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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  Great BUy - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By RF48 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  First of all you can"t beat a Toyota for Dependability. The Highlander is fun to drive and very comfortable.

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  Review after 7500 miles in 10 months - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By mkousen - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this minivan because of its ride and 4 wheel drive. Honda could not match either requirement. The support has been quite good, but I am displeased with the lack of power/response both in city and on the road. The city gas milage is 13 mpg and I get 21 on the road. The car keeps down shifting out of 5th gear every time I reach a mild grade when the car is set at 70 mph. Very annoying! This does not happen at 63 mph, so it is related to a lack of power. If I maintain 63 mph, the mpg goes up to 22-23 mpg. However, the turnpike speed is 65. I suspect the decreased power is related to the AWD and probably is bette

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  okay, but dont get too excited - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By no_more_sugar - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Considering it is a minivan, it looks and feels good. it has plenty cargo/passenger space and plenty cup holders. it is built for family usage, so dont expect any excitement from driving it. I wanted to get leather seatings, but they were only available in XLE model.

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  Good car but ? interior quality - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Fred - December 7 - 4:00 am

  Bought it as a dealer owned certified auto with miles. Glad I didnt buy it brand new. It has served us well and is comfortable to drive. The 4 cyl does an acceptable job but is noisy. Biggest complaint is interior fit. I get plastic squeaks from the middle of the dash around the radio on about every bump and when I stress the car with stops, starts and turns. The car has a lot of pluses but not sure if this will be a long term keeper. Performance Toyota dealer did a great job accommodating us during the recall, however I am really disappointed with the loss of quality control with corporate.

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  Early on - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Shawn Marshall - December 6 - 7:32 pm

  Ive only owned it for 3 weeks so Im just starting to feel it out. So far its been very good with the interior being very basic.

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  Paint is terrible - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By pastorjdh - December 6 - 12:06 pm

  I have had my truck for three months and it has the absolute worst paint job I have ever seen on a vehicle bar none. It scratches extremely easy and is impossible to buff out without removing the clear coat. I feel horrible about my purchase now. I bought the Tundra because of Toyotas reputation and I expected a well built vehicle. I dont know what else to say.

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  Noisy - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Reeled in - December 6 - 2:43 am

  This minivan is not all it is cracked up to be. It handles well, is attractive and may be reliable but the car is not as quiet as the reviewers indicated. The road noise is awful and you can feel every bump on the road. Plus the interior seems cheap. I made the mistake of leasing it and am stuck for 3 years. Not the brightest move I have made.

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  Positives & Negatives - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By anastasia52 - December 5 - 10:48 pm

  We purchased this vehicle in November and have found some things we like & dont like. We really like the blind spot monitor. This feature should be available on more cars. We also like the style of the car and rear cross traffic alert. We are extremely disappointed in the Rough, Bumpy Ride. It is a great riding car on the PA turnpike or a smoothly paved road. Our limited model has 18 inch Bridgestone tires and it provides a very Rough Ride. My voice even vibrates when Im trying to talk to anyone in the car at the time with me. Dont think this will be a vehicle my husband and I will grow old with in our senior years.

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  MPG - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By santabob1 - December 5 - 10:18 pm

  When we purchased the Hylander, new, we got 28 to 30 mpg. Now with 116,000 miles on the car we get 23mpg. We keep the car in ENCON all the time and I drive like an old man.....because I am an old man. Any ideas on the drop in mpgs?

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  She Shook Me! - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By Jaret - December 5 - 5:10 am

  This truck had the shakes. It went back to dealer so many times, I just gave up. Toyota did replace all four wheels, but it didnt solve the problem. Oxygen sensors went out around 30k along with the tires. I had to pay for the oxygen sensors, but Toyota repaid me 4 years later. The tow wiring harness melted. The paint job was very poor. You could thump it and it would chip. The suspension was weak, and you could hit the bump stops in the rear very easy. I installed Bilstein shocks & Timbren ruber springs to solve the problem. I never had a brake problem. The engine was superb. Very smooth, responsive, and did a decent job pulling. I got over half my money back on trad-in after five years.