, plenty of room for our ballbags.

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  4Runner Rocks!!! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By JB - November 11 - 5:40 am

  I love this truck!!!! I did about two months of research and had a very difficult time deciding making a decision but the super quiet and comfortable ride, the reliability of Toyota, the general comfort, and the resale value of the 4Runner took it. I am in no way unhappy about my decision and if I had to do it over again after owning this one for three months now I would definitely do it again.

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  Loyal Toyota Owner - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Deb Oliver - November 11 - 2:11 am

  Have owned several Toyota vehicles. Husband recently traded up from 2014 to 2016 Tacoma due to BSM. I traded my 2013 XLE Avalon for a 2016 Highlander Limited. My only gripe is the 2016 Tacoma and 2013 XLE Avalon both have digital speedometers yet the 2016 Limited does NOT.. real bummer as I prefer to "see" my speed digitally displayed. Didnt realize it until after the purchase. Had the same DISP button as the other vehicles so assumed the Highlander Limit had it. Oh well lessons learned

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  Love this truck - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By truckie124 - November 10 - 6:22 pm

  Bought in 2008 with 18000 miles and have put 30000 on it since then. I used it for 2 years for my carpentry business. Rear sliding window came in handy picking up lumber. My father has a 2004 SR5 and the 2006 rides much more car-like than the 2004. It really feels smooth and is an all around great truck. Used to drive a Chevy but had problems with the transmission at 30K miles and the dealership wouldnt do anything for us (after our family had bought 4 cars from them). Will never go back after driving this truck! I love this thing!

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  little unhappy - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By cegamo - November 10 - 5:33 pm

  This is my first Toyota I trade 2004 Nissan frontier great truck and get this Toyota with only 350 miles it was 6 times in the dealer, engine has a ticking noise and is getting worse, the transmission make a bell noise when is on neutral, and also makes a clunk when go to full stop, the dealer said everything is normal. I wish to have my Nissan back.