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 Car! - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By Dagwood55 - December 14 - 2:10 pm

  We bought our 01 Sienna new in June of 02. No problems with it at all. I tested several other minivans and was astonished at the power of the 3.0L V6 in this car and thats the principal reason I bought it. It also impressed as being quiet, comfortable and solid. After 62K miles, its just as quiet as the day we bought it. Weve gotten 26mpg on many long trips, which seems good for a van. Excellent features and sound system. The drivers side electric mirror has become a little balky and the power door needs a minor adjustment. NO other problems. Our experience with this has led us to buy two more Toyotas since, which are also great cars.

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  Best car I have ever had - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Swaterhouse729@gmail.com - December 14 - 1:40 pm

  I have had my 2018 XLE a little over a month. We have taken a number of road trips so far and love the car. The safety features are fantastic, and I especially like the radar cruise. We drove through some very windy conditions and it handled great. The seats are very comfortable for driving, as well as riding and there is plenty of leg room front and back.

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  Franks Opinion - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By fgaydafrank - December 14 - 1:23 pm

  This is the 12th new vehicle (5 of the others were also Toyota"s) that Ive purchased new over the past 22 years, and it appears that this car is going to be the cream of the crop!! Although Ive only put about 4500 miles on the car in 5 months.

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  Nice car for the $$$$ - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Donald - December 14 - 8:46 am

  I purchased a 05 Camry Le in July, traded in an 03 Xterra for it. Lots of features for little $$$. The best thing i like about it is the gas mileage, which is terrific at over 30 miles a gallon. great overall car for the $$$

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  Hard seats and ride leave me stiff - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Herb - December 14 - 2:40 am

  Toyota has turned Avalon into another sport sedan. Gone is the cushy suspension and soft leather seats of the last version. Now you feel and hear every bump on the road. The drivers seat is very hard and uncomfortable. Im squirming after 15 minutes. There are many wonderful improvements in the new Avalon. But the navigation system is poor. It is archaic with the joystick and its linked to vehicle information. You must change the screen for each type of info. The information is in very small print. For my tastes, I wish the comfort level matched the quality in the rest of the car. Suspension is a matter of taste, but Toyota doesnt provide that option. It is hard or harder.

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  unstable when driving - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By roberto tepedino - December 14 - 12:42 am

  bad back vision. a lot of noise in the cabin. if its raining and with a little windy better stop the car.

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  A Lexus in Toyota Clothing - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Jeff - December 13 - 12:16 pm

  I have never been more pleased with a car. The ride is excellent with reasonable handling. The performance is tremendous with good mileage to boot. This thing is very, very quiet. The stereo is among the best Ive heard in a car; unless you want to rattle windows, this unit is of excellent quality. The seats are tremendous, second only to the LS430. I looked at a certified LS, but the Avalon compares well with it and even has slightly more room in some areas. I would say that the LS430 seats are more comfortable, but only by a little. All in all, an excellent choice for commuting or just for comfortable driving.

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  I regret buying this van - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Farmallfixer - December 13 - 11:33 am

  The fit and finish of this van are pitiful. 40,000+ for rattles, squeaks and an engine that sounds like its gonna blow every time after a cold start. The tires are absolute junk and only made it 22,000 miles. The navigation system only lets you look up addresses and adjust the DVD when stopped. My dealer support is very poor and Toyotas help help has been even worse, every time I call with a common problem that you can find all over the internet "they have never had complaints about this problem before". I have owned 9 Toyota cars and trucks over the years and the quality of my Sienna and the dealer support I have received might keep me from buying another Toyota

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  I cant believe anyone has anything good to say about this car! - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By hatematrix - December 13 - 8:21 am

  We bought the Matrix because we travel and it had the room we needed and thought it would get the gas mileage we wanted. Okay-1 out of 2. But the car is a death trap. Weve had 4 accidents because of the blind spots. A salesman from Toyota called and asked if I would be interested in trading my car--I told him no one would want it and I wouldnt want to sell this car to an unsuspecting innocent person. Ive had several Toyotas and never had a complaint. But the only thing I can find positive besides it starting everyday, is the handle to close the hatchback and the abundance of drink holders. Starting everyday is good!

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  Fun to drive - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Pat Sebastian - December 13 - 4:09 am

  Very peppy car with a V6 comfortable and dependable