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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  Average Car - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By SCR - July 31 - 10:00 am

  After owning Hondas for many years, I decided to switch to Toyota because I liked the look of my Solara. Theres plenty of room. Its smooth riding and handling. It has a luxurious look for the price. Its just not a fine tuned car. It doesnt have the precision of my Hondas. Its an excellent car for someone who wants a vehicle that you put the key in, put gas in it and go. Dont expect to get much more out of it. I compare it to a big econobox that you really cant get much more out of the engine or transmission. Nonetheless, everyone who gets into my car seems to love it. I wish I shared their enthusiasm since Im the one who drives it everyday.

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  Boring & wonderful - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By 1999camry - July 31 - 6:15 am

  I stumbled upon my 1999 v6 American Edition Camry in early 2007 with 88k. Previous to that I had never considered a Toyota, but the deal was right. Since then I have put 110k of my own miles on it. It has seen me through college, marriage and the birth of our two kids. Since day one, I have considered it the most boring-looking car I have ever set eyes on, and my wife refers to me as "grandpa" when Im in it. Looks notwithstanding, I LOVE my Camry. The v6 is enough to keep driving interesting and the reliability cant be beat. The mph is acceptable: I get 26 mpg no matter what I do. Highway, city, petal to the floor, or with my wife and kids in the car: 26 mpg.

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  Road noise and head restraints block view - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By notsosmartski - July 30 - 11:45 pm

  I think the road noise from the tires humming along is too loud. I think you can hear the traffic just as loud whether the windows are down or up. I am still getting used to the head restraints that appear in the way of my view when I try to turn around to see what is behind me when backing out. Per the monitor I get 31 MPGs! The car has enough pickup and go for my wife and I. We paid under $16K out the door. back up.

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  My Third One! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Peter - July 29 - 6:01 pm

  This is my third RAV! So far I have had a White 2008 RAV4 LE 4WD, a Brown 2012 RAV4 Limited AWD, & a Gray 2016 RAV4 XLE AWD. Some have asked me why I went from a Limited down to an XLE and my answer is simply, "The cost has gone up way too much." Overall, for the value, you do get an immense amount of amenities for a Mid-Trim Level. I considered the Hybrid but I simply couldnt imagine driving a Hybrid with the way I drive. I did do some comparing before I came back to the RAV4 however. I looked at the Ford Escape Titanium, Honda CR-V Touring, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Limited, Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring, and the Subaru Forester 2.0i Limited. My top 3 in this order were... #3 Subaru Forester #2 Honda CR-V #1 Toyota RAV4. The reason why I stuck with the RAV was simply because of reliability. Now, I did however own a CR-V and Forester before having a RAV and they were great, great vehicles. I liked the RAVs styling the best. Its very... well, RAVVY!!! The thing that I like the most about my RAV is the storage. There is so much storage space and Toyota really thought this through with what a Small-SUV would need. I like everything about the car except for the Purchase Cost, Bluetooth, Entertainment, & Navigation. Personally, Im not a huge fan of Toyotas Entertainment system and navigation. I was apt to miss turns with the navigation and the Entertainment screen isnt intuitive whatsoever. The Bluetooth isnt the best system Ive ever used but itll cut it. Overall, I give my 2016 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD 4/5 stars.

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  Love it - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Franki - July 29 - 4:08 am

  Test drive it

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  My 2003 Corolla S - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Babygyrl0021 - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2003 Corolla S a little over a year ago from Lustine in Woodbridge VA(do not recommend anyone going there.My experience buying this car was absolutely horrible)I will never buy a car from them again!! Anyway,other than that Ive only had a few minor issues with my car.Within the first few months the screws on the driver side visor came loose.Also the dash rattles.The brake pedal squeeks.The driver side automatic windows clicked when rolling down.I have taken it to Lustine several times to fix these problems and they still havent fixed a few things.Guess that has to do with the dealership.

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  The first 1500 miles. - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Brandon - July 27 - 6:43 pm

  We purchased a Toyota Highlander the last week of June, 2006. We got the base model with the 2.4L 4-cyl. engine, which has very good performance. We have no problems with highway driving or acceleration. I havent owned it long enough to give hard mileage estimates, but it looks like the 22/27 or so on the sticker is accurate with 87 octane. The backseat is VERY roomy. The ride is terrific when compared to other SUVs in this segment, being based on the Camry. Theres no rollover feeling at all when changing lanes at highway speeds. The turning radius is incredibly small for its size. Being based on a Camry, I expect to own this car for at least 150,000 miles.

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  Great little econocar - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By Mike Gates - July 26 - 7:50 pm

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  Fun truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By vgkiller - July 26 - 12:23 pm

  Its a fun and cool truck. The design alone is a big step forword that brings out the true meaning of a fun truck.

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  End of the Line - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By RG - July 26 - 2:26 am

  Convertible is one that actually can comfortably hold 4 - with my two active sons in the back seat. It has very nice ride, especially on the highway. Navigation system could be improved to allow adjustments while moving. Voice recognition better than others used. Overall an enjoyable car to take out on ride, especially on a nice sunny day, with enough room for the family and all the junk in the trunk.