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 4Runner Review - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By darrell - June 7 - 10:00 am

  The 4Runner has lived up to everything I expected it to be. I did a lot of research prior to purchasing the 4Runner. Sure there were some that had a more comfortable ride, but you cant beat the reliability, cargo room, and versatility of the 4Runner. I also feel like some of the others, in particular the Lexus 300 and the Acura MDX, are just too "soft" looking.

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  The Matrix Almost Had Me - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Nearly Neo - June 7 - 10:00 am

  The cargo bed is all hard plastic, if you toss anything back there, its gonna scrape and slide all over the place! Driving the Matrix was not a bad experience. The automatic transmission is smooth, yet a bit slow from a stand still (perhaps a manual would be snappier off the line). The car had a slight delivery van feel to me, particularly in cornering. And the instrument gauges- more than half the drive- I could not see them!- Frustrating! All around visibilty was excellent, however.- No problems in seeing the surrounding traffic. I walked away in appreciation of this new Toyota, but not in love.

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  Did any one had problem with brakes? - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By babar - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Ovel all its a very nice car and I am very happy with it. Its fun to drive and quite roomy. I have had noticed that if it goes over a bump and you apply the brakes at the time, they just dont work like for a second or two. I am not sure if this is true with all the 1999 Camary LE models or its just my car.

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  Tough Tacoma - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By cool - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Bought the 2002 Pre-runner V6 ext.cab Tacoma version last week. I already have 500 Miles!!! Im very pleased. What a fun car. The Pre-Runner trim and TRD Off-Road package makes the truck sit up a lot higher than most other trucks. The V6 has a nice punch. And you cant argue about how beautiful yet rugged the Tacoma looks. Im looking forward to putting many miles on this truck.

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  Not for wind - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Jim Fresh - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Not a bad vehicle but should come better equipped. For 28K, you only get cloth seats, power driver seat, and a moonroof. I was able to prive a Lexus RX w/ similar features at 33.5K, should have gone for that but the car was for my mom and she didnt want to pay the price difference. For little more, she would have had the leather and a 4 year warranty, oh and wood instead of that fake aluminum looking stuff on the dash.

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  What a great crossover vehicle !!!! - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By EWU - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Toyota and it is absolutey awesome. The quality of vehicle is superb. I still can not believe it is an AWD vehicle, because it does not drive like one. The brake is excellent with excellent fuel efficient. It is the best SUV I have ever bought. The push bottom and knobs of A/C are elegant. It "feels" great.

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  Good, reliable car, but some annoyances - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Sidley - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Overall, very happy with the car. I am impressed with power and speed. Handling at higher speeds is ok (not as good as European cars like the Passat). I really like the interior - very roomy and comfortable. The engine is very quiet. The trunk is huge, and rear seats totally fold down, so I can put anything I want to in this car. Lots of minor complaints. I experience squeaking and occasionally rattling noises. Visibility out the back is not great - big blind spots caused by frame and rear spoiler. I have also experienced sudden jerking at 40-50 MPH from the automatic transmission when you let off the gas (I noticed this in someone elses review as well).

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  First Toyota - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By ERiddle - June 7 - 8:26 am

  Had a premium fueled premium Japanese car that I trade for this baby, but sure am glad I did. This car feels like it is bulletproof. I have driven it from Ft. Worth to Omaha in less than 12 hours with no "personal pain" other than a distended bladder since it goes 500+ miles on $30 of gas @ $3.00 a gallon. I had Katskins installed and seat heaters to finish the deal. Goes fast, looks good, and Im thrilled.

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  XLE Hybrid - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By talyun - June 7 - 5:01 am

  Lets face it buyinh a hybrid is all about gas mileage. I have had my 2012 XLE for approx. 1.5 months and I have driven nearly 1000 miles. The car came with a full tank and when I filled up, the odometer read 672. Thats 49 MPG with combined city/hwy driving (primarily city). Thats also 20% better than advertised! The 2nd tank is not getting quite as good, so far 47.6 MPG. Still quite respectable. The vehicle is designed to get great gas mileage. If you drive it conservatively (slow takeoff, slow stops) youll probably get similiar results to mine. Overall, Im quite pleased with the car. Its incredibly quiet, has plenty of power when needed and has all the luxury I need.

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  Poor Toyota support. Very poor traction. - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Will Keith - June 7 - 3:23 am

  Our 2003 Matrix, only 58,454 km. Alternator dead. Car is past the 5 year warranty period. However, alternators - especially on Toyotas - should last longer than 58,454 km. Toyota Canada says replacing alternator not covered, even at this low mileage. Toyota suggested I pay a Toyota dealer to check the system officially, but admitted they likely wont help us out on this anyway. Replace with a rebuilt - not new - alternator is over $500. The fact that we have 5 Toyotas in our family didnt seem to matter: the person on the phone just kept reading from the policy manual.