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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  Good! - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By love it - June 6 - 8:13 am

  I love our RAV4. We were torn between the CRV (because it doesnt have the ugly rear tire) but the CRV has no V6 option and was way too slow. The interior of the RAV4 is much nicer. Not getting as good MPG as expected 21-24 MPG.

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  Love it! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Lauri - June 6 - 6:20 am

  I drive to work about 25 miles back and forth and once a month I will drive out of town (250 miles). The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I love everything in this car. I have nothing to complain. The space is incredible! I really love the hidden compartment in the back! I can carry three mtn bikes in the suv with three people in it and the full size cooler. The gas mileage is GREAT!! I have driven other suvs before and it is all right. Nothing can beat 2006 Rav4. My mother drives the Lexus RX 330 and she mentioned that she loves my car better than hers. ;)

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  Love my new Highlaneder - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Happy with my Highlander - June 6 - 6:04 am

  I just love my Highlander. Leased a 2105 XLE but after driving it for a few months I found that I longed for the Limited edition. I found that I prefer the captain chair seating along with all of the safety features that come with the Limited Platinum edition. Not only do I love the safety features, it is really awesome to have the panoramic sunroof. I live in Southern California where the weather is beautiful year round so I opted to not get the AWD version. My only complaints are the price of the vehicle. It is quite pricey but for the features you get it is a WHOLE lot cheaper than the equally equipped luxury vehicles, such as Audi Q7 or the Infinit Qx6 which are cars that I was originally considering. For the price point of this vehicle I also would prefer if the side view mirrors would automatically fold in without me having to fold them in manually. I love the entune system which works quite well with my LG V10 cellphone which I also LOVE! Being that I had the standard audio system on the 2015 Highlander XLE, I am able to speak to the quality of the JBL system I now have. I am strictly a Pandora and bluetooth user and I will say the sound quality is far superior to the system that comes standard on the XLE model. So, I can say that I like the JBL. But, then again, I am not a radio listener and my music has HD quality because of the cellphone that I have. I absolutely love my Highlander and since I am no longer leasing, I will be keeping 2016 Limited Platinum Highlander for many many years to come.

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  Great Luxury at Affordable Pricing - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Curt - June 5 - 10:33 am

  The 2005 Totyota Avalon is a great car at a great price. Fully loaded XLS only cost me $32k. It has navigation, vehichle skid control and very nice leather. The car is elegantly styled inside with a nice mixture of faux wood, metal and leather. The sound system is great, not very loud but the clarity and sound is wonderful. On the XLS model I would prefer more plush filled seats like in my SUV but the ones in there are good. The car has tons of room, in fact I dont mind riding in the rear seat because of the comfort and room. The power is excellent, you no longer fill intimidated to pass another vehicle because of the 280hp. Luxury that is affordable. Great Car!!

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  Loves it! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By HappyCamper - June 5 - 12:56 am

  Great car. Always fun to drive. I drove about 350 miles on 1 tank of gas. Who doesnt love that with the gas prices nowadays? Very reliable. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Great off the road - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Last Dollar - June 4 - 2:06 pm

  Just got back from a month in the Colorado Rockies. Had the vehicle over 13,000 ft and it was still looking for trees to climb. Best 4WD Ive ever had. Great size to get through narrow, one way passes. Short wheel base & turning radius make switch backs a breeze. One of the smoothest riding vehicles Ive ever had on the highway.

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  Camry vs Accord - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Greg - June 4 - 1:50 pm

  I bought the 2006 Camry SE 4cyl auto. I have also owned 3 new Accords (83,90,99)and 4 new Toyotas (81,99,05,06). Avg 100k each. Lets face it, they are both great cars for the money and deliver as advertised if you take care of them w/routine maint. I chose the Camry this time because it is much quieter on the hwy than the Accord, the dash seemed simpler, and the Accord too low to the ground (I am 62" 230#,it is just easier to get into a taller car). The SE is sporty w/the 17 alloy wheels. I also got the spoiler but dont really like the look of it. Next time I will order the LE, forget the spoiler and just put some nice chrome wheels on it.The LE has better looking trim/lights/lettering

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  An awesome experience! - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By Nash - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Nothing but the best to say about this SUV. If the fuel economy was better (but how can it? its an SUV from the 1990s), it would be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Great on the road, off-road, and in between. Comfortable, and reliable. The best purchase Ive made in a vehicle in my life to date!

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  Toyota Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By GBajor - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Performs well even in mountains. Fuel economy not quite the advertised, I get 45 to 50 mpg

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  Nice Car - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By CJMara - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my Corolla S this week and even my parents approve of it for reliability and dependability. Its so much better than my nightmare Mazda 626. Its fun to drive with the stick shift and handles curves like a dream! I also like the way it looks, the last owner took off the red S and the Toyota decal on the off the back (so it only has the Toyota symbol and says Corolla) and I think Ill keep it that way. The paint is chipping and scratching pretty easily though so Im going to have to get the chips retouched and another layer of clear coat put on the whole thing.