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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  No Confidence! - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By lucyb - May 21 - 1:33 pm

  I loved my 2006 Tacoma for about 18000 miles. It was a great truck until it decided to accelerate while my foot was on the brake pulling into my garage. Fortunately only the truck was damaged and my house was spared. I took the truck to the dealer to check over for the cause of the acceleration. Couldnt find a problem. Toyota regional also couldnt find a problem. I repaired the damage on mine and traded it immediately. I would never feel safe in the Tacoma again. Be careful if you are considering the Tacoma!!

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  Good, but with problems - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By evans - May 20 - 10:56 pm

  We had no problems until 65,000 miles. Since then, the transmission busted ($2,300 for a rebuilt trans.) and both sliding door handles have broken (around $330 to fix for both). All tires had to be changed at 15,000 miles and again at 40,000. Definitely some alignment issues. A good car, but quality control seems to be becoming an issue for some Toyotas. That said, Im considering replacing this with another Toyota (RAV4), so I guess it goes to show Ive not given up on Toyotas perceived reliability.

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  Driver - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By William D - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Plenty of room, handles great and dependable!

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  Fantastic car - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By EKinCapistrano - May 19 - 10:00 am

  It surprised me how well Celicas retained their value, then I drove one! Id been eyeballing them for a couple months and when I finally had enough cash to buy it outright, I didnt hesitate to scoop one up. I disagree with the sports car classification but it is quick. Having owned a junky 97 Sebring and still owning a 70 El Camino, both problematic, its great to have a car where I only need to do routine maintenance and it runs like a top. My Celica has almost 94,000 miles on it and I can probably get another 100,000 out of it before it starts to really fall apart!

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  My Second Rav4 - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Xiam - May 19 - 10:00 am

  My 2007 RAV4 had zero issues in 40K+ miles. Even the original brakes and tires were still serviceable. The 2010 has a few welcome pluses - More power on less gas [well see]; a scuff plate on the rear bumper and a nice mpg readout. Sure, the rides a little jiggly and the drivers seat not too comfy after an hour or two, and the idles rough with the A/C on, and that weird tailgate doesnt open like all the others - BUT - Theres plenty of space for 4/5 adults OR a lot of cargo with the seats down. About 25 mpg average; over 30 on the road. Plenty of zip, even with the I4/4 speed power train.

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  Well worth the 5.7L - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By freddy five - May 18 - 10:03 pm

  This is my first truck. Every vehicle I have ever owned was under powered and I made an agreement with myself that I would not make this mistake in a truck. I took it a little to far, because this truck has more power than I will ever need. But it is so much fun to smoke an F150 off the line when they feel the need to egg me on.

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  Good Truck - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By bailme - May 18 - 10:56 am

  I bought my truck in March of 08. I have a 3" lift (max lift under warranty) with 22" wheels. I also put a magnaflow exhaust and Toyota intake. THe navagation system is weak, it is not user friendly like my Acura TLs nav. MPG are 12.8 to 13.5. I thought it would do a little better, but Im sure the lift has something to do with the low MPG. Lots of power and the stereo system is pretty good (JBL). A lot of cargo room, Im 63" and I fit comfortably. I am a Chevy guy, but I wanted to try the Toyota. I dont think you can go wrong with the Silverado or Toyota, the others just cant compete.

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  Good as it gets - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Phlyr - May 18 - 12:46 am

  This is my second MR2. I owned a mkI and had to sell it because my wife said I needed a grown up cars to move my kids around in. Now they have their own rides and Im back where I belong. This is the most fun you can have with your clothes on and Im not giving this one up! Sure, theres no trunk. Big deal! I couldnt find a trunk large enough to carry the grin I wear when Im driving this car. Think of it as a motorcycle with doors and if thats what you are after the Spyder is your car.

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  It is what we thought it would be... - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By iknowhatikno - May 17 - 5:20 pm

  If you are looking for a used Avalon, this is the year to start from. The revised 6 speed transmission is a marked improvement in smoothness, gas mileage, and reliability over the 5 speed autos from 2005-07. There are numerous websites and complaints about thse tranys). Also, the car was freshened on the exterior and has an Ipod plug. The one issue with the 08 model year is the headlamp assemblies, which are a well-documented problem. The good news is that Toyota extended the warranty for the headlamp assemblies for 5 years and 75000 miles from the original in service date. But you have to call Toyota because many dealers will rip off the unsaavy. The Avalon is otherwise a great car.

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  2007 4 Cylinder Camry SE = 19 MPG - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Raymond Hoag - May 17 - 2:56 pm

  My 07 4 cylinder Camry SE gets 19.1 MPG. Every advertisement from my window sticker to Edmunds.com says this 2007 Camry should get 24 to 33 MPG. We are not guessing. We have recorded every single gas up on a spreadsheet, its simple math. For 10 months our Camry has averaged 19.1 MPG. We went back to the dealer. After three visits they tested the vehicle and said nothing was wrong and it must be our poor driving habits. Please note: We have two other vehicles that we drive the same way, gas up at the same stations, and drive on the same roads through the same weather conditions. Our 02 Sante Fe/6 cyl gets 22 MPG, Our Impala/6 cyl gets 25 MPG. PS. Just updated our gas ups....18.9 MPG.