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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  Trouble with tire changing & body paint - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By kmores - December 5 - 7:56 pm

  I have had incredible trouble changing a tire. The car fell off the jack and I cant get the tire gauge light to go off. It took my husband over a half hour to get the tire off the bottom of the car in the weird position it was in to unscrew it and get it under the car. If we had been on the side of the road when these flats happened, we would have been killed. Paint chips off the bumpers badly. My battery has died numerous times because of interior lights not auto turning off. All screws holding the flaps protecting motor over front time came out with flaps hitting wheels causing great scare. Toyota wouldnt replace because out of mile warranty (we had to evacuate to Dallas!).

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  My Third Corolla - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Richard - December 5 - 7:06 pm

  The 2005 Corolla replaced a 10 year old Toyota Tercel with 250,000 miles on it and is my third Corolla since 1978. Ive owned the Corolla for 14 months and have 45,000 miles on it now. No problems-very reliable. The car gets about 36 mpg. Ive driven to both the East Coast, West Coast and Florida from Chicago. The car did great in the mountains and through the California desert. The Corolla looks very stylish in charcoal grey. I love it. Looks like my next car will be a Corolla too, but Im planning on getting a quarter million miles out of this car too.

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  2012 Toyota RAV4 Limited - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By dmw81 - December 5 - 11:03 am

  Its been a year now since I bought the 2012 RAV4 Limited. I do love my SUV. It has plenty of speed. I dont drag race but when I want to pass drivers driving below the speed limit, it will accelerate definitely and easily since it is a V6. I drive in town most of the time and I am getting 25.5 mpg. If I am driving in bigger cities, though rare, with lots of stop and go, the mpg will go down to 25.3. Very little difference. Most of the time it stays on 25.5. There are no hills in where I live and even the places that I go. Theres less traffic as well. My ride is comfortable. My only complaint is the road noise. This RAV4 has some of it. I notice it especially when driving on interstates.

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  Little Red - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By oldguyaris - December 5 - 9:03 am

  The Yaris climbs our bluffs at a respectible 60 mph. Then again, I didnt expect a 1.5L to boil tires. My thoughts regarding room in the Yaris. I am 62" and 320 pounds. Nuff said on that. My Yaris is a blast to drive on our back roads. Other owners smile and wave at you when they go by. It has been a long time since Ive owned a car that I liked as much as the Yaris. I will recommend to any one, try this little "sports" car. Mileage to date, 29.76 city and 42.36 highway. And it doesnt even have 400 miles on it yet.

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  Excellent SUV - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Tommy - December 5 - 7:10 am

  I use the Sequoia for business and family travel. The family travel is primarily to horse shows. We pull a two horse trailer with two horses and the Sequoia does a great job of pulling 5,000 pounds. It also has plenty of room for our tack and provisions for the trip. The ride is extremely comfortable for all passengers.

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  Love My Rav4! - 2000 Toyota RAV4
  By Dagwood55 - December 5 - 4:53 am

  Bought used with 75K miles, now at 87K. No problems. Solid, dependable, reliable, fun to drive. Looks, drives and sounds like its still brand new. Interior looks like new. No squeaks or rattles. Easy to park. Has lively acceleration, still gets 30 mpg on hwy, 24-25 around town. Considered AWD but went with FWD and automatic and this car is GREAT on snow (Firestone tires). Love it so much, we bought another!

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By GMF1951 - December 4 - 1:30 pm

  This car is just amazing. It has more interior room than our Merc Sable and, with its hatchback design, offers much more versatility. My son recently attended a resident soccer camp and I had no trouble hauling him plus all his stuff for a week plus a refrigerator and all the stuff to put in it. Mileage is sensitive to how you drive the car but Ive been able to get 63 mpg on a tank with little effort. We got the full package included navigation which is a godsend for finding obscure soccer fields we have to get to across the state!

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  Best car I ever had - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Bill - December 4 - 12:06 pm

  I own a Mercedes, a BMW 525i, and now the Hybrid Highlander, and the latter car just may be the best car I ever owned. This car is so quiet, even with the engine running, unless you have the engine monitor up you cant tell when the engine is running. Completely silent all the time. But best thing is acceleration-- better than the gas model. Torque not a problem, the traction motors on AWD model wind up as quickly as the battery/engine allow them to, quicker than an engine alone. No rattles, no defects, the navigation system is fantastic. I am still terrificly excited about this car.

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  Fun For Two - 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Cameron - December 4 - 11:03 am

  Way better handling than Miata, cant beat a mid-engine design, also better build quality and materials. I wish Toyota would have given it another 20 horsepower, with its light weight this car would really accelerate fast. It gets good mileage (31 mpg) but I would gladly give some up for more speed.

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  Evaluation - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Chritian Bowles - December 4 - 7:36 am

  Except for pickup and power which I am accustomed this car is great for local driving. It leaves a lot to be desired when driving in the mountains.