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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  Its a tank. - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Heinen - June 25 - 7:13 pm

  I bought the car from my father in law who had the car since new. At that time it had 162,000 on the odometer. I now have 255,000. Yes, you read that correctly. I drive on average 100 miles a day, at least during the week anyways. I have had to do breaks several times but not due to a lack of quality. All the service since I have had it has been done by myself (a former Toyota mechanic) and rarely use anything other than factory parts. The car has been hit several times (mostly rear ended) but has never had to see a body shop. The car is a tank - indestrucible. I plan on driving it until there is no drive left in it. Who knows when that will be.

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  2009 Sedan automatic - 2011 Toyota Yaris
  By dadinfo - June 25 - 3:44 am

  We have had this car for 2 years now the only thing I do not like is the Hard dash the layout is great once you get used to the cluster position

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  Problem car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Dr. Wysiwyg - June 24 - 6:36 pm

  Its my third Toyota and the only one with the quality in the toilet. When just 200miles, it started to jerk/hesitate. Now with 700miles, the back seat starts to rattle. 1-touch power window behaves inconsistently-- sometimes 1-touch open it fully, sometimes I have to press it all the time. I will trade it for something better soon.

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  Basics Work - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By j4tuna - June 23 - 2:49 am

  Bought my 2007 Hylander new and currently have been putting 20,000 miles a year. Total maintenance has consisted of 2 sets of tires, a battery and an alternator. Alternator went at 100,000 miles. Used synthetic motor oil from first change - change the oil 3 times a year with filter. Driving - front end is very light - does not do well with snow, ice or heavy rain - but just have to slow down and take lack of traction into account. 6 years into the vehicle - 120,000 miles - hoping to get 4 more years!!

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  2010 Camry LE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Warren - June 22 - 3:55 am

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  Am I the Only One? - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Texas Toyota - June 22 - 1:26 am

  The Sequoia is a beautiful SUV. We replaced a Suburban with it but unfortunately have been disappointed. The ride is not only rougher but the road noise is much louder. We replaced the factory tires hoping to reduce the road noise but that didnt help. The gas mileage is lower than advertised being consistently 13.6 MPG combined city/highway (about 17 - 18 MPG highway). Also, its braking distance seems longer. There were several little problems for the first six months. This is our first Toyota and I have not seen a big difference in quality or performance.

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  Havent Driven It Much - 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Frank - June 21 - 7:00 am

  I have always wanted a Land Cruiser but never really had the need for a big SUV. I drove into a Toyota dealership with a friend, saw the only Cruiser they had on the lot and had to have it right then and there. It was beautiful and fully loaded. Now that I had a place in the mountains, I actually needed this thing. We use it to drive in the mountains and to and from our home in Florida.

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  2nd solara - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By TOK - June 20 - 7:43 pm

  This is my second solara(was an owner of the first solara and loved it!). This one seems a bit less roomy, but the ride is smooth, great handling and simply fun to drive. Rear window takes a bit getting use to after driving the very roomy Camry with great visability, but worth it. The new color Oceanus Pearl with gray leather interior is a real head turner.

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  OK Car, but wouldnt buy another one - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By becrs - June 20 - 3:16 am

  I bought this car used with 18000 miles on it a little over a year ago. I drive 18 miles to work each day about 3/4 of them are interstate and highway with some decent sized hills. I average about 30 mpg. Which Ive very happy with, actually the mpg is the only thing I really like about the car. I live where it snows and the headlights are always dirty making seeing hard. I have to clean them almost daily when the roads are wet. Ive never had to do that with any other vehicle. The cabin is very noisy and it doesnt handle very well on snow and in slush (Im very experience in driving in it too). There are two very small spots on the trunk that are rusting. Ive never had this on a car befo

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  Got What I Expected... - 2012 Toyota 4Runner
  By eglzfan - June 19 - 8:41 am

  Purchased a 2012 4Runner 6 months ago. After 10K mi. the vehicle still performs as it did on day 1. The 4L engine is the largest V6 available in a mid sized SUV. Fuel mileage avgs 19-20 mpg with the best at 23 on longer road trips. If you actually test drive this SUV you will notice a stiff ride, similar to that of a truck...thats what I like about it. Ample storage space satisfies the needs of our family and all our stuff. Dashboard electronics work as expected and nav system got me up north without a problem. Biggest complaint would be lack of headroom. At 6 Im at the upper limit without hitting my head on the roof. Compared to similar SUVs out there this is a great buy.