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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  Toyotas Buick - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By kato - May 28 - 2:33 am

  Nice, soft riding and soft handling car that is very reliable, very dull. Good space for family; seats are not as comfortable as they should be.

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  4th one is a charm - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Ken - May 28 - 1:40 am

  To set the record straight , I have owned 5 Tacomas. One was away back in the 70s , but the modern Tacomas were 2009 , 2012 ,2015, 2016. I found the first 3 to be all pretty much the same, except as the years progressed the electronics became better with each truck. The gas mileage on each truck was almost identical for the first 3 modern trucks combined 16.5 mpg. I never reached 20 mpgon any of them , city or highway. Thewinter months the mileage went down to 14-15 mph combined. I have owned 11 trucks in my life . Of them,6 American trucks , all needed to have work done under warranty( as much as $3000 worth ) . None of the Tacomas have needed anything done under warranty ( not counting a replacement for bad weather mats). The 2016 is great . A lot of people have criticized the engine for being sluggish and the transmission constantly shifting. compared to the 2015 , that is true, but I have realizedthat my mileage is almost 25% better with the newer 3.5 engine and 6 speed transmission. I am getting and average combined mileage of 21mpg, reached an alltime high of 24.7 on a trip last week. If I want better performance I use the 6 speed manual shift and it feels like a sports car, but use the 6 speed automatic for mileage . I have noticed that the truck has plenty of get up and go when you jump on it going 65 mph and wanting to pass. it gets up to 85 very quickly. As I mentioned before the electronics have developed as the models progressed. The JBL sound system in my Sport model is crazy good. Loud but clear. The new backup alert has saved me several times from backing into someone or something. Same can be said for the alerts in the mirrors when a car is beside you in your blind spot. I love the style of the new truck and the beefy look it has . I get compliments all the time on the appearance of the truck. With all the combined factors , I think I have the best truck of all the Tacomas. Maybe I am just lucky with the mileage, but the rest of the features make it a pleasure to drive. 10/14/17. I now have 21,000 miles and still love the truck. Mileage has remained about the same. Happy about my purchase

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  Rock Solid - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By J-Texas - May 27 - 8:00 pm

  Drives like a car more than an SUV, but its attractive and rock solid. Having it to do all over again, I would have upgraded to leather.

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  a dream drive - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By toyopetlover - May 27 - 3:07 pm

  Traded in my prius after I got into an accident and decided to go bigger, and after much research: tada : highlander. It was the perfect car that was not too big, and not too small. And with the addition of the plus package, perfect for the budget. Out here in CA, you can pretty much get this for about 30k or so before TTL. I think its a pretty good bargain comparing the other choices out there. Mind you, the RX 350 has no 3rd row. People say it is for kids, but for short trips, its definitely ok. For long trips, still possible, but youd probably need to do some rotation. Plenty of cargo room. Very quiet ride. V6 is thirsty for gas, but very powerful for moving around on highway.

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  Sienna beats Odyssey - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By bb - May 27 - 9:06 am

  Traded my 07 Odyssey EXL with RES for this beauty. Honda had horrible road noise bumpy ride torque converter in transmission replaced along with power steering pump all in less than 40,000 miles. Not to mention very squeaky side doors. Thought I was driving a Chrysler product. Toyota is so smooth soft ride and more comfortable 8th seat.

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  Overall great, fun car - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Nectars1 - May 27 - 8:56 am

  I bought this car just before winter and so far I love it. Its so much fun to drive, its sporty without paying for a sports car. It handles very well in the snow as well. I definitely think it hits bumps pretty hard but thats really my only complaint. Its extremely smooth and easy to shift between gears. I think its a great car for the money. Its backed by the Toyota reputation!

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  Better fuel economy than a hybrid! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By R. - May 27 - 12:36 am

  I get 40-41 MPG, mostly freeway commuting. Zippy and fun to drive around town, but not a great ride on the freeway (the car is very light and doesnt seem to hug the road well at high speeds). Definitely go for the manual - youll get a lot more juice out of it AND better gas mileage. I test drove the automatic, and it was sluggish. The base car comes pretty stripped of amenities, but thats probably why the car is so low priced. I put a simple spoiler on mine, and I think it really helps the style.

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  Jumping for Toyota - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Girl Gone Bad - May 26 - 9:50 pm

  After only having my 4Runner for 6 months I can say it is a fun SUV to drive, it handles like a car, looks great, runs great and is quiet except for a slight vibration effect or noise when its windy, it seems like wind blowing or buffeting against something. That comes and goes and is not annoying, just a little disconcerting at first. The turning ratio is easy and good, Ive taken it off road (4x2) and it was fun, fun, fun.

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  Love my Toyota Corolla - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By C. Thompson - May 26 - 8:48 pm

  I was having to replace my 2001 Mazda MPV and was looking for something that was comfortable and easy to get in and out of. Was interested in a small SUV or crossover; however, I saw this little beauty on the lot and it had less than 6,000 miles on it! Took it for a couple of rides. Love the acceleration and the drivers seat is comfortable for me, though maybe a little lower to the ground than I would like at my age. Banking on Toyotas reputation and Edmunds review, I bought it and am very happy so far.

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  My 06 was better on gas!!!! - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By jsmeltz - May 26 - 7:13 pm

  Nice car! Love the redesign (Inside & out)! Not as peppy as my 2006 S. Planned on driving my 06 for 5 more years as was so dependable, but totaled it so needed a new car. I chose the S Plus due to the disc brakes all the way around. Purchased with the convenience package. Love the XM and blue tooth which I didnt have before. With that said, I am so DISAPPOINTED with the gas mileage. My 06 got 33 MPG consistently. This car barely gets 29 MPG. They advertise as 35 MPG which is NOT true. But its still a nice car. As far as reliability, that remains to be seen. Oh yea, I put 5,000 miles on it so far, and still cant get rid of the epoxy smells when I accelerate. Seems to come thru the vents.