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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  Love the Sienna, Sold the Bimmer! - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By Teresa - November 1 - 12:46 pm

  Never thought Id own a minivan but I needed the space. Test drove tons of them, bought the Sienna and love it! Thought I would keep my 03 BMW 325i wagon but ended up selling it. I enjoy driving this van and its so plush, not cramped at all like my wagon. Handles surprisingly well for such a big vehicle. If youre having trouble letting go of your car and feel like youre too cool to drive a van, get over it! The Sienna is awesome and fun! Great sound system. JBL speakers rival the Harmon-Kardon in the BMW. Mileage is awfully good, too. Love it, love it!

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  Best SUV for the money - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Toy4ever - November 1 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my V8 4WD 4runner new in Aug 2004. I now have 89,000 hard on and off-road miles on it and it still runs like new. No problems, no repairs, just scheduled maintenance. I had Toyota install a Readylift 2.5" front lift kit, Bilstein HD shocks, 32" BF Goodrich T/A tires and a TRD air filter. I highly recommend these upgrades for off-road use. The increase in performance is amazing. Average gas mileage is 18.1 mpg. My previous 4runners had approx 400,000 miles when I sold them. The 2004 is much better than previous models. I plan to keep this car forever.

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  Best pick-em-up-truck made - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dan - November 1 - 10:00 am

  Quite simply the best intermediate pickup made. From style to quality of build, it is outstanding. The ride is very good and the bucket seats are fine for me and my wife. I dont understand why all the criticism of the seating. Well done Toyota.

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  My experience at heartland - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By CAROL COWAN - November 1 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed my last camry so very much for the last 5 years that I knew when I Buy a new car I would want another one. I love the ease in driving it, the room inside for all I do with the grandchildren and dogs. IT gets super gas mileage and even though my trade in only has 28,000 miles on it our trips to the ocean and mts have been comfortable and economical.

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  4th generation 4runner awesome! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By KMT4R - November 1 - 8:16 am

  First SUV and man did I make the right decision. Paid $32K for the Sport V8 with black leather, moonroof, JBL system, spoiler, alarm, etc. Doesnt drive like a truck. I drove ML, Xterra, other SUVs before and the 4runner shows that it can corner like a sedan but yet behaves the a truck over hard terrain or rough rodes. Glides over potholes. Never have to worry about flats. The VVTi V8 is very impressive and well worth the lower gas mileage. Smooth powerband though slight delay at 1500 rpm. You cant be shy to step on gas up to 5300 RPM. Fit and finish is typical Toyota. Very quiet ride. XREAS suspension is awesome, noticeable diff w/ SR5.

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  Mileage is consistent with sticker - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By FRITZER - November 1 - 5:00 am

  Ive had the vehicle for six weeks. I average 30.1 MPG, combined city/highway. Drive to work is 15 miles in Sacramento, CA. If I push acceleration above 50 kW and do not anticipate stops ahead, mileage drops below 28 MPG. If I accelerate modestly and keep the power at or below 25 kW during acceleration, I consistently get better than 30 MPG overall. I verified the readings on the vehicles MPG meter at the gas pump - hand calculations. This is a fun vehicle to drive and the challenge is to out do the mileage from the day before. If you spend a lot of time driving above the hash marks on the kW meter, expect worse gas mileage - simple math. Fly like a rocket, pay for the gas!

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  Almost the best car I ever owned - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Don - November 1 - 12:16 am

  Cant find anything I dislike about this car although there are a couple of changes Id like to see. It is comfortable, reliable, ergonomically correct, quiet, well equipped and polished.

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  First Thousand Miles - Excellent - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By tfc4 - October 31 - 2:49 pm

  I had a 2006 Camry SE V6 for eight years. I call my 2014 Corolla LE Premium my "mini-Camry". Its very spacious, has very comfortable seats, excellent handling (firm, but easily controlled) with high end Michelin Primacy 60K tires, very quiet overall (no wind noise), delivers 38 mpg on the high and 34 mpg in town, has excellent visibility, fit and finish. I love the instant/trip average mpg bar chart on the Infotainment Center. Bought it without the normally included moon roof and Entune radio ($2400 extra). Has surprisingly good acceleration; no problem passing anything on the road. Rear view camera is a terrific - should be on every car.

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  2007 Prius - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Bob - October 31 - 1:10 pm

  I have only had my Prius for about 3 months. So far, I have averaged about 51 mpg highway and city combined. Sure beats my old car that got 23 mpg. It seems to get better mpg on just highway driving - about 55 mpg, In just city driving it is more like 45 mpg. Still very good, but not the 60 mpg that Toyota advertises.

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  Theres a reason Toyota is the top dog - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By olstein103 - October 31 - 11:16 am

  I received the car is about 78,000 miles on it. The only problem that has bothered me is the struts/shocks. The electronics are flawless, the day to day driving is excellent, and the fuel economy is amazing. The previous owner(my new stepbrother) is known for destroying his cars, and when I got it, I was so suprised at how well it took his beating. He is the person who would never maintain a vehicle ever. So my opinion of this car is excellent and would recommend it to anyone.