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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  Too much fun! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Joe - June 6 - 4:56 am

  Saw this online as a concept quite awhile ago. Got mine at the beg. of May, 06. I traded my 04 Scion xB which was like a toy in comparison (no pun intended). The FJ is fun, turns heads, holds quite a bit of stuff and then some. I already have 6,000 miles on it and its great. I have been getting about .5-1.0 MPG better than the window sticker. I have the 6sp and the shiftng is not as smooth as I thought. I can also feel too many vibrations through the steering wheel. This takes away from the tank like feel. I live in Seattle and this thing is horrible for visibility. The triple wipers do nothing to move the water off the windshield in time, even at the highest setting.

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  Toyotas Best - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By George Suggs - June 6 - 12:46 am

  This has been a very reliable and enjoyable car for us. Weve towed over 5000 lbs of payload... had to replace disk brakes, but no other problems. A very well made vehicle.

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  Not as nice as youd expect - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By TonyV - June 4 - 10:46 am

  Youd expect more from Toyota. After a month check engine light came on and the dealer determined that cylinder 3 misfires (it had erratic idling and would not accelerate properly). All they did was reset the computer. 2 weeks after they did it, check engine light came on again. Feels like the same problem. The car has 1400 miles on it. Also the door does not always close right away. This is due to the fact that there is no frame around the glass. Also even when it does close, there is excessive noise from the wind when driving at 50 mph. You have to pull the window down and then close it again for the wind to go away. Taking it to the dealer again tomorrow...

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  I like everything but the gas mileage - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Stan - June 2 - 7:06 pm

  The 6 cyl is awesome and the handling is nice. But there is a lot of air noise and it is not a quiet ride. We now drive the sedan on long trips because of the interior noise. With gas at $4 a gallon, and going up, it may become too expensive to drive. I barely get 24 MPG on the interstate, driving 320 miles round trip, and barely 23 MPG, driving to work, and thats a 40 mile trip on the highway. My dealer told me, there is nothing he can do about the gas mileage if the check engine light is not "on". The ride is "OK" but not great.

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  Watch Out for Unexpected - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Disappointed - June 1 - 11:26 am

  I bought in Sept 08 after lots of comparison with Lexus, MDX, RDX, BMW, etc. Nice specs and good power. Watch out for the very poor handling in snow. I live in Northeast, and driven here 30+ years. The problem is with the tires on this vehicle. The AWD and traction control work harder than necessary.

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  An Unexpected Surprise! - 2016 Toyota Prius c
  By KW - June 1 - 8:20 am

  I bought this car as a secondary commuting car to save massive amounts of gas money, as I drive probably 70-80 miles a day during the week. I figured it would just be a means to get me from point A to B, with four wheels, a steering wheel, and great gas mileage. I was pleasantly surprised, even on the test drive, but even more so after driving it daily for the past 5,000 miles. Let me start off with my complaints, although they are somewhat trivial: - The driver seat needs some lower lumbar support, at least for my back. My Jeep has an adjustment on the seat that does that; this car does not. - The forward view from the driver seat is great; however there are enormous blind spots on the side and the rear windshield is tiny. Makes changing lanes in Chicago traffic interesting to say the least. - The front collision "sensor" on the windshield gets "blocked" by the slightest rain/condensation/dirt on the windshield, and flashes an irritating warning on your dashboard until it is corrected. Thats really it. Everything else about the car I really enjoy. The sound system is surprisingly decent, I love the Audio controls of AM/FM/CD/XM/Pandora/Spotify, its so easy to switch between them and the information provided is great. The Nav works well, although I still prefer to use Google Maps on my phone when that is available. Acceleration you could say is an issue, but this is a 99hp *hybrid*. If you take that into consideration, its more than fine. I have no trouble merging into horrific Chicago traffic every morning (Advice: Turn off "Eco" mode when you do, however). Gas mileage has been way more than stated so far, I have been getting usually 55-60mpg, and thats with absolutely no consideration on how Im driving the car. Ive gotten a few 66mpg driving days as well! Handling on both curving roads and straightaway highway has been fine. When you have a crosswind on the highway though, use two hands on the wheel, this car is pretty light and can veer in heavy wind. Driving it at night is a joy, the dashboard lighting and the LED highlights are fantastic. Also, driving the kids to a friends house on a rainy day just a few blocks away in EV mode (all electric) is amusing, also be careful in parking lots as the gas engine doesnt usually turn on and you can sneak up on people! Anyways, I could go on. The point is this car is much more than just four wheels to get you to your destination. At this price, for the gas mileage and Toyota quality you get, after a thorough test drive it really was a no-brainer for me.

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  Great Suv - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By jgold95 - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 4 runner for a month and i love it. only one problem which seems to be a growing problem on the V6 according to the dealer which is the fan makes a loud squeeling noise when its cold and then goes away once the truck is warm, no fix as of yet but toyota is working on it, atleast they are aware of the issue. Otherwise i still love it and am very happy with it.

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  Car of the future...now - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Bassman10463 - May 31 - 8:03 pm

  I purchased my 2010 Prius 10 days ago. Id looked at a Fusion Hybrid and a Camry Hybrid, but the small trunks on each turned me away. As my first Hybrid experience, the Prius took a little getting used to (engine shutting off at lights, starting silently, watching the MPG gauge while driving) but once I got used to it, I found that my previous gas-conscious habits worked well here too. The Prius is comfortable on the road and quiet (for a hatchback); there is feedback from the front wheels (something reviews of the prior model complained about), and the engine and drive-train are sufficient, if not overly powerful (the Ford Fusion clearly beats it).

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  Im waiting for it to die - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By luvmyyaris - May 31 - 12:22 pm

  I have my eyes on the 2012 Audi A6, but I cant conscionably take the leap when my 2006/2007 Yaris just refuses to die! I have 113K miles (7.5 years) and its running like a champ. Sure I cant beat all the Audis and the BMWs off the green light, but I can zip and zoom around everyone else, and only pay $26 every 5K miles for servicing. No repairs whatsoever, other than new tires every 50K, and a belt change at mile 100K. I have a feeling the little Yaris is going to hang on for another 7.5 years, but deep down Im hoping that it wont because Im itching to get into a nice car that doesnt "rattle" when traveling at 80 mph.

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  Rough Rider - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By Dave - May 29 - 3:43 pm

  This is a great truck in every way - except the rough ride. I love the accessories and the 5.7 liter engine. The six speed transmission is very versatile. The 4X4 works great in heavy snow and on ice. The ride, however, is bone jarring and very uncomfortable on anything except a smooth asphalt hiway. It feels like it needs about 2000 lbs. of load in the back to calm the jerky ride. I strongly recommend that if you have neck or back problems, look elsewhere. Fuel economy is not great but is what I expected - about 15 mpg average for all driving conditions. Brakes are excellent, leather seats also.