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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  Finally! - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By annette - February 12 - 8:46 pm

  I didnt know the Matrix existed. I hated the car I was driving, so I went to the Toyota place to look at Scion, but saw the Matrix in the showroom. I was hooked. I love the dropdown seats and the fact that they are flat. The seats are comfy and everything on the dash is easy to get to. The doors dont close on my legs, large and roomy.

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  Mini Yota - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By cgh - February 12 - 7:23 pm

  I like small cars and a hatchback is my favorite body style. Having done some online research and discovering that this vehicle had the same drive train as the Scion xA and xB and the same engine as the Prius, I was intrigued. I hunted one down online that was totally devoid of the overpriced options. Having previously owned a Geo Metro I was a bit apprehensive about the acceleration and hill climbing ability of an ultra high mileage car. I took it for a test drive and was I ever surprised! It accelerated and handled like a small sports car, while at the same time having an interior that was roomy with comfortable seats. It was a frugal sports car lovers dream. I bought it the next day.

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  Great Buy - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By D-Kal - February 12 - 2:36 pm

  Bought this car one month ago. I love it. 40 mpg overall avg with 25%city/75% hwy after 2000 miles. Handles well and acceleration with the 5 speed is great. The drivers seat takes some getting used to, not the most comfortable. I am 5ll and 195lbs and the seat and front leg room are only adequate for my size. I would not recommend this car to anyone above 62 or 220lbs. The build quality is typically Toyota solid. My backup car is a 93 Corolla that has 222,000miles on it and still runs great, so I am hoping the reliability will be the same with the 07. Overall, its a well built car with excellent resale value, is great on gas, and has a history of bulletproof reliability.

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  Best of Breed - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Rick - February 12 - 2:26 pm

  Fit and finish sold us on the Camry. It is a very "classy" ride and best of all. It handles nicely in traffic and will "scoot" on the highway. Nice "gizmos & gadgets" without getting tacky.

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  Dependable SUV - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Chris - February 12 - 5:00 am

  Purchased my 99 4-Runner new and have over 265k miles. Twice I have taken it down to the timing belt and done maintenance, water-pump, etc., preventative type things. As soon as I purchase my new 2010 4-Runner I will be turning this one over to my 16 year old daughter.

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  OK....BUT!! - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Ed D - February 12 - 12:19 am

  A few things that I dont like about this car. 1) Oil filter change is a PIA. Toyota cheaped out on the reliable spin on oil filter and now use this large hard to get off type of plastic housing with a cheap paper filter. Sooner or later it will crack and the screw treads will wear down because they are plastic. 2) I cannot check my transmission fluid level, there is NO dipstick. Bad idea and design from Toyota. They are so-called "lifetime transmissions". I like to check and maintain my vehicles fluids. 3) A large useless MPG gauge and a very very small engine temperature gauge. I could give a hell about my MPG and I DO care about my engine temperature. The engine temperature gauge should be much larger. 4) This is the twenty-first century and my base model Camry allows me to LOCK my keys in the car!!!!! You got to be kidding me. If you shutoff the ignition and place the keys on the seat and forget them, you lock your keys in the car. This cost me two calls to AAA last year. There should be a chip to prevent this from happening. Real bad concept from Toyota. I probably would NOT by another Camry.

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  It rocks, the bumpers are lame! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By FJ Brent - February 11 - 9:26 pm

  My standards are very high as my other vehicles are all German (Porsche & Audi) but this truck is great! On and off road manners are really great. It handles and performs very well for an SUV. Off road it is superior to most stock off road vehicles that ive seen at the Jeep Jamborees and the like. The engine, suspension, and chassis are really great. This is a fun SUV to drive and I would never say that about SUVs in the past as they are all too sluggish. The FJ proves me wrong with its strong performance, excellent ride, and great off road capability and toughness. My hat goes off to them for really getting the value built into this truck. Overall, it is an awesome package for the $.

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  3rd and last Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By 3rd and last Camry - February 11 - 8:13 pm

  This is my 3rd Camry and it will be my last one. I am getting at best 21 mpg, with 50% city driving. Acceleration is also the worst of the 3. I like how it looked when I got the car, but with high gas prices, I am very disappointed with the gas mileage. I am about to take it in for the 15K service. I cannot really complaint about reliability yet, but I dont want to jinx it.

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  Love it! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - February 11 - 8:03 pm

  I bought this car for a 100 mile per day commute on two lane roads and it is perfect. You can pass virtually anything, anytime. Very comfortable, great styling. Camrys are no longer an appliance!

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  Janes sand colored car. - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By Jane Doe - February 11 - 3:00 pm

  Great car, comfortable to drive.