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:

• 

  Battery Rundown - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Tim - September 25 - 5:23 pm

  I like nearly everything about the 2004 Sienna XLE we purchased except for the fact that the Battery has rundown at least 10 times over the 18 months that weve owned it for various reasons. E.g. children left interior lights on or door open. Extremely frustrating, and no Toyota fix available. For a van sold on all its family friendly features (which is mostly accurate) this was one major engineering oversight.

• 

  Not worth the trouble - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Janet - September 25 - 3:36 pm

  Less than a year and 9000 km after I purchased my 2006 Corolla, my steering pump is broken and it is undriveable. The dealership says the part wont arrive for another month. Its Toyotas policy not to provide a rental car or any transportation for that matter until after 10 days that the part is on backorder. I am stuck without a car for 10 days. There was also another 06 Corolla in for the same problem. I was happy with my 1994 Corolla and not happy with my 2006. Toyota made no effort to salvage our relationship. Saturn and GM both say they provide transportation the same day if they expect a part not to arrive for a month.

• 

  Entune NOT fully compatible w/Iphones - 2017 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mark - September 25 - 1:40 pm

  The car is brand new but I wanted to bring this to the attention of buyers. I like the truck overall, rides well, looks great, comfortable, no mechanical issues. However, the Entune system is awful. The iphone is NOT fully compatible with the system. You CANNOT return text messages via the ENTUNE system, which to me is unacceptable. You can receive the text message but the outgoing messaging part of the ENTUNE system does NOT work. Major inconvenience on long trips. This info comes directly from Toyota Customer Service. They blame Apple! If you want the ease of sending text messages through computer/voice system, do NOT purchase a Toyota with Entune expecting iphone to work. They said to use Siri, which is a workaround but NOT what I paid for. Also, sales reps are unaware of this or choose not to share. Im very disappointed.

• 

  Best Car EVER - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By R. Backer - September 25 - 12:30 pm

  Without a doubt this Camry is the finest machine Ive ever owned in more than 50 years of driving. It gets 33 miles per gallon on trips and has cost nothing beyond the routine, and even that has been minimal. Reliability is 100%. I put 104 thousand miles on it so far and will probably end up giving it to my grandson although Ill probably keep it til I die. Outstanding car period! (Not a speck of rust on it despite being outside for 13 years.)

• 

  Iceberg 2012 - 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By John Whitten - September 25 - 4:12 am

  While the blind spots are real and the gas mileage is not why you buy this ...I am loving every minute of owning it so far.

• 

  My dream SUV...almost - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By krimsin - September 24 - 10:33 pm

  I have wanted the Sport ed. since I first laid eyes on it. It is almost perfect for our family if it was just a bit bigger in the back it would be perfect. I can haul my husband, dog (in crate), newborn son (and all his stuff), and still have room for a bag of clothes for me.

• 

  Great car - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By Pete Morris - September 24 - 3:54 pm

  It has a nice ride and is very roomy.

• 

  Best Car Ever! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Niki - September 24 - 10:57 am

  We have absolutely no complaints about this car. This was the family car, until my oldest child was old enough to drive to school. Thats when I handed it down to him. Its now on its second teen driver, and still going strong. In October, itll be handed down to the 3rd. We were rear ended two years ago HARD in the rain, and the car did exactly what the crash tests tell you its gonna do - protect the passengers. Over 220,000 miles, and all weve really done (besides wreck repair) is put tires on it, replace a bulb every now and then, changed the oil until this week, when we needed to replace the valve cover gasket... at 220,000+ miles. I dont think thats a bad deal at all! Leg room is awesome... weve driven it on several long road trips with my son, who is well over 6 tall and an additional three 5.5-ish tall passengers plus our luggage with no problem. The trunk is a cavernous space, much bigger than you might expect. We get a couple of snow storms a year here, and this is our go-to car when we have to leave the house. The car handles great in the snow with no extra equipment/chains required. The stereo system is awesome, and we dont have anything special in there. If I had to pick a car for a family, or a first time driver, Id pick this one again every time.

• 

  Toyota Corolla surprises with exceptional value - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Mary Hansen - September 24 - 7:29 am

  I researched before I bought the Corolla - I needed good gas mileage, enough room for the grandkids, and a comfortable ride. The Corolla has surprised me with its comfort, 27 mpg mixed hiway/street, and how well it has retained its good looks. The car is clean and functional with everything I need to comfortably get from A to Z. My only disappointment is that the car doesnt have Bluetooth or USB ports. It does have an auxiliary port that connects to the radio, so I am able to listen to books, music, news - whatever. I would highly recommend the Corolla as a sharp little vehicle with good response on the road.

• 

  Love my Corolla LE - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Sandra - September 23 - 9:26 pm