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 Good Car - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By bh_okedoke - July 25 - 4:40 am

  Bought a Prius, pkg 5, about a month ago. Have 1500 miles, averaging about 43 MPG mixed commuter driving of approx 45 miles a day, half back roads, half highway. Live in New England, so I’m hoping the colder temps is the reason for the lower MPG. Kind of bounces about in heavy wind. Pickup will get you up to highway speed, but it’s no barn burner. Engine very loud under very hard acceleration. Seats are so so on comfort, fronts not bad, but backs need longer bottom cushion. Many blind spots, but can overcome with proper mirror placement. Rear view camera was a great idea.

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  Gas guzzlers to this? - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By albee213 - July 25 - 12:19 am

  I own to many gas guzzlers that are getting old and contant repairs or $70 fillups twice a week and just decided to look at something more effiecient. I found a 07 Liftback with 23k on the odo. Yeah it has nothing but AC but its actualy fun to drive and looks good. I plan on doing a few minor mods to it like installing some insulation under the carpet and doors to reduce noise levels, it isnt too bad but the doors sound very flimsy when you shut them and maybe cruise control. Its powerful enough and I have been running different grades of gas to find the sweet spot, running regular I could hear just a slight tick, running mid grade has made the engine silky smooth. I average 35 mpg.

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  Nice Car!! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Mik - July 24 - 6:36 pm

  I have 186,000 miles on my Corolla and the only thing that has gone wrong is the headlight bulbs burned out at about 100,000 miles. That was a $10 dollar fix I did myself. I give it regular maintenance and it runs like a champ. Great gas mileage and EXTREMELY reliable. Again, 186,000 trouble free miles!!! That is no joke.

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  Love it - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Scott - July 24 - 4:00 pm

  I purchased the car new two months ago for $11,666 plus tax, tag, title, and yes the $600 fabric/ding protection package, too (price was already negotiated so low I could not get them to come further off the price). I LOVE it. Exceptionally quiet ride for a car of this class. Get 34 mpg in blended city/hwy driving.

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  2004 Toyota 4Runner - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Nick_2453 - July 24 - 11:20 am

  Well, even though it is time to trade in, I loved my 4runner. I would keep it forever, but the trade in is too much money to trade in our other car. This car is amazing! I bought it new, and its ride is amazing! The design is literally awesome, and I really like the reliability. I am not too fond of the fuel economy (about 16 and 20, city-highway), but who doesnt expect that or worse for an SUV. I recommend getting one with a third seat!

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  Great Car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Ilya - July 24 - 7:33 am

  Ive driven about 33K over the last 3 years and the Camry now has 105K and running strong. There are a few minor problems (small leakage of power steering, shocks need to be replaced), but that would be the case for any car with this much mileage! Either way, still runs great! Ive worked on upgrading it myself over the years and this car has survived my trials & tribulations!

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  All around good car - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By AdamT180 - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Corolla for nearly 2 years and have not had any major problems. It is a durable and reliable small sedan that can handle both city streets and rural highways with ease. The 4 cylinder engine provides adequete power and gets excellent gas mileage. The 4-speed automatic transmission is smooth. The rear seating area is tight, but otherwise the interior is comfortable and sturdy.

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  Good little car - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By Delivery - July 22 - 8:26 am

  This is a reasonable car to own if you dont want something too big but not too small, as passanger space is quite appropriate. The newer model is even better. Fuel mileage is an obvious advantage (30-40 mpg). The stereo system is more impressive than I thought it would be and the ergonomics are well thought out, although the cup holder is poorly designed. Two really annoying things are the locks and light. You can never turn the lights off unless the engine is off and the car automatically locks even if not in gear.

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  Highlander Limited - First 4K Miles - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By R Tucker - July 21 - 8:20 pm

  Above average mechanical performance with excellent fit and finish inside and out. One of the best AWD vehicles I have driven in rain or snow and it tows my light kayak trailer (less than 750 lbs.) extremely well. Toyota finally got it right on the steering wheel feel. You now have decent feedback versus the numb, vague or non-existent feel of the past. However, the seats are uncomfortable for front and rear passengers as they are somewhat narrow and short. The drivers seat has a lot of adjustment options where the bottom can be extended and the seatback has an excellent lumbar adjustment which makes it a decent seat. If the same adjustments were available on the front passenger seat, there would be less complaints from my fellow passengers. The third row seat is only useful for very small children. The Limited should only offer second row captains seats as an option as is the case for lower trims. Likewise, the 19 inch wheels that come standard on this trim should be an option as they do not contribute to ride quality. In case you did not know, Chrome-tech means plastic. So those upgraded 19 inch wheels have plastic hub caps bonded to them and are not true alloy wheels. The same material is used on the roof rails. This was a quite disappointing discovery to be made on a vehicle that lists for almost $45K even if there may be some advantages to using this material. However, the bottom line is that this vehicle offers very good value at its price point and is a viable option compared to an Acura MDX AWD Tech as the interior dimensions are quiet similar.

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  Its cool, but - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Tombola - July 21 - 9:03 am

  I have had the FJ for 6 months. Unlike my usual research, I bought this on a whim. I knew the quality would be there, so no problem. Well the seats are the problem. While the front is roomy enough, there is a distinct difference between the driver and passenger seat. The passenger seat makes my leg numb in about 30 minutes?? The back seat is really tight, not much room at all, my family is TALL. If youre 5’10” or under, no problem. The rest of the FJ is great. Easily the best looking truck in my opinion. It will go anywhere. It’s got plenty of power, is fairly quiet, has an unexpectedly smooth ride. I really like this thing, but the back seat will probably make me get rid of it.