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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  Happy owner - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Loua - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car one year ago. Best gas mileage its been around 38.2 MPG. handles very nice, althought the air conditioner quit working alltogether for the whole day while 100 degree temp. Next day and thereafter has been working find. Cant tell why?. The car is solid, but when pushed, I can feel mechanical fatigue. But what do you expect from a $16K car. I have got the S. model. Looks good. I which it had 10 more horses. Highly recommended.

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  Keeps going and going - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Scott - February 9 - 7:33 pm

  I bought this car in October 1999 and it is still running well. Besides regular maintenance, battery, and tires there were 2 sensors that went bad but other than those minor things it has been perfect. The gas mileage is close to that of the top hybrids.

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  A poormans Lexus - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By RedSox Fan - February 9 - 12:52 pm

  Replaced the Lexus two days ago with this Highlander since we didnt like the styling of the latest RX350 ( even after owning an NX200t for two years). You can definitely see more hard plastic around the Toyota, but you also receive more goodies for the lower price and most impotantly, space. Lexus seems to be designed more for style than utility. Even though weve only put <100 miles on it, we can tell it will be a great highway cruiser. The panoramic sunroof is fantastic as is the stereo. Too bad we already have reliability concerns though. There is a rattling in the back that started yesterday that has become annoying to the point we dont want to use the car. And of course the dealership service is not available to look at it til Tuesday when I am back in the office. Not a good start at all especially considering the high priced paid. After owning 10 Toyotas and Lexus models, how this all plays out could decide if this is our final one for life.

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  Car to keep into retirement - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Barry - February 9 - 12:03 pm

  After Lexus and Infiniti sedans, I choose a Highlander to keep when I retire in 5 years. Roomy, comfortable, great for trips to Home Depot. Also carries bikes and scuba gear. Carries a lot yet handles much better than our Jeep. Love the GPS. Good audio, seats, and climate. Good layout and controls. Wish it got better gas mileage.

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  Love This Tuck - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jena42183 - February 9 - 7:30 am

  I just bought my 4Runner SR5 4x4 6cyl on Saturday at DCH Brunswick Toyota in N. Brunswick NJ. The dealership was great and gave us a good deal. I absolutely love the truck, its such a smooth ride for an SUV. Ive had a 2003 and 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee and this truck is 10x better. I will be back in another 3 years for another!

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  Just like everyone else - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By bnschmidt - February 8 - 11:42 am

  This is an extremely popular car (even in 2012) and I understand why. Comfortable interior, great visibility, fine gas mileage. The fuel gauge went out on mine at 140,xxx miles, inconvenient but the light does still come on when low, so it works out. First Toyota, so the high revving is something I had to get used to. Soft ride, will probably last another 20 years!

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  Just bought - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By bighead - February 8 - 10:40 am

  I just bought a 2001 tundra with 55,000 miles on it from the original owner. Its in almost new condition. This truck has bucket seat that I dont care for. The arm rest is too small for me but I can live with it. This truck is really sharp looking and has the trd package. I love this truck already but havent even owned it 24 hours yet and will report back any likes and dislikes with it.

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  A few thoughts - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By biguy - February 7 - 8:13 pm

  I dont understand why the side view mirrors are so large & they dont fold.The car comes with without body side mouldings for protection. Why do they have very large key fobs rather than build into keys like Honda does. I understand that the engine does not have a spin off oil filter like all the other cars I have ever owned and Toyota really dont want you to do your own service on the car. On exterior styling the side view is fine, but the front grill area could be better looking, and the is just o.k. On the plus side, I wanted the feel and the ride of a German car without all the problems, so I purchased the Touring model Toyota Avalon. So far, so good.............

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  Concerned - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Sal A - February 6 - 10:50 am

  3 yrs old w/ 60k and maintained by the dealer. At 55k miles had the oil leak others mention. Originally 31mpg, now 25. The steering sometimes sticks when making a left turn and accelerating from a standing start. Keyless entry on the drivers door is failing 50% of the time. Cooling feature of drivers eat no longer works. Transmission taking longer to shift (will it make 100k?).

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  After two years of ownership - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CamryCub420 - February 6 - 7:26 am

  Im really over this car... For $30k it rattles, the driver window sticks, the rear vents fell off, the tranny is already acting up at 22k miles. This Toyota was made in the USA and I wish I could say that with pride. Its a piece of junk as far as Im concerned. The design is great, but the implementation of said design in the manufacturing process very poor. Initial quality was lacking and its only getting worse... Its an OK car all n all. But for the money, Im rather disappointed.