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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  Solid vehicle - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By pony - February 6 - 8:56 pm

  Real pleased after coming from a new BMW that was in shop about every month. V8 has great pickup and reasonable gas mileage. Average mileage is between 17 and 18 w regular w about 80% stop and go city driving. Long trips get me 20 mpg. BMW was avg 19 mpg on premium. Still no Honda Civic, though and with the small tank (23 gallons) there are a lot of gas stops. Good amount of interior room, great brakes and lots and lots of storage areas.

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  2008 HIGHLANDER AWD V6 - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By tomgtr1 - February 5 - 2:53 am

  I agree as to the above comments regarding the tires. Toyota should be ashamed to place such cheap dunlop tires. I have replaced them after 30k with Michellin cross terrain , huge improvement in handling. The truck sticks to the road like crazy glue. Also , the sqeak from the dashboard is getting on my nerves. Other then that love the vehicle. It is very family oriented , the 3rd raw came in handy. (optional) So far 45k.

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  Toyota quality a step ahead - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By David - February 4 - 11:43 am

  This truck meets all my expectations derived from owning two previous Toyota trucks. The regular cab has large doors with large windows which make for unsurpassed visibility. The storage area behind the seats is completely practible. While some reviews have complained about the ride, I find it very acceptable. The room and comfort of the cab make long trips a delight. The engine/transmission package is smooth and provides ample power for my needs. If I towed a large trailer, I would opt for the 5.7 V8. Overall, its a workhorse of truck that I can depend on that drives well too. Gas mileage is about what I expected, 17-18 mpg.

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  Highlander Hybrid - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Jeff & Kathy Miller - February 3 - 6:03 pm

  My husband and I traded in our Sequoia because we were impressed with information Toyota put out about the Highlander Hybrid. Toyota advertised the Hybrid as getting 33mpg city and 28mpg highway (much better than our Sequoia). We have owned this car for 4+months and are getting nowhere near what Toyota has advertised. We are dissatisfied with the gas mileage and the fact that there are no air vents in the back. Therefore when our kids sit in the back seats on a hot day, they nearly suffocate. We are very dissatisfied with our purchase and hold the Toyota Company completely at fault for false advertisement. We own 3 Toyota vehicles and have been very happy up until this purchase.

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  Good small car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By SJN - February 3 - 5:43 am

  I bought this car w/10k mi. Likes: Fuel economy, 38 mpg (70% hwy). Comfortable seats, roomy interior, good trunk room with fold down rear seat back feature, good acceleration & power w/5 speed manual trans, & good ride on most roads. Dislikes: OEM Gdyr Integrity tires were worn out at 20,000 mi. Replaced with Gdyr Triple-Treds. These seem to be wearing much better but are noisier. Road noise is annoying,especially over coarse pavement. Wind and engine noise are also very noticeable at highway speeds.The radio sound distorts at higher volume (cheap speakers) and is nearly useless at highway speeds when competing with the road noise. The CD player sometimes skips when I hit a bounce.

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  Worth the money - 1994 Toyota 4Runner
  By j - February 1 - 6:40 pm

  No complaints for reliability and worth the money.

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  Still Going Strong! - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By JimBo - February 1 - 2:30 am

  I bought this used to see if I could live with a compact truck. Mine has 2.7 4 cyl with 5 speed. The catch is it has 220k miles on it!! I have to say it runs like new I swear!! I talked to the guy that owned it from new and he had no problems ever. Leaks nothing and burns no oil. Shifts great. I have oversize rims and tires and still has decent pickup. When this wears out Ill buy another with less miles for sure. Oh no rust on the body or frame either, Im in the rust belt in the Northeast. Goes great in snow.

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  Tess Tacoma - 1997 Toyota Tacoma
  By pacunas - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Great truck! Completely dependable.

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  As Good As It Gets - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By CTP855 - February 1 - 2:00 am

  My Landcruiser has been a pleasent experience through the first year and a half of ownership. The V-8 delivers plenty of power and smooth acceleration. The ride is firm but very controlled and stable. Handling is good for such a heavy vehicle, and the interior is roomy and comfortable. The fit, finish, and quality are impecable. Gas mileage is not real good, but most SUVs arent. I tend to keep vehicles a long time, so hopefully this will turn out to be a reliable long term investment.

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  My Car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By se - February 1 - 2:00 am

  I have started buying cars with and investment attitude. Quality and getting lots of mileage is a priority for me. I have enjoyed the car for the chicago area traffic. The gas mileage has been very good, and maintainance has been less then my american cars. The car insurance cost was equivalent to my american made cars. I am sold on toyotas, infact I bought a 97 corolla for my 18 yr old son for college with a 128,000 miles. We both love our cars and they seem to also have been a good investment.