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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  2009 Toyota Corolla LE With Alloys - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By thaip - July 24 - 11:40 pm

  I just picked up my car a week ago. So far, I only put on 500 miles. I like it so far. It drives comfortably and very quiet. I am surprised how quiet it is.

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  Nice Car!! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Mik - July 24 - 6:36 pm

  I have 186,000 miles on my Corolla and the only thing that has gone wrong is the headlight bulbs burned out at about 100,000 miles. That was a $10 dollar fix I did myself. I give it regular maintenance and it runs like a champ. Great gas mileage and EXTREMELY reliable. Again, 186,000 trouble free miles!!! That is no joke.

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  Great Value, though quite annoying - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Joe - July 24 - 5:44 pm

  This is a great car, it gives you fantastic mileage and it seems very reliable. Toyotas flagship hybrid car does what you expect it to do. Now, there are a few EXTREMELLY annoying features on this car that will make you think about it twice before buying it. Firstly, the beeping: You are going to have loud beeping for almost anything you do, being the most irritating the one when you hit reverse. Its piercing, loud and cannot be heard outside of the vehicle, which kind of seems kind of idiotic. Why would you want an annoying loud beep sound INSIDE of your vehicle when you are in reverse mode? To warn you that you are in reverse mode? but you are the one hitting reverse, so you know, and as you are going back, you still know you are going back, so why a beep? I still have no answer for that, but it makes parking very unpleasant and it CAN NOT BE SWITCHED OFF. I repeat: IT CANNOT BE SWITCHED ON, E.V.E.R.. Also, every time you open the drivers door, you also get a LOUD beep, and it CANNOT BE SWITCHED OFF. Guess what? You already know you are opening the front door, because you are the one doing it! So, why that loud beep? yep. Surprisingly, you can exit the car, close the doors with your remote still leaving the car on, and it will remind completely silent, even though that WILL FOR SURE HAPPEN to you at some point if you never owned a keyless car. I can guarantee you that. There is a nice screen that allows you to read text msgs from your phone and even play video and watch pictures. However, it will not do that unless you car is stopped (and I believe the engine is off). So even if the co-pilot decided to watch pictures in the larger screen from their phone or just use the screen during a long trip, they cant do it. This feature cannot be overridden either. The car basically treats you like you are 4yo and its loud. I have been driving for 20 years, If I buy a car, I want a car, not a baby sitter with a loud piercing horn. Period. Another thing is the location of the mail panel. If you are tall or average height, your right knee will hit it. I get it, this is not a big car, still there are other ways to configure the inside so things dont get in the way. While that may not be a big deal as you drive test it on the dealer, it will became painful in a daily basis. I can also guarantee that. In conclusion, this is a great car, with a terrible computer built in computer. If we could just switch it off all together and just drive the damn thing, it would be a very valuable vehicle. But thats not the case.

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  Love it - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Scott - July 24 - 4:00 pm

  I purchased the car new two months ago for $11,666 plus tax, tag, title, and yes the $600 fabric/ding protection package, too (price was already negotiated so low I could not get them to come further off the price). I LOVE it. Exceptionally quiet ride for a car of this class. Get 34 mpg in blended city/hwy driving.

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  Surprising new generation of Matrix - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By 4kbeast - July 24 - 12:53 pm

  All wheel drive really helped me out; we got a couple of inches after I got it and the AWD in combination with the vehicle stability control and traction control gave me a lot of confidence. Plus, you get like 6 airbags. Im a big fan of the new look of the vehicle. I overlooked the previous generation, but after seeing a rally built version at the SEMA show, I was a big fan of the hatch. Ive always loved hatchbacks! I couldnt decide between the AWD S or the FWD XRS; both have the multi- link rear, which gives it a much sportier feel. I decided on the AWD auto over a XRS auto or manual because I drive in traffic and need AWD for winter. Both have the Camry 2.4L 4 cylinder.

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  2004 Toyota 4Runner - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Nick_2453 - July 24 - 11:20 am

  Well, even though it is time to trade in, I loved my 4runner. I would keep it forever, but the trade in is too much money to trade in our other car. This car is amazing! I bought it new, and its ride is amazing! The design is literally awesome, and I really like the reliability. I am not too fond of the fuel economy (about 16 and 20, city-highway), but who doesnt expect that or worse for an SUV. I recommend getting one with a third seat!

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  Great Car - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Sven Phedeoux - July 24 - 8:43 am

  I love my Toyota "Corvette"

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  Great Car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Ilya - July 24 - 7:33 am

  Ive driven about 33K over the last 3 years and the Camry now has 105K and running strong. There are a few minor problems (small leakage of power steering, shocks need to be replaced), but that would be the case for any car with this much mileage! Either way, still runs great! Ive worked on upgrading it myself over the years and this car has survived my trials & tribulations!

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  Excellent for the Price! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Juljeep - July 24 - 7:06 am

  I just purchased this vehicle on the 23rd of March, so my review is based on only 500 miles of usage. This vehicle is an excellent price, it handles corners very well, it has enough get-up-and-go on the highways that I have to be careful, it is extremely well-designed. Im a large person (63, 260 lbs.) and I have no shortage of space. I took my parents and wife for a drive and no one was cramped. The back seat has an unusual amount of room. I have plenty of head and leg room, and if you need to, the back seat folds flat for a good amount of cargo space. And at 40 mpg, who can complain. Im saving enough to cover my car payment!

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  Prius is much more than youd expect! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Bart - July 24 - 5:13 am

  I bought my Prius the day of hurricane Katrina. I was driving a Chevy Avalance which got 15 mpg and had a feeling that gas was going sky- high...and I was right! My Prius uses 2/3 less fuel and is a blast to drive! I never expected it to have so much power (yes, you can squeal the tires) or so much room (I can carry a string bass in the back!), or be so fun to drive! I have people looking at it all the time and have convinced several people to purchase their own Prius.