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 car: New Style, Drives nice, Modern - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By gsrav4 - July 16 - 5:21 pm

  I used Edmunds (among other sites for comparison) to help me do research for a new car, before I went out and test drove them. I dislike going to car dealerships, but I can say with confidence that I have improved with how to deal with them. Plus I had done my own research beforehand, and knew what to look at and expect (as well as knowing when a dealer was lying to me). Well here is my review of this lovely car after having it for about 4 months now, and some improvements that I think should be made for the future.

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  Performance and Reliability - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By demonoid123 - July 16 - 3:38 pm

  MPG: 18 gal=370 miles city maximum. (Never gone past 3 gallon reserve to test out full mileage.) 18gal=400 highway maximum. 18 gal=~$60@$3.40-85octane(w/15%ethanol-Costco) I add LUCAS gas treatment also. Cons: Interior has cheap look and feel. Small spacing for legs. Paint scratches and chips easily. Frame rusts easily. ( Even after power-wash every time exposed to salty roads) Pros: Performance: Will do the job on any terrain(Even with the crappy tires sold by manufacturer: Firestone Destination LE) Engine is reliable and OK Design (accessibility-wise) Bottom line: Not fancy interior but great exterior look and performance.

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  Buy it again - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By sold one - July 16 - 1:20 pm

  Owned our Sienna for 8/ 1/2 years, was a great car, 100% reliable, always dealer serviced and never any mechanical issues. Well done. Hated to see it go, but needed a bigger rig.

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  Nice Ride - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Cardriverdavid - July 15 - 5:33 pm

  The car has a nice ride, but in the 6 months of ownership, the dash has several rattles, and I have noticed several misaligned panels. I wish the dash was not so far forward or large, the front seat area needs to be larger for longer trips. I love the controls, but not the gray paint of the hidden radio panel. The ride is the best feature. I drove a 2008 ford taurus recently, and the ride felt more solid and flat, like a german car, and was just as nice as the toyota. Wish I knew about that car earlier.

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  200k Miles on Mine! - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By virginiagirl1 - July 15 - 2:14 am

  I bought this car new in 2002 and now have 200,000 miles on it, which to me is amazing. Ive owned a couple of Toyotas in the past (Celica, Corolla, Camry), but this one has lasted the longest. No problems except AC knob broke last year and cost $900 to repair/replace (had to remove dash to replace a knob? That doesnt make sense to me). I know its on borrowed time, so am looking to replace soon....Also own a 2008 HL limited, but I like this "original" better.

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  Beware the 4cyl - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Sorry I bought it - July 14 - 11:20 pm

  The 4cyl is a clumsy and unrefined engine that ruins an otherwise good car. Poor engine controls, driveablity, hesitates badly often and wants to stall when it is cold (warming up) leads to an unhappy driving experience. Have been back to the dealer several times and Im told the car is operating normally, and I should drive it "more aggressively". I bought the 4 to save gas, not beat on it. Combined hwy/cty or city only mpg is worse than my old, big 6 that I traded in. Hwy mpg is ok. Ive had other small issues that the dealer took care of.

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  2003 avalon - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By sgray - July 14 - 10:00 am

  I own a 1996 avalon also. I like my older car much better. The 2003 has blind spots. The dash is too busy,and the gas milage is better on the 1996 model.

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  Beats all Competition - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Boman - July 14 - 10:00 am

  While I have just purchased a 2003 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab this past weekend (I traded in a 98 Honda Accord, also a great vehicle), I must say that I chose the right vehicle. 4 door sedans dont compare with the versatility of a double cab or 4 door pickup. I looked at comparable models from Nissan, Dodge, Ford, etc., but nothing compares in its class to Toyota, period. The truck handles nicely, accelerates like a 4 cylinder (requires some revs, but gas mileage is much better than V6), but at least has multivalves where other trucks operate on 2 valves/cylinder.

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  excellent car - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By michealb - July 13 - 10:18 am

  Bought my car in 2011 with 30k miles on it. It now has 230K and the only thing I have replaced is 2 headlight bulbs. Had regular service every 5000 miles. Driven everyday for business and personal use on the interstate, up and down mountains and regularly maintained good mpg. Started off around 47mpg and still around 44mpg even after 200K miles added to the odo. I am 6ft. Interior cabin was a little small for me but other capacities made up for lack of comfort. My wife was recently in an accident and the prius held its own. Protected her in a 65mph crash. Unfortunately it was beyond repair. Will purchase another and hope it will serve as good as this one.

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  2007 Avalon XLS - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Jim Roden - July 13 - 4:56 am

  The drive quality is great, except for the rear visibility when backing out of a parking space. Tire noise is a major problem if you buy a low quality tire like Good Year. Engine noise is no problem, I think other people think the noise is from the engine, when it is actually the tires. Paint is very thin and of poor quality. Just make sure you keep it waxed regularly. I have 45,000 miles so far with no problem. Oil is changed on time with synthetic and rubber is lubed with 303.