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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  The Best - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By machelle - January 31 - 1:36 pm

  I just ordered my third new Land Cruiser (2007 model). At 110,250 miles, my 2000 handled better, drove tighter and was a smoother ride than every test drive we took of other comparable 2007 SUVs. The Land Cruiser has only needed two repairs (a starter and CD electrical problem) all these miles. It has reliably gotten me out of sticky situations numerous times ranging from snow packs in the Rockies to an approaching hurricane on the Florida Coast. The third seats are not as comfortable, but are great for hauling my daughters middle school basketball team. The seats all easily tuck away in several formations for hauling everything from small trees to luggage. We couldnt go anywhere else.

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  Bert the traveler - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Kathleen Williams - January 31 - 12:29 pm

  I just bought the car and I already love Bert! Hes dependable and fun. Everytime I drive him we cracks me up. I love the gas mileage! So far no maintenance and I believe it will stay that way. If I ever have to replace Bert it will be hard to for the price. Bert is a 5 speed manual. Ive never driven around standard (Im 54), but Bert was a breeze to learn to drive. Ive driven and had other cars that I thought were great. Bert delivers! Hes not fancy or high tech. I got him with 131,000. Hes a good road tripper. My son bought a 2009 that he loved. I helped him pick it out. Berts 9 years old and he looks amazing and he drives great. I wasnt buying a Ferrari, but Bert is my favorite car Ive ever known. Dont expect expensive technology with whistles and bells. Do expect to have fun everytime you go. I got more than I paid for it. I love Bert and I will replace him someday with his family of Toyota. Plus he was made right here in the USA. I love America and try to buy from this great country. Shame on you if you dont!

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  prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By pookster - January 31 - 10:00 am

  great car,great gas milage,fun to drive,no problems.we have two of them

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  Avalon 2009 - 2009 Toyota Avalon
  By bmallek540 - January 31 - 9:43 am

  I purchased the Avalon Limited edition in mid January 2009. After driving around town and on an extended trip I have to say that the Avalon is probably the smoothest driving car I have ever driven. For the size comfort and ride I am very happy. This is a great car for long trip freeway driving.

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  Expected more thought - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tim - January 31 - 2:23 am

  My first Toyota. I bought it for the resale value, the reputation of Toyota but most of all from the off road reputation of the 4Runner. The ride is excellent the gas mileage sure beats the 15mpg I was getting in my 98 Durango. Looks great and performance is better than I expected from a V-6. The stereo is probably the biggest disappointment for a 2005 I would have thought that with all the interest in music that it would at least be as good if not better that the 98 Durango I traded for it. I have a two-speaker work van that sounds better.

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  Pegs Avalon - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Pegs Avalon - January 31 - 12:53 am

  Enjoy driving my car. Do both in-town and out-of town driving. Have maintained regular service with Toyota dealer in area. Replaced 4 tires within last year. No major mechanical problems. Cloth seats.

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  9 years and still going - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By barc77 - January 31 - 12:03 am

  I wrote a review about 2 years ago at 74,000 miles. Car is still running well with 94,000 miles. No issues, only routine maintenance since purchased new. No oil burning issues as others have stated. Just replaced plugs for first time (were worn but no indication of oil or other issues). The car still seems to go through brakes and tires quickly. Always starts and runs smooth. Nothing exciting but gets me to work every day without any issues. Gas mileage 28-30 mpg in mixed driving. Interior has held up very well. Acceleration is as expected for a car with 125 HP.

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  Really well designed car, efficient. - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Matt S. - January 30 - 5:26 pm

  My Dad still drives his 94 Camry. So when I wanted a reliable car, I went with Toyota. The 2010 Corolla LE is fantastic. Very aesthetically pleasing design, comfortable seats with height adjustment. TONS of standard safety features (A big selling point), good enough engine with unbelievable fuel efficiency. A great AM/FM/CD/Aux sound system comes standard, as well. I did not encounter a very touchy steering wheel at all. It controls very well. The brakes are responsive and stopped me quickly in wet conditions without a skid. The abundance of standard airbags and ABS makes me more comfortable to transport friends or family.

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  End of the line - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By GM - January 30 - 9:53 am

  I had reservations about buying a car I knew was no longer being manufactured. However, there simply is not a convertible out there that provides the smoothness, comfort, feature set, and room anywhere near this price point. And the close-out incentives were certainly compelling. This car is not about driving excitement. Freeway curves easily taken at 80 in my 3-series need to be adjusted down to 60 in the Solara. Acceleration is good, but not dramatic. However, everything about this car exudes refinement - whisper-quiet Lexus grade engine, solid thunk of the trunk, smooth switch gear, damped cup holder cover, efficient top mechanism.

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  Direct Compare 2017 and 2007 models - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jack Cloxet - January 29 - 9:03 pm

  I currently own a 2007 Tacoma TRD Off Road that has 100K miles on it and have been delighted all the way around with this truck . My wife was always in it so I gave it to her and got myself an identical 2017 model without much thought..... thinking they could only get better after 10 years. Well, was I wrong. The 3.5L Atkinson V6 engine paired with the 6 speed automatic is disappointing. Between the sluggish performance, the constant gear shifting and the incredibly loud engine/exhaust system noise under load, I cant wait till my lease is up. And it is LOUD under load. My wife and I have a modest 20 foot travel trailer and have done identical trips to the same campground with both vehicles and the difference is remarkable. Although the 3.5L is rated to tow more than the old 4.0L, it responds horribly compared to the 4.0L. Even when utilizing the the 3.5L ECT PWR option while towing , there was still incessant gear hunting and a deafening howl from the engine and exhaust as it frequently ramped up to 4200 RPMs on slight inclines. Gas mileage was much worse as well while towing as the 3.5L came in at 9.4 MPG and the 4.0L measured in at 14.2 MPG. As far as some of the other odds and ends, I found myself using the GPS on my phone as it is far superior to the one in the truck, many of the new controls for some of the new technology is not intuitively placed and depending on what screen youre on you get the speed youre traveling in three different places and the time is nowhere to be found. Weird. On the upside, the truck handles and brakes well, but so does the 2007. All in all, its not such a bad daily driver but we use the 2007 to tow the trailer as the experience is far superior. Ive also decided to keep and invest in the 2007 as I have a feeling we wont see anything new on the market like that for some time to come.