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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  The Best Vehicle I Ever Owned - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By briemer - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This Is simply "The Best Vehicle I Ever Owned". Quiet, Smooth, Comfort...Class act all the way...

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  Almost Like my Last One - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By S-Runnin_SoCal - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Replaced my 1990 SR5 V6-XtraCab 5-Sp 4X2 w/150,000 miles with a new one, but the closest thing to it Toyota makes to replace it is the S-Runner. The interior on the old one used higher quality materials. The 2001 has thin cheap plastic all through the interior. The 90 had all analog gauges. The new model goes with more idiot lights. No rattles on the 90 even after 150,000 logged on the clock. My 2001 S-Runner rattles like crazy right out of the box. The gearing on the S-Runner is too tall, requiring a lot of clutch slipping to get rolling. I like the new engine on the S-Runner, but I wish I had my old SR5- V6 back.

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  Unbeatable value. - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By jmc55ma - May 14 - 7:57 am

  I purchased my 2001 Toyota Camry LE 4 cyl. in 2003 with 27000 miles on the odometer. I have driven this car for 9 years without a major repair and only done maintenence, brakes, timing belt and tuneups. The odometer now reads 171000 miles and still going strong. It still has the original exhaust. i find the seats a little uncomfortable and hard but othere than that I would give this car a 10!

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  2003 Toyota Avalon XLS - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By Herb F. - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Just picked up my new Avalon. Though I really like the car and its design/amenities am sorely disappointed in the quality of the workmanship coming from the Kentucky assembly plant. Very poor fit on the body panels, interior plastic squeaks and the paint(pearl white) on the plastic rear bumper is about 8 shades darker than the rest of the car. Also, the wind noise with the moon roof open is almost deafening. Have owned 9 previous Toyotas but this is my first one assembled in the US. Perhaps I am expecting too much but the local service manager tells me that they have four times more problems with the US assembled Toyotas than those of the "J- Series".

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  Thus far Im happy. - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Rick Evans - May 13 - 4:33 pm

  I replaced a 90 manual Probe seeking an economical and reliable ride. Considering the smaller engine 1.8L vs 2.2L the highway performance is surprisingly good. The Probe had an edge in acceleration during passing but the Corolla is noticeable quieter at 75mph. Tire noise is about the same. Corolla shifting is clearly smoother. Calculated fuel economy averages 33 mpg. On Boston to NYC trips Ive gotten 40. Trunk space is surprisingly roomy. A key factor was that it carry all my amateur astronomy stuff. The little storage areas including the armrest storage are quite convenient keeping the interior neat. Radio reception is excellent. CD/radio sound is good

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  Great value for the money - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Joe - May 13 - 8:50 am

  All around, one of the nicest cars available, and I drove a lot of them before purchasing this one. Not the best handler but sure footed enough to to take the cloverleaf exit ramps around here with authority. A bit of a resonance around 70 mph mars an otherwise serene highway ride. Averages about 32 mpg in a 70/30 mix of highway and city driving, respectively. Can get 40 mpg at 65 mph. VERY comfortable seating for me, with plenty of adjustment and support. Buying experience was mixed, great price, salesperson, crappy finance office.

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  Mediocre - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By frontier191 - May 13 - 3:23 am

  I bought a 2013 corolla LE after trading in my old car. I ended up with corolla when I wanted a Civic because of lower insurance and retail price. Biggest mistake ever. I didnt thoroughly research the car and its competitors before making my decision. The car rides OK. Very quiet cabin and good fuel economy but its very boring and the styling looks outdated for a 2013...but it does the job. I dont think this car has a good resale value. Many of its competitors offer more bang for the buck and Im seeing many of these corollas already for sale when its barely 1 or 2 years old. Toyota is also redesigning the corolla next year so thatll likely further hurt its value.

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  My New-used RAV4 - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By sapphiretiger - May 12 - 5:36 am

  So far so Good!! This isnt the vehicle I originally planned on purchasing. A lot of people were telling me no dont get an Suv, they burn too much gas. But my Rav4 is just as good on gas mileage as my car was. Its comfortable and I like to sit up a bit higher now. For my needs it has plenty of room. Went on weekend get-away with my boyfriend and my dog; now the dog loves it too; he always wants to go for a ride in it. I like that being a Toyota it should retain its value fairly well. OVERALL SATISFIED; THE CONS ARE MINOR. luv4myrav4

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  Get the leather - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By sylvia - May 11 - 9:53 am

  I often have elderly persons in this vehicle and they have all commented on the comfort of the leather seats and the spaciousness of the cabin. When its empty & the seats are stowed theres plenty of room for hauling. I traded in an 8cyl Jeep which was seriously noisy; Sienna is quiet by comparison, but still loud on the freeway. Ive had it just over 18 months and, knock wood, not a think has gone wrong. Mileage exactly as stated by the manufacturer (not to say it has great mileage but I am saying the advertised MPG is truthful).

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  Could be a lemon - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Sr Tocino - May 11 - 6:03 am

  We have purchased the hybrid and so far we are far from satisfied. The black box that displays engine performance has died. Lojack and handsfree telephone (dealer installed) took 2 weeks to get installed and the handsfree doesnt work and there was no manuals for either. We were told by the salesman and his manager we could get a luggage rack without having to get the sunroof (between skin cancer on my bald head and the fact Im 64" the sunroof takes up headroom) only to be told after buying the car we couldnt get a rack without the sunroof package. We bought the vehicle to take our kayak and gear to the shore, now we cant. I feel that Toyota is taking customers for granted.