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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  A Fine Ride - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By tknight - December 19 - 4:00 pm

  Switched from a Toyota Camry to the upscale Avalon. While only having had it for 4 months, the experience has been wonderful. Drives like a luxury car and not hard on the eyes. I am very pleased so far.

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  Big guy little car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Tom - December 19 - 2:03 pm

  My favorite aspect of the Corolla is that I sense a total quality throughout the car. Its peppy and reliable as a watch and no wind noise, interior is not cheap looking, I call it my little Lexus. People laugh at the comparison but for $14K new, and fantastic resale value, it is great.

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  08 Solara SE 4 Hardtop - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Rob from Martinsburg - December 19 - 4:30 am

  I bought this car for a great price towards the end of February. Its not the top of the line model but it has the moonroof, 6 disc, and the alarm system. Yes, there is some tranny lag and no, I havent yet taken it in for the re-flash as I dont think that it will affect it much anyway. Ive found that the slow shifts do not occur when the shifter is in manual shift mode & Im having a blast shifting in manual through town and when merging. Gas MPG has improved @30 MPG combined with 4200 miles which is very acceptable being that my 05 XB gets 33 mpg. The Solara rides very smooth, the front strut tie bar keeps the front end flat and the trunk is huge. Headlights are great & cd display dim.

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  Sublime - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Charlie - December 18 - 11:06 pm

  The Sequoia is very comfortable to travel in, has loads of room, but what really sold me were the comfortable reclining 3rd row seats. BTW, the seats in the Sequoia are not quite as short as most in the Toyota line. Gas mileage is not great - 15-19 mpg, but I cant pull a boat with an Accord. The V8 engine is a real jewel & smooth as butter, but does lack a little torque - not recommended for towing in the mountains - a fine SUV!

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  good car overall - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By manny - December 17 - 12:10 pm

  I like this car, noisy brakes, not the first 4runner that I know to have this problem. Im really worried about the srs being to expensive to repair, have to change the whole dash if you have an accident. If I only knew that at the beginning, good mileage

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  First time Tundra owner - 2017 Toyota Tundra
  By Steven Pruitt - December 17 - 8:28 am

  Since I was 18 years of age I have owned two new Dodge 2500, three new Nissan Titans. Small and mid-sized: new Chevy Colorado Z71, new Mazda B2000, new Dodge D-50, new Mitsubishi Macro-Cab, and a new Isuzu Hombre. Now, I own a 2017 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition. Without question, the Mitsubishi was the most reliable pickup Ive ever owned, and after putting 330,000 miles on it. My Son and I changed the timing chains, and tyranny bearings SO HE COULD DRIVE IT FOR ANOTHER 45,000!!!! The Dodge 2500 (2008) was the biggest price of junk I have ever purchased. Chevy showed me just how bad customer service could be. I have a very strong affection for the Nissan Titan, in that they are comfortable and easy to drive, but the acoustic deadening is non-existing and the wind noise is extremely irritating. So far the Toyota is very quiet, comfortable and has that throaty growl (after I installed the TRD dual exhaust package) and extremely quick! There are some items the Tundra doesnt have that I enjoyed on the Titans, and ergonomically it is behind some of the other brands. However, one of the biggest reasons I purchased my Toyota was the resale value. Its nice to have all the Truck world has to offer on your ride, but paying for it again in the end is not a very smart way to purchase.........and there is a good reason for the high retainage of value as the years of ownership pass bye..........Toyota builds a better truck.

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  The Gentlemans SUV - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By Andy - December 16 - 8:06 pm

  Pros: Smooth engine, transmission, comfortable ride. Cons: Shifter intrudes on right leg room in drivers seat, tiny arm rests, came with Big O tires. Make sure you listen to the tires while you test drive. I didnt notice my tires were so loud. They were good snow tires, but I replaced them with quieter Firestone tires.

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  Tundra review - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By wadester - December 16 - 6:50 am

  Bought truck used with 46,000 miles on it. Great truck, build quality is excellent like all Toyota products. Fuel mileage was 16 in town added an AFE cold air intake and now get 18-19 in town and 21-22 mpg on hiway. I also run synthetic oil in engine as well as both differentials. The only complaint I have is the access doors are inconvenient would have been much better design to have them open like a regular door. Maybe next time I will buy the double cab. Double cab not offered in 2003.

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  Sun Fusion Rules! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Pete D. - December 15 - 11:30 pm

  I bought the FJ as a replacement for my 2000 Celica GTS that was totaled by a drunk driver. My priorities focused on safety/survivability but something as fun as my Celica; the FJ was a perfect fit. More room all around, my 4 and 7 year old kids love the rear- theater seating and now I can just hose off all the junk they usually leave in my car. If youre looking for luxury refinements, get a 4Runner or higher. Living in the OC, one dealership asked me if I wanted to install custom leather seats? Huh? The beauty of the FJ is its utilitarian personality and natural "good looks". The FJ may not "dress up" like soccer- mom SUVs, but its better lookin and kicks!

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  2007 Avalon XLS - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Joseph - December 15 - 3:38 pm

  As my first car, it has been really amazing. The acceleration is perfect, and braking is good. Steering is very light, which I like. My gas mileage in the city averages around 20 to 23 mpg. View out of the rear window can be quite tricky while backing up, but the cars blind spot isnt too bad. However I would not recommend for snow driving. Only 2 inches here, and very slippery on roads. Overall I love my Avalon, and its a very comfy ride!