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:

• 

  A Keeper - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Roadrunner - October 13 - 10:43 pm

  Handles excellent after installing KYB gas adjust shocks. Driving mellow brings 24.5 MPG. The engine just purrs! Poeple inquire about it all the time as I keep it super clean. By far the best Ive owned.

• 

  Great car!!! Gonna miss this baby! - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By gavmat - October 13 - 2:36 pm

  I leased this car back in December of 2009 and my lease is now up and I extended an extra six months cause I simply dont want to give it back and cant afford to buy it. I love the car and feel like it should be priced higher. As for people saying its bad in the snow you just dont know how to drive in it. In 3 years of PA weather I have never once got stuck in snow. I live 15 miles from work and take all back roads the entire way. Its great on gas and is very comfortable. My only two complaints are how light colored the interior is and the transmission. My interior was dirty the first week from the messy weather in January. The transmission is always searching for a gear. Great car tho!

• 

  Mountaineer Replacement - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Cape Cod Dad - October 13 - 2:03 pm

  Divorced father, 2 kids (13 & 10), needed a replacement vehicle for a 97 Mountaineer. Looked at Acadia, Enclave, TaurusX, Mazda CX9, CRV & Odyssey. Purchased V6 Sport 4WD 11/07. Vehicle has 24,500 miles on it now. Very pleased with the gas mileage (averages a consistent 27 mpg when driven between 60-65 mph). Very quiet riding vehicle, nothing rattles or squeaks, very tight. JBL sound system is wonderful. Kids love positioning options of backseats I should have purchased more comfortable / flexible leather/ powerseats. On long rides its worth the extra money. My 1st Toyota, wont be my last. Very pleased.

• 

  Runnig great for over 125,000 miles - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Momooe - October 13 - 1:30 pm

  I had this car from day one and has no major repairs, no leaks. The only replacement I made was the FR axle and rack pinion. The secret: change oil every 5000 m thru 100K miles, then 3000 m after.

• 

  Follow-up to 11/24/2007 review - 2008 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4RunnerKen - October 13 - 11:16 am

  After almost 6,000 miles, we are still impressed with our 4Runner. We recently towed our Lund 1750 Fisherman (2500 lbs with motor and trailer) 525 miles and averaged 17.5 mpg. Most of that was in 4th gear, using overdrive only when going on level or down hill roads. AND, that was into a headwind going to the cabin and a strong cross wind coming back. Pretty amazing. What impressed us the most was the stability of the truck and trailer rig. Not once did a semi-truck passing in the other direction on 2-lane roads shake the 4Runner.

• 

  While I admire the styling cues of the Elantra, the built quality, reliability, smooth ride, and reliability of the Corolla takes the win here. - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By amac8 - October 12 - 8:35 pm

  Lets be honest, the interior of the corolla may be antiquated and the engine power may not be as responsive as some other competitors. That being said, this is a nice vehicle to have in your garage. I admire the Hyundai Elantras styling for both the interior and exterior. When i test drove the Elantra everything felt good, but i did not feel the sense of longevity. The civic is also a great choice but to package up to the standards of the Corolla S, I might as well buy a Camry SE. The Corolla S is the best choice here. Everyone speaks about the appearance as boring but My Corolla Grabs eyes on the highway, and it looks similar to the 06-11 Camry S which was #1 in sells for its model years.

• 

  My Corolla - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Lori U - October 12 - 2:00 pm

  One of the best cars I have owned. I love the new roomier redesign, the handling and especially in todays market the great gas mileage. I have gotten up to 40 mpg on long road trips. Im confident that itll easily run this great for at least 10 years and when in the market, I will most assuredly buy another one.

• 

  WOW! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Bill3865 - October 12 - 10:10 am

  I read dozens of reviews on this site before I bought my very own Yaris just 6 hours ago! What an awesome little car! Im 6 2" and 262 pounds and this car has plenty of room for me. The A/C will freeze you to death, the fuel efficient engine has more than enough zip to make driving fun again. It looks great, drives great, handles great, and I love it. Mine has factory cruise control, so it is available for the hatchback. I love this car :)

• 

  Wonderful SUV - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Natural White - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Quality,Relibility, Wonderful SUV. I Recommend it. No Fords Or Gms TOYOTA is the way to go.

• 

  RAV 4 Ever? - 2000 Toyota RAV4
  By RAV Mao - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Ive had others that were bigger but this one has personality. Even though the 2000 was the last year of this styling, Im glad I got it when I did. I think the newer models are okay but the 2000 and earlier are set apart. Yes, the pick up is a bit slow - Have you ever found yourself shaking back and forth to try to help it out? - but the truck has heart. I can reach into the backseat without even getting out!