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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  Great for the Money - 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By mramos - May 8 - 8:40 am

  The 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid is worth the money. It has excellent mileage, runs smoothly, and has sufficient power. The leather seats are a little rigid. Overall, this car provides excellent value for the moneey.

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  rusty brakes - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Lily - May 8 - 8:10 am

  Overall I love my Corolla. So much so I bought 2. However, it was not long on the road before I noticed a lot of noise from my brakes. Every were I parked I left a rust trail. I took the car to the dealer,at least 5X. Each time they assured me the problem was correct. Finally they had a big wheel from Corporate Toyota examine the car. To my surprise, NO ONE could hear the noise, then or there after. The noise is so bad, I have had strangers at lights roll their window down and comment "Lady, you need to check your brakes". Now I am wondering with the recalls. Wish I would have bought a Ford. Service stinks as apparently does their collective hearing. Ill never buy another Toyota

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  LOVE IT! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Chip - May 8 - 3:43 am

  I had researched the sienna and the new odyssey. Both were essentally the same. The honda had more gadgets but did not have remote rear windows. What sold me was the Siennas ride was far better and the middle seat was more functional for my needs than was the odysseys. What a great vehicle! Driving it is an absolute pleasure, responsive, nimble and I got 24 miles per gallon on the first tank. Fold down rear seats are a real plus and the middle row is very funtional.

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  Faux Toyota - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By aapcowboy - May 8 - 3:05 am

  I bought this car back in January of 2012. It was a 2011 Demo. Had all options. I figured because it was a Toyota it would be economical. Well they put all the scheduled maintenance into my financing so thats a plus. Negatives are Huge. We went from a GMC Acadia 2009 to the Venza. Acadia a much longer and heavier vehicle. But better gas mileage than the Venza. The Venzas tank fills up on about $50-$60 depending on gas rates. I am in Houston where it runs about $3+-. The dash at full reads about 300 miles to empty. My Optima at full reads almost $500. My Acadia would read about 450. The other main negative is the lack of room in the hatch area. I am already wanting to trade it in.

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  I cant believe I like this van so much! - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By YellowPage Guy - May 8 - 1:03 am

  The more I drive it, the more I love it! Great ride, awesome power and commendable fuel consumption. A far better value than the Odyssey. Dont get me wrong, the Honda is very nice. However, the Sienna delivers more room, power, MPG than the Honda for considerably less.

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  Jaunty Wheels - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Diane - May 7 - 9:46 am

  I just purchased by 2007 Corolla LE and am quite impressed by the ride and the quality of the interior design. Smooth and janty ride with good pick up for an automatic.

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  Love my coupe - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Cody - May 6 - 9:56 pm

  Take care of this car and it will take car of you 10 fold!

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  Recommended - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By bkite - May 6 - 9:13 pm

  71000 miles. Handles great in snow with four 215/65/16 Mich Xice tires: backed 30 yards across a grass field covered in snow up to the bumpers and towed a pickup truck out that couldnt move on its own. Who needs AWD and the associated additional costs? Quiet on hwy, great for long trips. OE tires lasted 50K. Brakes serviced once. MPG >20 city, 24.5-27@75mph, hit 30mpg@60mph sustained with 7 people on board on one trip. Only unexpected repair: radiator leak, cost $800, was not on recall.

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  Most reliable car I have ever owned - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By brymil2 - May 6 - 8:15 pm

  I have owned a lot of vehicles and have put a ton of miles on them. However, my 2005 Corolla has been by far the most reliable among all of them. I bought it brand new in late 2004 and performed all the required maintenance myself. What stands out about this car is that I drove it 178k miles before ANY repair was needed. Very few cars have performed that well. It ended up being the intake manifold gasket which what I hear from others, it one of the few things that go wrong with this car. I have averaged 35 mpg in 65% highway driving. I handed it down to my son but still drive it on occasion. Still going strong with 182k miles. Toyota has come close to perfecting this vehicle!

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  2010 4 Runner missing some past plusses - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By mel-ind - May 6 - 1:03 pm

  I drove my 2002 4Runner into the ground and bought a 2010 4WD. After a few thousand winter miles in the Rockies I got a better ride and better gas mileage than the 02. XM radio and MP3 input are nice. But there are minuses. The rear window gets dirty fast. The overhanging "spoiler" creates a vacuum in the rear that sucks dirt off the road (the 02 has a deflector that pushes clean air down over the window). The rear wiper covers only half the window and you cant clean the window near the spoiler with a gas station squeegee. The interior is wider, more passenger leg room in back. But center console is a big bucket where crap gets lost. Kept the 02.