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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  I never thought Id own a minivan - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By pellican - June 9 - 2:00 am

  For years, I promised myself I would never own a minivan. However, with two young kids and a large dogs, we needed a large vehicle for family trips. We looked at the Sienna, Odyssey, Quest, and Town&Country. None of the other vehicles could compare to the features, ride, comfort, quality, and reliability that we found in the Sienna.

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  First-hand experience on safety - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By georgeb - June 9 - 2:00 am

  My review is on the 2003 Camry LE that we owned that was involved in an accident on Thanksgiving Day. The accident occurred when an SUV lost control and came across 3 lanes of traffic, causing us to slam into the front-driver side at about 45 mph. Our Camry was a total loss as a result of this accident, but no one was seriously hurt. The passenger compartment was untouched except for the airbags deploying. The engine compartment took the brunt of the collision and performed beautifully. Prior to the accident, we loved the car. After the accident, we now know just how safe this vehicle is. Once we settle with insurance, we are buying a 2004 Camry LE.

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  Great customer service - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By Genee Gillis - June 8 - 8:06 pm

  I love Subarus, but I also love that this one looks great as well! Toyota of Bellingham has the best customer care and service ever! Dino went above and beyond! Thanks!

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  Dim headlights - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By mozart2012xle - June 8 - 7:42 pm

  just got new 2012 camry xle -v6. Im very disappointed with the headlights, they appear bright when you look at them, not as bright as my 2005 camry . I even brought a set of after market bulbs sylvania utra they also appear to be very bright when you look at them but from the drivers seat they do not light up the roadway as i believe they should. drove 35 miles the other night with the high beams on all the way and not one on coming driver flashed their lights back at me. in my05 i have had people flash their lights at me when i just had on low beams. took the car back to the toyota body shop guy checked the headlight adjusted them still to dim, looks like ill be doing less night driving

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  My New Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By 2005 Toyota Camry - June 8 - 7:30 pm

  I am very pleased with my new Camry.I love the style and the performance is great. I was driving a Mercedes before buying the XLE V6 and I was afraid that I would not be happy with a smaller car. What a surprise I got! I would reccomend the Camry XLE V6 to any one that is considering buying a new car.

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  Will buy another Camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Jan - June 8 - 6:53 am

  I have been very pleased with the reliability and great gas mileage of my Camry. I average 30-31 mpg on the road and as I have to drive 30 miles to work this is great!

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  Still Crazy (about it) after 6 yrs. - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jeffty - June 8 - 6:20 am

  Totally dependable, solid and always fun and economical to drive. 4-cyl. w/5-speed manual likes to rev high and zoom along. Zippier than youd imagine, very stable manuvering and braking. I get an average of 27 mpg combined and up to 31 mpg on a long, slow trip. Original Toyo tires were unspectacular but a set of Michelins made a real improvement especially in the wet. The quartet of engine sensors were a bit troublesome, three already replaced before 70k miles. Now at 100k miles it still feels solid and fun to drive. I plan on keeping this one for the duration and I feel pretty optimistic about a good,long life for this one. I would buy another in a heartbeat.

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  What is toyota doing ??? - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Regreted - June 7 - 5:20 pm

  I owned total 4 generations of Camry, this 5th gen is not a Camry any more. I made a big mi to trade in my 2001 Highlander 1st: Transmission up-shift is a design flaw, and it could be dangerous when enter freeway by merging ramp, at speed 35mph , there will be no acceleration when you floorboard it, my Camry was like a horse refused to run, stood still. The fear was that the car behind might rear end you. 2nd: Interior looks so cheap, over-engineering the control panel. Heater is intermittently change temp it self. Speedometer is too bright , make it hard to tell whether the headlight is on or off. -The handle grip on driver side got broken for no reason. 3rd: Exterior bumper paint was chipped

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  Suspension Issues - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By RCB - June 7 - 3:43 pm

  I drove my Corolla for a year with the impression that it had a big-car feel and a very smooth feel (smoothest ever in fact). Then something broke, and the dealership has been unable to fix it. Now I do not feel safe driving on the interstate because if I hit even a small bump (and especially a series of small bumps) it feels like I am going to loose control. At slower speeds, it is just uncomfortable to drive on anything but the smoothest of roads. The dealership claimed to replace the front struts, and maybe they did because it did seem to reduce the rough feel for a 1-2 days.

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  Sloppy steering - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By txr - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Great looking paper tiger. Clutch is spongy and fights off efforts for quick shifts making for a fast car but a slow takeoff from the line. More horsepower and better exhaust is desperately needed. Steering has bad road feel feedback with a plus/minus 3 degree float. Power steering needs to have less boost. Taking it on a overnight trip - fogeddabotit. Youll need to sleep in what your start out with. Storage for about a 6-pack - without ice. Tires suck - buy new rubber right off the bat.