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:

• 

  A delight to drive - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Dave Nars - February 22 - 4:10 am

  I have been impressd with the ride, handling comfort of this car. I have been only running premium no lead however I am getting a combined 26 mpg. If you are a do it yourselfer the oil can be a bit of a pain to change unless you have your own lift.

• 

  Poor front bumper and light structure - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By sunny12 - February 22 - 4:02 am

  Poor front bumper and light structure. Just made scratch the garage door, the bumper and absorber falled down, both left and right lights have to be replaced.

• 

  02 4Runner a sweet deal - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Yota Fan - February 21 - 11:43 pm

  Bought new from my local dealer in March 2002. The vehicle is the SE model and has been a real value. This was the last year Toyota built the 4Runner for American sales solely in Japan. That is a real plus! Great in the snow and fun to drive on vacation. Overall a great value and would do it over again.

• 

  Great little runabout - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By sig - February 21 - 10:56 pm

  I bought this car as a second car for around town driving. I love the looks, inside and out. What surprised me was how well it drives and handles. (My other car is a 2008 BMW 335 coupe). It is fun to drive and the gas mileage - regular gas - is phenomenal, up to 42.8 mpg. What made me buy this particular model are the looks and the price. Another factor is the build quality. This car was built in Japan, and no shortcuts were taken in material and paint. A super little car!

• 

  I hate the Stereo, but I do love the car - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Iris - February 21 - 8:33 pm

  I love my car but I hate the "premium" audio. I cant hear speakers in the back. In my opinion the fade control doesnt work properly. By the time you get the fade far enough to the back to hear anything, the front speakers become mute. Everyone that I have demonstrated the stereo to, all agree that its sound output is weak. I wish I did not pay more money for this substandard upgrade (which wasn’t cheap). If I had not paid extra for a "premium" sound system, I could almost understand, however I paid more money for a premium sound system and this is unacceptable. I went to professional car stereo installers (one of whom sells and installs JBL systems) to see if they had suggestions. They agreed that the stereo sound is substandard. They said that there was no way to increase the sound output or reconfigure the existing system. They estimated a minimum $1,000 complete system swap out. The 2nd car stereo specialist that I went to said exactly the same thing. I wouldnt be so upset if I had gone with the standard, basic system, but Toyota claimed that this is a "premium" upgrade and turns out that it is actually substandard in comparison to a basic system. I paid too much for this upgrade and I am deeply discouraged by this and even though the car is wonderful, every time I get in the car to drive it, it upsets me that this is what I paid for.

• 

  HAPPY Highlander - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Happy Owner - February 21 - 5:24 pm

  Study Consumer Reports testing of the several SUVS and do a test drive of at least 3 makes. I am sure you will find the Highlander stands out as the best in performance and comfort. I would highly recommend this vehicle to any one.

• 

  Very satisfied - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Michelle - February 21 - 5:10 pm

  An excellent and reliable car. I recently had a bad accident in my former Corolla, and I am pretty sure I wouldnt be typing this if I was in a lesser car.

• 

  2005 Camry LE - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By harley - February 20 - 8:03 pm

  I traded my 2002 Toyota Tacoma Pre Runner 4-door truck for my 2005 Toyota Camry LE. The main reason for the trade was gas mileage. But I got much much more. I love the Camry for its smooth ride, handling, size, mpg. Its an overall great car!

• 

  Does everything for $10K-$15K less than MDX and Q7 - 2018 Toyota Highlander
  By Bob - February 20 - 6:34 pm

  I was looking at the mid-size SUVs with AWD and cargo space. The Cadillac XT5 and Q5 were just a bit too tight in back seat (2nd row) for me. I found the 3 best were Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and Toyota Highlander. After test driving, the MDX and Q7 are sportier but the Highlander did everything very well. The Q7 had buttons in unusual places (at least for me) and the MDX had push button transmission and 2 screens for changing settings that took a few touches to change heat settings. Coming from a Lexus, I knew Toyota built a great car but the front seat is very comfortable, has all the safety equipment and is very easy to see out of, I chose to save $15K and buy the Toyota. Reliability, gas economy, resale and initial cost are all better with Toyota and Ill have alot less problems down the road.

• 

  Best vehicle ever..... - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By ETOPEL - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I trade cars every 2 years, but I am keeping this one... Runs great, good acceleration and holds its value like no other...