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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  Great Ride for Family - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By Joan D - April 24 - 8:22 am

  Reliable and high resale Toyota Rav4, low miles

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  WHY THE CHANGE!!! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By REALTOR BOB - April 24 - 2:00 am

  This 04 is the third camry I have owned and I am very dissapointed with the new 5 speed auto trans. Seems it wants to shift constantly and is grossly confused to which gear to shift into when accelerating from a turn. If this continues there will not be a forth.

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  So far so good - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By wise_consumer - April 23 - 8:20 pm

  We only pick the car up less then a week ago.

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  still pleased after 6 months - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By bbIII - April 23 - 3:00 pm

  still pleased with my avalon. my avalon continues to be very dependable and very reliable...i do not have buyers remorse...if you are tall and looking for a spacious sedan ( i am 65"...had been looking at suvs and the avalon with its simple beauty stole my heart

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  It is called a large car, but it isnt - 2009 Toyota Avalon
  By Chris Christensen - April 23 - 10:43 am

  Older Avalons are wider and more spacious. This is an upgraded Camry size. Restricting, not comfortable on long trips, and the seats dont go back far enough. Reclining rear seats are a marketing game. Paint job is very poor - tree sap etched paint. High quality cars should have plenty of clear coat coats. If this is Toyota"s flagship, make it one!! I am very disappointed. The new Venza is even worse - noisy, bumpy ride!

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  Great value - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By mrosloff - April 23 - 5:29 am

  As a city resident, I test drove several cars in this category - Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, and Nissan Sentra. I realize the category is not a luxury or performance car. Other cars have somewhat better interior quality, but I liked the handling and comfort of the Corolla best. I do mostly highway driving or short trips in the city, but it gets great gas mileage and I think it makes good use of interior space. I still think it is a reliable car and great value.

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  As good as expected - 1996 Toyota 4Runner
  By DK - April 22 - 7:06 pm

  10 years and still running strong. No problems. If it got better gas mileage I would keep it forever.

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  Great Truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By Henry007 - April 22 - 10:00 am

  Just moved from Seattle to Fort Myers Florida..3200 miles! Pull a UHaul and had a hard time keeping the truck under 70!!

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  Weak Shifting, Steering and Mileage - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By John - April 21 - 2:20 pm

  Acceptable performance at best. Sadly disappointed in several key features. Shifting at low engine speeds frequently causes unacceptable shift quality from 1st to 2nd gear. Intermittent but you see it way too often. Very poor gas mileage. I assume many of those who post good mileage are relying upon their electronic readout in the van. My inaccurate readout tells me I get 26+ MPG highway while the gas pump says 21 MPG at best. Same or worse mileage in town than if I drive our 10 year old beater Plymouth van! The engine change Toyota made in their vans a few years back provides twice the noise of the previous engine. The steering is acceptable at best but the weakest of any brand we drove.

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  2nd Time Around - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By JMan - April 21 - 10:43 am

  2nd Generation 4-Runner owner. This one is an upgrade over 2000 model. More interior room, stronger engine with better mileage. Have had 3 problems. Dead battery, bad oxygen sensor and dead radio (after warranty period)-expensive fix. Other than that its been a great vehicle that shows very little signs of wear with no interior noises after 72K. Average 19mph in mixed driving.