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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  AWESOME! - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Judi in Richmond - July 20 - 11:46 am

  Purchased with 112500 miles...no problems and I love the car. Smooth driving, high performance and handles great in the rain. Love having the top down and enjoying the fresh air. Cant explain why I waited so long to consider a convertible! Best decision ever made. Dont have a garage, but have purchased a cover for the winter months when I wont be using it. Have found 2 new (2008) models in Virginia but Toyota has now stopped building Solara. Too bad....I might want to a newer one in next couple of years. Best convertible on the market.

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  06 avalon review - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By steve - July 20 - 4:20 am

  This model avalon is one of the finest quality autos I have ever had the pleasure to own.this is based on at least 20 previous autos. It responds excellent on the highways as well as city driving. The navigation feature is certainly a plus and fun to use. You are surrounded with safety features which contribute to a comfortable ride.

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  Excellent Purchase - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mike in Wisconsin - July 20 - 3:23 am

  Got the following features: leather heated power seats, JBL audio with navigation/bluetooth/XM satellite radio, moonroof, dual climate control. Accessories work well and have intuitive controls. Averaging 37.5 MPG combined city/highway driving. This car is equipped like any entry-level luxury car. Roomy interior, comfortable ride on expressways as well as bumpy city streets. Push button start and "Smart Key" feature is terrific! Gas engine works seamlessly with electric motor; you barely notice when the gas engine kicks in and no noticeable change in cars performance when gas engine shuts down when it isnt needed. This is our 4th Toyota product (first hybrid car). Very, very happy.

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  Not a "Granny Car" - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Marie Alexander - July 19 - 10:06 pm

  This car looks good, rides good, corners well, and has a wide turning radius. It has Inki wheels, a spoiler, power windows, bose speakers, cruise, tented windows, cold, cold air, lumbar control, no leather, and no problems. I use about 40.00 in gas every two weeks. At this time July 2007, gas is 2.89 (city). My children and grandchildren call it a "fine ride." It serves me well. Did I mention no problems. It is however a bit sluggish when floored. Wider than expected. Took some getting used to. You dont have to be young to drive this young design.

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  Drive to Save - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Patrick Hoffman - July 19 - 9:50 pm

  The thing that makes the 2008 Highlander Hybrid is the gas electric meter so you can monitor your gas/electric use. Very fun and a great way to max out the MPG.

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  Keeps On Rolling - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By JeffN - July 19 - 8:43 pm

  We just found and purchased our 4Runner for my 16 year-old son. I have kind of "borrowed" it and love the vehicle. It has 130,000 miles on it and have been bringing all the maintenance up to date. It was fine when we bought it, its getting better with maintenance. I started out at 16 mpg and have worked it up to almost 19 mpg so far. It runs strong and handles well. Its still tight with no squeaks. I may have to find another vehicle for junior but we did make the right decision.... I was hoping for 2-3 years out of it but it may out live me....

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  Overrated - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By gary smith - July 18 - 10:29 pm

  I have been driving a 2011 Taco, V6 4.0L engine since 2011. I really wanted the new safety features in the new redesigned 16 Taco. I was very impressed with the new interior, sound system and safety features, e.g. side blindspot mirrors, big backup camera, sonar alert when backing out... But, and its a big but, the hype on the new engine being smaller, with better gas mileage and more powerful is just NOT so. I live in northern AZ in hilly country. I took this new vehicle on an extensive drive around the ups and down of the local terrain; the power of the engine is not good and the transmission was constantly shifting. I constantly had to override the transmission manually. This to me was unbelieveable that any small test drive by Toyota engineers would have seen and felt this problem. Even my wife who was with me commented on how much the tranny was shifting and the lack of power. The previous 4.0L was just adequate for this size truck; putting a smaller engine with less power and a poor performing tranny was just dumb! I dodged a major bullet by listening to my inner voice and rejecting this poor performing Taco before trading in my excellent (I didnt know how good it is) 2011 Taco. Dont buy this vehicle until Toyota fixes these problems. By-the-way this vehicle out the door was around $43K - that my friend is a lot of risk.

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  New 2006 Camry Exceeds Expectations - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By AllanL - July 18 - 6:33 pm

  I only have 500 miles on my new LE 4cyl. I have averaged 31 mpg with combination city/Hwy miles. Handles well, and looks great. Upgraded to leather and so far very happy with the decision. Enough power to be safe and respectable in traffic. Initial rating may be the best car I have ever purchased. I have owned two toyotas before with excellent results from both.

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  Mileage Meter Calibration? - 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Voxhumana - July 18 - 2:36 pm

  We have enjoyed our hybrid for 2.5 years and consistently score 22.6 MPG. It doesnt seem to matter how we drive, or if we are towing our RV or not, always the same: 22.6 MPG. Can this be accurate? Of course this mileage is great when towing the RV, but the next tank, without the RV in tow, is EXACTLY the same. How could this be statistically possible? We reset the counter on every tank. Otherwise, we love the car.

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  Best Truck Ever! - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Bric - July 18 - 4:06 am

  I drove every large truck when deciding on this truck. The large toyota, now with its more powerful engine, just cant be beat. I totally disagree with the editors about the chintzy quality of materials. The others, especially Dodge, were not even close. The only thing you truly give up is the ability to tow more than 7K lbs, which most truck owners wont ever use.