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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  My Toy - 2000 Toyota RAV4
  By LydiaT - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I switched from Nissan Pathfinder to Rav4. Rav4 is much smaller compare to Pathfinder, but have a good spirit of "SUV" and better mpg. It may not be suitable for everyone, but well accomodete me (56") and 2 grade schoolers. Having better view compare to sedan, and small enough to fit to "compact car only" parking lot.

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  Some Things to Consider - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By famousface - June 17 - 2:00 am

  Seats got better in 2000 but not great. It handles well and predictible. The factory tires really suck in rain. Ive had some transmission problems (pulsating in 1st gear) but other than that it has been solid. The mileage is about 20. I had a Subaru before this so it is different, but so far I enjoy it.

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  Why no power passenger seat? - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By davesalis - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I got this car as a dealer demo, so it is loaded with pretty much all options. The car runs and handles well. It is quiet, well-appointed, and reliable. Typical Toyota. The only complaint that I have is that no power passenger-side seat was available; cmon, Toyota! This is a 30K car! Acceleration is brisk, handling is very good, especially given its high stance. It basically drives like a 4WD Avalon.

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  Had a good truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By filmelf - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This truck of mine was a great truck with a notible exception or two. 1. The gas and break pedels are to close to the seat (bucket seats). The clock could not be read and would be best if placed where the airbag key control is. The side bar in the door saveed me from serious injury when T-Boned by another car.

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  oh what a feeling!!! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By trent+krista - June 17 - 2:00 am

  we just bought our first brand new car since we got married,and we love it. it is very comfortable and the styling is very modern. great job toyota!

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  Satisfied! - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By triples - June 17 - 12:31 am

  I like this car a lot. Good fuel economy and very reliable. I have had to make a couple $100 repairs but nevery anything major. Most recently I had to replace the starter at 126k miles but that is the first non-regular maintenance that I have had do do for since owning in it for 5 years.

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  Smooth Hwy, Little Rough Local Part 3 - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By sy - June 16 - 9:43 pm

  Follow up to my 10/21/08 review. Hesitation while accelerating is still there, just had to get used to it. Sometimes still annoying when you need to give it some gas, the vehicle doesnt move right away. Im not convinced its torque steer. Im back to premium gas to see if helps, not it. Still dont think its the trans. Dealer says its, "manufacturer computer programmed". I guess its better than it accelerating by itself. Look for VVT-I Oil Hose Replacement recall. Enter VIN on Toyota website to find out about yours. All in all, it still drives well, though. The styling hasnt changed much on the RAV4s, so I feel it was a good choice made then. Recently got asked if it was 2009 or 2010.

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  Best car I ever drove! - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By AJ Sabbagh - June 16 - 5:20 pm

  Over the years I had a Toyota Cressida 1982, then Mercury Cougar 1992, then Chevy Caprice 1994, Pontiac Grand Am 1999, then my 2002 Rav4. I never drove a car as reliable as this one! It Never failed me. It is smooth and fun to drive and when we had the 30 inch snow storm up here in Montreal. It was a pro. I donÂ’t think that I would ever buy anything but Toyota (maybe Lexus if I could afford it)... nothing less.

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  Awesome - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Joe W - June 16 - 12:50 pm

  EPA mileage is a diservice to this vehicle. I averaged 40.1 and 36.7 MPG. This included a roundtrip from Phoenix, AZ to Laughlin, NV at an average speed of 59 MPH. This is the first car I owned that exceeded the EPA estimates.

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  Second to none - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By LoveToyotas - June 16 - 12:40 pm

  We just bought a base model Highlander and absolutely love it. The color is charcoal gray, and it came with a light gray cloth interior. However, we worked a deal to get black leather installed. The dealership did an outstanding job with the leather seats, and the end product is phenomenal. The black leather on top of the light gray seat base is a perfect complement to the black dashboard with the light gray lower dash. We recently purchased the 19" wheels found on the Limited and Sport models off of eBay (lucky lucky) significantly cheaper than we would have paid through the dealer. It has such a custom feel now. We just love it.