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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  Six Months Out - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Camry Times 2 - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Waited 6 months to provide feedback on my new Camry so as to give a balanced appraisal. Without a doubt there have been No problems, No suprises. This is a solid, reliable and quiet "appliance". This is my second Camry (bought a used 97 a year ago and liked it so much I bought a new Camry). I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good car that will go the distance.

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  A must drive truck!! - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By Oscar - July 26 - 9:40 am

  Powerful truck with an amazing Intelligent technology, it wont get stuck in the mud. Trust me, I have regular tires in mine and I had to go though mud and dirt and this truck just goes by like its nothing. Good warranty, powerful, nice design. The only bad things are the seats are a lil too hard but not big deal, If you want a tough truck this is the one. I love mine.

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  Has been a great truck! - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By TW - July 26 - 8:16 am

  Bought with 36k in 2002. Only problem is O2 sensor went out but I elected not to fix for $300. Runs fine. Other than that still runs like new, comfortable on the road and does what I need off road.

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  Such Endurance... - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By proxity - July 26 - 6:34 am

  Ive done very little maintenance on my LE due to little time and money. This was a 3-year period... the car refuses to die. Im impressed. --- The only complaint I have is the cheap plastic on the door handles, both, inside and out. Be careful not to open the doors too hard. Its a minor issue, but can be considerably annoying at times.

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  STUPID CAR - very disappointed!!!!! - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By adam07 - July 26 - 5:33 am

  I bought this car in march 08, and two months later, there are countless dents from the smallest branches and acorns, it has dinky wheels, and the ugliest design, plus the brakes got really squeaky by June of 08 and Toyota told me there is nothing they could do. Toyota is the worst car company ever, I made a HUGE mistake, I should have bought a Jeep Patriot instead, it has more style, still has good gas mileage, and is a hell of a lot more durable than this junk!

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  Dependable - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By ken - July 26 - 3:33 am

  Have owned toyotas in the past, and have been well pleased with their dependability. Purchased the 06 five months ago and have been well pleased with all aspects of this car. Gas mileage is good, handles well and is quiet. Will stay with toyota.

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  Great truck poor Toyota service - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By RANDY - July 25 - 11:06 pm

  Great truck, good ride, lots of room for 5 people. I have had some problems with engine valve rattle but Toyota says its normal despite any changes in fuel brands and octane levels. Cannot get any help from Toyota on this issue. I suggest getting an extended warranty because the mfg is no help.

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  Big Improvements - 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By AES - July 25 - 3:20 am

  Gave my 2002 LC to my dad after 218,000 carefree miles. Only had to replace the timing belt and water pump at 100 and 200. New vehicle is a huge improvement in terms of interior and ride quality. Memory seats finally! Also, back seats adjust which is great for the kids. On the performance side, I towed my boat this weekend with no problems 120 miles on the highway. Seems solid with 7,880 problem free miles thus far.

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  2010 SR5 TRD 2WD - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Tom Hunsicker - July 24 - 10:50 pm

  We loved our 2000 Tundra and it provided excellent service over a ten year period. The sales incentives got me into the showroom and we were able to negotiate a fair trade-in. So far only nits to pick about the new Tun. We agree with the criticism about the ride quality. We hope this will be less of an issue when towing our large travel trailer, which is why we opted for the bigger truck with more power. We opted for the towing mirrors which make towing a snap. Gas mileage is amazingly the same or better than our old truck. Disappointed that the base-level audio seems weak, but has a lot of features making it a wash. Overall we are very happy and feel that Toyota build quality is still superior.

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  2008 Toyota Avalon XLS 4dr Sedan - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Mathews - July 24 - 6:26 pm

  Bought mine in Jun 08. The car has a great ride and impeccable interior design. It is quiet and the seats are super comfy. I like the all-power seat options and the full-size spare tire. The bluetooth needs some re-working - it has too much static. The CD-changer and sound are great! The heated seats have been a lifesaver especially on those frigid winter mornings of NE PA. Theres so much leg room in this car- especially for the back seats (cramped back-seating is the reason I shied away from a Volvo. Fuel efficiency is not bad for a 3.5L engine- am averaging 25-28 mpg. BUT- the navigation is the worst! What was Toyota thinking!! Its awkward, difficult and tedious- and its not touchscreen