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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  Happy With It! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By RI CAROL - August 21 - 8:20 am

  Traded a Highlander for the RAV4. Love the new design and size. Lumbar support is great for driver. The middle bench that slides back/forth is very useful. Storage under the rear storage very useful as well. Happy with my 30 mpg gas mileage.

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  Toyota Avalon-not just for the silver set anymore - 2015 Toyota Avalon
  By m bock - August 21 - 2:58 am

  We have had exceptional luck with our Toyota cars, as theyve lasted 300k+ miles. We started looking at Camrys for our 21 year old daughter. But once she saw the inside of an Avalon, there was no other choice for her. She LOVES the styling, and there are all sorts of tech features that she cant live without. According to her, few people over age 55 could take advantage of all the technology (but they can still drive it!). As a marketing and animation major, she has a real eye for design, and this car won hands down over many others.

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  Great Midsized Truck - 2012 Toyota Tacoma
  By truklvr - August 21 - 2:34 am

  I traded my 2003 Tacoma regular cab at 210000 miles with no problems and still running strong. I always like the styling of the 2005s and was glad that the restyling of the new 2012 was suttle. It has a nice smooth ride, handles very well and is more spacious than my previous truck. It has adequate power, easy to handle and a nice turning radius for easy parking. I checked out the Nissan Frontier, also a nice truck but the turning radius was very wide and not available in a regular cab. The new gauge cluster lighting on my new Tacoma is very cool. I never did care for the all orange lighting on the previous models but thats a matter of personal opinion. I plan on keeping it for many years.

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  Mostly yes! Some no - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Russ - August 21 - 1:43 am

  This is my fifth Toyota product since 1992, and the only problem Ive had was one blower fan, which I bought from a used parts place for $50 and installed myself. I expect the reliability tradition to continue. The car cost more than Mazda 3 or Cobalt, but Im counting on savings on gas and resale value to cover the difference.

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  A great car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By wgslax1 - August 20 - 9:26 pm

  Ive had my Camry for 6 years now. It has never broken down, and Ive never had any problems. I feel safe in the car and its got quite a lot of pick up. The build quality is great - it still runs really well after 6 years and Im very happy with it! Im starting to look for my next car, and knowing how reliable my Camry is, Im definitely considering another Toyota.

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  Id buy it again - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Longtermdirver - August 20 - 5:20 am

  I drive the LA frwys 95% of the time, best MPG is 19.97 and after 80k replaced the first set of Bridgstones to take a long desert trip, brakes still have over 50% wear left, not one major and very few minor issues. Love the way I sit, lots of room and Im 64" 240lbs, never a sore back. Love the V6/6 speed even though I might not get out 2nd on the 405 for an hour. Am I crazy? Only complaint is the 4x4 switch which does not always work, dealer thinks Im nuts. Wont always go in or out of 4 low on command.

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  Best Car for the money. - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Lukasz - August 19 - 10:50 pm

  We picked up this nice little Corolla LE 1.8 Gray last week. So Far so good, we like the color, engine size, comfort, electric steering witch is so light. We put 200 miles on it so far and we have no problems like other people have described. My wife loves this new car. There are only two little things that bug me. One is the clock it is definitely too low there is a lot of space to move it higher and the other thing is that it doesnÂ’t have a place for sun glasses. But besides this the car is grate and it sips gas! For what we paid we dont expect more or less, just perfect.

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  First convertible - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Lake lady - August 19 - 9:33 pm

  So far, we love it. We wanted a convertible that could seat four comfortably, and have enough cargo space for golf clubs. It is smooth, quiet, and comfortable. Mileage is okay. Putting the boot on is kind of a pain, and our side clips dont stay in place. Visibility is restricted with top up or down as boot blocks rear view of close objects. My husband doesnt like the low visor position, especially with seat forward.

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  167k Trouble Free Miles - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Original Owner - August 19 - 6:18 pm

  I just sold my Matrix XR after 162k trouble free miles. The only problem I ever had with the car was the original battery failing at 6mo. Even normal maintenance was pretty cheap with the car; (obviously oil, belts, coolant, air filters are really time based and dont vary from car to car) the Matrix was very easy on brakes & gas and decent on tires too. The car drove well with that nice Toyota balance of good comfort and reasonable handling. The ability to haul stuff is excellent! The rear seats fold completely flat, the front passenger seat also folds, and you can open the entire hatch or just the glass. All together, the combined to make a great car for road trips or oven to the lumberyard for 2x4s. If I could change one thing it would have been power- another gear in the tranny and 20 lb-ft more torque would have really helped (was disappointed with Toyota when the next generation came out and didnt address these issues, they were the only problems with the design). If youre reading this, youre probably looking at a used Matrix... if its been well maintained, go for it. It should treat you very well in the long run.

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  Best car Ive owned - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By MATTHEW - August 19 - 5:46 pm

  I used to own a Lexus LS 400 and, granted it was getting old but I find this car so fully advanced with navigation and bluetooth for my phone and most importantly the stability control. With front wheel drive and the VSC, the car handles so much better than the old Lexus. 50 miles plus per gallon and not polluting doesnt hurt.