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:

• 

  2010 Toyota Camry review - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By wolv3rine88 - April 22 - 9:20 pm

  I bought a 2010 Toyota Camry LE with the 2.5L 4cyl with an at from my local dealership first impressions was overall good build quality, excellent road handling although slightly stiff, and affordable I recently took it on a 500+ mile trip from Virginia to South Carolina fuel economy was astounding 39.4 mpg highway average ride was fine even on the terrible roads throughout north carolina to south carolina even for the 4 cyl acceleration was more than adequate no mater what situation going uphill or needing to get up and go on a 6 lane highway to pass did just fine the quality of parts is lower but not bad with all the recent incentives offered by Toyota it will be hard to pass up 2 thumbs up

• 

  Best auto I have ever owned - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Harold Grueskin - April 22 - 8:50 am

  The Avalon just fits my needs beautifully. Its comfort, roominess and performance are terrific.

• 

  1st Sienna - Previous T&C Owner - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By 1stSienna - April 22 - 2:26 am

  Overall pretty satisfied. Plenty of power. Very tight turning radius makes it easy to park. JBL surround sound system works great with DVD player. Wireless head phones sound good and are comfortable. Mileage around town only 16-17 but engine not yet broken in. Hopefully will improve. Ride is comfortable and quite but a bit on the "soft" side, would prefer tighter more responsive suspension. Power sliding doors have to be turned either on or off, and if on, manual operation is not possible.

• 

  Whats wrong with Toyota - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Pam - April 21 - 3:30 pm

  I dont understand why Toyota does not advertise the Matrix. Its a wonderful little car and all the other companies are now coming up with their version of this same size. I have never seen a commercial for a Matrix. Not everyone wants a vehicle to decide if "theirs is the biggest" and not everyone wants a sedan. This little car is sporty, handy, economical and I traded in a Camry to get it. I love it. Yes it took me a little while to get used to the lower power but now we work well together.

• 

  Wont be able to drive a nonhybrid again - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Aaron - April 21 - 2:56 am

  Lots of options. Easy to drive. Feels very safe for a smaller car. Very low maintenance. Yes it run on 87 oct. Feels good to be stuck in traffic and not have to worry about the engine or A/C running. Everyone want to drive/ride in it.

• 

  Toyota is slipping; NOT worth $45k - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By DLu - April 21 - 2:43 am

  We purchased the 2011 Limited AWD with the "premium" package in April. First impressions were that it was pleasant/ unoffensive, about what youd expect from a minivan. The transmission is surprisingly quick to downshift for passing and shifts smoothly. However, the cheap materials, especially the fake wood (which they should get rid of and stop pretending its fancy!) and the shoddy stitching on the leather, are very disappointing. I recommend getting the LE and save $20k to upgrade your kitchen or buy a Miata. When I got a tire replacement (see below), a lug nut was cross-threaded and ripped the bolt off. I have not had a major problem like some, but these are a sign of poor quality!

• 

  This is a great car - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By kathy - April 20 - 9:33 pm

  We have three boys and two dogs and this is the perfect car for us. It rides like a car, but has so much power. We have towed a travel trailer across 5 states with it like a breeze. We are a tall family (my 15 yr old is 65") and this Sequoia is very comfortable for all of us to ride in. Even the 3rd row seat has adequate leg room. We have been very happy with this SUV.

• 

  Resale Value through the roof - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sam Casino - April 20 - 3:48 pm

  In 2017, if you have an unabused Pre-runner, better hold onto it. Its like gold in your hand. These trucks are bullet-proof, extremely reliable, durable and just keep rolling along with no issues. Ive had mine since it was new, have put over 300K miles on it, and it runs like new. Off-roading is a breeze. I can take it anywhere. These trucks will be hard to find, and will hold their value and more - just like the old Toyota FJ.

• 

  BEST Car for your $ $ ! But BE Sensible! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By chasms - April 20 - 9:20 am

  This is my second Camry and so far its just as impressive as my 2006 Camry Solara was. Only now its been improved upon since then. IMO, there is little reason to spend money on a Cadillac when the XLE is as close as youll get for a fraction of the cost. BUT...a person cant expect V8 performance from a 4 banger, and still expect good MPG. The car is as perfect as I can expect for the money - and a whole lot better than that! To all of those who do love the car, please hit your glass against mine!

• 

  Growing Appreciation and Satisfaction - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Jim - April 20 - 5:23 am

  Bought this car as a downsize. Traded in my 17 mpg Sequioia. This car is MUCH smaller, much easier to drive, and much more "car like". This is my second review. The car is roughly 5 months old & has 3600 miles. No mechanical problems thus far. The ride is comfortable. The front & middle seats are very spacious and comfortable. The dashboard display is clear & intuitive. Ride comfort is very good, but to be fair, roads where I live are very smooth. Those who have criticized this cars acceleration are misguided. We drive with the car in "eco" mode. Acceleration is MORE THAN ADEQUATE!!!! Step on the gas, and the car moves. Overall mileage has been spot on EPA estimates: roughly 22 mpg, with a bias of 65% to 75% city driving. As for highway mileage, we took our first "semi-long" highway drive the other day, 300 miles round trip, 95% highway driving, set the cruise control at 68 mpg, and realized 28.4 mph upon fill up. So, a 290 hp 3 row SUV, with full time all wheel drive, with air conditioning running the whole time, returned 28.4 mpg over a 300 mile trip. Need I say anymore about fuel efficiency? Pretty impressive, in my opinion. If this car holds up like previous Toyotas, its a no brainer, and should be on anyones short list of 3 row. mid-sized SUVs. 11 months and 9,000 into ownership, we have only grown to appreciate this car more.