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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  Irritating flaws - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By fred thomas - January 11 - 8:30 pm

  About 17mpg of premium. Ridiculous tall narrow door mirrors. Very poor rear visibility. Thin plastic front bumper ends. Large turning circle. But performs very well, great suspension, sophisticated traction control, solidly built, great sound system.

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  2004 Camry Solara SLE Convertible - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By steve7749 - January 11 - 3:40 pm

  This convertible meets my expectations with the exception of fuel economy far below the EPA estimates.

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  Your basic perfect 2nd vehicle - 1997 Toyota Tacoma
  By RFox - January 11 - 7:00 am

  bought used for daily commuter and occasional hauler. This vehicle is solid, reliable, surprisingly powerful, inexpensive to maintain, and fun to drive. I find I leave my M5 in the garage most weekdays now.

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  Good reliable truck - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dan - January 11 - 5:16 am

  Bought the Tacoma brand new. All in all this is a good vehicle, but parts are rather pricey ($225 for a tail light which got cracked accidentally). Four cylinder engine is alright in the power department, the five speed manual shifts easily, and the 4x4 performs excellent in the snow, I mean rock solid! Ive had this truck 32k miles and did nothing to it mechanically, besides regular maintenance. Too bad I have to sell, need to get rid of the payments.

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  Uses Oil Between Changes - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By jlechevalier - January 11 - 2:44 am

  My 2008 Camry uses 1/4 to 1/2 quart of oil per month. Toyota is aware of this widespread problem but has not issued a recall or set up a customer support program. Had this started during the first 5 years, there was a TBS (or something like that), but mine didnt start until around 60,000 miles last year, which seems to be the mileage at which this problem starts. I bought this car new - it had 6 miles on it, and all oil changes have been done. If the rings and pistons need to be replaced, which is the one solution the dealer came up with, the cost will be $3800.

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  Never thought I would switch from Honda! - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By bsmith - January 11 - 1:13 am

  Took me 4 months to decide on a new SUV (which drove my husband crazy). Thought for sure I would stick with the Honda Pilot bc I loved my 2007 so much but wasnt thrilled with the reviews for the new Pilot and did not care as much for the interior design. Drove a few other makes but fell in love with the Highlander as soon as I drove it. LOVED the interior design and the quiet, smooth ride from the get go. The radio is so much better than my old car as well. Most of the new SUVs I test drove had limited visibility towards the rear of the vehicle. I found that learning how to correctly position my mirrors helped drastically. What I would improve on would be the USB ports. There are none in the 3rd row and the ones up front I feel do not have a lot of power. It takes forever to charge my phone compared to my old car and that is annoying. It takes a while to get use to the navigation system but I played with it to destinations I was familiar with and am getting use to it. After a lot of research and test drives, every vehicle will have positive and negatives and you need to find what is most important to you. So far my family loves the Highlander and I am very happy with our decision.

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  Incredible Car - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By eastsideirish - January 10 - 11:17 pm

  I bought my 2000 Solara used in 02 (with 61k) and had it for 10 years (ended at 162k). I had a 89 Beretta and 93 Civic before buying my 1st Toyota. Both were often in the shop so I bought this b/c of the Toyota reputation and it never let me down. In 10 yrs all I did was replace the brakes & battery twice, the alternator and the air conditioning. It rode smooth until some asshat hit & totaled it. It was even pretty good in the snow! If anyone is looking to buy a Solara I would highly recommend it--and trust me Im not a "car guy". My family was always American car owners. Now everyone owns a Toyota. Well, except me, I bought a Lexus w/ all the $ I got for its high resale value!

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  Mechanically Good; Poor Fit and Finish - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nick - January 10 - 9:13 pm

  First few months were a nightmare. Bought the truck when the model was brand new and still had a lot of bugs to work out. Was at the dealer for repairs at least once a week. The most significant problem was major paint flaking and chipping after only 5 weeks, just from driving in the snow on paved roads. Toyota would not admit that there was a problem with the paint. Most recently, at 53K, I have a frame thats rusting so badly that even 10-15 year old trucks I see on the road have frames that look much better. Again, Toyota claims theres nothing wrong with the paint on the frame. My final gripe is that the body dents and dings too easily--the sheet metal is just too thin.

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  240000 mile and going - 1996 Toyota Tacoma
  By oilfieldtrash - January 10 - 8:26 pm

  A few experiences with this - 1. the frame broke while going 5 miles per hour. Toyota fixed it and gave us a loaner till the repairs were complete. 2. Front tie rod separated at Sams while getting tires. Both event 1 and 2 would have probably involved a injury if going faster than 5 miles per hour. The battery to starter cable seems to be a occasional problem. The suspension is shot. The seats are worn out. The insurance is high on this vehicle.

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  Great vehicle - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By ravgrl - January 10 - 1:06 pm

  I just purchased the rav 4 and it is great. I am 52" and it is the only small SUV that I drove and felt comfy in. It handles really well with great pick up and steering. It does take getting used to if you were used to driving a sedan as it is top heavy, but the rav4 doesnt lean as much as the other models I drove. I love the sporty look and the interior gauges are easy to read and fun to look at.