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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  Just right (almost) - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mr. Eclectic - March 26 - 5:20 am

  I was looking for a body-on-frame SUV with excellent reliability and good mileage. So far, so good! The ride quality is great for a truck and road/wind noise is low. I find the driver comfort high, but suspect that it could be a challenge for those over 62". Vehicle handling is very good for a tall, truck-based platform. Worst feature - the iPod control is a joke. Scrolling through songs/artists is done in chunks, each set taking about 2 seconds! Further, it goes back to the "A" position after you start a song. I quickly abandoned that route and use the iPod through the AUX input. The Toyota software developers should be ashamed of themselves.

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  Gracie - my Camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Connie14K - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Two weeks after purchasing my car, it was back at the dealership for a tranmission problem. The transmission was defective, and since my car was manufactured in Japan, they had to order a transmission from Japan - took 3 weeks. After I got my car back, the transmission was better, but I still have some questions about the slight hestitation between 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. Also, there is a minor problem with the turn signal lever - it works fine when signalling for a left turn, but when pushing it up for a right turn, it does not hold in that position, I have to "wiggle" it slightly to make it stay up.

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  Convinced! - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By satisfied - March 25 - 5:33 pm

  Drive a lot and couldnt be happier with the mileage. Lots of space, headroom, love the bluetooth. Traded my sports car for the Prius and thought I was compromising the power but was happily surprised. Love the car and will buy another. We use the car for all our driving whenever possible.

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  Rav4 Limited - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By NL - March 25 - 11:40 am

  The Rav is about 4 months old now, and were about ready to take it in for some warranty work. The low tire gage light will not go out, even though weve check them all inc. spare. The engine and interior vibrates when stopped and in gear. The car is pretty fragile, also. The rear bumper is damaged from a 2mph bump while backing the car out of the garage.

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  Its cheap and reliable transportation - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Steve - March 24 - 11:26 pm

  This is a typical Corolla... plain, boring, reliable. Its a great appliance for getting from point A to point B. There is nothing that makes me smile while driving this car, other than knowing it is much more reliable than my GM cars and truck and gets excellent mileage per gallon. If you want a car that does the job without a lot of fuss, one that doesnt draw attention, negatively or positively, then this might be the car for you. If youre looking for a thrilling driving experience, this is not it. We got exactly what we wanted with this car- no hassles and reliability. After being a GM owner, those are wonderful things to have in a car!

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  As Good As It Gets! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By j_cubbie - March 24 - 1:33 am

  Have had 3 Lexuses, own a BMW X5. This car is just right for someone driving a long way on a daily basis. I will put 22000 miles on it in one year and its fairly comfortable. Not a Lexus, but oh so close! Kind of generic on the inside, but exterior is sleek decreasing wind resistance. And, the mileage out here in the Arizona sun is awesome. So far 35-38 mpg with AC blasting. Wanted a cooler car, but this is as good as it gets for mileage, looks and comfort, and the environment.

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  06 Corolla S - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Big O - March 23 - 8:43 pm

  I traded a 02 Chevy pickup for this 06 Corolla. We leased it for 0% and then bought it after 36 months for $8900.00. We have 58000 miles on it and it has never failed even at 30 below zero. Some things I thought they (Toyota) would change with the 2010, more interior lights, lighted ignition,better radio. We drive 30 plus miles ever day 7 days a week. We love 30 plus miles per gallon,good ride,nice room inside,good heater. We have had not one thing go wrong, just put gas and oil in it. Toyota Quality!!

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  Great Value - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By A. Palermo - March 23 - 11:33 am

  I drive this car everywhere as you can tell by the mileage, 75000 in 3 years. I wanted something comfortable for all passengers and this fit the bill and even after all the miles, it still rides comfortably. I also wanted an SUV that I could fit large items in the back and the highlander has the size I need. One of the problems with all the fancy SUVs on the market is that by paying $30000 or more you hate to get it dirty and use it for more then driving around town. Not the Highlander. Its priced right and I dont mind getting it dirty!

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  Wind Noise - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By jimcar22 - March 23 - 11:00 am

  After reading some of the other reviews, I dont understand what Im hearing in the way of wind noise/turbulence. Others seem to think it is very quiet with very little road noise. Are my ears just that good or what? We hear much more wind turbulence than our older 2002. We took it to the dealer and they confirmed it was not wind through the side windows, but turbulence caused by the way the windshield directs the air past the side windows. A channeling effect they told us. Part of the design they said and we should just get used to it or get another kind of car.

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  Loving my Es, Um I mean Avalon! - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By New Southerner - March 23 - 3:05 am

  If you like a touch of class, style, performance and panache from an automobile, this is the one for you. Several weeks ago I purchased a used 2014 Toyota Avalon. Having recently moved south from the Midwest, I wanted to shed my 4-wheel drive veh for something smaller. Initially I went looking for a gently used Lexus ES350. My reasons were simple: I’m getting closer to 40 and my automobile needs are starting to bend more toward function and less form. This meant arguing my ego down from the thought that I needed to ‘sit high’ or that I need 3 rows for the few times a year we use the 3rd one. So on to the car; I initially drove 3 or 4 ES’s and on one return test drive I ended up parking next to an Avalon. “What’s this?” I asked the salesman. He responded ‘the Avalon’ and proceeded to tell me of how the car rides a variation of the same platform as the ES. Really? Also that the engine and powertrain were virtually Identical. Really?? So I gave this car –which I had never even glanced at, much less considered before- a good once over. Lowered front end profile w/quadra-beam headlights, Aston-Marton inspired lower intake grill flanked by chrome enveloped fog lamps. A clean and handsome profile with a slightly ‘windswept’ greenhouse profile and a beautiful tail end w/LED lights and dual, trapezoidal exhaust…. “Hmm, will you get the keys for this”??? I asked. Got inside. ‘Whoa, seriously, nice!’ A 6 inch touch screen w/digital readouts for the HVAC just below. Mine has the lighter interior w/contrasting taupe, brown and black color scheme. It’s a very rich look accented by liberal swaths of chrome. On to the drive. The ride was the final deal cincher. The engine is buttery-smooth with plenty of power for passing. In fact, I had to learn how to properly finesse the engine when I am passing because stepping down to hard gives way more power than you probably were looking for. I want to address the ride quality itself though. Many have written that the car thunks or crashes over bumps. Honestly, I hadn’t noticed it at all. I think the ride is quite appropriate honestly and I have to believe those that don’t care for it are not the younger buyers Toyota had in mind with this departure from the traditional Avalon. The only places I have to give the car less than stellar marks are the sound system and touch screen. The base unit’s graphics seem a generation behind the two vehicles I have most recently owned and it suffers mightily from sun glare. You literally cannot see a thing it certain situations and that is with dealer placed tint on all windows. . Also, the basic sound system sounds very tinny and has very little bass. They are merely adequate and I have been accustomed to far better utility. (the unit in the base XLE doesn’t even show album artwork for ipod songs) All told, this car is a serious sleeper for most. For some, the prestige of that L in the Lexus nameplate is worth the extra money for what is in many important respects the same car. After spending days if not weeks looking for the perfect gently used Lexus ES, I finally found it. Just so happened that it wears a Toyota badge and prefers to be called Avalon.