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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  Sienna - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By analyzerlx - November 19 - 7:30 am

  Weve driven the Sienna throughout the U.S. and have nothing but praise for this minivan. The gas mileage has been great, averaging approx. 550 miles per tank and the van is very comfortable compared to other vans Ive been in. I am happy with the Sienna.

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  Excellent truck - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By JW - November 19 - 12:36 am

  My 4Runner has been a wonderfully solid, reliable, and capable vehicle. I regularly drive it on rugged 4WD roads during camping trips in the Sierras, Death Valley, and Arizona (e.g. Sunflower Mine, Coke Ovens) and it has never let me down. It has a surprisingly large cargo area and my girlfriend and I can stretch out and sleep in the back (59"). The visibility is great, its easy for anyone to drive, and even after 212,000 miles the V6/auto combination gives me 22 mpg on the highway at 70 mph which Im quite happy with for an SUV. Ill be keeping this one past 300K.

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  2007 Toyota RAV4 Limited - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By KT - November 18 - 11:10 pm

  Bought a leftover 2007 LTD,4 cyl, 4WD in Classic Silver I have only owned it for about 2 weeks and about 200 miles, but I am impressed! The interior is extremely comfortable, the ride is smooth, there are no rattles or squeaks (even doing 75 on the highway), and even this 4-cyl. merges with traffic and gets up hills w/o problems. I like that the door swings out rather than up. At less than 5 tall, I can reach it! I like the fact that the door swings out to face the wrong side of the curb. I park in my driveway and the open part of the back faces my walkway to the house. Perfect.

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  Mos Reward - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By mo - November 18 - 3:56 pm

  Waited till retiring to buy my special car. It is wonderful. Roomy, quiet (hard of hearing but no problem in the Avalon), smooth, reliable, safety features outstanding.

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  ordered and paid before id ever seen it - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By zigsvoodooblue - November 18 - 9:36 am

  This thing is so cool. Id have never bought an SUV or a Toyota if not for the FJ Cruser. I saw it as a concept and have been waiting for it. Im 62" and this is the first car Ive ever had where i didnt feel like i was pressed against the windshield. Its great on the highway, cruises comfortably at 100+mph, handles well, is quiet and easy to park. Best factory sound system ive ever heard.

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  Great All Around - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jon - November 17 - 10:03 pm

  I traded in my BMW 3series for this 4runner because I was moving up to the high mountains, Breckenridge Colorado. It handles amazingly in the snow, even with 2 wheel drive, and have never been nervous about my safety. Can fit 5 people comfortably, even with their winter layers on. Nice to have the rack already on top, just attach a board-rack and youre ready to hit the slopes. Does great on the highways here, which are constantly winding, the huge breaks are a plus.

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  Smart Choice - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By dudeS - November 17 - 12:10 pm

  I feel so smart having purchased this car. I was doing a lot of research before buying. I get on avg 28 mpg within city and around 35 mpg on highway. Exactly as advertised. Only drawback: no mp3 player however, I feel reliability, safety and gas mileage are important than a mp3 player or fancy in built gps in a car and if you are a middle class guy like me who values money, corolla makes sense.

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  A good change from the E320 - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By BrainInDC - November 17 - 2:16 am

  The Camry hybrid is fun to drive in crowded DC metro area. Very practical. Nice change to regular gas filling up 13 gallons every 500 miles. I love it. Every now and then I miss the stability feeling of the E320, but I also enjoy the "sportiness" driving feeling of the Camry. I also enjoy the quietness and how smart this car is. It is full of gadgets and will be paying off over the years. Also I see from the maintenance manual that its an almost maintenance free car.

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  Great Car - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Happy Matrix Owner - November 17 - 12:43 am

  This car has been excellent in all ways. Very dependable, quiet and comfortable. Yes, a bit of a blind spot, but if you know about it, them you adjust the mirrors and compensate for it. Surprising amount of room for both passengers and for hauling stuff. Tinted the windows and it looks nice and sporty.

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  2011 TUNDRA DBL CAB 4X4 5.7 - 2011 Toyota Tundra
  By oke3 - November 16 - 9:20 pm

  Only 1400 miles so far but very pleased at this point. Engine is very smooth and powerful, the 6 spd auto takes some getting used to as it shifts differently than the older autos but handles the engines power well. MPG has been better than expected, 15 MPG was the worst, caused by some very hard acceleration during test drives by family and freinds, 19.6 has been the best, 90% highway 65 mph and under, so far overall average is 17.7 MPG. Ride is very good for a 4x4 truck. Cab is very quiet with little wind or road noise. Build quality seems good but not at same level as older toyotas. Paint quality is just average, probably as good as it gets with the EPA mandated products.