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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  Toyota Got It Right! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Lee E. Wolloff - June 8 - 11:00 pm

  As a loyal Toyota owner for 30 years I have come to expect great things from them. Over the last thirty years, I have owned Camrys, trucks, a 1984 Land Cruiser and now the FJ Cruiser. I first fell in love with the styling, but once behind the wheel, I knew I had found THE car for me. My old Land Cruiser lasted ten years and 270,000 miles. I sold in in 1994. Unfortunately I couldnt afford another as the prices went through the roof. What a surprise and pleasure to get back into a "Cruiser" without emptying my life savings. This FJ is fun to drive, gets 19-20 mpg on the highway and turns heads where ever I go. I intend to keep it for at least ten years if not longer.

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  Takes getting used to, but worth it - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By DJ - June 8 - 5:13 pm

  Several things about the Prius threw me at first: The unusual shifter, the digital dashboard and the rear visibility. However within a few weeks everything seemed normal to me and now I cant stand driving my wifes car because I have to look down to see the speedometer. The rear visibility really isnt that bad, but it does take getting used to. The digital speedometer is great, the seats are very comfortable and the sound system is very good. Lots of little cubbies to store things in, CVT transmission is great. Havent noticed the brakes being grabby as some people mentioned. Have noticed the dash squeaks in cold weather (10 degrees or below). Overall a great car

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  Slate blue - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By liz odoroff - June 8 - 3:07 pm

  Great price for large interior car. Great mileage

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  Great Car! Review at 10K miles - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Camry Driver - June 8 - 1:28 am

  I bought a Camry LE in Feb 2015 and it has 10K miles on it now. Its a great car and I really enjoy driving it. Rear camera and 8-way power driver seat are standard features for the basic trim, which is very nice. I would highly recommend this car!

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  No regrets - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Anthony-56 - June 7 - 11:30 pm

  Have owned my Camry for 3 1/2 years. Bought it from a local dealer with 62,000 miles and paid a extra because of the low miles. But I do not regret the decision. It is about ready to turn over 100,000 and it has no exterior rust and runs like a champ. Very few problems so far. The drivers side door latch needed repair and a valve cover leak. The car is not very exciting but it takes such good care of me and my bank account that I hope it runs forever.

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  GREAT car!! - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Aida Santos - June 7 - 8:23 pm

  This is a great care for all types of traveling.

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  Super Little Pocket Rocket - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By CelicDriver - June 7 - 6:50 pm

  I bought this car used with 82K miles on it. It drives like new, and never ceases to amaze me with its grip on the road. It is practically as if it were moving on rails, point it where you like, and it hugs the road while making the turn. Add that to Toyota reliability, and the combo is hard to beat. The automatic transmission is adequate for my practical needs, but for spirited driving, I would have preferred having a manual. The car has plenty of get up and go, but I somehow miss the vrooom of the lower gears that I could have got out of the 140HP engine (which is pretty dang good when you combine it with the light and small car that it is) with a stick.

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  Lots of Interior Space - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By KeithS - June 7 - 12:06 pm

  We bought this car because my wife needed lots of room to haul around products for her business. Its great for long road trips: comfortable seats, cruise control, and telescoping steering wheel with well-designed controls, lots of cup-holders, and plenty of electrical sockets for technology gadgets. Maintenance-wise: changing the oil and replacing front brake pads are both quite easy. However, accessing the rear bank of spark plugs is almost impossible; dealer charges $400+ to change all 6 plugs. Replacing the air filter and rear wiper blade were a pain. Airflow over the windshield has a "whistling" sound. The paint on front chips away too easily. No "really big" repairs yet, though.

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  Really Happy - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Randy Cohrs - June 7 - 11:50 am

  We just bought our Highlander but we had looked at cars for a while and relized Toyota had the best car for our needs, good gas mileage, a good amount of room and the car runs very well.

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  still love you but time to upgrade - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By diane - June 7 - 11:07 am

  this car has been extremely reliable, low maintenance ,handles great in winter