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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  Great Truck - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Iselltnhomes - February 8 - 10:00 am

  This by far is the best sports utility on the road. We decided on the Toyota after road testing the Loredo, Dakota, Explorer & Sport Trac. No other vehicle had the Toyotas power, handling & comfort. Love the full time four wheel drive and engine torque. Average gas mileage has been around 20 MPG. More than I expected from a sports utility. The new body style is very sharp.

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  SUV OF THE YEAR - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tony in MD - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling and performance. I LOVE my SUV! I’m getting 21 mpg, which is very decent. I can’t wait to take it off road! I compared it to the Ford Explorer, and it was NO match. If youre even thinking of another vehicle, test drive the 4Runner and youll see the difference. I ended up paying more (interest rate) but Im glad i did.

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  Usual Toyota Qaulity, BUT... - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By dehlerg - February 8 - 10:00 am

  The Highlander is good-looking, peppy with the V6, nimble feeling, perfect height for us, roomy feeling, fun too drive. We really dislike the small unlit mirror in the sun visor of this $30,000 car. We don’t understand why Toyota wasted time putting electronics in the rearview mirror, including a compass, but then excluded the outside temp gauge. Soundproofing left plenty of room for improvement, hear lots of road noise. Even though based on Camry chassis, Highlander has relatively bumpy ride.. Gas mileage is poor. On a 200-mile round trip averaging about 68 miles an hour, we got slightly over 20 mpg after 6 months of driving.

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  Much Nicer Than The Odyssey! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By flaggj - February 8 - 10:00 am

  When we started thinking of getting a minivan, everyone steered us towards the Honda Odyssey. We did research online which also rated the Odyssey the best. We first looked at the 2004 Sienna and loved it. Because of everyone telling us to buy the Odyssey, we decided to take a look. We couldnt believe the difference between the two. The Sienna was much nicer! And the price was just about the same. We purchased the 8-seater, which was very difficult to find, but will help when we have out-of-town visitors.

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  I am not sure - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By byuc - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I am not an experienced van driver, dont know much about car either. This is the first van for us. We decided to buy a toyota van after seeing the previous reviews about the 2004 sienna. I am still wondering if I got a good deal. But what comforts me most is that my wife loves this van after I drove her to work and picked her up several times. I used to love living in Chicago but now I hate it since it snowed Monday, just two days I bought the van. Forgot to mention, my 6-year-old son showed off to everyone the new van even strangers.

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  Odyssey Killer - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Ellwood - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Just picked ours up a week ago and are totally dazzled. Owned a Grand Caravan for 5 years and test drove a 2003 Odyssey and the Sienna is far superior. The Odyssey is the closest competitor, interior dimensions are almost identical and it has the same folding rear seats. The Honda handles nicely, accelerates and brakes well, but is totally devoid of any character - the interior is so spartan and functional that it was like driving a delivery van. Sienna on the other hand is more comfortable, quieter, smoother-riding and makes you feel like you are driving from your favorite chair at home.

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  2004 Toyota Sienna XLE - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Joe Brooks - February 8 - 10:00 am

  This the THE minivan to get. They took the 4 year old Honda Odyssey and added many features to it. Mainly SPLIT Magic Seat in the rear. The Honda seat is too heavy for a woman to fold away.

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  Perfect! - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By methodistbill - February 7 - 3:37 pm

  I finally decided to give up on Honda. The road noise in my last Honda was just too pronounced! But my Highlander is one quiet ride! The V6 provides outstanding acceleration too. Though, it doesnt handle like a sports car and have great off-road manners, it does exactly what I want -- provide a stable, quiet ride. It also provides great flexibility with seating and the seats are quickly and easily folded in order to haul more cargo.

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  I love my Matrix! - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Susan Roberts - February 7 - 2:46 pm

  We took delivery on our Toyota Matrix in February 2006. I love my Matrix! The car is comfortable to drive around town as well as on the interstate; lots of room for groceries, baggage, etc. It drives like a sports car, but has hauling capacity. And it gets great gas mileage. I couldnt be happier with this car!

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  First Toyota SUV - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By SalemHokie - February 7 - 12:00 pm

  My wife and I purchased our Highlander about a month ago. So far, we have no complaints at all. We both really enjoy driving the Highlander. My wife likes the fact that it doesnt feel like she is driving some big vehicle, like a lot of the other midsize SUVs we test drove. One thing I would definetly suggest, is to get some quotes from dealerships online. I got a quote from the dealership for the Highlander we purchased, and the salesman at the dealership was asking about $2500.00 more than what I was quoted online. We had fun with him for a while, till we brought out the quote we had received online. Doing your research and getting some quotes definetly helps.