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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  First new car - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Marge Mackey - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Found out the car had no side mirror heat to melt ice etc. Not good. New material on seats holds lint/hair more than 2003 No access to trunk without stopping car. Plug in for phone etc does not continue to charge when vehichle is shut off. Bad! Car handles very well on curves and cruises nicely on the hwy. Milage not the best right now. Hopefully will improve as car breaks in.

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  Good car so far - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Scott - November 19 - 12:23 am

  Believe it or not, traded a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT for a 2010 Corolla S with 5 speed stick. Added up cost of ownership for the next 5 years and it was a no brainer. Im actually enjoying the corolla more than the g8 because of the manual transmission. Getting 31 mpg with city/hwy combined. Seems like a lot of road noise, but I suspect crappy Goodyear tires are a big part of that. Steering does feel a little weird at hwy speeds, but doesnt really seem too bad. Car handles a lot better than an Acura v6 tsx I drove, it had tires squealing around every turn. For the price, design and quality of materials is fine. Shifter is pretty smooth and clutch action is light and easy.

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  Big step up from a Corolla - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Efishnc - November 18 - 7:16 pm

  I drove a Toyota Tercel and then a Toyota Corolla and this is a huge step up from both in both ride comfort and fuel efficiency. I have averaged over 50 mpg in a combination of highway/city driving versus about 35-40 in my Corolla. The only weakness is power going up moderate to steep hills. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Good Truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Kdorwin - November 18 - 4:13 pm

  Excellent quality, fun to drive, improves with K&N cold air intake

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  Very good get to work car. - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Dustin - November 18 - 2:47 pm

  I am leasing this Corolla and I have been quite pleased with almost everything about it so far. It is super reliable! 20,000 miles and nothing put into it but two oil changes, tire rotations, and new wiper blade inserts. The cars acceleration for a 1.8L is what you would expect. I find you get the best pull between 3,000-5,000 RPM. The seats and comfort of the interior is what I would call, standard, for a vehicle in this price range. The trunk space is superb! The one thing I dont like about this car is the transmission. Nothing is mechanically flawed with it that I have noticed; but the rubber band effect is very much present in this CVT. In normal driving mode the CVT has a rough feel in stop and start traffic. It smooths out at cursing speeds and does provide me with 39.7 MPG, so it has that. If you keep the car in sport mode the transmission responds much better in all conditions but cuts about 9 MPG off your fuel economy.

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  Glad Im leasing this, Ill be giving it back! - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By susancab - November 18 - 10:50 am

  Maybe I shouldve got the 6 cyl but there is a lot not to like about the 4 cyl. Ive had mine for 10K mi and the handling is very poor, the car drifts and seems like its constantly out of alignment, even right after they align and balance it. I took it in twice so far and it seems fine for maybe 2 weeks then it starts drifting again. Hate it. The power is too weak and the engine sounds like a cheap engine with a course sound. Very loud compared to my Odyssey. Gas mileage is poor, even on the 4 cyl. There is a lot of room for improvement on this car. Meanwhile, Ill be renting other cars for lengthy test drives before buying my next car. :(

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  Toyota Money pit - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mike Engler - November 18 - 8:26 am

  This is a well built, solid car. At 165,000 it is free of rattles and squeeks. That is the only good news about this vehicle. Mine is a mechanical nightmare. I have driven an average of 47000 highway miles per year since 1989, and usually keep my vehicles until they hit 150000-17500 miles. A list of previous cars: 1989 Taurus, 1992 T-bird, 1995 T-bird, 1996 Jeep cherokee, 1999 Grand Cherokee. Never had to replace a Transmission in any of those. The Toyotas lasted 80000 miles. Other firsts: Radiator fan and water pump at 100000 miles, 4 wheel drive Actuator(s) at 165000 miles (another $1900). Average trip to the dealer costs $1000. Ill be trading this fine vehicle ASAP. Buyers beware

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  Toyota...simply the best - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By S Font. - November 18 - 8:06 am

  I have been purchasing Toyotas since 1988 and I have to say they just keep getting better. There is not one thing I would improve on in my 2005 Camry.

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  Awesome - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By Morgan - November 18 - 4:16 am

  My Mom bought this car used in 1998, and puts absolutly hammered it with miles. We are now at about 205000 miles. But it has never had any major problems. It is a great car and I would recommend it to anyone. Especially with gas prices being the way they are. (27-29 mpg)

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  Best value for a hard-earned buck - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Jake - November 18 - 2:40 am

  I cant believe I paid more for my 02 Sequoia with less options than my 08. There was never a problem with my old one. I just couldnt resist upgrading to the current year and boy, what a deal! The power, the comfort, the features, the Toyota reliability, and then the price. It has the only excellent editor rating which I was skeptical but hands down, definitely the best buy if youre in a market for this type of SUV. Do your research, test drive them all, check the price, and the reliability. Why pay twice as much for a Land Cruiser or a Lexus LX? BTW, this Sequoia is made in the USA.