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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  pretty good van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By jwoz - April 24 - 10:00 am

  This van has most if not all of the Hondas most critical/useful features plus the noted upgrades I think the Toyota also an upgrade in the use of higher quality interior materials. There is no sacrifice in ride quality, power, space, design/style, either. Gas mileage has also been very good for this class (26 in mixed city/hwy). If it werent for our being held hostage to pay very close to sticker for this car due to artificial supply- side-created demand, Id feel fantastic about the purchase. As it is I feel very good about the van. With Toyotas reputation for quality/durability, I think wew will have this van for a while.

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  105K miles - Best car I ever bought - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By kamikani - April 24 - 6:23 am

  Ive owned this truck for a little over two years now, and over 100K miles. Aside from a Toyota Celica I had in college, this is the best car/truck I have ever owned. Great reliability, great power, great towing capacity. All Ive had done to it is change the oil & rotate the tires every 5K miles and recently, changed the front/rear differential oil. The ribber gaskets around the front doors do come off at the upper corner if you use automatic car washes. Thats my only complaint. Fuel mileage is what you would expect for a 5.7L with this much power and torque. I get about 18/Hwy and 16 City.

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  Loving My Toyota - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By P Slagle - April 24 - 5:56 am

  This is the 3rd Toyota Highlander we have owned. We have two, 2001 Highlanders that are still on the road and have never had any major issues. Even with the recent recall publicity, I would buy another Toyota Highlander in a heartbeat. The seating is very comfortable and roomy;, the ride is smooth. The only negatives, on city driving I barely get 18 miles to the gallon. Now, if only I can figure out how to use the navigation system, bluetooth and other wonderful electronic, new-age technology! A very satisfied Toyota Highlander customer.

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  Nice Wheels - Typical Toyota - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Love Findlay - April 24 - 5:36 am

  We may be biased but this is our 6th Toyota. Previous vehicle was 2003 Highlander, which had fantastic reliability and only traded because of high miles. New model has more room, quieter, more comfortable and a more solid ride. We are happy with fuel expense, averaging 19 mpg city and 22 highway, which is better than the 2003. New model is a looker too with the sharper edges, solid stance and Lexus level quality.

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  Expensive to maintain - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By doug128 - April 24 - 1:26 am

  I enjoy driving the Highlander but I have found it very expensive to maintain. I have had to replace 7 wheel bearings and the drive shaft to the rear wheels because of the bearings. It has 93,000 miles on it now. Brakes have also been expensive as it seems the ABS sensor are quite sensitive to failure and have had to replace some with the brakes which makes it very costly. I bought the Toyota as it was rated as a reliable car. It has turned out to be very expensive!

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  06 Solara - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By jashrt - April 23 - 6:23 pm

  Very enjoyable to drive. I like very much not seeing a lot of Solara on the road. While driving on the freeway at about 70MPH a truck in front of me lost part of its load. I had to make a quick move to the emergency lane and back on the road the car handle great!

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  Great car overall but with a few issues - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By cdgehs99 - April 23 - 1:56 pm

  Im going on a little over 4 years with my 2010 Venza, and I still love it. I have very low mileage (32,500) due to using public transport for my daily commute, so Im still anxious to see how the reliability holds up as the miles increase. The car is nice to drive, handles well, and I love the space available. The gas mileage is ok. I will agree with some of the other reviewers that the ride can be a little bumpy at times, but I knew that was possibility because of the large rims and smaller profile tires. I also have had some interior creaks and rattles that can be annoying, especially because the interior build quality seems pretty decent. Overall I am very pleased with the vehicle.

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  2014 4R 4x4 Ltd - 2014 Toyota 4Runner
  By myogi - April 23 - 10:28 am

  Have my 4R for almost 4 months now. Very happy with it. Excellent SUV. Looks great, drives great. Glad to have bought it.

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  Great car - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By G chen - April 23 - 5:57 am

  This is my second Camry, only repair work after 100K mileage was replace spark plugs, ignition coils and engine manifold gaskets. Overall I love this car. May buy another Camry or Avalon.

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  Great car - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By G chen - April 23 - 5:57 am

  This is my second Camry, only repair work after 100K mileage was replace spark plugs, ignition coils and engine manifold gaskets. Overall I love this car. May buy another Camry or Avalon.