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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  04 Camrys problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By NEER - November 20 - 8:26 pm

  Bought the 04 Camry LE for 1.5 year. Got 17k miles on it. Got a few problems too: 1) Tires. The both rear tires blew out within 13,000 miles. Bridgestone tires quality seems questionable. 2) Left rear door could not be openned from inside. Toyota dealer fixed, saying that the cable was broken. 3) One transmitter was broken. replacing battery did not work out. 4) Gas mileage: highway 32, local 17-20. Local gas mileage lower than claimed. 5) My head often gets knocked by the top frame because design of raised drivers seat makes front head room insufficient. 6) Brakes not as good as my old Mazda 626. It takes longer distance to stop the car.

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  My First Vehicle - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Bharath - November 20 - 10:20 am

  A Nice car... good to drive.... less nose from Engine... Good fuel economy... Style wise it is ok even though not too stylish... good for ladies...and first time drivers...

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  Car of the year - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By capt.jack - November 15 - 10:26 pm

  Excellent car, runs well on freeways. City is a little rough (pot holes).

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  2002 Avalon - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By Avalon Driver - November 15 - 2:00 am

  We purchased our Avalon in February 2002 and think its a very confortable car with great reliability. I do wish it had more power for passing.

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  Love it - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Greyhound Lover - November 15 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car that is fun to drive. The seats are molded to you and are very comfortable. Car has good pickup and is fun to drive. Quite roomy in back though I might make the cargo area cover easier to put no and take off.

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  SE V6 Rocks! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Rob M - November 15 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, very quiet ride at high speeds, comfortable seating position and seats, smartly laid out interior with a large guages and buttons. Build quality is top notch and the V6 engine is powerful and quiet. This car also soaks up bumps and poor pavemnet very well. Having driven several Lexus vehicles in the past, this car really feels a lot like Lexus in the way the car rides.

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  Need improvements - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By mart - November 15 - 12:03 am

  Bought 2008 rav v6 limited 4wd in august 2008. Vibrations at 80 km/hrs. 4x4 assembly was changed but did not solve problem. Finally replace the drive shaft. Now its fun to drive. Noise isolation is bad particularly in the back. Seats are not comfortable. Very hard. Other then that its a great car and VERY performant.

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  Love / Hate - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By William Wilson - November 14 - 10:23 pm

  I love the reliability, great looks, comfortable ride and functionality. The interior finishes are average. I hate the loud creaking and cracking noise which eminates from my rear sunroof when I go over the smallest imperfection in the road. Dealer had vehicle for an entire week and gave up trying to find this noise. Im embarrassed to travel with my clients. This noise started around 60,000 miles and is nearly unbearable at 80,000 miles. Theres no good reason a $30,000 car should sound like its coming apart at the seems with only 80,000 easy miles on it. I had planned to keep this car for 200,000 miles. Ill be replacing it with any vehicle other than a Toyota.

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  Beware of Transmission Problems - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Unhappy Camper - November 14 - 8:20 pm

  I am the original owner of this vehicle. I bought it because of Toyotas excellent reputation. At 87k miles I started having transmission problems. My car would rev up between gears and felt like it was slipping. At times it would hesitate and go into gears hard. I took it to Toyota and they knew right away what the problem was. They said that it was the ECU/ECM. Its the computer that tells the transmission when to shift. It was a very bad design and Toyota no longer has it in their newer models. The cost for a new computer is over $1500 with no guarantee it will even fix the problem. A new trans is over 3k so all together I could have $4500 in this vehicle. Not a happy camper...

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  2008 Sequoia - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By SRJ - November 13 - 7:40 pm

  Lots of power and much more room than the Tahoe. Ride is very good for a "truck". A little too much plastic for a $50K car.