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:

• 

  4runner fan - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Turtle - October 7 - 1:56 am

  I previously had a 2004 4Runner but wrecked it. Loved it! Went 109,000 miles with only normal maintenance. Never changed a light bulb! Have had the 2010 for about a month. It is very similar to the 2004 with a few minor changes. It is larger which I like. Miss a couple things about the old one compared to the new one.

• 

  The best of the best!! - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By Thairin - October 6 - 3:53 pm

  My corolla I love it so much! He has been so faithful to me.. I bought it in January 2008, it had 180.000 miles.. Now it has 230.000 and still runs great. The air conditioning! oh my god it is the best.. cant discuss.. My husband has a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer, and the car has already been broke 2 times.. and guess who has been there to take us everywhere?? My corolla!! The best car ever built! Thanks toyota..!!

• 

  Pleased with my Choice - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Roger - October 6 - 3:43 pm

  After months of research and many test drives of competing vehicles in the same class, I ended up with the CAMRY SE 4 cylinder and could not be happier with my selection and the cars styling vs the CE or LE or even XLE. If choosing a Camry, SE is the way to go.

• 

  Beware of Rough Ride - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Mark - October 6 - 12:33 pm

  Test drive the Sport Version with Run Flat Tires before you buy. The sport suspension with the run flat tires gives a very rough ride. Every bump in the road is felt. Everything else is great.

• 

  Best truck ever - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Jeb - October 6 - 11:13 am

  What a great truck to own!

• 

  Great SUV - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Denise Frey - October 6 - 6:43 am

  This is a nice ride. I traded in an Avalanche pickup that was deluxe. The Highlander is as comfortable as the Avalanche and has as much interior room. It has a lower ground clearance so off-roading is not possible but the highway ride is smooth!

• 

  Stylish and luxury - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By mkzid - October 6 - 6:34 am

  My wife and I leased a 2010 Rav4 Limited V6 and our lease was up. We decided to get a new 2013 Rav4 however was disappointed to see it no longer had the V6 as an option. As we walked through the dealer lot a 2013 Attitude black limited AWD V6 Venza caught our eye. It was stylish and had a great set of 5 spoke 20" wheels. We took it for a test drive and the ride was fun however very very quiet compared to the 2010 V6 Rav4. We loved the new Entune Nav system and the current LED daytime running light as well as the HID main headlights were nice. We liked the panoramic roof and the power lift gate. The seats were comfortable and very adjustable. The dual chrome exhaust were a nice sporty touch.

• 

  Review - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By flgirl1 - October 6 - 4:06 am

  I have purchased many cars in my lifetime, but I must say that I really like this car. It has a good sound system, and is very sporty. I am always receiving compliments on it even though it is 6 years old! I am single, so I wasnt the least bit concerned about a 4 door. It is very economical and I fill up my tank way less than previously. All in all, I couldnt ask for a better vehicle.

• 

  Toyota not what it used to be - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By chad - October 6 - 1:33 am

  Ill start off by saying Ive always been a fan of Toyota. Until now. This Sienna performed great for 1 year, with the exception of fuel economy. It is not even close to the EPA estimate. The sliding side doors are difficult to close properly which caused the battery to die often. Electic windows broke 2x. 3-4 recalls in the first year. Then after the warranty -38k miles- the muffler broke and then the glove box door broke. My 100K mile extended warranty that I purchased for $1000 didnt cover either repair (fine print). I called Toyota and they were rude. Called it normal where and tear. Runs rough at 52k miles. Im now trading it in. junk.

• 

  Surprisingly... Terrible Car - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Shane24 - October 6 - 1:13 am

  I purchased my 1993 Toyota Camry back in April of 2005. I bought it with 125,000 miles. As soon as I bought it everything started to go wrong. I had to replace two head gaskets. Two Oxygen sensors. A wheel bearing. Two CV shafts. Of course all of this didnt go right away. But I only put 15,000 miles on it since I bought it, and thats a lot to go wrong. Plus for a V- 6 it didnt seem that peppy. Also I got horrible gas mileage. The one good thing is that it ran smooth. Ive had enough of it. Im going to trade it in. I have owned a lot of cars in the past, but nothing was ever this bad.