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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  Fun, reliable car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Doreen - July 31 - 9:10 am

  Im happy with my Camry. Coming from mini-vans, this is like a sports car for me! The V6 seems like it is a "must" for this particular car. It has a lot of get-up and go. I just had it serviced at 20,000 miles and was told I needed an alignment because my tires were wearing unevenly. I do mostly highway driving and have not hit any potholes, so were not sure why this happened. I see from other reviews that there are problems with tires needing to be replaced at 20,000 miles. Also, my son has a 94 Camry and the engine runs so quietly. The 2007 is a lot noisier.

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  Pleased - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By David - July 29 - 7:16 pm

  I chose a hybrid because of the 70 mile commute I have to and from work. I am getting an average of 30 mpg. I chose an SUV because I have 3 kids. Yhe Highlander Hybrid has suited my needs perfectly and I am enjoying immencely. I highly reccommend it to people in my same situation.

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  A good minivan, but not perfect - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By GDW - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Weve had the LE-7, #7 for two months. The van is comfortable, large, handles well with a smooth quiet ride, and gets great gas mileage. The split folding rear seats together with the well beneath them (for loose items) are useful. The daytime running lights did not initally work, a shoulder belt retraction mechanism had to be replaced on one of the middle seats, and the gas gauge reads high so that we have almost run out of gas (half gallon left)when there is apparently an eight tank left. The gas warning light did not come on. The lower rear quarter panels are cheap and made out of flexible plastic. Even Toyota has first year production problems.

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  2011 Venza Good Value, Good Looks, Fit and Finish Inside not Perfect - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By venzaowner - July 29 - 8:13 am

  I wanted 4-cylinder to save gas (180 hp is plenty enough for me). I wanted a hatchback style so I could put more stuff in back. I needed rear seats that folded down so I could put more and longer stuff in. I wanted leather since its easier to keep clean and looks more professional. I wanted a panoramic roof so that it makes the back seats feel more spacious and comfortable to sit in. I wanted USB and MP3 capability so I dont have to change CDs so often. I wanted good looks on the outside. I wanted a nice, polite, clean and clear-looking front instrument panel. I wanted a non-luxury, well-known brand so I can get max. value for money and it it fixed anywhere. The Venza was it.

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  So so - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Nelson NYC - July 29 - 5:16 am

  The Camry SE is an above average sedan at an affordable price. It does everything well but nothing spectacular. Gas mileage at 7500 mi is still around 20 MPG and Im hoping it will improve as I rack up the mileage. With 268 HP it definitely has some spunk, but the tranny hesitates at times. My dashboard creaks like an old house in the wind and the starter makes a sound on cold weather starts. I guess for the price of the performance and that it runs on regular gas makes it more attractive than other sedans on its price range. One thing though, at hard acceleration there isnt the torque steer that is experienced with other front wheel drive vehicles with this amount of HP.

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  Purview of the Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By bowhunter - July 28 - 6:03 am

  I was intrigued by the technology of the Prius and other Hybrid vehicles. After owning other Toyota vehicles and the dependability I have had, it was a given that I wanted the Toyota brand of a Hybrid. I am not sorry that I purchased this vehicle. The performance, agility, and dependability of this vehicle assures me that I made the right decision in sticking with Toyota. Even with mileage not at EPA predicitons, I cannot complain at what I average. Comfort is great and the ride feels like what the Camry delivers.

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  Bought it for the ride - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Charlie P - July 27 - 11:53 pm

  Have owned this since 1/06. Very comfortable ride! Lots of compliments on the mica blue color. Have been waiting a LONG TIME to get the recall work done (front suspension lower ball joints. Dealership says parts are back ordered). Could not get the running boards I originally ordered either - waited 6 mos. and then was told that the dealership no longer used that supplier. Settled for the "tube" type. Agree with most other reviewers - u-turns are K- turns! Really like the overall handling, braking is good, feel very safe in traffic.

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  The Lexus of minivans - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By markr33 - July 26 - 5:33 am

  Weve driven our Toyota Sienna for about 10,500 miles so far and find it to be absolutely excellent in almost every respect. The creature comforts are second to none, it is almost silent on the highway and the ride is delightful. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a vehicle with ample space.

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  Nice truck for family with towing needs! - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By dmaxwellh - July 25 - 1:13 pm

  We have been very happy with the first month of ownership. The Sequoia is a pleasure to drive and has many nice standard features. Interior space is excellent. Not thrilled with the regional packaging of the options. Each dealer in our region had similarly equipped vehicles (cold weather pkg, sunroof, etc.). It seems to be the trend with Toyota. The Limited and Platinum are nice, but extremely overpriced for the options. I think a nicely equipped SR5 with leather, JBL, etc. is the economic choice.

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  Love it - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By andrea - July 25 - 8:00 am

  It is fun to drive it is fully loaded, but with everything, it is kind of distracting. Learning how to drive it so you get all the gas mileage you can is really the only challenge so far. I have a heavy foot with a lot of sudden stops so it takes practice for me, but it is comfortable and fun to drive. The only draw back is the trunk with the batteries it takes up a lot of room. It has wonderful power and it is very smooth driving.