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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  Good mileage, horrible seats - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By C. Alan - June 3 - 2:16 am

  The car is small, but does not feel cramped, at least in the front seat. The back seats are a bit cramped. It would be hard to get 4 full sized adults in the car without some one ending up with a knee in their back. The driver seat is ok, but seriously lacks lumbar support. Finding a place for your elbows while you drive is also difficult. Most of the controls are laid out in a logical manner, and are easy to find. However, the temp gauge, is nearly hidden in the lower right hand corner of the dash display. In an economy car, you expect a plastic dash, but feel of the plastics used in the Corolla are very harsh. The turn signal stalks feel very cheap.

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  08 RAV - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By dennism - June 2 - 3:36 pm

  After one month Im fairly happy with the RAV. There are a lot of little touches like the lighted vanity mirrors, hidden storage etc. Im totally impressed with the performance of the 4 cylinder engine! CD player and sound system are great.

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  Good but not great - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Dan - June 2 - 2:26 pm

  I have had this vehicle just over two years. I had an 03 access cab but with a growing family, needed the extra room. I mostly drive in the city and I am averaging around 17 MPG. I would of liked a bit more. The paint, while not bad, easily dings and scratches. Parking, as has been mentioned before, is a chore, so I park way out at most places. The transmission seems to have a hard time finding the correct gear, specially when using the cruise. The automatic downshifting when going downhill is also annoying. Otherwise, I wish it had a little better acceleration. Also, it eats front tires. Alignment OK though. Overall, decent truck, but it doesnt really stand out in any particular category.

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  Time for a change. - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Gene Hilmon - June 2 - 8:23 am

  Just purchased the new 2009 Venza, 3.5, V6, AWD, Black with roof rack, cloth seats on 24 June 2009. A nice looking ride and easy to dive. Fuel economy supposed to be 18 to 25 MPG. Just a few days the best MPG so far is 12.5. Also seating is very firm and hard on the bottom. Suggest future years Toyota put in a more comfortable seat. In addition, suggest this great looking car have memory front seating for the driver and passenger. Ive read all the reviews on this vehicle and many other people have stated the same recommendations: (memory seating to include side view mirrors and more comfortable seating.

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  Big problems cropping up - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By grillman - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Camry new in 1996 and its been pretty solid until this year. It developed a major transmisssion leak and rear main engine seal leak at 85000 miles. This is a very expensive repair as the entire front subframe had to be removed to fix the leaks. Now the steering rack is leaking and this is another $500 repair. So much for Toyota QUALITY and RELIABILTY. No vehicle with this mileage should have these problems. I tried to get Toyota to pick up some of the cost for these repairs and they basically blew me off. This is my last Toyota.

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  Base 4x4 VG but needs basic amenities - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By TBloch - June 1 - 1:06 pm

  This is my 3rd Tacoma. The truck is nice and tight, no rattles or squeaks. Much bigger than my 96, which I dont like, but it rides and handles well. The bench seat is more comfortable than the one in my 96. The 2.7 engine is peppy. Wish I had opted for an automatic, but those are probably hard to find in a reg cab 4x4.

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  First Toyota - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By JAI - May 30 - 10:53 pm

  After driving Aud,s for the past 5 years and doing less driving decided on a less expensive CAR. I am quite happy with the XLE but do miss some of the toys on the Audi.But for half the price the Camry is an excellent value.

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  Good vehicle - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By ppp - May 30 - 7:16 pm

  Pros: My 2004 still turns heads on occassion, excellent interior, big trunk, good road manners, average 33 Mpg on the highway with conservative driving. Have had a left drift problem (spring seat displaced, dealer fixed) and replaced a tie rod. The original Bridgestone tires were trash, only lasted 25,000 miles. We have used our Solara very hard, excellently engineered and easy to live with. Not a sports car, but a sporty car.

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  Fun car to own and drive - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Joe - May 30 - 4:46 pm

  I traded in a slightly modified VW GTI for this car and couldnt be happier. Ive had this car for almost a year now and will not part with it for a practical car anytime soon. The midengine rwd layout is a blast and stock this car will out handle pretty much anything in its price range and most cars out of it. The interior has everything you need, and there arent any unnecesary addons, which is perfect. I have the cloth seats which grip very nicely in the turns and having driven my friends MR2 Spyder with leather seats, I wouldnt trade him for them as those cause you to slide. I recommend this to anyone who wants a fun car and doesnt mind the lack of practicality.

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  nice, but dont believe the mpg rating - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By PhD86 - May 30 - 10:00 am

  wanted a manual, but bit on some sales talk that the automatics were near the same fuel economy that didnt prove true. It averages 25-27 mpg on pure freeway, 18 in the city. The funky things about this car are: radio static - attenae on older models did better; weird configuration of radio and vents does not allow adequate aeration near driver on very hot days, radio display almost invisible in daylight; velvet interior (even on armrest) gets soiled easily.