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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  Best overall vehicles you can buy - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Robert - October 24 - 11:20 am

  Handling is awesome compared to non-SE Camry. Great JBL 6 disc changer..could get a little louder. Smooth, quiet, comfy, roomy, reliable car. V6 perfect for this car. Reliable..my third Camry, second with V6..never get a 4cyl again in Camry. Had 3 Corollas as well..not big enough but GREAT cars. Camry has plenty of room for people and stuff. Got power heated leather seats (pass seat not power); moonroof; VSC; traction control; curtain air bags; sunshade/cargo net; 16inch alloy wheels all for $26K. Got 45K miles and no problems except original brake design was defective; dealer replaced twice at no cost and NO problems since.

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  Good show - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Tee - October 24 - 10:43 am

  My 2010 corolla is great. Only a few slight changes would help it. Its easy to control and is very quiet. I have been having troubles with my trunk opening lever in the car. It hasnt been working recently and I need to get it checked out. Its only been 5 months since Ive had it, so this shouldnt be happening.

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  GREAT CAR FOR MONEY - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By RAJNEESHVASUDEV@SBCG - October 24 - 10:13 am

  Excellent gas mileage. Seems like goes forever with tank of gas. Feels like a luxury car with smooth and quieter ride. 4 cyl engine is very responsive and efficient. very reliable. i have 80k on it and still very smooth. no rattles.

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  Raving over RAV - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Robby - October 24 - 8:00 am

  Absolutely the best vehicle on the market for mountainous and hilly terrain. Living in St. Maarten Island has its challenges and an appropriate vehicle is one of them. Narrow, steep roads and torrential downpours must be met with by a special vehicle. The AWD RAV-4 is the very best of class in all categories.

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  Im now a loyal Toyota Customer - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By gnieob777 - October 24 - 4:46 am

  Have had great luck with this car. It performs great for a 4 cyl. and handles good too. Zero maintenance problems (currently at 48,000 miles). I like the smart features like how you cant lock the doors with the keys in the ignition. Its also easy to change the oil in this car (4 cyl). So with good reliability, economy, and quality, I am now a loyal Toyota customer. Goodbye Ford and GM...

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  NEVER again... - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Alex - October 24 - 3:13 am

  Ive had 2 Camrys before the one, and bought it thinking that the quality standards known to a Toyota would still remain excellent. This assumption was my first mistake. Its now apparent that Toyota quality took a nose dive. I get terrible fuel economy (19/20 in the city, 25/26 highway ...with a 4 cylinder!), even though its rated at 24/34. The transmission is crap, and erratically shifts despite modest acceleration and conservative driving habits. Ive already taken the car back to the dealership 4 times for rattling, creaking, and clicking in the dash and center console (granted Ive had the car for 3 months). They never fixed it, but instead said that its normal.

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  Comfort & Spacious - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By nag4 - October 24 - 1:53 am

  I bought 2012 XLE FWD model last month. It is very spacious and more comfortable. I took test drive of equally loaded Highlander SE v6 FWD and compared it to Sienna. I felt the handling is better in Sienna. But, the pickup is good in Highlander. In terms of mpg, i guess Sienna gives 1 miles less than Highlander. My wife liked Odyssey. But, since we read bad reviews about its Wind noise and Transmission, we decided not to buy. That too equally loaded Odyssey ELX is expensive than Sienna XLE. But after buying Sienna, i realize that there is Wind noise & Road noise in this as well. But, it rides better and cheap with 2 year free maintenance.

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  Miles Per Gallon NOT as advertised - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By rkh88 - October 24 - 1:38 am

  I bought a new Toyota Corolla 2015 based upon the price, size, and miles per gallon. Toyota advertises 29 MPG in the city, 31 combined and 38 on the highway. I have yet to get better than 31 on the highway, and 26 in the city. I am highly disappointed with this. I took it into the dealer, and placed a complaint with Toyota. Since they found "nothing wrong with the car" they did nothing. Very, very disappointing.

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  Toyota Rav4 Limited Grade = A- - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Randy - October 23 - 11:20 pm

  After one month, I am very pleased with my purchase of the 4cyl, as the 6cyl seemed way too much for such a light vehicle. The 4cyl is smoother when accelerating, and powerful enough when needing to pass on the highway. The leather seats are nicely cushioned in the front, but the rear seats are much more firm, making long trips surely less comfortable. I notice some road noise when traveling on the Interstate, but with the radio on I barely hear it. The ride is tremendous, as the suspension absorbs bumps well. Cargo space is awesome, including the hidden compartment for added space. Even with JBL upgrade, FM radio reception is still just okay, but XM satellite reception is much better.

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  Camry was better than I thought - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Jay M. - October 23 - 9:36 pm

  This is a solid car that has a LOT of features. Its extremely reliable and is great on gas. It is pretty comfortable inside and can easily accommodate 4 people in the back seat. I just got the car 2 weeks ago, as my dad convinced me into it, and it was a lot better than I anticipated.