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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  Good Bye to a Great Old Car - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By GreenWay - October 22 - 8:46 pm

  It has been great to drive this car around! Bought it with 104K miles on the teller which today stands at 145K. This is farewell and a tribute to a great car which drove us without letting us down even once! Regular oil changes and a tire change were the only maintenance activities ever done to it! It is going to a new owner after having it replaced by a Honda Pilot.

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  It is what it is - 2013 Toyota Prius c
  By mgoods24 - October 22 - 11:05 am

  I have owned my PC2 for 6 months now and have put just over 7k on it. I purchased it to be my commuter vehicle. I wanted something simple, reliable, and efficient. The PC is all of that. My wife and I took it on a 1500 mile road trip and found it more than comfortable enough for two people and gear. The only disappointments I have with it are some rattles coming from inside the dash and I have not achieved the fuel economy numbers others have mentioned. Averaging 44-45 over the life of the car. This is a small complaint since very few vehicles can get that on their best day. *Note to residents of colder climates. I notice about a 10% drop in fuel economy under 40 degrees F.

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  Hunter - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Smokey - October 20 - 6:20 pm

  Steering is very stiff at highway speeds causing the feeling that it has locked up, and trying to make a minor adjustment always results in an oversteer or over correction situation. The result is a weaving left to right as you travel the straight-aways. There is no room for any extra stuff in the front for the driver or passenger. Difficult to get the EPA rating of 24 Hghy.

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  Built to Last - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By KC Jones - October 20 - 8:56 am

  Purchased new with 17 miles on Odo. Currently at 74K miles. The main electrical fuse blew once when car new cutting out all electrical. Replaced in no time by dealership. Car has never needed even a single repair since other than oil changes and new tires. Only two things will survive the end of the world. Cockroaches and Corollas. Seats not supportive for O/N driving. Otherwise nothing to complain, everything to applaud. This is what a car should aspire to be.

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  2009 Toyota Corolla S - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Daphne - October 20 - 8:10 am

  I love my corolla! Its fun and easy to drive. The car handles well, gets 30 mpg routinely, has cold ac, and the JBL stereo is great. I think the interior dash design could be upgraded, but thats my only complaint. With the reliability of Toyota, Im sure I will be driving this car for many years to come.

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By judyc135 - October 20 - 7:53 am

  This little Toyota wagon is a jewel. Ive got 160k miles on it and it runs as well as the day I drove it home. I, too, had to replace a water pump in the first year or two of ownership and also had a leak in one of the CV boots in the 3rd or 4th year. Other than that Ive only had regular maintenance done on the car and replaced normal stuff when it wore out. It is the perfect size and gets good mileage with an automatic transmission. The only thing I would change is I would like a little less road noise and a little smoother ride but then its not bad for this price car. My friends with big maintenance bills for their BMWs and Mercedes are envious!

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  Camry XLE 6 Cylinder - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Bill Bivins - October 19 - 6:10 am

  After owning only "Detroit manufactured" cars for many years (I previously worked for GM and later Ford), I finally broke down and bought a reliable, competent vehicle which, however, is not all that exciting. For my retirement car, I thought I couldnt do better than the Camry. So far, very pleasant to drive, good feel of the road, well-executed, even if unexciting, styling. You cant go wrong with Camry.

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  My second Camry in the last three years - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Axesim - October 19 - 4:50 am

  I bought my first Camry LE 4 cycl in 2007. I had very major problems with it (transmission, brakes, burning oil, vibrations over 40 mph, torque converter, hesitation in accelerations, rattles, oil leakage and etc.). I took it to the service countless times for repair, but problems never ended. I sold it when I had only 14,000 miles on it. When Toyota came out with special offer for 2010 models and customer incentive program, I decided to give another chance to Toyota, bought 2010 LE 6 cyl this time. It is much quieter than 4 cyl. Driving is more fun, a lot of power and torque. I have only 1500 miles on it no problem so far. Gas consumption is better than my old 4 cyl.

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  2zz swapped spyder review with TRD suspension - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By jlevy2 - October 18 - 4:48 pm

  My review may not be a fair one since my spyder is not really close to stock. Ive got a 2zz-ge engine and 6 speed from a 2001 Celica-GTS, the factory TRD suspension and bracing, additional under body bracing (breast plate), and much of the suspension rubber replaced with urethane. The car drives great and is my daily driver and has been very reliable, especially for a 14 year old car. Handling is very confident and acceleration with the 2zz engine is good. Ive also got the TRD clutch-type LSD which I would not recommend - I would prefer the factory helical LSD option instead.

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  My FJ - 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Edward Sanders - October 18 - 2:03 pm