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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  Camry Solara - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Rosa Colello - May 15 - 3:16 am

  I really have fun driving my Solara. It drives smoothly and is very comfortable. All of the added equipment is user friendly. For a soft top it is quiet on the highway.

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  Great truck - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By nancyjo - May 15 - 2:26 am

  I have only been on a few road trips, but I love my truck! I am a Toyota girl and with vehicles like these, I will always be loyal. This truck drives very smoothly and quiet. The stereo is great. There is a ton of room.

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  Good all around family car - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Hillbilly - May 15 - 12:26 am

  Moved from a 2000 solara se to the 2010 camry se. The cars exterior looks are great and the black leather interior is outstanding but its frosty blue dash is outdated and glares in the daylight. Its handling is better than my old solaras but is not quite as sporty. I think the V6 would be a bit more fun to drive. Only get the smart key feature if you constantly lock your keys in the car (you cant do that with smart key). But if you lose them it costs $350 to rekey the car.

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  2009 Venza Steering Column Rattle Noise 25000 miles - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By fair2us - May 14 - 5:48 pm

  Recently I purchased a 2009 Venza (base 4-cly). I am having issues with a knocking feel and steering column rattle noise. Toyota gave me the TSB for a Steering Column Rattle Noise, T-SB-0005-11, and said my Venza is one month out of the Toyota 3yr basic warranty. The dealership will charge $1,333.68 for parts and $243.53 for labor to address this issue. This is the second time that I bought a Toyota with a steering column and warranty issue (the first time was a 2006 Camry, Intermediate Steering Column TSB ST001-06). There will NOT be a third time for Toyota to do this to me. I will go back to driving Hondas.

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  The Best Vehicle I Ever Owned - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By briemer - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This Is simply "The Best Vehicle I Ever Owned". Quiet, Smooth, Comfort...Class act all the way...

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  Too many problems - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By slowry88 - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Several minor problems and one major problem (Head Gaskets). The wheels need balancing often, radiator leaked, minor electrical problems, shocks are going. These were all minor compared to the head gaskets that blew with only 80,000 miles on the car. The Toyota service center told me that this was "high milage." Thats funny, their sales staff contend that the car should run to 200k. Total cost of repair will exceed $2000.

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  Great Car! - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Geraldg - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Very fun car that still turns heads when I drive past!

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  Toyota Carokka ,1999 - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By tom madigan - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Excellent condition. Druves smothly. No mechancal problems. Good gas mmileage.Low maintainence. New Tires/ brakes.

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  Almost Like my Last One - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By S-Runnin_SoCal - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Replaced my 1990 SR5 V6-XtraCab 5-Sp 4X2 w/150,000 miles with a new one, but the closest thing to it Toyota makes to replace it is the S-Runner. The interior on the old one used higher quality materials. The 2001 has thin cheap plastic all through the interior. The 90 had all analog gauges. The new model goes with more idiot lights. No rattles on the 90 even after 150,000 logged on the clock. My 2001 S-Runner rattles like crazy right out of the box. The gearing on the S-Runner is too tall, requiring a lot of clutch slipping to get rolling. I like the new engine on the S-Runner, but I wish I had my old SR5- V6 back.

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  Perfect - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tim in Minnesota - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Can you spell P-E-R-F-E-C-T? After having experience with other manufacturers for years, I finally stepped up and bought a Toyota. Not one problem, perfect. If you want a great little truck, buy a Toyota. If you want to continue to be disappointed buy something else. Its your money!