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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  Yaris 2010 - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By pmm - July 10 - 4:06 pm

  Found the car tracking and seems to veer to the right on freeway speeds. Actually got motion sickness twice on trips over 100 miles. Would not buy one again and dealer let alone mfg bad on trying to help seems they really don`t care about customers as they say.

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  Wow - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By sean20202020 - July 10 - 6:23 am

  After considering CR-V, Tucson, Sportage. I got 4 cyl, AWD, Base, a couple od days ago in Canada. Its so rock solid and precise. Nice quality. Everything is tighten. Big enough for 2 kids and 2 adults. Engine room looks well organized. I can see what quality means. I recommend to anybody who wants this size and quality SUV. If youre a Honda fan, you may wait until all new CR-V come out this summer and see. But I wont regret.

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  Mr. Toyota Man - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By Craig Snyder - July 10 - 5:30 am

  Bought this car brand new. Now after 40,000 miles it still looks new and drives great. So far only regular maintenance. Love the xm radio and bluetooth. The original goodyear tires were crap and replaced them with a set of Toyo tires at 13,000 miles. This car looks sporty with the S package and in Barcelona red. Its not a sporty driver though, but does great on gas. I average 32 mpg in mixed driving.32

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  Mary Dillons observations.. - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By dillsma@aol.com - July 10 - 4:46 am

  I have owned my Prius for a year. My mileage is satisfactory(41 to 49mpg) and would probably be better if I drove slower however, nothing was mentioned about that when I purchased and was told the milage could be as igh as 60mpg. I dont like the dashboard too much. Id prefer the dashboard that I had in my Camry. The green electronic lighting reflects in the winshield at night which makes night driving more difficult. The info available is nice but... not necessary and just a come-on to those who are looking for "pizazz". Most Prius drivers, especially myself, are interested in the practical aspect of it, both ecologically and economically. The "icing on the cake" is unnecessary.

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  Not what it used to be - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By D347 - July 9 - 8:28 pm

  I have owned several Tacomas in the past and have enjoyed all of them however this 2016 is a big disappointment. I thought with the newer engine and 6 speed transmission Toyota would have a hit but this one is a flop. The truck seems smaller to me although it is probably the same but maybe the layouts are different. The biggest complaint is the transmission. It never knows what gear it wants to be in. Going up the smallest hills requires 2 downshifts and with the cruise on any time there is any grade the transmission will look for a lower gear. I had a 2015 that I traded on a the 2016 but that was a mistake. I should have kept the 2015 with the 4.0 V6, it was so much better. I am sure Toyota will fix this transmission issue down the road. Toyota hasnt really acknowledged​ the transmission issue. Traded this vehicle. Very disappointed, no longer own this vehicle, not up to Toyota standards. Big problems.

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  reliable - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By nilu - July 9 - 2:50 am

  Reliable car with excellent interior space. Offers a quite ride with reasonable performance and great mileage

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  AWD Matrix aka "Snowball" - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Tom - July 8 - 10:56 pm

  We bought this car for my wife to use, since it was Super White, my daughter called it "Snowball". Its been fun to own and we realy like how functional it is. It parks and has the fuel economoy of a small sedan, (we get about 31 mpg on the highway a little less in the city), the capacity of a wagon and the AWD of a SUV. While the engine could use additional hp, I am willing to accept it for better fuel economy. While I wasnt too happy with the looks of the car, it does grow on you. After all, its kinda hard to go wrong with a Toyota!

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  1996 and still LOVE my Camry Collector Edition!! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Linda S. - July 8 - 9:57 pm

  I bought this baby in 98 and have loved her ever since! 195,000 miles and still runs and looks great. Trying to find a replacement car as I would like to get better gas milage. Everytime I get gas I check the mpg and in 25/75 (city/hwy) have averaged 21.5 mpg. For the past 3 tanks Ive used premium and averaged 25 mpg. I dont see the newer, comparable cars getting much better. I love that this car has given me no problems. Every car has things needing replacement as they wear out, but I havent been plagued by things going wrong over and over. Only glich is that if you leave the headlights on for 10 minutes the battery goes dead. Its not the battery as it does it with new batteries, too. I can live with this... Excelleration is smooth and so is the ride. I like having lots of power when I need it. 60/40 split back seat is great! Many new cars are not offering this anymore. Because this is the Collector Editon, it comes with the Lexus Pearl White paint with Silver bumpers and it has held up and still looks new! Interior has leather seats, wood grain trim and upgraded stereo, Cassette/Tape player with 6 speakers. Toyota really produced a fantastic car with this one. Was considering a Nissan Altima as a replacement until I heard there are lots of problems with the CVT transmissions! So far, have not found a car that I like well enought to replace this Camry. Will keep her for now...

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  Best car I ever owned - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By John - July 8 - 12:31 pm

  Bought used from the dealer with 36,000 miles on it. Just turned 340,000 miles. The only maintenance done since I bought it was oil/filter change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, timing belt and water pump every 100,000 miles, radiator replaced at 337,000 miles, oil seals at 240,000 miles, one battery and two sets of sparkplugs/wires replacement, and driver side window motor. I get 28 mpg in the city and 32+ mpg on the highway. Ive driven cross country several times, off road in the woods, and in all weather and never had a problem. Havent touched the transmission at all and no problems. Great car all around.

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  very solid car - 1996 Toyota Avalon
  By mountiefan - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I am a 21 year old college student and I recieved this car as a hand-me-down from my dad. He purchased the car new in 96 and when I got it last year it had 175,000 miles on it. It now has over 205,000 miles and is still running like new. I have never had any problems and have only preformed routine maintenence. On my last trip I got 30.7 miles to the gallon on the interstate. Thats Morgantown, WV to Ringgold, GA on one tank. I absolutly love this car. I plan on keeping it until it quits on me which could be a very long time. The dealer told me when it hits 250,000 they want me to bring it in for a picture.