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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  Its a great buggy! - 2014 Toyota Highlander
  By ous - July 7 - 2:29 pm

  It has been a wonderful surprise in almost all areas. We were able to get all the goodies we wanted at 10k less than some of the rivals we compared.

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  Happy but... - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By brooklynsienna - July 7 - 10:34 am

  Leased the 2012 LE in December. Owned a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT prior. Some things we love about the Sienna: smooth ride, maneuvers well for a big van, comfortable seating, removable 8th seat, heat/cooling system terrific, reverse camera in dash, blueray & sound system work great with my iphone. Disappointments - a bit of a swimmer in handling on the highway and havent averaged better than 14.4 mpg in the 6 months weve had it - even in highway drives. Not sure what gives with that, because others have reported over 23. Can two of the same vehicles really vary that much???!!! Im going to ask about this at the 5K service.

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  Second 4Runner - 2008 Toyota 4Runner
  By Ian - July 7 - 9:06 am

  After 256,000 trouble free miles, it was time to replace our 98 4Runner Ltd 4WD with a slightly used 2008 SR5 4WD model. We are very happy with the 08 4Runners comfort and style. Havent taken it far off-road yet but the South Texas "wet season" is in full force and all of the techy new traction controls, hill assist, and other systems will soon get put through their paces. My only complaint is that the newer Runner seems almost too civilized. Gone are the metal chrome bumpers and the skid plates seem wimpy. Looked at a FJ Cruiser but it had too many blind spots and horrible turning radius.

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  GREAT CAR! - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Twink25 - July 7 - 8:40 am

  This is the best Ive owned so far, drive quality and overall fit and finish is superb. The 4cyl. has plenty of zip and I especially like the smooth, quiet ride, its far better than other sport-coupes Ive owned and with much more space. Only thing I dont like is the air-conditioning, it doesnt seem to get very cold. Ive taken it to the dealer to get it looked at and it checks out, it just doesnt run as well as other vehicles Ive had. Otherwise, everything runs perfect. If you want a Lexus-quality car w/ a moderate price-tag, this is it!

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  Excellent condition, reliability, low mileage. - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Sue - July 7 - 6:34 am

  The owner (retired), has driven the car an average of 5,000 miles/year since purchased new in 2008. The owner has kept up proper dealer service requirements, maintained its physical appearance of the interior/exterior as well as keeping it garaged. The explanation to sell it arises out of the owners health issues.

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  Love my Sienna, 75K miles later! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By christine - July 7 - 3:06 am

  As a sworn minivan hater, I finally saw the light in 2004. I spend much of my time toting my two young kids around, and this van is perfect for the job. There is a mirror to view the backseat built into the car! The back windows can go down! The sliding doors can be controlled by me! The rear liftgate is also automatic and can be controlled by the driver! As a mom, these are amazing benefits that I didnt even know I was missing with my old SUV. Other than going through a few sets of tires, I have had NO problems with it. The ultimate Mom-mobile, I highly recommend it to those who spend a lot of time schlepping the kids.

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  A Work in Progress - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By twinbridges - July 7 - 1:10 am

  My 2005 Avalon XLS has a lot of nice features including, lots of interior space, reclining rear seats, good visibility, as well as good power. It has wide easy entry doors. However, there is ample room for improvement. For example, the transmission and engine hesitate at low speed. The "stainless steel" exhaust leave rust spots on the garage floor. There is only one keyed entry on the car. The rear window has significant optical distortion. The windshield also has some also. The side mirrors are not breakaway like GMs so figure on buying at least one in the next 5 years at $340. The suspension system could be stiffened. You have difficulty reading the odometer in daylight.

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  Toyota has started to fall - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Stan - July 6 - 9:46 pm

  I bought a Toyota after having Jeeps, Fords, and Chevys and I thought I could buy a car that would last 200,000 miles. I was wrong. I am very unhappy with this car and I probably wont buy another Toyota. I will go back to Ford or Chevy. What is wrong: - Constant Chirp, Chirp under the hood. (The belt and tensioner have been fixed and or replaced 4 times.) I only have 71,000 miles on the car. - Drivers door wont unlock without key. - Tires had to be replaced at 15,000 miles. - Fan motor replaced at 45,000 miles as it would not work all the time. I never had a problem with my 1991 Ford Explorer or my 2002 Ford Explorer or my Chevy Pickup (S10). No more Toyotas at my house.

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  The GTO of SUVs - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Don - July 6 - 7:40 pm

  The sport package with the V-6 was the clincher. The i-4 is more than adequate but the 6 is in a different league; quiet, smooth and very quick. The Rav looks better in "sports wear" as opposed to the Limiteds "formal attire". No spare tire on the back of the Sport V-6, is a big plus (run flat tires maybe not so much; well see). Ive never been crazy about the dash and theyre a little stingy w/options. Fit and finish are great and Toyota reliability is tough to beat.

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  Not as good as the 2001 model - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By roger d - July 6 - 4:23 pm

  Ive had this car for one month. Im only getting 27 mpg hwy while I got 31 in my old 2001 Avalon. The transmission does some weird things when going slow. Real jerky. Ride is nothing like my old one. Much rougher and the most annoying thing is engine noise. I admit I was spoiled with my last Avalon so maybe with time Ill adjust. They changed the way you change the oil and filter to deter you from doing it yourself. When you test drive one of these cars, ask to drive one of the 2004s or earlier and compare. Climb underneath and look for the oil filter. Its inside the engine now Im told. They replaced the steel pan under the front of the engine with some cheap plastic. Im not happy.