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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  Once I Got Rid of the OEM Tires... - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By DenverBrian - November 9 - 10:00 am

  An excellent car from Toyota. Im a Camry vet from 92 and 96 (skipping the horribly de-contented 97-01 model), and after 18 months I am still in love with the car. Unfortunately, Toyota spoils the experience with inferior tires at the start - avoid the Bridgestone RE92s if you can. They lasted all of 30K miles. I now have Yokohamas and have an even quieter ride - and incredible wet and snow traction missing from the first 18 months. Another picky gripe is that the nav system is far too nannyish about not allowing the driver to use when in motion (although you can press touch-screen radio buttons to your hearts content at 80 mph).

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  Thumping noise in right rear suspension - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By RussB - November 9 - 10:00 am

  There is a thumping noise in right rear suspension. Washboard roads and streets of Pa cause this noise to be very annoying. Have had to dealer 3 times and still not fixed. Dealer say Toyota is working on a repair for this problem as other cars also have the same problem. NHTSA has other report of same problem. Thought I was too fussy about it until my grandson who was riding in rear seat said Is that noise safe? Also have a sulphur smell from time to time with heat/ac on. They didd repair valve cover gasket but still there is an occasional oil smell.

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  Did I say this thing is big? - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By CATFISH - November 9 - 5:10 am

  This truck is big! It drives, rides and handles great. Its big? It has enough power to handle anything you want to hook it to. Toyota did cut some corners with the tailgate, its light weight compared to the rest of the truck. This thing will fill up a garage, because its big.

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  Delightful Surprise - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By cwlgal - November 9 - 3:00 am

  I traded a 2004 Lexus ES 330 on the 2005 Avalon. The Avalon is larger, more powerful, and is demonstrating better fuel economy; without a doubt, its considerably faster. The Avalon is much more comfortable than the Lexus in both ride quality and seating. In my opinion, youre paying less money and getting more value. Also, you continue to be spoiled by Toyotas bullet-proof quality, whats not to like?

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  A Great Little SUV - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Christine - November 9 - 1:26 am

  I bought the RAV4 because I was looking for a SUV that could fit my dogs, carry stuff for the house, have 4WD for the snow and still get great gas mileage and my little coupe just wasnt cutting it anymore. I was looking at the CR-V and Highlander at first and wound up test-driving the RAV4. I was sold! It has all the room I could possibly need, handles like my little sporty coupe, has great pick-up for a 4 cylinder, gets mileage similar to a 4 cyl car and lots of awesome little extras like dual-zone climate control, storage space under the trunk, moonroof and alarm system. The dealership was a pleasure to deal with and I was glad to give them my business.

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  4Runner a Champ - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By PJayNY - November 8 - 8:03 pm

  I bought the Limited 4WD new and have not had any problems. Pacific Blue is a great color, but discontinued in 2006. Seems to drink a lot gas but not much different from a V6 performance car and probably as good as most mid sized SUVs. 6 CD changer is obsolete since the advent of the Ipod. A $500 portable navigation system probably works as well as the $1900 optionally installed navigation.

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  Lots of fun but only for fun - 2004 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By erysipelothrix - November 8 - 6:33 pm

  We bought the MR2 from the original owner with 25,000 miles. My wife really wanted one. It is a great car overall but absolutely not practical. Hardly any more room than a motorcycle. I take my daughter to school on the way to work. With my laptop bag, her and me, not much room for anything else. Strictly a car for cruising.

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  Absolute Best Car - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rena Farrelly - November 8 - 5:13 pm

  I enjoyed every minute of the 14 years with my 2003 4Runner. AWD is great in the snow and also on the beach. Strong acceleration; never felt top-heavy. A truly reliable and comfortable vehicle. If my son was older, Id save it for him, but weve got 9 years to go! Ill be shopping for a 4Runner for him when the time comes.

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  Mediocrity - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By peter - November 8 - 4:20 pm

  I have owned multiple RAV4s; and my family has purchased 6 Toyota cars/SUVS in the past nine years. Our feeling is that the management is profiting by diluting the quality of the brand. The 2012 RAV4 is a relatively competent vehicle, in that it handles all kinds of weather with little drama. It also has large and flexible capacities to move people and goods and very good visibility. The platform has not evolved over a decade of changing oil prices and it remains highly inefficient at 23 miles per gallon in combined driving over 36000 miles for the 4 cylinder model. The 4 speed transmission belongs in the stone age. The brand dilution is most notable in some of the interior materials and the quality of the electronic interfaces. The seat materials in the base and sport models are poor. The seats have relatively good padding but they will stain if water is poured on them inadvertently. Either the company did not test the materials or is profiting from the sale of Scotchguard. The arm rests on the doors are akin to sand paper in the summer; make sure when you test drive this car you do not have on heavy coats as this flaw will become apparent in the warmer months. Most of the interior is lower quality harder plastics, which scratch with ease. The stereo options are uninspired. In our case we experienced electrical problems just after the warranty expired and the dealership had little sympathy. As mediocre as the ownership experience was for this car, it appears the newer models are even less desirable. I look for Toyota to refocus on solid engineering platforms and the highest quality customer experience and to eschew their search for marketing gimmickry and the bottom line that keeps their cars in a constant state of recalls.

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  Nice Little Car - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By missem2003 - November 8 - 8:20 am

  I purchased this car in December and have liked the overall interior and exterior look. I got the black/charcoal interior. It looks really nice and Im hoping that the clean-look lasts in comparison to beige/tan interiors. Im really happy with the look. The exterior color is Phantom Grey and its absolutely gorgeous! Its dark enough to cause some mystery but not too dark if you know what I mean. My car comes with slight factory tinting, though you may want to get a darker tinting for that special look. The fuel economy is pretty average. I think that the last time I looked a full tank lasted 280-miles give or take a couple of miles. Its pretty average, considering its a 2008.