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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  A DREAM - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By D.C. Mike - December 6 - 8:46 pm

  I got the car in Sept of 06. Unbelievable feeling with the top down and power. Received a lot of looks. Very pleased. Last year that this car will be made. Buy it now. Solara will be gone forever!

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  Mileage - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Donahue - December 6 - 8:00 pm

  Well built. My disappointment is with the fuel economy. The range I get has never been more than 380 miles @ an average of 17-18 miles/gl. I actually get higher mileage in town than on the highway. I can sometimes get up to 20 miles/gl in town, but never more than 18 on the highway.

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  3 Years now and I still love my car! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Sass - December 6 - 7:13 pm

  Ive had the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid for over 3 years now and I still love it. It has a very comfortable ride with a solid, heavy feel that I like. Ive taken many long roadtrips with this car - an 8 hour trip - 6 hour trip - several 3 hour trips and I drive to the shore every weekend from the Philly area. I have 2 large dogs that ride in the back seat for all of my trips and they just sleep. Ive even taken the car camping a few times with lots of equipment - tents, tarps, aerobeds, cots, camping chairs, tables, coolers, etc. The trunk holds way more than youd think. Oh and if you set cruise control at 72 mph for a 2 hour trip youll get around 41 mpg!! Ive done that a few times.

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  2005 Corolla good value - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By rws1 - December 6 - 12:47 pm

  On a recent 800 mile trip I got 36 miles to the gallon. This is driving 70 -75 miles an hour. The check engine light came on during this trip. Code P0456 was the obd code and after looking it up found that Toyota has a technial bullentin for this issue and is related to the upgraded ECM module that was done on the car. Has to be upgraded again apparently. Going to take to dealer this week. The car has plenty of power and considering the gas mileage it gets I cant complain at all. There is some wind noise but nothing bothersome. The original tires were noisy but new tires at 50k fixed that problem. Plenty of room in the trunk and back seats.

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  matrix - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By tony - December 6 - 12:16 pm

  This car has a great design, very well thought out designs by Toyota like the anchors in the back. Seats sit up pretty high so it give you a good view of the road and of course the build quality of this car is outstanding.

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  2017 Camry is a bad ride - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Jane - December 6 - 7:10 am

  I thought Toyota was supposed make cars that were good quality and reliable. It seems that may have bee true years ago but not anymore. I have had problems with the temperature control where you have to set it to 77F in order to get the temperature to be in the low 70s in the car. If you set it at 72F, the temperature ends up in the mid- to upper 60s in the car. I also have a vibration that has developed and, in researching the problem, I found that this is a common problem on the 2015 - 2017 Toyota Camry, all trims. I have been fighting with Toyota about this and they said that the car is fine. I read other people tales of dealing with Toyota on the same issue and they received the same response. They have tried replacing the tires, rebalancing, etc. and nothing fixes the problem. Toyota is refusing to deal with the problem. Do yourself a favor and stay away from the Camry unless you like driving a car that vibrates all of the time.

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  Hard to beat - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Sage - December 6 - 5:56 am

  Big change from the 1998, manual 5 speed RAV4 with a lawn mower engine that couldnt even get out of the way of it self. Ive driven it 1,000 miles and so far am very pleased

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  Quick, agile & fast! - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By Scott Livingston - December 6 - 5:33 am

  Weve owned this car for 3 years now. Its been a very reliable and sporty SUV. Really love to drive it!! When you need to get up and go, this SUV gets you there fast, and safely, my I add. Its got airbags all over, with traction control and anti-lock brakes that keep you safely on the road. Very fun and exiting vehicle to drive. I would recommend this SUV to anyone!

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  Better then the Elantra - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By lysandra25 - December 6 - 1:07 am

  If this helps in anyway, i had a new 2012 elantra which needless to say sucked. Yea all it has on this car is probably fuel economy and modern interior, but corolla hands down beats the elantra bc of the QUALITY. Toyotas are way more dependable and this car is sturdy and i love it. My old car for a brand new car actually had loose wire issues so i brought it to the dealer 4 times for numerous issues. ( getting stuck in park/ drive). Suspension sucks as well, car slips alot. Can barely go over 60 on the highway over few bumps with out noticing slips . So to me corolla s is AWESOME! No slips..great suspension, very comfortable to me and i dont have to worry which is the best peace of mind :)

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  My Favorite Rid - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By adam334 - December 6 - 12:50 am

  I have owned a number of AWD/4WD cars, including a WRX, Outback Limited 2.5XT, the 2009 Rav4 Limited (which got totaled by tree) and now I got this one. This car easily tops the list. For a high sitting car, it handles very well with the 18inch rims and 235mm tires. It actually rides better the the Subaru WRX and feels commanding and not cheap. The torque steer of my limited is not there and feels very even. The car is very fast for its size, suprisingly faster than most cars off the line. Its really an understated car. JBL upgrades stereo is more than adaquate, and the black interior looks sweet.