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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  Perfect Car - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By GB - January 30 - 3:06 am

  This car has been great. I was initially turned off by not being able to use the navigation while driving (cant input a new address) but the voice activated process allows you to input a new address. The car is extremely roomy and ergonomic and I love the heated seats and sound system. It is not a sports car so if youre looking for premier acceleration, cornering, etc. youve come to the wrong place. It is a good looking family car with more-than-ample acceleration while saving big money on gas.

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  4 RUNNER - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By JULYFUN - January 30 - 1:50 am

  LOVE IT. IT IS VERY EASY TO MANEUVER. YOU DONT FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A TRUCK.

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  Camry LE 09 - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Rhoel - January 29 - 4:30 am

  Good vehicle from point A to B. Quite comfortable. Camry LE is underpowered. Im aware that its only an I4 but still quite gutless. Average around 20- 23 mpg mix of hi-way and city driving with AC on at 3/4 cool.

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  Not a car but a minivan!! - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By up2roost - January 29 - 2:00 am

  When driving this vehicle, you might forget you are driving a minivan. The drive is very smooth and if you listen hard enough, you might hear the murmur of the engine. As far as handling goes, this one gets the highest rankings in my book. Being a mother with a child, it is good to know that even I can handle a vehicle of this size. I feel absolutely safe while driving vehicle. The steering turns with ease and the brakes begin to work promptly at the slightest amount of pressure applied. I like the exterior design, however, the interior needs a little face lift.

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  Symphony - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By Christine Mills - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I was in a serious head on accident, which totaled my van, on 11-5-02. Even thought the front was totally flattened, the interior of my van was NOT touched. I truly believe my Sienna saved my life and that is why on 11-27-02 I will be picking up another one.

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  Toyota Corp. refuses service - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Slpless - January 29 - 2:00 am

  My Tundra will not stop squeaking and popping. I have been to the dealer 4 times and all they will do is lube the leaf springs. Finally on the 4th visit they tell me they are not going to fix the problem because Toyota will not reimburse them for repairs. The 1st Tech that came out told me that itÂ’s a common problem and that I need new leaf springs. The Service Mgr. then came out and said that Toyota is aware of the problem but will not do anything about it because not enough people have complained. Their fix for this problem is to bring it in and let them lube the springs every time the squeaking exists. As soon as I drive off of the lot it starts again.

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  Utility, Comfort and Class - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Steven M - January 29 - 2:00 am

  The Highlander is the best combination of utility, comfort and class available on the market today. I wish I had bought a Highlander sooner. Everything about it is perfect. But I do wish it got better gas mileage.

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  another winner - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By sarsi - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I accompanied my sister to buy her 2nd car in 13yrs(first car-camry 89 with 200K miles and still running). This SUV or CAR, or WHATEVER is a perfect vehicle for daily commutes and long drives. We already love it the first time we drove home. This is a "Grand Slam" for TOYOTA.

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  Minor criticisms - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By WBM - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Have had a 2003 Camry XLE 4-cylinder for about 2 months. Overall, the car is excellent. Minor criticisms: (1) The drivers side power windows switch with the express down/up feature is very touchy, difficult to modulate the switch if you just want to partially open the drivers side window; (2) why Toyota installed V rated (149 mph) high performance tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE92) on a 4-cyl Camry is beyond me. This a lousy winter tire. Had to purchase snow tires; (3) seat bottoms could be larger; (4) the location of the trunk cargo net interfers with loading packages into the trunk that are too large for the cargo net.

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  Great Car - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By Dwane - January 29 - 1:40 am

  I had this car for 12 years bought it new. In 12 Years we had 1 unexpected expense (Cdn $551 - water pump). If you keep up the fluid changes (oil and tranny) and little repairs (brakes, light bulbs, etc.), the car would last easily 500,000 km. Unfortunately for us, a person rear-ended us and the car was written off. A GMC panel van hit us at 50/km (30 mph) without even breaking. I took the insurance money for the car and went and straight and bought a brand new 2006 Corolla. I can only hope the quality on the 2006 CE is a good as the 2004 Toyota Corolla DX was. If you are looking for a second hand 94 Corolla I would recommend a "one owner" version - at least you would think it has been taken care of.