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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  Solid little car - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By BrushDog - April 12 - 12:46 am

  I bought this car mainly for its fuel economy and of course Toyota reliability. It has met all my expectations. I get a consistent 41 mpg on 90% highway driving. It has a surprising amount of interior room for such a small exterior and a huge trunk to boot. I dont understand how Edmunds and other "supposed" car experts review this car so harshly. It was designed to be a solidly built high MPG car without compromising economy. Ill skip the bells and whistles for reliability and a low windowsticker price.

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  Solid Vehicle - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - April 12 - 12:40 am

  Bought this vehicle new. Has easily been the most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned with no dealer visits at all. At 73K miles (averaging 19K/year) all I have needed to do is change the tires once and oil regularly. Extremely unexpectedly, havent even changed the brakes (although Im close, measured depth was around 55-60% remaining as of a month ago). I log every gallon of gas by the current mileage. On full synthetic oil Im getting 27 daily to/from work ("leadfooted" - not granny drivin on V4) but only 33 on pure Hwy at 80mph. Had exactly one defect - manufacturing defect for rear speaker covers - they crumbled after about 3 years.

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  No personality - 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By graylc - April 11 - 11:00 pm

  This vehicle is not what we were hoping for. No personality, no character, very poor instrumentation design, exterior styling that is non-existent. It is a carbon copy of a Highlander, and you can buy two of those for one of these. Wait for the next redesign.

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  Mid-pack, but reliable - 2010 Toyota Matrix
  By canada_bc - April 11 - 9:42 pm

  Toyota reliability, but thats about it. Average car with overly sensitive pedals and average appearance. The inside space is used effectively, standard materials for the price point, but the overall design isnt for me personally. No issues in two years/45,000km. Dont enjoy driving it too much, but it is certainly functional, with lots of hatchback space for groceries, a large dog - whatever you need. Gas consumption leaves a lot to be desired; even by 2010 model year standards it was decidedly average. Not great fan of the seats. Interior space, reliability, solid build, functionality are good. Drive enjoyability, consumption, appearance are bad. Could to better, could do worse

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  Reliable Tundra - 2017 Toyota Tundra
  By Royce Hubble - April 11 - 3:57 pm

  great rating on reliability, choppy ride, great handling. In the day time very difficult to see dash screen for backup camera. Cannot get bench split seat for front seat on the Limited, to bad. overall looks, kinda boring.

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  Cross Country Machine! - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By daf62757 - April 11 - 3:36 pm

  I bought my brand new 2011 Sienna XLE about a month ago. I was going to take a cross country trip (Indy to San Diego, LA, San Fransisco, Elko, Grand Junction, Denver, Salina to Indy. I wanted a large van but not a full size van. My wife loved the Toyota and after about a month of dealing with local Indy dealers on my 2006 Rav4 as a trade in, I finally bought one. The selection of available vans was better at some dealers than others. I bought from the dealer in Anderson, Indiana because they gave me the most for my trade in. After a month of ownership and about 6K miles, I can report back that this mini van is excellent. It got very good gas mileage, comfortable, and fun to drive.

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  On the fence - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By IJF - April 11 - 2:38 pm

  Ive had a 2016 FWD XLE for two weeks, and took it out for its first long road trip this past weekend, mainly interstate driving. Im somewhat disappointed in the amount of wind noise Im hearing while driving at higher speeds (over 55 mph). Im comparing it to my 2010 Highlander, which I was hesitant to trade in for the 2016 because it was the best vehicle we had ever owned--the only time it was in the repair shop was for oil changes and tire rotations. We decided it was time to upgrade since our 2010 didnt have a navigation system, power liftgate or any of the "luxury" options that are now offered. I did not hear any wind noise in my 2010, so Im not sure if the re-styled body and side mirrors have anything to do with it, because the redesign does give the vehicle a more aerodynamic, streamlined look which I would have thought would help with issues like wind noise. However, road noise is minimum, and the steering and handling is significantly better than the previous model.

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  It has everything! - 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  By kingira - April 11 - 8:23 am

  I have owned a MB and a BMW convertible for the past 17 years. They both used premium gas and were fun to drive and handled great. The seats were comfortable, too. My new Avalon handles almost as good, the seats are even more comfortable (hugging me), and it does not use premium gas. The new electronics and technology is super. It takes several weeks to get to know how to use it but it is worth it.

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  Sienna Really Is Number One! - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Gail - April 11 - 8:16 am

  We live deep in the countryside and our routes have harsh paved roads, so we eliminated the Honda Odyssey because of its pronounced road noise. The Sienna absorbs the rough pavement and really does feel like we are driving a Lexus. The ride is luxurious without feeling like we are floating down the road. Gas mileage is 27-28 mpg consistently when driving 55-70 mph. The steering feels precise and it has a tight turning radius. The engine is quiet and has strong acceleration when needed. The interior has versatile configurations, depending on the cargo, whether it is groceries, grand kids, dogs, handicapped relatives, or all of the above! The LE plus some extra options is a great value!

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  The Dream Convertible - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Terri Noyes - April 11 - 8:10 am

  I have waited since I was 16 to find the perfect convertible-the Toyota Solara is fantastic-it is the quality of a luxury car with an unbelievably great price.