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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  Happy Campers - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Cupid - July 7 - 6:03 am

  We have only had our Highlander for 7 months but we could not be happier. No problems with performance or engine quality and we changed from V6 minivan to 4 cylinders. Only complaints were with internal finish. We had to have some minor adjustments done to roof molding etc.

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  77 Yrs old, owned many cars, but - - - - - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Darrell - July 7 - 3:00 am

  This Prius is THE winner. Exceptional engineering, that works. A lot of thought put into the way a person uses a car, especially from the womans point of view. Quiet. Convenient. Very good accleration and speed. Mileage: 7months 7500miles 47.8MPG over all. 60 mpg on LEVEL terrain @ 35 to 50 mph on a 20 mile stretch. It can do it. 1700 mile round trip across Nebraska, over the Rocky Mountains, over two mtn passes at 10,000 ft,and across colorado at posted highway speeds, 46MPG. A good interstate highway automobile. This may be only me at my age but I find that I have markedly less eye fatigue with the Discharge Headlights. So far the best vehicle I have ever owned, over the last sixty years.

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  New 06 Camry LE - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By TD - July 7 - 12:20 am

  After years of owning mini-vans and hauling tons of kids around, it was time for a sedan once again. Went shopping for a decent used car and ended up at a Toyota dealer and saw a silver 06 LE Special Edition with the body kit and BBS wheels. I always thought the Camry was a boring old lady car but this package changed the whole looks. My wife said it looked as good as a BMW. The car was a dealer demo and had only 7k miles, so they put up some hefty discounts. Came away with a $26K ride for a shade less than $20K.

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  Grrrrreat Car !!! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Daniel - July 6 - 4:00 pm

  In the cons section, this web site states the Corolla is a bit pricey... I dont think so if you consider that this is not your typical entry level car. This Corolla doesnt need audio upgrades (I got the one with six speakers), air conditioning is powerful, SUPER reliable, gas mileage is wonderful, and it doesnt get stolen as often as the Hondas. Ah, and did I mention it is actually powerful? And do not just look at raw numbers. If you want to compare fairly, divide the HPs by the weight of the car, and you get a Corolla that has very decent oomph. Now, if the price for all that is an extra grand, so be it. It will truly make you forget about car problems... And you will feel smarter.

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  I Love This SUV - 2008 Toyota 4Runner
  By Old Coot - July 6 - 12:20 pm

  I test drove many SUVs until I got into this 4runner. Right away I could sense that this vehicle was a step up to another level. Its definitely in another league from the all wheel drives and cross overs. It drove like a luxury car and I and my wife were hooked. We love this truck. Cant wait to go out into the desert 4 wheeling and exploring.

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  The War Horse That Would Never Die - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Spencer - July 6 - 12:06 pm

  My wife got this car new before we met in 1999. It had 18k on it when I came along. Now its less than 500 miles from 400k. It has been the epitome of reliable. Its had some replacement items (front struts, some axle work and transmission at 370k), but that is to be expected for a car that has been driven the distance of earth to the moon...plus another 161k on the surface of the moon! The only design flaw are the plastic door handles which over time simply break off. My brother-in-law owns car dealerships and actually sold my wife this unit but even he said theres no way to retrofit a metal handle on the doors. So I just get tie wraps and loop them through to allow easy entry to the car. Weird? Sure, but I dont care. No car payments is a good kind of "weird" so Im driving this sucker til the wheels fall off. Even then Ill just throw some spares on and go another 400k! This is to update my original report shown above. 13,000 miles later and shes still running. As noted above my Camry shows her age (original gray exterior paint has some degree of fading in spots but this is 20 year old paint, so that should come as no surprise. Overall, I couldnt be happier to drive this highly durable vehicle and hope I can still say this a few years from now.

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  Love this truck - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By chris - July 6 - 10:23 am

  I traded in a F-250 PS LB 4x4 and love this truck so much more. There is plenty of room in the cab for my children however I wish the bed and fuel tank were a bit larger.

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  My Choice Toy - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By jersey joe - July 6 - 8:03 am

  I had never owned an import but was getting tired not having the reliabilty after 75k miles. The Tacoma was listed on the UAW.com website as a Union Made car to buy. Then after comparing on Edmunds.com nothing better in its class. The price was even better in some cases. So far it has been perfect choice. Fun to drive, more comfort than I even thought possible. Especially on the highway.

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  Very impressed with 2012 Sienna LE 8-psg V6 - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By bigedmundsfan - July 6 - 7:41 am

  When my Odyssey died (transmission problem) Ive decided to test drive a Sienna. Love it and bought it, and two weeks later I do not regret the decision (options: towing prep, floor mats, anti-theft.) The drive (handling and ease of turns) is excellent which is what I have not expected. The seats are very roomy and even the second-row middle-seat is fairly comfortable, the third-row benchs ability to recline is a nice touch. Ride is so comfortable that you dont feel like youre driving at a high speed so if you are a speedster, keep an eye on your speedometer. Acceleration is decent for a minivan and overall I would say it really up its game to rival Honda Odyssey.

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  Better than an Avalon or Lexus - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Bob - July 6 - 6:23 am

  After 55,000 miles I am still impressed. Tested Avalon and Lexus and just not worth the money compared to the XLE V6. Get about 30 MPG routine driving, still surprised at comfortable ride and quietness. JBL sound system still works excellently, as does everything. The layout of the dash, consoles, etc. is much better than the Avalon or the Lexus. Have not had to replace or repair anything. The leather shows almost no wear compared to other cars I have had with leather. Doesnt get any better than this.