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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  All the things you need in a vehicle for today - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By DelaRAV4 - September 2 - 11:44 am

  Shopped for a variety of vehicles that could be an answer to a variety of situations. The RAV4 checks all the boxes. Oil consumption issues deleted the Subaru Forester from my list; the Crosstrek was a strong contender but the lack of room deleted it from my list as well. Vibration issues with the new Honda CR-V crossed itself off my list. The Subaru Outback had a strong lead, but something in my gut said no. The RAV4 meets most of my criteria. Its a sharp vehicle and Toyota has done its homework in tweaking aerodynamic features to maximize efficiency (vortex generators, anyone?). I came out of a Nissan XTerra, which I loved but was killing me on ergonomics, and was a poor carpooling choice. The RAV4 has a huge rear seat, room to drop the seats and sleep in this vehicle, good cargo carrying capacity, an AWD button that turns all four wheels up to 25mph on demand, a traditional 6spd transmission, great fuel economy (averaging 27mpg mixed, but I did replace the standard air filter with a K&N filter), revised IIHS crash test scoring, expected resale value, and (lets hope) Toyota reliability made me land on the RAV4. The Limited is a rough rider, but 18" wheels and a taut suspension are the reason. The sport button adds life to this machine, and the eco button drains any pep - nice to know those features are there, though. The navigation screen is dismal (best in class for navigation goes to Ford and its SYNC system - miss my C-Max, too!) Stop griping about the lack of a place to store your sunglasses - if thats all you have to complain about, life is pretty good.

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  2010 Sienna Not For City Driving! - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By bobwern - September 2 - 10:03 am

  My new 2010 Sienna LE FWD is getting a disappointing 14 mpgs city, and 19 mpgs highway. The on-board computer displays an average of 16.4 mpgs for the 1,600 miles Ive driven it. This is far short of the 17/27 and average 19 mpgs advertised. The vehicle has an extremely wide feel to it which is threatening when you are on narrow city side streets with on- coming traffic. The turning radius is wide. Turning into a narrow parking lot space is a challenge. Its hard to pull into a space evenly straight, The Van is usually angled and you have to jockey it back and forth to straighten it out. This is not an agile vehicle for tight city driving. Its a very smooth quit ride on the open road.

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  Toyota Corolla 1995 - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By dly - September 1 - 2:40 pm

  Best car I have ever had. First Corolla 1979 model had over 300,000 miles before engine was done. 1995 Corolla have only had to change starter couple of times.

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  98 Camry LE 4-Cyl - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Steve in Ohio - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Usual Toyota good build quality. Car is comfortable and quiet. Engine needs more punch but is surprisingly responsive. Steering is a bit light but car sticks to road on curves. Suspension is tight so that small bumps are felt but car keeps its cool on uneven roads. Interior is bland but seating is comfortable. Trunk is good for small car.

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  Tundra Double Cab SR5 4 x 4 TRD - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By tch3mkr - August 31 - 5:03 am

  had some seat problems intially with the Air Bag not working properly. Overall a decent truck, real light in the rear end. Wants to spin out in turns especially on wet pavement because of the power and light rear end, but its a nice truck. Just need to get used to it more as this is the first foreign vehicle I ever bought for myself. Did buy a 2003 Corolla for my wife.

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  Cold Seats - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By tom - August 31 - 4:06 am

  Altogether a great car. FWD gets us anywhere in Northern MI. Orig. Toyo tires were very, very bad - they would cause hydroplaning even in light rain. Ave miles are 20=21 mpg. Plenty of power seems like a v6. Worst problem is cold air gets in from the doors and causes very cold behinds on both sides. We installed lambswool seat covers but it did not help. Dont buy unless you have heated seats installed. Otherwise expect 5 months of cold behinds.

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  Ugh - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By Ket - August 31 - 1:50 am

  I bought this car new. I have never been in an accident, but the cars been in the shop 4 months out of the 4 years Ive had it anyway. The throttle body assembly went, both of the O2 sensors went, the AC went, my sunroof was fixed for leaking, both windows fixed for leaking, left window motor replaced, and the front hoods paint job is messed up/chipping despite my constant attention to it. I get an oil change every 3,000 miles, no exceptions and suggested services as necessary (tune-ups, fluid flushes, etc). Its only got 57,000 miles on it. Guess I got a bad one.

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  Runs better than a Timex! - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mell - August 30 - 8:00 pm

  Ive owned my 4Runner for 7yrs. I have 193,000 miles on it with no reason to believe I wont get another 100,000. It has only been in the shop for normal maintenance and a check engine light that keeps coming on for a few weeks and then goes off. Cant find the reason so Im not worrying about it. I dont like how it drives in the snow. 4WD gets me up my steep driveway but doesnt help me stop on slippery roads. Getting about 16 mpg and the small tank means Im always at the gas station. Very comfortable on long drives and cargo space galore. My dogs love the electric rear window and so do I. Its the main reason I bought it. Hardly any rust either. Great SUV! Not too big -- not too small.

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  Great Vehicle! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By thinklingsbird - August 30 - 1:10 pm

  I bought this 13 months ago from a friend of mine for a mere $1,500. It had about 148K on it and Ive put probably 15K on it since. Within the past year Ive had to change a battery, replace a cooling fan, and thats about it. Nothing major. It starts up every time and runs great. I get roughly 30mpg on the highway and 20-something around town. Its not a beauty, but its certainly a great car for its utility.

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  So far so Good - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By I like it - August 30 - 10:00 am

  I really like the is truck (except for my height issue). If the next model had a higher roof line like the new 4Runner Id trade up. It suits my needs well, with two kids. I didnt want to get a full size due to the crappy mpg, thats why opted for the Tacoma. 17.?? city all the time and highway is like 22 and change. No problems towing or hauling, however I did get the free spring upgrade to avoid future problems. I recommend this truck for sure.