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 Value - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bruce Bowen - August 22 - 6:03 am

  I bought my access cab with a 4 cylinder and automatic three months ago and have 3k miles. I was a bit concerned about the four cylinder and automatic as far as power is concerned but it runs great, has enough power for what I use it for - commuting and occasionally going to the dump and towing a light trailer. This truck is bigger than my old 91 Mazda pickup, has a bigger engine, carries more, is quieter, more comfortable and still averages 22 mph in everyday use! Toyotas may cost a bit more but they are reliable and hold their value. The old saying is true - you get what you pay for.

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  Avalon has got it intact - 2015 Toyota Avalon
  By Don - August 22 - 2:59 am

  just purchased a 2015 Avalon XLE yesterday for my wife. This is our 4th Av with the last being a 2006. Greatly improved. Enjoyed all our previous Avs and sure we are going to Love this one. Style, comfort, great ride and AWESOME performance. Toyota has hit this one on the money. A lot of features not expected from a sedan in this price point. Looking forward to many years of dependable and enjoyable driving. Very well pleased.

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  Love it! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By tina - August 21 - 7:36 pm

  My husband and I traded in our 03 Accord to get the Highlander. Im so happy with the decision because it is so roomy but drives like a car. We spoiled ourselves and got the car fully loaded... love it! We live in San Diego but bought the car in Orange County, the one hour and half drive was worth it...the gas barely went down.

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  1st of Many 4Runners - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Andy in SA - August 21 - 4:30 pm

  My wife and I had previously had a Honda Ridgeline and traded it in for your Limited 2wd 4Runner in Blizzard White Perl. I was expecting my wife to tell me not to do the trade in but once she saw the 4 Runner and took it for a test drive she was hooked. So far its been a great SUV. My limited didnt come with the chrome tip but I found one at OReillys for $30.00. Sure beats the $80 plus that Toyota wanted to charge. Not sure why it wasnt included with the Limited anyway.

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  Excellent choice - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By spacelink - August 21 - 10:43 am

  We purchased our vehicle (AWD) off Craigs list from a dealer in So. California. It had 92,000 on it and is in pristine condition. Weve had a 100,000 mile service done which included bumper to bumper service and the vehicle continues to drive like new. It was purchased as a replacement for our 1998 Toyota 4-runner with 250k on it was totaled by a friend. The Sequoia has more than we will ever need in a vehicle and weve taken two out of state trips with it. It has the room, the comfort and the separate temperature zones is something that definitely comes in handy. Our conclusion, we wont buy anything else. Other than the less than desirable fuel economy, its a great vehicle.

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  Great Truck - 2014 Toyota Tacoma
  By rolexman - August 21 - 9:11 am

  Looked at 4 different trucks. This one stands out as the best built, greatest value.

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  love it - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By jkland - August 21 - 5:20 am

  We have had our avalon touring model for 2.5 years... right now it has around 43k miles. The only issue has been teh headlights.. these were replaced under warrenty. The car has a sportier ride than the other models.. w/ tighter handling,, and doesnt have the floaty feeling. it is quite and smooth.. i havent had any issues with rattling. I also havent had any transmission issues or acceleration issues.. i know quite a few people with avalons,, and no one has had any issues with these things.. i really enjoy the car and as a family of 5 ( 2 are teenage boys) we can travel very comfortably and have a huge trunk.. dont miss the space of the minivan.. would highly recommend..

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  32 Month Review - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By mew1127 - August 21 - 5:03 am

  Ive now owned this car for more than 2 1/2 years, and I still love it! Its a blast to drive, very nimble in tight parking situations, and it has decent acceleration from a dead stop. With todays gas prices, its gas sipping quality is very much appreciated by this happy Celica owner. Reliability has been great, and when I clean it up, it still looks brand new. If you want a good used car that looks sporty, handles well, and gets good gas mileage, youll love this car!

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  A great car so far! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Kristine - August 21 - 3:46 am

  We bought our Yaris about a week ago and so far couldnt be happier with it. I get excellent mileage on my commute to work and the car handles great and is very roomy on the inside despite being a small vehicle. I would highly recommend this car if you are looking for a small, affordable car, with great gas mileage and a very nice and roomy interior design!

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  Seriously cheap and junky feeling - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Peter - August 21 - 1:23 am

  Went to test drive a Tacoma.. What a piece of cheap feeling junk! The fenders are chintzy and flex, the knobs on the interior are loose and the door panels flex horribly. The interior is cramped. Toyota still cant figure out how to make a decent seat height and for 40K you would expect height adjustable seats. The instruments look like fisher price designed them and the knobs feel like they are going to fall off. My GFs 2016 Toyota Corolla at half the price, feels like 3x the quality. Doors on the Taco close like they are made of paper.. Doesnt inspire confidence. What a shame. What are these idiots thinking? Dont bother.