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:

• 

  Old School Tundra - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By jwolfgong - September 8 - 10:16 am

  Ive only had Blackie for one day, but here are my initial impressions. Interior is klugey. Buttons everywhere and old technology like no auto-up, no mist on wipers and A/C not coupled to defrost. You could easily smack into something while looking for controls or the clock which is in a good spot if you happen to be looking for a lost contact lense. Seats are NG. Too flat. So far I cant get the beeps to turn off for the remote locking function. One of the Homelink buttons will not accept a transmitter code for some reason. Tomorrow I go back to the dealer and see why the engine oil is low already. Ill let you know how that goes...

• 

  Great Value - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By EJ - September 8 - 5:20 am

  This is a great value vehicle. It will pay it off by itself eventually (I use it daily on my business operations).

• 

  Happy go Lucky - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Happy Go Lucky - September 7 - 5:06 pm

  When I first bought the car, I said only the wife should drive but soon all of us were drawn to drive this space shaped car. Easy car to own for city folk. Dont go long distances because your seat will not offer the comfort needed for long trips. Great mileage and fun to drive in the city. Enjoy a simple interior design that fits 4 comfortably. A car for all in the city. All we have done is changed the oil and regular maintenance.

• 

  First Camry, Second Toyota - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By bobw8 - September 7 - 1:50 pm

  Toyota Corolla "S" was the first Compact family car owned. Loved the MPG and attractive styling. Lots of nice features - however, always had mid sized/large cars and Corolla was just too small and did not like sport suspension. Dealer got me out of my lease 11 months early and put me in the Camry LE. Feel I paid top dollar to do this but am, at this point, very happy. Too early for complete review but will definitely do follow ups and keep in touch with this site. Initially I am very pleased.

• 

  Excellent value and utility - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By medina607 - September 6 - 12:46 pm

  Traded in an Explorer for the RAV4 and havent regretted it. Amazing cargo space with the back seat down, and pretty good with it up too. The 4 cylinder engine is very peppy, although with my lead foot and in-town driving I average 21mpg. No mechanical or electrical problems at 33,000 miles. For a single person, couple, or small family its great.

• 

  2011 Toyota Tacoma 4WD Manual Off-Road - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tran - September 6 - 10:00 am

  My truck is 8 weeks old Tacoma. The truck is beautiful but Im having problem with the engine. I would call it raving problem. The bad thing is it does not happen all the time. Sometimes, when the truck is in neutral, the RPM is jumping up and down between 1 and 2000 rpm. The engine also roars. There is no pattern of when and how it happens. I took it to the dealer and they said the computer chip did not register any problem.. I start feeling regret that I bought it and will be stuck with the problem for a while. With all the negative publicity, I thought Toyota would care enough to have a better quality control.Does anyone out there have the same problem?

• 

  2008 FJ Cruiser - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Lucero - September 6 - 1:53 am

  Drives well, good acceleration and braking. Nice turning radius. Solid ride on the interstates

• 

  Great. . . .but - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By DMcNutt - September 6 - 12:34 am

  This is my 5th Toyota van/SUV in a row. I have been deeply loyal for all the expected reasons, particularly quality of construction and ease of use. About seven weeks ago I bought a new 2017 Highlander, and started a cross-country trip from Southern California to Washington, D.C., then to Boise, ID and then returned to Southern California. The Highlander is wonderful in all respects. Surprisingly excellent gas mileage on this trip--over 27mpg. The Lane Assist is marvelous, and worked well at night in torrential rains in Tennessee. Everything was top quality--as expected. BUT! HOWEVER! There is one MAJOR CONCERN. I bought the new Highlander primarily for its excellent safety features, such as emergency braking. One major design flaw deeply concerns me. This is the size and location of the drivers side rearview mirror. It seriously blocks views of traffic coming from about 45 degrees to the front and left. When turning left onto a divided road it completely blocks the view of the divider. I have to shift my body and crane my neck and try to look up, over and around it, and even scrunch down to get a little peek under the mirror to see the lane divider. My wife is 55", and I am 57", and we both find that it takes considerable effort to be able to see around the mirror to drive safely. I believe that only a driver several inches taller would be able to easily see over the mirror. I hope I can find a way to retrofit the Highlander with lower mirrors. OTHERWISE, a wonderful SUV that is excellent in all major respects

• 

  Scared to drive this car but it looks good. - 2010 Toyota Matrix
  By sad2010matrix - September 5 - 9:23 am

  I feel like I paid way too much for the 2010 Matix S which has basic insides- no bells or whisles- blah. The car sounds like its dragging, the tires already are worn before 15,000 miles and hear the problem doesnt go away. Blind spots, drivers head rest is a blind spot and and eye sore and its not comfortable. I use it for work and back. I dont want to take it on long trips for its uncomfortable. Telescope steering wheel means 1/2 in closer to the engine, thats already in your lap.

• 

  Tow Package - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Toyota Buyer - September 4 - 11:36 pm

  I purchased a 2010 Tacoma with a tow package as an option. The cost of the package was approximately 500+ dollars. Much to my surprise the package was lacking a tongue to hook up a trailer. Without the tongue the hitch is a useless piece of steel. Buyer beware Toyota is going cheap.