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 looking camry with poor reliability - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By jtlboy - June 30 - 6:46 pm

  The performance of a V6 is awesome. Handling is great. The windshield wiper design with the water spray is horrible. The water spray is blocked by the wiper on the left side when it comes out initially. The interior looks good but feels cheap compared to my 1997 LE camry. The transmission is the worst ever for camry. It downshift to much causing engine flare and I had problem with the reverse gear, but the up gear shift is great and smooth. Too bad it is not close to perfect.

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  Great little Truck! - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nick - June 30 - 6:03 pm

  The 4 cylinder Access Cab with 4x4 is a great truck for those who want decent fuel economy and need the utility of a truck once in awhile. The 4 cylinder is no powerhouse, but it has plenty of power when not towing or hauling, and if you do need to haul heavy loads or tow up to its 3500 lbs limit, it will do the task for you! I am very pleased with this Tacoma!

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  A Great Little Car. - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By myrick - June 30 - 5:06 pm

  Bought the car in Feb. 2006 and my wife and I have enjoyed it. We bought it with 33,000 miles on it and it just went over 100,000 miles today. The oil gets changed every 3,000 miles and we had new hoses and belts put on last summer and a new A/C relay Fuse last spring but thats about it that we have had to do to it. It was in a wreck about 3 years ago, the left back corner smashed in causing about 4,000 dollars of damage but because of its high resale value it was not written out as totaled so we were able to get it fixed up. It has a few hail dents and some scratches but still runs great. Drove it from Oklahoma to Wisconsin last summer averaging 38 miles to a gallon. Great little car.

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  good car - 2018 Toyota Avalon
  By Todd - June 30 - 4:16 pm

  Low M/G..

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  A grandfathers honest opinion - 2013 Toyota Sienna
  By Doug Flyger - June 30 - 3:46 pm

  I previously owned a new 2011 Toyota Sienna LE, put 30K plus on it and traded for a new 2013 Sienna LE almost 3 years ago. I now have 54K miles on this new 2013 as of 1-29-2016. Overall, this is the BEST vehicle I have ever owned. The best features are: effortless electronic steering, fabulous turning radius, smooth ride, spacious cargo room ( I can haul full 4 x 8 sheets of plywood flat in the rear), dual front and rear climate control, blue-tooth tech for my Ipod and phone, and just plain high quality and reliability of the van. Negatives are: driver side middle seat is cumbersome to remove because of the built in cup holder and seat rail slider,and the poor quality new LIMITED MILEAGE TIRES that the only last for 30K miles is disgraceful ( both of my 2011 and current 2013 Siennas had these Michelin limited mile tires.

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  I LOVE MY FJ CRUISER - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Vickie Wilson - June 30 - 2:16 pm

  I first saw the FJ Cruiser on the computer last year, I loved the look of it and when it came out in April of 2006 I found a dealer and took it for a test drive. Thats all it took, Im hooked. I have the Voodoo Blue loaded with all the extra. I love the drive it gives you, not truck like but smoother and turning, you feel nice and safe. Hey its a Toyota how can you go wrong... you cant. I just know this is going to be a long lasting vehicle. Im driving in style. I love my FJ Cruiser. Vickie

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  Gas Mileage - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By miataman - June 30 - 10:00 am

  This car is as close to a hybrid as you get. On my first trip from Ohio to New York I filled up when I left Ohio and fueled again when I got home and got 49 miles to the gallon!! I could not believe it myself! This car is a bare bones Echo with a 5 speed, no A/C not even power steering. Needless to say I was very impressed with the mileage. The car handles well but an small car, except for strong cross winds on the highway sometimes. But I guess that is the price you pay for low weight and GREAT fuel mileage! The car is very well put together and I would recommend to anyone looking for an inexpensive but reliable car. Love my Echo!!

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  All is good except for brakes - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Nick G S - June 30 - 10:00 am

  When I use brakes, the steering wheel shakes. Im surprised Toyota Rotors wharped after just 10K miles!!! Have to fight with dealship now to get them to machine rotors (free of charge). Otherwise the car is pleasant.

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  2001 CAMRY LE - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By DOUG N - June 30 - 10:00 am

  Very good vehicle. Only problem was front end struts which wore out quickly, the same as my 1998 Camry which I traded in.

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  Summer fun starts with highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Greenviller - June 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car two weeks ago. Highly recommend it to everyone. It drives smoothly, just like a great car.