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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  Sequoia Story - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By trdsc2 - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Bought 2002 Jade Green Ltd. 4x4 two weeks ago. I am reasonably satisfied with the vehicle (since I did a lot of research before hand and there have been few surprises), but I would have to say that the quality of the interior leather, carpeting and plastics have a more "industrial" quality than what I have come to expect from Toyota. (this is my 7th) It is quiet for a vehicle of this size, has very little wind noise at cruising speed, feels stable on the road (except when encountering strong wind) and is very roomy inside.

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  Avoid all wheel drive - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By cdrake - July 3 - 7:26 am

  Avoid all wheel drive; heres why; the run flat tires. These tires will only last you about 10-20k miles. They are very costly (2 replaced last week cost me 600). They also are not easily replaced by tire dealerships. So, lets say you are on a vacation, the light comes on, you have 50 miles to drive before the tire shreds, and no available place to fix the tire within 100 miles. Get the picture? The AWD additional mechanisms take up the room in which the spare tire would be located, so run flats were the solution. This van also averages only 17 miles per gallon. In summary, well built, poor gas mileage, and costly, hard to replace, and quick to wear out, tires, even with 3k rotations.

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  Best Car in History - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By huaiti323 - July 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car for $4000 almost 3 years ago. have changed only tires, filters and the serpentine. The a/c is amazing, the MPG are great. The only problems are cosmetic like the center drawer door broke and the interior roof covering is peeling off. I bought it in Florida and recently shipped it to Puerto Rico and it is still unstoppable with 168,000 miles and counting!

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  Winter experience - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By Dmitry - July 3 - 2:00 am

  The first winter blast has changed my excitement to disappointment. Heating system is a crap. There are buttons, knobs and noise but no hot airflow, especially to foot area. At -18 C (0 F) it is never warm up to comfortable temperature inside. At -30 C (-22 F) it is a disaster up to safety issue. You are thinking how to survive and not how to drive. Is it safe to steer by fists? Somebody can advice to install cardboard in font of radiator. Ok, but no room, remove grill first. I still do not know is windshield defroster installed or not on my vehicle, Toyota ca says Yes, wiper blades say No. Otherwise I like this van.

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  A Comfortable and Nimble Gas Sipper - 2012 Toyota Prius c
  By wiscpriusc - July 1 - 12:39 pm

  I spent close to a year looking for the best hatchback to meet my needs. The Prius C won out due to excellent efficiency and driving almost like an all-petrol car. I had driven both the Insight and the Prius Liftback, both were hard to see out of and hard to get moving. The Prius C moves a little quicker and has much improved outward visibility. The C has plenty of pep to get on the Interstate and is quick around town. Room for four adults on short trips, road trips best kept to three adults max. I have almost forgotten what going to the gas station is like, I average 50 mpg without any special driving techniques.

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  Great Car To Own - 1999 Toyota RAV4
  By Dawn K. - June 30 - 4:30 am

  I love this car. Never had any problems with it. Would highly recommend it to anyone!

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  4Runner Review - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By thomasobx - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a reliable off road vechicle that would meet all my needs. Toyota was the obivious choice. Most of my off roading occurs in the soft sand of Cape Hatteras. I wanted bullet-proof performance and I have not been disappointed. Gas mileage is about what I expected for my gear ratio, 14- 15 mpg in the city and 20-21mpg on the highway. I just replaced the original Dunlop tires with 41K miles with Michelin Cross Terrains and the truck feels like it is brand new again. This was my first Toyota and it will not be my last.

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  Nice but falls short... - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By null - June 30 - 2:00 am

  The most dissappointing thing is gas mileage. I drive in suburb n even tho its winter, i am only getting 25-26. Camry gets better mileage lol. I dont like left foot rest, it sticks up too much forcing me to bend my left leg more then my right. Steering wheel is too far away relative to legs from pedals. Visiblility is poor cuz car sits up high. Expensive for car in this category. Comparably equipped Nissan Sentra would b better deal n can save $3500. The stereo has nice base but no mids. Had to lower bass to -3 to hear anything in mid. Everything about the interor n exterior design is basically a copy off VW (nice). Chrome trims n black stylish look.

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  Trade-in had some Trade-offs - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Paul in LA - June 30 - 2:00 am

  We traded in our 2001 Toyota Sienna for a 2004 model. It is very clear that Toyotas goal was to make it more functional, but keep the costs down. We paid less for our 2004, and the design improvements made it a great value. However, the level of workmanship seems to have suffered a bit. We gained a few bells and whistles, but gave up a few others. If I had it to do over again, I would have waited until the package we wanted became available (DVD, power outlets, chrome wheels, etc.). Overall, I am happy with the purchase decision.

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  Better Gas Mileage Than Expected - 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By chicagojerry - June 28 - 10:22 pm

  I have been getting over 30 mpg on nearly every tank of gas. Once or twice around 32 mpg, based on hand calculations. The hand calculations average 1 mpg less than the computer values. The trick to high gas mileage is to pay attention to the display and try not to waste gas by accelerating and braking. Every time you brake you are wasting the gas you used in accelerating. The interior is cavernous for a vehicle getting this mileage. Highway mileage is over 30 mpg if you stay below 65 with just yourself driving. It drops to 27 if you are going 75 with the family a bags loaded in. AC and heat affect mileage because they may require the engine to run when not accelerating.