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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  OK truck - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By bigguy - November 16 - 1:20 am

  Truck is very well made but with gas at an all time high, dont think it will hold its value very long. Like the large back doors it has and the hand grips in the front make it easy to get into. The carpet seems a little cheap and I dont think the leather will hold up for the long hall. They put in a cheap radio and cd player and the middle compartment is to low between the front seats. The seat adjustments in the front are not that good seem cheap and the arm rest are very small for a large persons arm. Lots of room under the hood if you need to work on anything under there and oil filter is easy to get to but hard to not get oil all over. Paint job so far has kept up well.

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  Very over rated!!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Poncho - November 15 - 9:40 pm

  The 07 Camry is over rated! Its automatic transmission is jerky and sometimes hesitant about changing gears. Engine is pretty quiet overall but doesnt feel any faster than older models. Trunk space is mediocre with intrusive hinges and reliabilty has fallen off from past versions. The front end styling needs improvement. The interior is fairly pleasant but suffers from too much hard plastic and some poor fits!

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  Best Choice I could have made!!! - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Linda Taylor - November 15 - 7:40 pm

  I have a bad back and right leg and the Avalon is so easy to drive. I can drive for longer periods of time and the comfort is great for long legged passengers both in front and in the back seat. The size of the truck is fabulous too!

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  Camry Hybrid - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Brukat - November 15 - 11:36 am

  3rd Camry, 1st hybrid. We LOVE this car. It teaches you how to get more MPG. Passed on big nav/stereo. Leather was well worth the $. I can keep up with all traffic and stay at 40 mpg. Quiet, roomy, comfortable. Driver classes should consider this car. Power when needed. Consider trunk size when testing, it works for us. CD player has trouble with home made cd/mp3s. Patch in an iPod and go. Watch traffic and red-lights, you CAN beat the stated MPG. We save money at every red-light, the car is off. I have traveled over a mile on electric in town. This car gives all the data you need to make the most of your fuel. Toyotas are like spouses, you may be tired of them before you wear them out.

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  Entune Almost a deal breaker! - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By David - November 15 - 5:44 am

  I bought the 2016 Tacoma and Im satisfied with the truck but not very happy with it. All things consider, the truck is probably still the best midsize truck, simply because the reliability, handling and "truck feeling" outperforms the rest. However the two weakest points of the truck are the under performance in fuel Economy and the terrible, unfriendly and BAD entune system. If you are the type of guy who is into technology and want his phone to work well and integrate Ina modern way, you will HATE THIS SYSTEM. I cannot understand how Toyota decided to not use Apple CarPlay and android in-car system. Instead they use this in-house version of a system that looks and feels like it belongs with the 2010 model. Some times I wish I should trade in for another brand just because of the frustration it causes. s

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  Beautiful Car with one Exception! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By Jacqueline Ayadi - November 15 - 1:37 am

  This is a beautiful shiny 2012 black Toyota Camry. It is such a smooth ride except for the squealing brakes. When I first took it for a trial run the week before I bought it, I did not notice squealing brakes. I bought the car because it is a newer model which was at a good price. I bought the car on Friday Feb 19th, heard the squealing brakes and took it back to the SD Toyota Service Center on Monday Feb 22. I was told the brakes are in good condition, they probably got amerol on them. I was told the squealing should stop after I drive it some. After giving their explanation some consideration, that answer didnt seem right. Additionally the squealing continues. In my past experience of driving cars, usually when the brakes squeal something is wrong! I am very disappointed with my purchase as I believed it was the right car for me!

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  Best car for the money!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sandra Dobbins - November 15 - 1:20 am

  Absolutely love it! Drives and rides extremely well. No problems at all with exceleration. Great gas mileage. Hope this Toyota is as good as the last one I owned. shopped for weeks before I choose the Camry. Others were not even in the race after driving one. You will love it!

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  2017 Camry le - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Steven R - November 14 - 10:03 pm

  The Camry le has all the items I wanted. Long wheel base at 109.3" for smooth ride. 2.5l 4cyl for good mph Im getting 28.7 in my first 3 fills. 6 speed auto trans. not a cvt . Disc brakes front and rear, easy to replace. bluetooth music and phone. steering wheel controls. Nice interior trim, fabric seats cool in Arizona heat. Manual a/c rather than dual zone (less or not control failure issues) like my Audi. Overall a really nice car.

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  4WD BASE - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Scarlett - November 14 - 8:56 pm

  Good power in 4CYL, good fuel economy for SUV, great style. Ive had this SUV for a month, and it is awesome. It drives like a car. It has the interior space of an SUV, but is still small overall. Ive received tons of compliments on it. I have driven my 4WD on ice, and it performs remarkably.

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  none better - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By ima10 - November 14 - 11:40 am

  great car, gpm, 44@80.best,56@55.speed counts when driving.Have had no problems whatsoever.I guess a lot of people never take a demo ride before they drive a new car. most poor mileage and problems can be blamed by looking in the mirror.Ill give up my prius when they pry my cold dead feet off the gas pedal.