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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  Good - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Brittany Huneycutt - June 28 - 1:26 am

  This is a wonderful car that turns heads in all the right ways and has great control and handling.

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  Decent Car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Jennifer - June 27 - 7:13 pm

  I enjoy my car. Its not a luxury car by any means but it is definitely better than any of Toyotas other models. It drives really smooth, but I have a 4 cylinder so it lacks power. Nevertheless, it is still a cool car for a college kid. I love the exterior, but the interior is nothing to brag about. Its quite simple, which is fine with me. The gas mileage is not what its cracked up to be. The corolla is the best toyota car when it comes to gas per mileage.

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  2005 XR 5-speed - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By John - June 27 - 5:33 pm

  I have been completely satisfied with my Matrix after 1 year of ownership. It has been completely reliable and gas mileage as good as advertised at 33-36 MPG. It wont win any races for speed, but I knew that when I bought it.

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  Many annoying defects - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By CBB - June 27 - 4:36 pm

  I have had a significant number of problems with my Solara (none involving the engine, thankfully), including significant rattling in the dashboard (6 repairs, and counting), rattling/loose passenger window, whistling of the door seals at highway speeds, defective tire pressure indicator, defective rocker (retracting) mechanism in sunroof, defective driving lights, etc. Very shocking, given Toyotas reputation for reliability.

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  Great Car for the price! - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By amma - June 27 - 1:10 am

  I had an old camry V6 XLE that I traded in for this vehicle. My old Camry was way more powerful. After all, it was V6 with 193ft/lb-203hp engine. Nonetheless, I found the new camry more fun to drive with reasonably good torque/hp. The gas/mileage on my camry06 is much better than my Honda2005. Only drawback is that Camry standard does not have keyless entry:(

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  Beyond Your Expectations 2006 Toyota AvalonLimited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Ray Lanfear - June 26 - 8:40 pm

  Overall great dependable car for 200,000miles or more.

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  So sorry I bought it!! - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Not a fan - June 26 - 5:26 pm

  Gas mileage not as advertised. Most uncomfortable front seat!! Too short for people with longer legs. Arm rests do not fall in the proper place for people with wide shoulders. For all its bells and whistles, doesnt have automatic locks (when engaging transmission) which I had on my prior 10 year old car and I consider a big personal safety factor. Poor design on console. Wasted space underneath cup holders. Cover on console opens with weight of pocketbook... very annoying. Doors do not close easily... must be slammed to engage lock. Gas cap release in awkward position. Must open door and unlock seat belt to reach. Doesnt have "Miles to Go" on its Info button, which was very handy.

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  Luv my 1998 Toyota - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Sweet Pea - June 26 - 4:16 pm

  What a fabulous small car! I have enjoyed driving this car for 11 years now, and its still going strong. The fuel efficiency is outstanding. I have and never done anything other than routine maintenance on this car (which I purchased new), and it now has 195,000 miles on it. I recently test drove some new cars, and my 98 Toyota actually drove better than some of them!

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  oil leak. - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Tom - June 26 - 2:13 pm

  I discovered an oil leak coming from above the oil filter area. The dealer stated that it is a major casket and toyota issued a technical issue on this item. I understand this is not a normal occurrence but will require a major pull of the engine and replacing formed caskets...

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  never buy - Camry 07 LE I4 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By vin - June 26 - 1:30 pm

  I have owned 2 cars, Camry 03 and corolla 03. I traded in my corolla 03 for a new camry 07 LE with I4 engine. Its been 3 days only. It has serious acceleration problem and is hesitant in pick up .Sometimes I need to press gas pedal hard to gain power. I have been a toyota loyalist since 4.5 yrs .This is the greatest disappointment I ever had with Camry 07.