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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  April 27,2002 - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Indyboy - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Just the best car/suv I have ever owned...prior suvs..2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2000 Dodge Dorango. Other car BMW 740IL. Very happy with this pusrchase. The vehicle is a perfect fit for the 2 child family...very good alternative to a minivan.

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  Top of the line Sequoia Limited - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By OnlydriveSUVs - October 16 - 6:56 am

  I told the dealership to find me the top of the line Sequoia, and they did. What a great vehicle! In addition to the top notch Toyota quality you get a huge SUV - comfortably seats 7. You cant beat this truck if you need space. I couldnt be happier. Ive had it since July 05 and, of course, have had no problems. Avg 15-18 MPG.

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  Life with a Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By bigeandkenna - October 15 - 7:43 pm

  After just turning 29000 miles, i felt it is time to reflect. The Venza has proved to be a capable and reliable car over the last 2 1/2 years in our family. We average 20 mpg in mixed use and 26 on the highway. We have taken several trips from NJ to Fla and it is a great road trip car. It has never been back to the dealer with any problems, although there is an open recall on the "stuck fuel pedal" issue. It is easy to get in and out of and the back seat is roomy. The interior is visually appealing but a closer look reviles mismatched seams. The XM radio has poor reception and is difficult to locate stations on the run. All in all this is a typical Toyota- a point A to B appliance.

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  Great Mileage, Poor comfort - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By IllesheimVet - October 15 - 5:23 pm

  Bought new for wife. At 5ft 2in tall she loves it! I (at 6ft 2in) found it to be more uncomfortable than my old 1990 Corolla. The steering wheel is too far away and not adjustable. The armrests on the doors are very hard and my left arm goes to sleep when driving even short distances and the seats provide little thigh support for taller people. The serpentine belt squeaks constantly, (tensioner?) The valence panel below the front bumper is very flimsy and easily cracked.. Be careful when loading the trunk. The curved support arms may crush items when the lid is closed.

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  Very dependable and reliable - Great Truck - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By G.D. - October 15 - 4:34 pm

  Brought this vehicle off the lot and only had one major problem (fuel lines replacement for $1,000) other than that I had no other major issues. Its great on highway at 25 or more per gallon driving 55 or 65 mph. I could go on but its a great truck. I currently have 198K and I have a second used 4runner (2004 V8 4x4) with over 250k that I bought with 203K and it still runs great.

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  Toyotas win my vote all day long. - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By colin - October 15 - 12:54 pm

  Hi I have owned volvos s80s 2001 2000.I have owned many cars in my time sedans and sports cars .my experience with Toyota cars are the best .from Hondas expensive to fix.expensive to buy .volvos poor reliability.Mercedes way overated.Pontiac clumsy and poor feel to the roads .uninvolving.to BMW very old fashion and drive heavy and noisy.lousy gas consumption to hugely expensive repair .rear shocks on a Mercedes 500 2003 sedan 600each example .Volkswagen very noisy and overheating pure build quality.step below the Mercedes Nissan very cheaply made and overrated .my 350z had more rattles in it than a rattlesnake.it never idled correctly.Subaru sti had worst high speed feel to it felt. Unsafe n brakes were horrible.Subarus feel like tin cans .mazdas worst of al cars .if any makes match longivity of a Toyota car is a Chevy .ford .but fix it again tomorrow..Camry v6 excellent car even at 176k miles .gets fab gas mileage 30mpg for a big car b v6 power.not very fast but acceptable.roomy.very clear instrument panels.I hav a 2003 Camry v6 black..paint still shines .cheap repairs .easy fix maintenance.one exception the timing belt and water pump every 90k.miles .Toyota are your best bet. Resale value .longivity.easy drive .comfortable seating roomy.Avalon Camry corolla your best buys .celicas mr 2.supra risky buys with head gasket problems and faulty instruments.Toyota make best cars but not sporty not fast not stylish can be boring to drive .but it beats a car in the shop all the time a car falling apart but looks good. A car that costs you an arm and leg to keep.a car thats super fast but the gas station is your daily stop with 93octane .iv had all the cars .Toyotas win my vote ..

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  2016 RAV 4 LE FWD - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By CFT - October 15 - 9:20 am

  I have had this car a month today and it just reached 1,000 miles and I am overall very happy with it. The acceleration is great especially since I just traded in a 2005 Toyota highlander with a V6 figuring that I would have some adjustments to make. The interior is overall spacious and comfortable but yet it does feel a bit cheap. The carpet in the floor board and a bit too much plastic looking in the interior. I would imagine over time with a family it may start to look a bit banged up but it is just me so hardly anyone will ever sit in the back seat. The rims are nice and sporting looking but are plastic and I wonder how they will hold up especially since I keep a car for a long time. A bad safety feature is when you put the it in park all doors seem to unlock instead of just drivers door. Over all do recommend for sporty styling and comfortable ride.

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  Great ride, but noisy engine poor MPG - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Rick - October 15 - 9:20 am

  Rides like a sedan and accelerates quickly but the engine screams trying. Fit and finish is good as well as good legroom/headroom for a 64" guy. I expected better mileage than 22 MPG since my previous Sequoia, with a V8, got 20.5 MPG. The sticker stated 24 MPG on the highway and it doesnt come close.

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  First Toyota - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By RJ - October 15 - 7:03 am

  Seem great, first non USA vehicle in 40 years. Quality in workmanship best seen outside of Cadillac. Great gas mileage, great design, getting to like the keyless part of vehicle. One small rattle at highway speed when on rough highway, not worried about that being corrected. Getting used to more solid ride than the big three rides I have been use to, this is sport/solid ride.

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  Great Car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By chris - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I am in outside sales. I drive about 45000 miles a year and this is a great car. Toyota has been very helpful also. I had the oil on the ground problem, will happen to every Avalon, and Toyota fixed it for free even though I was out of warranty. The gas mileage is great and the resale is great. With 110000 miles on the car right now the resale is still above 15000 (exceptional) would recommend to anyone and will purchase another.