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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  Reliability and great looks. - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By caracal2 - February 19 - 1:11 am

  Im the last person one would expect to be seen in a Corolla, but I still got one! I shopped around and compare the Civic, the Mazda 2, 3, the Focus, the Elantra GT and the Accent. My previous two cars were fast turbo cars with plenty of power and handling. The Mazda 3 is definitely faster than the Corolla, and handles better. So why did I pick the Corolla instead of the Mazda? It felt like the most luxurious car of the bunch, with a decent ride, at a price others couldnt beat. I have everything I always wanted in one package with the "S", no need for additional 1200 Moonroof and other expensive options. The Mazda comes close, but it was more expensive.

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  Great compact car for the money - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Chris - February 18 - 2:16 am

  Just got this vehicle for my wife and she just LOVES it. I own 2 other Toyotas and it is just as dependable as my 4 runner and tacoma. Excellent gas mileage and for a small car very comfortable. Traded in a Lincoln Towncar so I wasnt sure what to expect as far as ride quality but was very surprised that it was quite comfortable.

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  Great, but not perfect - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Pasadena_Trojan - February 17 - 12:46 am

  Now is a great time to buy - we got $5,000 off MSRP on our loaded Highlander. You get a lot of value for the money (as expected with Toyota). Utility is VERY good - tons of storage space, which is perfect for a family. Fit and Finish are fantastic.

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  10000 miles - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Bill Whitlock - February 15 - 3:23 pm

  Gas mileage, low 27 high 39, average local driving 30/31, interstate 32. Front seats are good, trunk space good for small car, small opening. Drives good but steering is numb. Horn sounds like it belongs on a childs toy. Low beams are poor, they light the road surface but very little else. Very sensitive to wind. Transmission shifts good during local easy driving. After downing shifting on hilly interstates the shift from 3 to 4 is hard. Transmission slow to down shift when driving back roads. Very hard to see out the back when parking. Engine sounds like a putt putt car. Radio sound is ok, changing cds is different than most. Car is rough when crossing joints in the road

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  Great car, until... - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By LGraves - February 15 - 7:40 am

  I loved this car until yesterday the engine popped. I was amazed that a Toyota brand cars engine would blow at 140,000 miles. Apparently, 4Runner engines made between 1999-2001 (according to our Toyota dealership sources) made very bad engines that blew. Toyota didnt advertise this, so new car buyers had no idea. I now have a great car with no engine. I wish I would have known that their engines were bad during those years.

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  love It - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By XRauto - February 14 - 8:50 pm

  Overall this is a great car. I would buy another in an instant. I would suggest a few changes to toyota but other wise they got it dead on right.

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  Great MPG at a great price - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By amancheski - February 14 - 3:53 pm

  I have had my 02 Celica GT 5speed since February 2013 and have had it on some long trips. Drove it from Upper Michigan to South west colorado and back. Even in the mountains i was maintaining over 30 mpg. While in the mountains at about 32 to 33 once we got to the flats i was between 36 and 37 mpg. For a car that sits so low to the ground and is light it rides very well sometimes I think it rides smother than my lifted Tundra. Havent been able to really test how well it does in snow to much as winter was winding down when i first got it but I can say that it does handle slippery roads very well. With not having any traction control or abs just make sure you know how to operate thus said.

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  Fuel Economy? - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By wd - February 14 - 3:23 pm

  It is what it is, fuel efficient, not pretty, reliable, roomy for an econo box, and echo friendly. Ive slowed my driving pace substantially from the past and Im playing the "computer get the mileage up" game, but getting 39 MPG. Not complaining, but how others are getting over 45 MPG is hard to believe. I wouldnt want to drive in line behind them.

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  A great car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By eigendude - February 14 - 10:46 am

  Bought it used a few years ago. Besides the normal maintenance and a few burnt lightbulbs, the car is very reliable. Nice, smooth ride, good acceleration (manual transmission), good gas mileage. Starting to have a few rust spots (live in Montreal, Canada), but nothing bad. Overall, its a great car.

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  Did not meet expectations - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By Poor Richard - February 14 - 10:00 am

  After $2k worth of brake work under warranty they are again going bad. The transmission shifts with a jerk and the dealer wont do anything about it. The techs at dealer are not qualified to fix reoccuring problems like the brakes. I would not buy this truck next time.