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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  Solid Vehicle after 4 Years - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Tracie - August 21 - 11:33 am

  My family and I have had this vehicle for 4 years now and its still running really strong. We have the SR5 with cloth and Ive thought of upgrading several times, but cant part with our Sequoia. Its so comfortable and I never had to worry about mechanical problems while on the road. This is the perfect full-sized SUV. I love that I can pull into my garage and still have room to walk around.

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  Broken Tundra - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By K & L Lawn - August 21 - 12:46 am

  I have always had Toyotas. T100, and the 2000 Tundra. They were always reliable. I purchased the D Cab Tundra. SO Big, its not even funny. Backed into a mailbox, couldnt see!. Anyway, 5000 miles into driving, I changed the oil, and saw a leak. Brought it back to Toyota and said , Hey! This aint funny! They checked it to find a messed up rear main seal. Unheard of in a Toyota! Maybe this one was made @ 430 pm. on a Friday! Built in Indiana! Im getting scared! Anyway, leak is gone, Im crossing my fingers...

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  First Impressions - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By George - August 20 - 4:00 am

  Pros: Very sharp looking SUV. Nice lines. Paint and trim seem to be above par. Quiet when driving and it has a great sound system with the JBL 6 Disc. Very smooth shifting vehicle with plenty of power from the V6. Cons: Front seats are not designed for men. Im 61" tall and find it hard to get into a comfortable driving position. Seats are also way too hard and do not offer enough leg support. The Sport model rides rough on uneven surfaces. However, it is very smooth on even highway roads. Currently experiencing an odd shutter at light throttle use. This is a random event and may go away with time once the computer learns our driving habits. Overall: Nice vehicle for my wife.

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  The good, the bad and the ugly - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By lewisclaim - August 18 - 8:50 pm

  A luxury car, that is selling for an increasingly luxury price. Great quite ride which is much better handling with better road feel than I expected. The comfort and features of the interior are great. Styling is just like every other car now, boxy high sides and cat eye windows. Vision is restricted in all the new cars and it is in the Avalon too. None of these manufacturers have an original idea. If you are paying the extra 10% for the limited, the car should at least say limited on it.

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  Great Truck - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nate Bro - August 18 - 1:13 pm

  I love my truck 20.6 MPG regular 22 MPG super 100,000 miles, replaced battery,and front brake pads, thats all. I use Mobil 1. Highly recommended truck, I have installed a K+N 77 series intake, and throttle body spacer, truck has stock size tires 31"

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  Quality and lack of company concern - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By waldimar - August 18 - 3:13 am

  The first two years of ownership of a 2005 Sienna CE were good, but in the last two months I had repair bills of $2000.00. Radiator leaked/replaced. Power steering rack and steering shaft needed to be replaced. The response from headquarters was, too bad, your warranty is over. Right now I am looking to try something else, maybe even a Dodge Caravan. In this tight market out there I was just surprised by the lack of interest to make me a happy owner of a Toyota product.

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  the best little car - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By yaris4 - August 18 - 1:17 am

  This car drives smoothly in the front seat. Long drives in the country are comfortable with no back ache. Averaging 32-36 combined mpg. Great commuting car to the downtown core and easy to park. Auto transmission smooth and only repair made has been a new alternator. A/C runs cold still. Great little car.

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  Diminished reputation - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Tom - August 16 - 4:23 pm

  Im 62 and the 2007 Camry was my first foreign made. Im soooo disappointed with the Camry. The automatic tranmission hesitates. From a stop or at about 5 MPH, if you depress the gas pedal too quickly the car will not accelerate properly for 1-3 seconds - then its ok. Called dealer and complained. They said no problem, its just a driving characteristic I have to get used to. Ill add its dangerous. This is the garbage Ive gotten from US dealers. Toyota, Im terribly disappointed and cant recommend this car. Toyota do the right thing fix the problem uner warranty.

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  after 1 year, just ok - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By gene - August 16 - 11:00 am

  mileage as expected. front pass seat needs same controls as driver. seat heat control very cumbersome. Auto climate control generally not comfortable when sunshine, better at night. headliner rattles (!!). Biggest concern that I dont believe the Dealer has dealt properly with is our engine has what sounds like dry piston "clatter" prior to it warming up (Summer and Winter). I have NEVER owned a vehicle with such a sound no matter how cold the engine, yet I have had the dealer check it twice but I am guessing they never took it off the lot. We have been Toyota owners for 24 years. This is the first one we have been dissapointed with.

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  Disappointed with Steering Problem - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Disappointed in MD - August 16 - 9:43 am

  Purchased the car in early 2006. I now have 60,000 miles and I am experiencing problems with my steering. I have taken it back to the dealership several times for the steering sticking when turning left but they informed me that they can not find anything wrong. I am very disappointed with Toyota and see that many others are experiencing the same problem. My hope is that I will not experience the same problem that others are experiencing with the oil leak. Unless Toyota steps up and own up to fixing the legitimate repairs, I will never buy another Toyota. I am currently getting the runaround. Even though I have the extended warranty, Toyota is trying to get around fixing my problem.