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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  2008 Toyota Highlander Base FWD - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Toyota Joe - February 20 - 9:33 am

  I went looking for a sensible SUV and found it. I didnt need 4WD in the area I live in nor do I have kids, let alone 5, so I opted out of the 3rd row seat. The V6 has all the power I need though torque steer is somewhat noticeable. Im 6 foot, yet theres plenty of room. The center dash/console is so well laid out, I felt as if it was made for me. Steering position is good, feel is a little soft though. Braking is OK, a bit soft as well. Transmission is super smooth, but an extra gear would be nice for a bump up in fuel economy. You may have noticed my 8 rating for economy, Ill explain below.

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  Transitioning from SUV to Camry... - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By lyndab418 - February 19 - 3:09 pm

  I recently purchased a 2011 Camry LE after driving a Jeep Liberty for 10 years - what a difference. I love jeep but decided I would try something more fuel efficient. So far I like the car - Im not over the moon about it because Ill always be an SUV girl - but its a nice ride. Reviews tell me how dependable it is - and Im hoping with the right snow tires - will go pretty good in the Pittsburgh snow.

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  Good dependable commuter car - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By SS - February 19 - 9:33 am

  Have been reading a lot of posts about how bad the Corolla is. Well, one needs to remember that it is not a Camry. Have always had a camry (v6) and corolla...one for the highways, power and comfort and one for the daily fuel efficient commute. If one keeps the corolla long enough, they WILL realize how cheap the overall maintenance is in the long run. Yes, the quality has dipped some on the interior. Guess to keep the price the same and still have to improve the drive train, toyota had to cut corners, which is sad. My 2000 corolla had better interior than this one.

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  Limited Version - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By cjwiii08 - February 18 - 10:00 pm

  A very comfortable riding vehicle. To me, the limited package is worth the extra coin. Smooth power on demand. The extra gear in the tranny is a drivers delight. My MPG is close to 20. Not great but adequate. No gripes here!

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  Three Months and Going Strong - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Linda in RI - February 17 - 9:30 pm

  We have now owned our RAV4 for about 3 months and I love driving it! We were seriously looking at the Honda CR-V also (I was replacing a Honda Accord which I loved) but frankly didnt think the interior CR-V features were up to speed with the RAV4. Only issue we have had is a problem with tire inflation on driver side. It keeps losing air for no apparent reason. This is a great vehicle for moving or purchase of large or awkward items which cannot easily fit in a car. Sure do love it!!

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  Not as good as the Camry - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Andrew - February 16 - 10:06 pm

  The tires that came with the car went out at 12,000 miles. The second set went at 24,000 miles. The present set has last since 24,000 miles to 49,000 miles. Beleive maintance at the dealership was bad. Toyota company did not listen to my complaints. This is my thrid Toyota since 1980 and will oit deal with this dealer on my next one. Do not think his maintance department is up to par. Am looking for a different car than a Toyota. Lost 2 miles per gallon after first set of tires were changed.

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  Superb Machine - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By JRV - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This is uncompromised quality at its best. Yes, a bit costly given the fact its a 4 x 4, however it drives and rides very well. We purchaced it new in the Caribbean and keep it when we moved back to the States. Its been everywhere, but never in the shop for repairs. Wow! Look, I traded a 97 525i BMW that did nothing but swallow green 100 dollar bills ever since was purchased new. German craft is crapppp!

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  Watch out for V6 engines - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By DLK-STL - February 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Toyota based on my ownership of a Camery prior(which was wonderful) and my awful experience with a Dodge Town and County Van. Overall I am pretty pleased with it, but currenly it is in the Toyota Service getting the engine rebuilt. There is only 44,000 miles and we did oil changes as they suggested. However, the entire engine has to be cleaned and rebuilt. According to a posted statement at Jiffy Lube, Toyota is having a problem with their V6 engines. Just in case you wondered, YES they are fixing under warranty, but I was told this we would a one time fix, we will see about that. Anyway, even good car makers can have major problems.

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  TRD w/ Bilsteins - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Norm Silver - February 15 - 4:00 am

  I was aware of the transmission complaints so the first thing I did was go to an aftermarket tranny shop and had them service the automatic and put in Royal Purple full synthetic fluid and also check it out on their computer. Then I installed a cold air intake and took it to the tire shop where they let the air out of the tires and pumped in Nitrogen. This one has the 16 inch tire option and I can see there is already some inside tire wear. Ill be rotating tires every 5,000 miles to assure good tire wear. The acceleration is good, fuel economy is 22-24 hwy and 18-20 in town. Would I do this again? Yes. It is a decent truck and I like the size and appearance. I plan to replace the radio soon.

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  A Car for all Seasons - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By New Englander - February 14 - 4:03 am

  Having recently moved from Manhattan, where I spent my entire adult life, I was completely overwhelmed about the car choices before me. I researched virtually every model of every make of every 2005 car. What did I end up choosing? The Toyota Matrix. First off, I loved the styling. Its got a very Eurosmart kind of feel to it. Secondly, although the 4WD does not get the kind of mileage that the FWD manual does, it is still efficient. Thirdly, I can pack virtually anything into Trixie. Not only that but the multiple folding seat options, various cargo nets and tie-downs rock. The 4WD worked beautifully on those snowy days, yet shes petite enough to park on tiny NYC streets.