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:

• 

  Nice SUV with some SERIOUS flaws. - 2011 Toyota Sequoia
  By feckman - January 17 - 3:22 am

  We recently purchased a 2011 Toyota Sequoia. It would be a great car but for the fact that many of the most important functions of the navigation system, radio, media system, etc. are *completely inaccessible* while the car is in motion! Clearly this is an issue of liability fears trumping usability or reason. Regardless, we would not have purchased the car had we known how difficult it would be to use. How a car maker thinks it is okay to tell me how to use the functions of an automobile I purchased is beyond me. Letting lawyers run a company is worse than letting inmates run an asylum. Its too bad, because it has all the makings of a great car. Instead its more like a nagging lawyer.

• 

  5yrs and 35k miles, still loving it - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By goldston - January 17 - 1:03 am

  Great vehicle. My wife loves this year model due to the non-connected shift pod to the console layout. Its been a very reliable vehicle and we see ourselves owning our H/L for another 5yrs at least.

• 

  2016 Highlander Limited Platinum - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Saeeda K - January 16 - 11:01 pm

  Like the style of car. Hate that Toyota nickels & dimes you for everything. My only negative review is that the cabin is much louder than I expected on the highway. I came out of a 2007 Toyota Avalon & the difference in the cabin noise is surprising. I would definitely recommend test driving on the highway. Other than that, overall is good. Wish there was a way to have Waze as an app instead of toyotas nav system. Its not as efficient as Waze. The third row is definitely for kids. No adult would ever prefer to sit In the third row, let alone three of them wouldnt fit in the third row.

• 

  One tankful so far - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Dr Deuce - January 15 - 8:16 pm

  I just got 37+mpg on the 1st tankful of gas. Like others, I am starting to notice the wander. Maybe needs more caster on the front end. It seems peppy enough for a 4. It does have a 4 cyl mild buzz during acceleration. I like the D to 3 shifter and it shifts quickly when asked using that. The door armrest seems to be a little unusual. Cup holder in the center will not accept bigger cups. It is quiet. The radio does have some bass boom to it with some music. MOVE THE CLOCK TO THE RADIO! This is my 1st Toyota.

• 

  What a Great Birthday Present!! - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Robin G - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Ive had the vehicle almost a month now and love something new about it every time I drive. The GPS Nav system is a lot of fun. Overall, the vehicle is very well thought out and drives so smoothly I cant believe its an SUV. Im looking forward to its winter performance. We have driven it through torrential rains and it was very stable.

• 

  Conflicted. - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By VictorV. - January 15 - 7:40 am

  My first choice was a 2009 Ford F150, but could not make a deal. Bought my Tundra in Monterey, Ca and drove her home to Las Vegas, NV. I drove my truck through a multitude of highways, and this is what I learned. More power than I will ever need. Going up the grade past Baker, CA, the Tundra did not break a sweat. Drive was smooth and comfortable, but, pay attention here, there is bed bounce. Just on certain type of roads, not enough to get rid of the truck (my Dodge Ram had the same issue) but it might cause other drivers fits. Very quiet truck, cannot hear roadnoise. All in all, the best bang for the buck in its segment.

• 

  Comfortable, Reliable and Bland - 1996 Toyota Avalon
  By AZDave - January 14 - 1:16 am

  We purchased our Avalon with 13,300 miles on it in August 1996 and sold it in September 2007 at 94,000 miles. My wife wanted a mid-to-large size sedan; this car replaced a 1986 Mercedes 300E. It was not purchased as a "glamor car." We bought the base XL model and added alloy wheels and pinstriping to spruce it up a bit. For 9 of the 11 years we owned it we lived in Southern CA; the last two years weve been in Tucson, AZ. Total cost of maintenance (including 14 tires) was $5,200, about $40/month. Usage was about 80% around town and 20% on the highway. The 192 hp engine proves good (but not blazing) acceleration. Overall a good - but not great - car.

• 

  Cherry 03 V8 4Runner LTD - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Patrick McHugh - January 13 - 12:53 pm

  4Runner well built in Japan, plenty of power with V8 engine, 5,000lbs towing, scrupulously maintained, mobile 1 oil changed every 3,000 miles. Very low mileage as owner working outside of country half time since purchase. Performed very well on cross country trip. A pleasure to drive, interior in perfect condition, has nav system, am/fm. Perfect size to negotiate narrow road and trails. Any bigger vehicle loses utility. Back country vehicle of choice, beats out rangerover, hummer, etc.

• 

  Reliable, efficient but... - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By ToyoTa_ta - January 13 - 5:50 am

  This a great economy car. I consistently get around 30 mpg on 50/50 highway city drive. The reliability has been excellent so far. The ride is where this vehicle is lacking a lot. Maybe the goal was to make the car with stiff suspension to look and handle more sporty. The result is rough ride with clearly pronounced and annoying bumps - "haystack wagon" as somebody else called it. My other car is Huyndai Elantra and believe me the difference in ride quality is huge.

• 

  The Truth about the PRIUS - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By T.J. - January 12 - 6:46 pm

  I have over 9000 miles on the prius 2.I really enjoy driving this car.In the winter mileage is about 44 to 48mpg and in the summer 50 to 52 mpg with mixed driving. A couple of rattles in the winter around dash area that go away when the temp warms up.We have 4 vehicles but after driving a car that gets this mileage I dont want to drive the others.The brakes were updated by the dealer but when the anti-lock comes on they do not grab. I have another appt with dealer. I have owned over 150 cars so its not me making something up but a problem with the hybrid braking system. For 22,000.00 and no sales tax I think its a good value. To spend more money I would purchase the hybrid ford fusion.