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:

• 

  Highlander I4 base - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By pady - October 13 - 8:23 am

  I bought new Highlander I4 for more than a week. Drive is smooth and quiet. I think it has enough power from start and good gas mileage. First trip average is 27.7mpg/gal highway. If you drive both I4 and V6, you can see the different in acceleration, but if you not plan to race, you will be fine. Overall I am happy with it.

• 

  Love It! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By NHMountains - October 13 - 7:00 am

  We love our new 2008 Highlander. We were looking at the Honda Pilot but are very glad we went with the Highlander. Gas mileage is what you would expect for an SUV of this size but better than stated by Toyota. Living in the mountains I have used the downhill assist and it worked great. We also like the ability to switch to manual shift. It will come in handy this winter. Havent used the snow button yet but will probably use it quite frequently this winter. We went with the base because the price of the additional features wasnt worth the extra money for us.

• 

  UNBELIEVABLE - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By dbackroyal - October 13 - 12:11 am

  My best friend refused to buy American cars and always bought Toyotas, Nissans and Hondas. I laughed at him until I got stuck with a LEMON American GM car. I bought two Toyotas both 2004 models and they are flawless perfect vehicles. I keep them maintained religiously and they have never let me down. This Solara is mine and I am absolutely in love with this car. I am 62 and have never had such a reliable vehicle. You couldnt pry it from mt cold dead hands (unless you gave me a new one)

• 

  I think about selling it - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Pavel - October 12 - 10:53 pm

  This is my second car - I bought a new one in Nov 2006 (my first car was an old Mitsubishi Galant, which I drove from 60K to 100K miles). Actual mileage (city + some freeway) = 25 mpg. The battery went dead at 6K miles, after I didnt drive for 2 weeks. The car has a good ground clearance, but when I drive on a windy freeway, it feels like the car is going to be blown away. Not enough power entering a short or ascending freeway on-ramp.

• 

  Timeless - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Pug - October 12 - 10:36 pm

  This SUV has a great look, but even better performance.It rides quiet and smooth. Gets around 21 MPG with the 4X2 auto. Hands down one of the best driving SUVs on the road. Strong award winning 4.0L V6 engine with top notch Toyota history. First thousand miles were fantastic.

• 

  third conv. owned - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By mr moish - October 12 - 10:03 pm

  had car 30 days, found no prob. so far.i picked white and have found it looks clean all the time.i would like to know, why my inside review mirror cannot be taken off dim feature.this is a 2006 model and mirror in manual is not same ,help me if u know any reason???

• 

  Prius V package 4 - 2016 Toyota Prius v
  By mark wilson - October 12 - 5:17 pm

  The gas mileage is as good as claimed: 44 city 50 highway (as long as you dont go above 65 to 70). Take the Edmunds print out with you to the dealership. We did that and used it to negotiate an extra almost $1,000 off the price of the car.

• 

  Best car I ever had. - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Solara - October 12 - 2:53 pm

  A great car over all. I have had no problems with any thing. Good Pick-up and go. Great on fuel, I am getting about 32mpg on highway and 29mpg on city. Unlucky, I had a crash in it already however it has been repaired and it drives like nothing happened. Great car! I am looking for another one for my wife...just in a different color. All thumbs up!

• 

  Disappointing - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By CD 1 - October 12 - 12:30 pm

  Center piece on dashboard above clock keeps popping out one quarter inch. Dealer says replacing dashboard *may* fix problem but may cause squeaks and rattles. Standard Michelin all season tires are horrible in snow. Traction control should have override button; car will get stuck in small amounts of snow, cannot spin wheels to get free. Front seat lacks thigh support for tall drivers. Fuel gauge operation is non-linear. Rear bumper cover cracked due to ice accumulation in wheel well. City fuel mileage is not that impressive. Rear visibility restricted by front seat headrests. Overall, a disappointment for a car with a reputation for quality. On the plus side, interior noise is low.

• 

  Generally a nice car - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By driver - October 12 - 4:13 am

  All around this is a fun car to own. Sometimes its hard to find the right gear when shifting and there is not enough inside lighting on the control panels on the dashboard. There is no lighting in the trunk and it is impossible to find things at night. This is definitely a safety hazard (personally). At night with a flat I had a frightening experience .