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:

• 

  Still love my Prius - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By art man - March 1 - 11:50 am

  I now have over 5000 miles on my Prius and have been very pleased. When I had my recall taken care of, I had them make the car so it would only beep once when I put the car in reverse (they did it for free). It has made the car more enjoyable to drive. Since I have had the car, I have been getting over 50 miles a gallon, thats with mixed driving. The car is fun to drive and the more time I spend behind the wheel, the more I like the car. Over all I am very happy with my Prius. Anyone who gets one will enjoy it, just give yourself a couple of week to get use to it, because it is quit different than most other cars.

• 

  Love it - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Dea - March 1 - 10:00 am

  Really enjoy my new Prius, 52 average miles to gallon. Used to drive Jeep liberty so the Prius gas saving is huge.

• 

  I Love My Prius - 2003 Toyota Prius
  By jussmith - February 28 - 11:10 pm

  I have owned a Prius for 2 1/2 years. I love it. I have had no trouble with it. The only time it did not start the temperature was 40 below zero and I really dont think many cars were starting that night. I have had no problems with the car. I would probably get better milage if I lived in a city instead of the country. If I keep my speed to 50 miles/ hr or less i can get 52 miles/gal. But since I drive 40 miles a day to work one way and my speed is between 65 and 70 miles/ hr i"m getting about 45 miles/ gal. the car is wonderful the only thing I would change is that I really like a sun roof and this year did not have one.

• 

  great car for me--so far 25 k - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By hrs5 - February 28 - 7:14 am

  I think my yaris is fantastic as I look towards long term ownership w/o problems... It might be a bit underrated if assessed from the standpoint of initial 2010 reviews of the vehicle versus longer term ownership. This car has really grown on me in every way! Im hoping that I can dime in again in another 25k with more positives.

• 

  Not a bad miniSUV - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By RJ - February 27 - 11:00 pm

  Despite what people seem to think, the 4-cyl engine is more than adequate around town, and if you put on a set of dedicated snow tires, you wont need AWD (especially with Toyotas traction control). Mileage is in the mid to low 20s in mostly stop and go traffic with the AC going. (One minor gripe is the first 3 fan settings on the AC are fairly weak and while the 4th is decent, it sounds like a jet engine.) Tons of leg room in every seat and the rears recline as well. Plenty of storage room, both in the cubbies and in the "trunk". The rear door can be a bit heavy and hard to open for curb-parking, but the detent holds it well, even on hills.

• 

  Love this car! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Steve - February 27 - 8:06 am

  This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Great mileage, lots of fun to chat with folks whove never seen one. :-) All in all, a reliable (although not the most comfortable on LONG drives), cute, fun, responsible automobile.

• 

  Barcelona Red V6 SE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By DEJ - February 27 - 4:10 am

  Great car! Traded in my 2001 Maxima. Loved that car, but I have NO regrets. This car is quieter than the Max. It rides almost as smooth. This is expected with the stiffer SE suspension. Performance nuts should have fun here. Not an Indy car but plenty of power. Leather seats were comfortable. My biggest pet peeve with all new cars is head room. There just isnt enough in todays cars. Not the case here. Lots of headroom (unless you get the sunroof). Leather interior very comfortable. Ask the dealer to throw in the all weather floormats. They look nicer than the carpeted ones. All in all, a great car!

• 

  2017 LE Plus V6 AWD - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By DG - February 27 - 4:04 am

  I am in regional Sales and generally replace my Highlanders every three years or so. My first was a 2004. I traded my black 70k mi 2014 XLE AWD for a 2017 gray/black LE Plus AWD. Why the LE Plus over another XLE? Well, the LE Plus has the features that I use/like the most on the road- power seat, leather wrapped wheel, upgraded audio (excellent sound quality), power lift gate with flipper window, 3 zone auto climate control. After negotiating my best deal among 3 dealers, the LE Plus was 4K lessthan the XLE (you recoup some of the XLE cost when you sell, though). The feature that I missed the most initially was keyless entry and go. This is my first car in 15 years without a sunroof(which I dont really miss). Really like my LE Plus - I added bodyside moldings, rear bumper protector and all weather mats. It came with Michelin tires and the ride quality is superior to the deuhler HLs. The safety sense is a great system, and the lane keeping feature is really neat. I also like the auto dimming headlamps. Overall, this Highlander is very comfortable for my 62" frame and I would not hesitate to recommend it- its very reliable and has consistently high resale value. The quality of the interior materials feels superior to most of its competitors. I did look at the 2017 Pilot, which is larger, but the seat mounted armrests were uncomfortable and a deal breaker for me. The interior of the Highlander is much nicer.

• 

  My 2002 Prius - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By mi - February 26 - 8:13 pm

  Its a fun little car on the outside and very roomy and comfortable on the inside. Until you sit in it you dont realize how big it is! Very comfortable on a long drive.. No problem going up mountains - and passed many that were bogging down. The milage was great, over 40mpg going up above 7K feet and 49mpg coming back down!!

• 

  2005 Toyota Camry SE - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By laura - February 26 - 8:53 am

  I just purchased an 05 Toyota Camry SE. (Traded an 05 Chevy Trailblazer 4x4.) The Camry is sporty looking, has a smooth & quiet ride, and should be very reliable. I have ground effects on mine which adds a little pizazz! I love it so far! Its a big switch going from 4.2 inline 6 to a 2.4L inline 4 cylinder engine but Im hoping the savings in gas mileage is worth it!