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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  Cant take the hesitation - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Commish - March 10 - 9:46 pm

  Already looking at trading this car in at 1400 miles. Seems like Toyota hasnt perfected the new computer technology. This car hesitates when the gas is pressed. Very dangerous when merging. I hope Toyota comes out with a recall soon or I will have to trade it in. Cant stand driving this car.

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  Nice car by Jsun - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By nice car by Jsun - March 10 - 3:00 am

  This is my first Toyota. What can i say it is a great car so far w/ only 7xx mi on it! Love the external red impulse color. I wish it did better on fuel economy though. Only getting 26mpg so far, but should improve the more i drive i HOPE!! Only have driven in city so not sure how the MPG for highway will be yet. I hope it lasts my a long time, bc i plan on owning it a long time! The dash could use some refinement.(kinda plain looking?) seats very comfortable. Traded my so- called Lemon Scion Xa 06 for this. Hopefully this car will be a better one for me! Loving it so far! My first car w/ DRL! Never have to mess w/ the headlight switch unless i want to use the brights. It best LAST!!!

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  Tacoma rules - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By RG - March 9 - 11:00 pm

  After 13yrs on the road my toy still have the same mileage of 350 +/- on the road in city about 300. keep adding fuel cleaners 3 times a yr from stp, to more expense fuel cleaners at lease ones a yr, change oil every 3-4 mths. No Major problems. Once a yr a false reading of valve stuck comes on ( just reset battery ) warm the car before you drive, and no shifting errors by the driver that will trigger computer errors.

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  Lexus RX VS Toyota highlander - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By ecosports - March 9 - 6:05 pm

  I bought my highlander (HL) about 3 month ago, and I would like to share with you guys. 1. HL is surprisingly roomy especially the 2nd row. For the 3rd seat, recommend just short distance. 2. It is quick and feels light when its on the road (quickest in its class). 3. start stop button: Keyless. Very convenient. If you used own Germany (In my case, Benz), its different. Someone says no fun driving, but keep in mind this is SUV not a sport car. Overall, I am satisfied with HL for everyday driving SUV.

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  Not what I thought it would be - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By my2sons - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have always taken care of my vehicles,changed the oil, rotated the tires every 5,000 miles and did what the manual said but I am so sorry I bought this Sienna, At 60,234 miles i am going on my third set of tires.All I do is highway driving because of where we live. the front end is always out of alignment and you cannot tell when it is out of alignment because there is no pulling to either side.So every oil change I have to pay more$ to get the front end checked/ I do average 24 mpg and I havent had any engine trouble. I must say the engine has good pep when you need it. The tires that came with the vehicle only lasted 30,000, But 3 sets of tires It makes me furious.

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  RAV4 BASE V6 - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By Bill - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Nice car except for the road noise and slight transaxle whine at lower speeds between 20 to 40 mph. I didnt noticed the sounds till after driving it for a day. The sounds are not deafening buy any means but are more annoying than anything. I suggest you test drive one more than once when making your decision. The V6 is plenty powerful but does have a very slight hesitation when the car is cold. After doing some research I found the transaxle noise apparently has never been properly addressed since 07. I may take it back to the dealer to have it looked at but Im sure theyll tell its normal for this type of vehicle.

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  Pretty Decent and Useful Van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By kickserves - March 8 - 7:43 am

  I still have the 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited AWD van. Its been a solid performer since day 1. Its quiet, powerful, dependable, and comfortable on long trips. We live in New England, and its great in the winter. We have the 7-seat option, so there is plenty of room. I have had a few service items, some expected, some not. Problem areas: Oxygen and Air/Fuel sensors, inconsistent electrical problems with doors & windows, brake rotors/disks, rear wheel bearings.

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  Best half ton truck out there! - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By kfilly - March 8 - 5:46 am

  I traded in my 04 Toyota Tundra Double Cab for a Limited 07 Tundra Double Cab which was a dealership demo. I like both versions. The newer model has a few quirks. The ride is definitely not as refined as previous generations of Tundras. The blue tooth phone system cannot dial anyone in my cell phone directory via voice dialing (otherwise it is excellent). I replaced a factory radio due to a funny noise. The new Tundra design has a lot more power. It is more fun to drive. I also have two shedding dogs, and I appreciate the fact the interior is easy to clean. Something other than the silver plastic interior finish would have been very nice.

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  Watch out for rust - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Sarah - March 7 - 11:39 pm

  I owned this car for 2 1/2 years and put about 130K on it. It was a great little car but I had to get rid of it because the bottom completely rusted out. Engine was still in great shape after 200K miles. Peppy accelerating up hill- not like other small cars Ive owned (flooring it and creeping up the hill at 50 mph on the highway!) Definitely invest in some undercoating if you live up north like me.

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  Disappointed - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By Chris - March 7 - 9:06 am

  I bought this car new because I have always heard about Toyota dependability. Gas was never 30 mpg as advertised. I have had problems with the oil. Several times, the oil light would not be on but when I checked it or the oil was changed, nothing showed on the stick. I have had the engine checked several times but they did not detect any leak. Finally, someone determined the valve cover gasket was leaking. Now I have had the valve cover gasket changed several times to no avail--I put in oil almost every time I use it. Also inside handles on all 4 doors have broken off. I have owned some pretty old cars, but never had all the door handles break off. I would not buy it again.