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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  Well engineered - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Peter - April 1 - 7:53 pm

  A very well engineered vehichle. Attractive outside and inside, comfortable, sensible controls, lots of space, cupholders. Easy to flip down rear seats for cargo space, put them back up for passengers. With the windows closed, the most quiet vehichle Ive ever owned. Very relaxing on long highway drives. Peppy acceleration. Excellent off road performance, and surprisingly smooth on rough terrain. My quibbles: front passenger seat has only 4 way controls instead of 6, and no lumbar support -- why shouldnt I have same adjustments when wife drives as when I do? In daylight when Im wearing sunglasses, hard to read clock. Responsive handling, but on curvy highways you dont want to push it.

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  Toyota has a lot of nerve classifying this as a 4WD - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By susandreak - April 1 - 4:40 pm

  Love the dealer. Hate this "SUV". I live in the northeast; Ive always owned a 4WD to insure mobility in the winter months. This vehicle does not fit that bill, in the least. If you need a vehicle that needs to be functional and not just cute, find something else.

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  Love it - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By sigjuliussen - April 1 - 11:50 am

  Great MPG, I have been getting 50+ city and I got 51.7 on 400 mile trip through Alaskan mountain roads. Im 64" and 340 lbs and I fit fine, easy to get in and out of. Lots of cargo room

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  Problems Problems Problems - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nikki - April 1 - 6:43 am

  I bought my 2006 Tacoma pre-runner V6 brand new, have had nothing but issues. First, breaks, if you try to break on any uneven surface they lock and you slide took it to my dealership they said "thats how abs works". On top of that my motor mount just happened to break (I looked into this&tons of people with tacomas 05-07 motor mounts have mysteriously broke).

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  Toyota Works for CO - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Kinztoy - April 1 - 3:00 am

  There are many reasons to live in Colorado, and also many reasons to own a Toyota. The reasons for both are dangerously similar - a good vehicle is needed for the winter driving, the summer camping trips and the daily grind of commuting in the city. The 4Runner makes all of these a breeze. It combines clean style, good gas mileage, high ground clearance, good storage and Toyotas reliable engine and low maintenace. On a recent trip to Yellowstone, I placed a futon matress in the back and saved on hotels. As for the ride, the V8 has great power. An MP3 plug-in makes it easy to pull songs off your iPod without messy adaptors, and the close to 20 miles a gallon is great for a V8 SUV.

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  41 MPG - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Kinsale - April 1 - 1:46 am

  I would have never thought about a Toyota being a Chevrolet man, but this Toyota Hybrid is an outstanding automobile. With just over 500 miles on the car we are consistantly getting over 35 MPG and have recorded 41 on several short trips in and around town. The quality of the build is amazing in that the fit and finish is exact. There is a slight hesitation when starting out, but you quickly disregard it after awhile. The engine response is very good when the electric motor kicks in. The new Camry is a big car and there is plenty of HP to do the job. The biggest problem I have is that the car is so quiet that I havent yet become use to it.

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  Overall not bad - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Ian - March 31 - 7:53 pm

  This month is my Yaris first birthday and being my first new car, it has been a pretty decent experience after 15,000 miles. Very reliable car, no engine issues, manual is almost... fun sometimes. Air works well, and stereo is not bad. Only issues Ive had are the easily scratched panels, very annoying... also the panels where seat belts are get gauged. My Camry had a more resilient interior. Gas mileage is excellent, best I got was 360 miles to one tank on the hwy, and for an 11 gallon tank, that aint too shabby. The exterior damages way too easily also. Bumpers on this car are horrible and expensive to repair, try not to back into anything, its going to be over 500 to fix. Good car overall.

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  I love this car!!!!!!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Brian - March 31 - 6:06 pm

  Bought this Camry at a great price. Excellent value for the money. Dealer Service has been excellent.

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  My 07 break through!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Annette - March 31 - 11:50 am

  What can I say. I feel like a million bucks in this new sleek, sporty yet power design. Its got great features, gets the ooos and ahhhhs as you are driving. Heated seats, passenger reading lamps, dual temp controls, leather interior, moon roof, Bluetooth wireless technology, nice trunk space, steering wheels controls for just about everything you need to touch!! Its a "wow" what are you driving type car and even owners of this one, will stop and have a conversation. Now that is what I call a car with pride!!!

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  WOW, I am Impressed with the RAV4 - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Hal - March 30 - 7:56 pm

  Our family decided on the 2009 Limited RAV4 after the first test drive. We were impressed with a quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride. We also enjoyed the extra space the vehicle provided. We doubted the gas mileage ratings, but after 2 months we believe! We live in a rural area of PA and are getting 28 mpg. On our first 12 hour trip, we got close to 30 mpg. We find the leather seats very comfortable and enjoy the bluetooth phone capabilities....no more worries about getting the phone up to the ear! Keyless entry is nice but can be confusing. I researched just about every available source and they all pointed to this vehicle. Limited with leather is more comfortable than the Base.