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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  Wonderful Truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By Greg - February 3 - 4:46 pm

  I am very happy with this truck. It rides great, handles good and is very quiet and comfortable. I have a 91 Toyota truck with 191,000 miles on it and that one runs almost perfect. I cant imagine purchasing anything but a Toyota. I am confident this truck will go at least 200K without needing any repairs.

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  Quiet, reliable and efficient - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By druid - February 3 - 10:35 am

  I bought a very gently used 2015 LE a few months ago. As of this moment, it has 8000 miles on it. Ive not had to do anything except fill gas and change the oil. The automatic transmission is very smooth and efficient , in fact I might say it hunts too much for efficiency. When you are at 60 mph and you floor the pedal, its a little hesitant to downshift and give you an acceleration boost. I suspect this is because the transmission wants to hold a higher gear for as long as possible. In any case for the vast majority of the time the transmission is fine. When I do 75-80 mph I consistently get 31-32 mpg. When I drop down to 70 mph I see 33-34. And if i do between 50 to 60 mph mpg goes to 35+. I think this mpg is extremely good for a car this size and weight. When compared to the 2007-2011 models this car is quiet, engine noise is reduced. There is some road noise on rough pavement - I measured it at 63 db at 65mph. The LE ride is not as firm as the SE but the car still does not roll. It feels tight and good. The seats on the 2007-2011 model I think are better and softer than this LE. But only by a little bit. The interior could do with fewer hard plastics. I wish the LE came with side mirror defoggers. If anything is terrible in this car, it has to be the audio system. There is no bass at all. If the audio system were not integrated with the camera, I would change it in a heart beat. I have no clue how Toyota put this audio system in here. I am going to drive this for the next 5 years at least and hope it will be as reliable as the previous gen cars.

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  Great Family Car - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Robin - February 3 - 12:53 am

  I have a 2003 Sequoia Limited with around 74,000 miles. I am the sole owner and have used this to haul children, dogs, trailers and boats up in the mtns. It was been a fantastic car for our family and I think the best "Large" SUV out there in terms of capacity. Even with the 3rd seat, you still have plenty of storage as opposed to many others (Expedition, Land Cruiser, Explorer, etc). The exterior styling still looks fresh after 5 years (I prefer it over the new ones) and I always feel very safe in my Sequoia. The only downside is the side storage compartment (needs a better closing mechanism) & of course fuel economy but unfortunately that is standard with large & small SUVs. :(

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  after 20K - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By fraczekp - February 2 - 11:40 pm

  Very nice design inside and outside. The engine is a joke but one can get used to it. The AWD is useless - the car is more uncontrollable than FWD and it is very poor on gas mileage (average 19mpg!). Consolation prize - the value seems to be holding well compared to other cars.

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  Saved My Life - 1999 Toyota RAV4
  By Maria C - February 2 - 7:36 pm

  On Dec 16th 2005 I T-boned a 2004 Ford Explorer truck and both vehicles were totaled. Im black and blue, no broken bones and lucky to be alive. It didnt buckle around me, roll over, or spin out of control - what it did was save my life. My significant other always teased me and my putter-mobile because of its slow pick up but is now grateful that I was able to walk away from the accident w/just bruises. Im sold on the Rav4 and if the price is right will purchase another one. Maria

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  Whoohoooo!!! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Chris! - February 2 - 5:56 pm

  What a great car! It handles very well, has great acceleration, doesnt get buffeted around on the highway like I first feared and it even fits a very tall dude like me! Im 63.

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  So far, so good - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By fleetcaptain - February 2 - 4:33 pm

  I have the hybrid. I love this car. Very reliable, no problems at 40k miles. Ive towed several trailers over 900 miles each time, no problems.

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  Camrys are just as what i expected - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By hengbok2u - February 2 - 10:00 am

  well...i bought my camry in 1999 which had 62k miles..and now has 117k miles.. i had no problems at all with this car for all this time...its so amazing... since i work as a auto wholesale, i see lots of cars with better looks and feel than this camry....but with no regrets, i am staying with my camry...with this much mileage, im thinking about hooking the car up a little...I used to love the looks of the car, but now...it just looks so boring...either way, its one of the best cars out there~

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  I prefer it to wifes Lexus - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By boiler4ever - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this truck used with only 5,000 miles on it. After a year of ownership, I hate driving anything else. It is great to drive and feels very solid in all conditions. We also have a lexus RX300, and I still prefer to drive the truck. It rides so smooth and the quietness of the cabin is amazing.

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  LOCKER TOYOTA - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By LOCKER - February 2 - 10:00 am

  tHIS CAR RUNS VERY WELL. i HAVE NOT HAD ANY TROUBLE AT ALL WITH THE CAR.