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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  Deal breaking exterior design - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By JOHN MIRANDA - March 22 - 4:27 pm

  Headline says it all, I would probably be driving a 2016 Prius had it not been for the impossibly bad exterior design. I had a good test drivr, but I simply could not purchase a vehicle that made me cringe every time I looked at it. Good thing my 2007 Prius is in good shape. Perhaps I will hold onto it for another couple years and see if Toyota comes up with something a little less psychotic looking.

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  Check that everything works before you buy - 2013 Toyota Sienna
  By Rushdi Eskarous - March 22 - 10:52 am

  I traded in 2015 Toyota Camry in a 2015 Toyota Sienna. After I purchased the vehicle I found out that If I get my cell phone paired to my vehicle and try to call someone and use the scroll keys to get to the next person in the last dialed list, instead of scrolling up or down, it changes my radio channel. I contacted my dealership and they said that they contacted TOYOTA corp with the problem and they advised changing the radio. They got a new Radio, got it in and the problem is still there. So I called Toyota Corp and they told me that they will research this and get back with me. Next day they called and they said that my XLE vehicle does not have the feature that is "by the way was in my 2015 Camry, in my wifes 2014 Camry, and in the 2015 Toyota Sienna the BASE Model L and LE) but for some reason they decide to downgrade and eliminated this feature from their XLE. The absence of this feature is really irritating and can cause you try to call in a different way by scrolling the radio key in your radio and you may get involved in an accident. I almost had an accident because when you take your eyes on the road to reach for your radio, thats what happens. Think twice before you purchase this vehicle. It is your comfort and your life here.

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  Lexus??? Pleeasseee.... - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By h74l - March 22 - 10:00 am

  For those of you who thinks this cheap car drives like a Lexus? Ha! Go drive a lexus and then come back and compare, theres no comparison! This car attracks grooves in the road and starts swaying. It has no handling and is way too high off the ground to be stable. I drive a 2002 Nissan Sentra GXE now and it has 15 alloy rims, rear spoiler, more torque, fog lights, 7 (SEVEN) speaker sound system (180 watts) w/ subwoofer, cruise control, in dash cd, AND keyless entry w/ panic/pop trunk...all for the price of $14,200!!! (it is also incredibly fuel efficient)

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  Problems Galore! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By toycar - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for less than a month and it has been to the dealership 5 times to fix problems. First one tire had 45 psi pressure then the wheel alignment was off. Tires are noisy. Why cant they check the vehicle before delivery?

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  Read This Please - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Mike S - March 21 - 7:50 am

  Dont know if I would recommend. Virtually all the "crabs" I read pre-purchase were true. Drivers position is tight (Im 6,2) uncomfortable, yields backaches, plastic edges in door panels cut into the legs, radio whines if iPod/satellite radio is vehicle powered, dashboard info difficult to see in daylight, overhead lights blind driver at night, cup holders are dumb and restricted, rear seat does not fold down completely, front passenger seat does not fold down, the cargo area light is a joke, rear door hinged on wrong side, rear glass does not open, etc. Sport suspension is excellent, brakes are reasonable. Gas mileage is disappointing at 21/24, power is fine with 4 cyl in flat areas like FL.

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  Not Bad - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By David B - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Looked at a few dif big suv,s,like style,toyota qual. tho u can see how the price was trimmed, we have a Rav 4,much is similar in looks and feel, not really what you would expect on a car like this,not flimsy but not substantial. Seems like a good car all in all, however,one thing i was not impressed with were the seats,drivers needs more side support, i felt like i would slide off, also my left leg rubbed against the door panel, it was uncomfortable.

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  Beautiful car with wonky insides - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sean M - March 16 - 1:56 am

  I have driven many Toyotas over the years, and they have all been engineered with rock solid precision and very high quality inner workings... until this car. It may be that 2007 was the low point of Toyotas quality slump. I bought this car used at about 135000 miles. From previous experience, thats not even halfway to end of life for a Camry. At first it was a pleasure to drive -- leather interior, JBL sound, smooth ride with little engine noise. However, at 145000 miles suddenly we had to have the transmission replaced (not repaired) -- a $3800 expense. At 153000 miles it started leaking transmission fluid, and at 155000 Ive had to park the thing because of the $900 transmission pump replacement cost. In addition, weve had increasing engine noise, more corrosion problems than I would have expected, and smaller electrical issues. It may be that weve got an outlier, but this is not a car to expect to thrive on the long haul like the 1990s Camrys did.

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  Toyota the Quality Leader??? - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Steve from Mpls. - March 15 - 6:46 pm

  This is my first Toyota purchase and its not been a good experience. The van has had two recalls - one to put a tape on the doors because they are prone to rust? The other for a seat belt anchor. We also got a notice that the radiator is prone to leaking and that they would extend the warranty on it to 72K miles- little comfort to me. Also the power door on the passenger side and both heated seat elements have had to be replaced. In addition, the tires need replacement even though it gets many highway miles and the tires get rotated and balanced regularly.

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  Toyota needs to figure it out interiors. - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By perpacity - March 13 - 11:06 pm

  Our family pretty much only purchases toyotas for their reliability and mpg, however, I will no longer be following this trend. Toyota really needs to figure out interior drivers legroom issues in ALL of their models. Theres no reason why the front seat should not be able to move back another 4-6 inches. This vehicle will be cramped if you are over 57".

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  Just OK - 2012 Toyota Prius c
  By fl_lead_foot - March 11 - 9:51 pm

  Just an OK car that happens to get great gas mileage. Door shut sounds tinny (and is tinny); stiff ride; overly firm seats; CHEAP interior materials; HARD interior plastics; under optioned (cruise control is a MAJOR FACTOR in highway gas mileage and the One doesnt have it!) Bought this for my courier business. Not sure if the mileage is worth the sacrifice. Id MUCH RATHER drive my 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT, not quite as good gas mileage but a WHOLE LOT MORE FUN to drive and ride in!