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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  reliable and comfortable - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By tessnluke - July 27 - 2:21 am

  Ive had this car for several years now, i bought it toyota certified used with 50,000 miles on it. its a great car.

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  Ordinary with Hiccups - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By kk2482 - July 26 - 1:27 pm

  I purchased my 07 Corolla brand new. It now has over 60k miles. My car is immaculately maintained. Sorta fun to drive. Comfortable seats. Great reaction time when driving. Only hiccups Ive had: The keyless entry for some reason stopped working about four months ago. Dealership says I need to get it reinstalled and they dont cover it. Yet my friend with an 03 Corolla has never had her keyless entry maintenanced and it works flawlessly. Odd. Oh also sometimes the windows dont work. The driver side door lock button will not unlock the doors, yet it will lock them. Electrical issues are popping up everywhere seems like. Good car overall, minus hiccups. Hope this helps!

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  Almost completely satisfied - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By eliza - July 26 - 4:36 am

  Good car. Car is comfortable and rides very nice. good interior and trunk space. tire pressure warning light has come on twice in three months. Brought car back to dealer to have tire checked. They couldnt find any problems and said this is a normal warning. Not completely satisfied with answer.

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  Hard to ask for a better van... - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By CanaDan - July 24 - 5:53 am

  I bought this van after selling (in frustration) a fully loaded Pontiac Montana. After years of break-downs and failures of almost every major component, except the engine, I decided to go with proven quality. Simply said, I should have done this from day one.

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  My trusty 4Runner - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By janakins42 - July 24 - 12:22 am

  My Tacoma saved my life during a collision that totalled her. I was so depressed. I knew the only thing I could do was get another Toyota. When I got my 4Runner she was a real lemon. She had an overheating issue that I didnt discover until I took a small road trip. After I replaced the radiator and thermostat and maintainenced fluids and whatnot...she was the most dependable car I could ever ask for. The funny thing is...they made 2WD 4Runners! And I bought one! Didnt know until servicing her at Jiffy Lube. They were baffled too. She has 168k miles and still runs strong. The gas mileage sucks tho. I have to sell my baby because of it. I will be sad to see her go.

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  Bury me in my Tacoma! - 1997 Toyota Tacoma
  By jgpaige - July 23 - 11:09 am

  I bought my Tacoma new in December of 1996. I confess that I havent been the most responsible owner regarding regular maintenance and the like. It doesnt seem to matter, though. My Tacoma, now at 198,000 miles, turns over and purrs like a kitten every morning. I have driven it cross-country 7 times and would still have the confidence to do it today at its current mileage. Ive used it for hauling construction debris, towing a loaded U-haul trailer up a mountain, and even fit two men over 6 tall in the regular cab with me. Ive proven it can run on no oil (per my mechanics chagrin) and an empty gas tank. This machine is truly remarkable and, at times, even miraculous.

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  08 Camry LE 4cyl - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Stephen - July 21 - 3:36 pm

  Even with a 4cyl the Camry still has plenty of power but can react slowly. As one would expect, I have had no problems with the car except for low pressure in one tire. Getting actual mileage around 26 highway (set cruise - 50 miles round trip) and 18 city during first 1k miles. I think this could be due to the automatic transmission slipping.

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  Poor Mans MINI Cooper - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By JAMINOFF - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Matrix is like my sone MINI cooper for $10000 less. Great car, quality, reliability, fun and roomy. Only changes I recommend would be remove coin slot under handbrake, very hard to get to. Left side instruments have no lighting at night.

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  This is offroad vehicle - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By boris rabinovich - July 21 - 1:13 am

  This vehicle is built strictly for off-road application. Dont buy it for the city use or for home-office commute. To park this car in the city is impossible task and this is not because of physical dimensions. It has too many blind spots, you always concern you might hit somebody. The backseat is not adjustable and people on the back have very little space. Besides the backseat passengers might got trapped in case of accident with no way out. You will not be able to open door if the people in the front got disable.

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  Honda Fans new Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Marko - July 20 - 5:33 am

  My Camry LE 4 cyl 5 speed auto has about 3,800 miles now. In suburban driving (avg 35 mph, few stops) and highway (avg 78 mph mostly cruise control), my day in, day out suburban/highway combined mileage is 28 mpg. The car is comfortable and attractive, but has mushy handling and a constantly shifting auto trans. The car is unstable driving in gusty winds. The ergonomics arent as good as my 2000 Honda Accord. I bought the Camry because I just couldnt stand the looks of the 2008/9 Accord. Interesting that my Camry requires oil changes at 5,000, while the Accord was listed as 7,500. My Camry stereo has intermittent failure, but other than that, cars delivered quality was good.