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 first Toyota - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By ruffy25 - September 17 - 6:24 pm

  At age 58 and having owned maybe 20 cars, this is my first Toyota and I do not regret it. I bought it on its reputation for reliability and life-span, and was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and performance. The 1.8L gives decent acceleration, I had a concern that because of my driving habits, which consist of a 1.5 mile trip to the store, shut off, re-start and come home totals 3 miles of driving about 4 times a week that eventually the battery would not re-charge from not enough driving. But after 5 months: no problem. I have of course taken longer trips, but what I described sometimes goes on for a month. Complaint: no trunk-open on remote entry.

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  XRS-2ZZ-GE - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Guy Hence - September 17 - 12:33 pm

  The Yamaha built engine in this car is terrific! Same as the expensive Lotus Elise and Exige! The XRS handles well and gets good mileage. Service is simple and low cost. This is a great car thats well built.

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  Awesome - love it. - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By cheryl - September 17 - 7:43 am

  There isnt one thing negative I can say about this vehicle. It looks rugged and cool, but drives like a dream. Its solid, handles great, is comfortable, great stereo. I love it.

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  herky jerky car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By jackhey - September 17 - 5:43 am

  Performance stinks due to transmission, always looking for another gear, constantly jerking, dash lights always dimming, lower grill always slipping out. Just an awful vehicle, goodbye Toyota hello American...

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  Toyota Prius evaluation - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Gordo - September 17 - 4:30 am

  Best vehicle I have ever owned!! Terrific gas mileage, handles well and is comfortable on long or short trips.

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  Best car yet - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By BeachSixPack - September 17 - 3:53 am

  After owning many many cars, this one by far is the best I have owned. Drove it to Florida after buying it and was very pleased with its comfort, reliability, looks, and gas mileage in the 30s while traveling above 80 for extended periods of time. Great car.

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  2013 RAV4 AWD Limited - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By paul280 - September 17 - 12:03 am

  We bought the car in mid-August. We really like the Blind Spot Monitor option. Also, an unexpected but convenient feature is that the music files on a USB drive can be played back directly. We also like the memory function of the driver’s seat. Our main complaint is that the ride is really bumpy, even bumpier than my 20-year-old Corolla. Another thing is that the air outlets have begun to make an abnormal sound when switching the air flow from the setting of upper body and feet to the setting of upper body. Since the car has less than 2000 miles on it and it already got a problem, I really question the long term reliability of this vehicle.

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  LOW SPEED SHIFT PROBLEMS - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By JT - September 16 - 6:00 pm

  Bought current tacoma 14 November 2009. I immediately noticed a problem with the shifting at low speeds; up and down. The fuel mileage was poor; 14 to 16 compared to my old 2001. Visited this website and learned of the TSB for the 2009. There is now a TSB for the 2010. So far, the truck is running as I expect. I will have to wait on any improvement to the mileage although I expect it to improve. I am 62" and have no comfort issues, the telescopic steering wheel enables me to leave some legroom for the rear seat.

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  Theres no competition. - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Twistoffate0817 - September 16 - 5:56 am

  The price, the MPG, the style... this car has it all! There is no other car out there that can come close to competing with the yaris. This is overall an amazing car and you have to check it out before buying a new car.

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  Beautiful Simplicity! - 2012 Toyota Corolla
  By jacobw001 - September 15 - 5:59 am

  We have long been a Ford family however our last Fusion did not meet our expectations due to a lot of mechanical issues and poor fuel economy. After test drives of the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Mazda 6, the Corolla was by far my favorite and has been a great car, both in performance and build quality. So far weve averaged around 33 MPG in mostly city driving conditions which helps a lot with higher fuel prices! This car looks great both inside and out and is fun to drive as well. I look forward to giving this car to my son in about six years when he gets his license!