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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  2009 Ford Flex, with over 100,000 miles. - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By JW - May 31 - 4:26 am

  No memory seat for drivers,no adjustable up, on passenger side, for short ladies, no hot power outlet ,ride not as great as hoped for.Mileage not as good as our other older Flex.

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  Prepare for TRACTION! - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By ooch owwch - May 30 - 8:46 am

  I replaced a 1995 Nissan pickup. I love this truck for the styling. It is bigger than my Nissan and gets better gas mileage and they are both 4- cylinder engines. The SR5 Prerunner is great for its value and features except for the front seats. These things separate your spinal discs no matter how you adjust the lumbar support. Even turned all the way down to no lumbar hump it cripples you by the time you get to a destination of 15 mins or longer and I am not 70, Im 43yrs old and fit. UGH! I love this truck too much to return or sell it but I wish I had known before hand. Anyone who says it is comfortable is not in the 58" range. Im definitely going to have to spend the bucks on new seats

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  Like it...but too noisy - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Shannon - May 28 - 11:03 pm

  Bought the car new. Took until about 18000 miles before it started getting good gas mileage 36-39 mpg mainly highway, so do not get discouraged, it does improve! Am very disappointed in the road noise and uncomfortable seats. The windows do not seal real well. If there is a good cross wind, the side mirrors produce a high- pitched whining noise. Would not recommend this car for highway commuters who spend more than 30 minutes on the interstate one-way. It is very good in the city and the road noise is not really a problem when driving at slower speeds. It is very peppy and fun to drive. Have had absolutely no problems with it.

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  Lumbar surport - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By carnivalacres - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Lumbar surport is not available on the bench seat model. It is mention as a standard item on New Avalon Vehicle here on the web. The Dealership told me its there when I ordered the New car. After delivery its not there. Now it Toyota is saying they dont install it on the Avalon bench seat. Also this website is not an offical Toyota site is the language used from Toyota when I telephoned them for assistance about this misinformation problem. Now I have a fine Car that gives me a backache!

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  Poor design. - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert Mirsky - May 28 - 10:00 am

  My experience with this truck is tops. The only complaint I have is the bench seat design. I have both models, with bucket seats and with the bench seat. To sit the way the bench seat is designed, you are off center behide the wheel, this puts uneven pressure on the back and is very uncomfortable. To seat in the seat the way it is designed, you sit off center behide the wheel. I dont understand why this seat has not been re-designed.

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  176,000 miles to a new clutch - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By N4tyk - May 28 - 10:00 am

  My 1996 Tacoma went 176,000 miles before needing a new clutch and brakes and rotors. I suppose that the engine is good for another 200k. The oil dipstick still has the color of new oil (honey color) even after 4500 miles, my oil change intervals. If I had been the original owner, the clutch could have lasted longer.

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  Why pay more? - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By rvp - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Very comparable to older Camrys Ive owned. A real big reliable small car that provides excellent basic transportation.

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  Hesitation - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Linda - May 28 - 2:50 am

  This is my 4th Toyota, 2nd HL. 1st HL was a 2002 4cyl. Loved it so much that we decided to upgrade to a 2006 6 cyl Limited model. Boy what a mistake. It has no more power than the 4 cyl & the way it drives & shifts is such a disappointment. When I slow down it jerks like I missed a gear and then when you go to accelerate, there is such a hesitation that you dont know if it is going to go or just die. It really scares me when Im in traffic. Ive told the service dept about this for two years. 1st they said nothing was wrong, then they said it was a flaw in the chip & they had a new update that would fix that. That didnt work. Now they say it is normal & that thats the way it brain works.

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  So far a fantastic econimic family car - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By sunburst metallic - May 27 - 10:03 pm

  We bought this car last month. We have only had it for about two weeks, but because of a move we have already put over 2k miles on it. We made 3 400 mile drives within a week on it, and I have to say wow. We avg about 32 mpg on the freeway. I am not a slow driver either. Avg speed was about 75 mph. A lot of time spent cruising at 80 mph. The car has decent pick up and go, it is not a race car, but it is enough to be comfortable. We have two young children that fit comfortably in the back seat with plenty of room. Though the Mazda 3 was more fun to drive, this won out because it was so much more practical. A perfect family car for those that want room with out driving an suv or minivan.

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  Prius Delivers - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Jewel - May 27 - 3:10 pm

  We took ownership of our 2006 Prius in mid-January. We have package #7 with the added addition of leather seats. So far, we have been truly thrilled with our experience. The Prius is comfortable to ride-in, really fun to drive and we have honestly been averaging 54 miles to the gallon in all kinds of driving conditions (although we live in the south, so not really any truly cold weather. And we do drive somewhat differently in this car. We use cruise control ALOT, we glide a lot - meaning take feet off the brake when gliding to a red signal, for instance...and we try to accelerate slowly. The pick-up is great when needed thought.