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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  My Favorite Rid - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By adam334 - December 6 - 12:50 am

  I have owned a number of AWD/4WD cars, including a WRX, Outback Limited 2.5XT, the 2009 Rav4 Limited (which got totaled by tree) and now I got this one. This car easily tops the list. For a high sitting car, it handles very well with the 18inch rims and 235mm tires. It actually rides better the the Subaru WRX and feels commanding and not cheap. The torque steer of my limited is not there and feels very even. The car is very fast for its size, suprisingly faster than most cars off the line. Its really an understated car. JBL upgrades stereo is more than adaquate, and the black interior looks sweet.

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  A real great commuter car - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By baybsea - December 5 - 9:46 pm

  Great looks at affordable price, real good on gas mileage, average 30.9 miles to the gallon rarely drive on freeway, mostly stop and go. Does lack in the power area but a real great commuter car.

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  Why did I wait so long to come back? - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By RUN1BK46 - December 5 - 9:00 pm

  My first vehicle out of college was toyota, then I somehow went with a Jeep, Durango, Explorer, & Pacifica (dont ask). Finally I wised up and bought my 4runner. WOW- I was really missing it with these other vehicles. Quality of this 4runner is very noticable. The V8 is a must. Not much different on the MPG, and the drop you into the back of your seat thrust is very noticable. This by far one of the most fun vehicles I have driven. It rides very smooth, especially for a truck frame. The nav is easy to use. Love the blue tooth. This is a must be considered vehicle. You will love it

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  Thus was my mothers toyata camry! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Mer - December 5 - 8:27 am

  Fantastic car. If you have one keep ! it it will drive foreva! 96,000. Miles love it!

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  An Old Reliable Friend - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By Tom - December 5 - 6:23 am

  I bought my 1997 Corolla back in 2005 with under 60,000 miles. Today it has over 266,000 miles. The car has been a stalwart companion over the last 10+ years. Up until 2 years ago the only maintenance items were changing the brakes, battery and tires. I will say the A/C broke a few years into the purchase, and I never got it fixed, but you get used to that. Over the last few years had to put an alternator, serpentine belt, spark plug wires and starter; but considering the first 180,000 miles of ownership went so smooth, I guess it is to be expected. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for something simple, no nonsense and needs a reliable ride.

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  Great economy car - 2013 Toyota Prius c
  By jptuck1962 - December 5 - 5:44 am

  Picked this up as a lease - save more each month in gas than the payment is vs the Rav 4 I drove before. With snow tires had no problems this winter. Surprisingly agile its fun to drive and the sound system beat the Alpine I had in the Rav. If the Leaf could actually do over 100 miles or the Tesla was only say 40k then something to consider. Until then the Prius C is very hard to beat.

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  Raves about RAV - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Baldy - December 5 - 5:13 am

  It drives more like a sports car than an SUV. I can park where you cant. In spite of the small, nifty handling, I can get some amazingly big items in it.

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  My Poor Mans Lexus - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Ted - December 4 - 5:11 pm

  Ive owned two Camry models so far.The first was a 98 v6 manual that I LOVED. It gets totaled of course. So, I went out and bought the same car but newer: 2001 v6 manual LE model. Its got comfortable leather seats, sunroof that looks slick when tilted, and a nice wood trim package. It feels like a Lexus ES. Heres the best part. ITS PAID OFF. Im in college, so I dont have alot of money. I wanted a little style, performance, and reliability without a monthly note. This car was the answer. I got style and comfort with the wood trim, leather, and 25% tint, performance with the workhorse v6 that surprising powerful with a manual shift, and reliability that is the best. Bought the car for 2 grand with 153k, drove it everywhere, including 1000 miles on a road trip. Only needed a few average repairs for its age, which were cheap. Engine/transmission bulletproof. Buy one of these if your a student, or if you dont have alot of money but want a paid-off reliable vehicle that has some style.

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  Welcome to the Toyota family! - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By John Fang - December 4 - 3:41 pm

  Comfort, quietness, smooth ride (probably due to being new). Suitable for us as a family of four. Great travel vehicle. Planning to keep this in the family for at least 15 years until the girls go to college. Only drawback, when your flooring the gas pedal the Highlander has a hard time figuring out when to shift to the next gear. I noticed that when you floor the car, it will pull hard but the RPM is revving high up to 5000 RPM but the gear doesnt shift to the next fast enough. I dont know about other owners, but that is weird. Usually when you floor a vehicle, it should only take a second of so to shift 1-2-3-4-5. My RPM sits up in the 5000 range for about 2 seconds then drops to the next gear. Overall, satisfy with purchase.

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  Rear defogger problem - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By nikita - December 4 - 2:50 am

  As a Toyota fan with 4 previous Toyota cars (3 Camrys and 1 Corolla) I should say it is a great car. Acceleration is great with the V6 engine, I like the wood dash trim. I have put 4K on the car so far and I love it. The only complaint I have at this point is the rear defogger. It does not work. It is on the same button with the heated side mirrors and they work just fine but not the rear window defogger. I hope it is not a major problem to fix and I am taking the car back to the dealership to fix it.