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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  Love my truck but... - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By Adam_M_P - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Tacoma for almost 2 yrs. now and after 42,000 miles and a few anoyances I still love my truck. On occasion the driver side door pannel vrates at highway speeds. The worst problem I have is the engine knocks when accelerating or climbing a hill at high speeds. The dealerships only recomendation was to run higher octane fuel, so my Tacoma now requires mid- grade gas & still knocks on a rare occasion.

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  Greatest SUV - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jessy - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I love this SUV! The name TOYOTA should say it all. Reliable, great interior an exterior design, performance is great. I couldnt wait until my first big snow storm in 2000 to see how long it would take to get through the snow piles. No trouble at all! If fact it was so fun I went through every snow pile I could see with no trouble at all! I have 29000 city driving miles on it and to this day I have absolutely no problems. I highly recommend the 4runner!

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  Tacoma Double Cab Rocks! - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sambeaux - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the best all around truck out there. I owned a extended cab prerunner before and the only complaint I ever had was the small xtra cab. Well, Toyota fixed that with the new Double Cab...no complaints now :)

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  Quite pleased - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By amtiii - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Test drove the Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, and Chevrolet Trailblazer I found the Highlander to be superior in most catagories (especially comfort). So glad to be rid of my Merc Mountaineer which was very crude by comparison. Its a shame the U.S. automakers are still lagging far behind most imports. We are all driving Japanese at our house with my wife driving an Acura RL.

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  Smooth Ride - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Pop - October 17 - 5:30 am

  Durable and reliable, this truck rides like a nice sedan. Radio remote on steering wheel changes am, fm, cd, volume, stations. Nice large console. Lockable bed. Large size takes getting used to if you havent been driving a large truck. Mileage is not good but is typical of a large pickup.

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  Great Purchase! No Regrets! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By clane - October 17 - 3:50 am

  As I enter my fourth year with this car I can honestly say I am more impressed as time goes by. The car is powerful, capable and gets surprisingly good mileage. I have not had one major repair and the only expense has been maintenance. This is my second Toyota and wont be the last. I came out of an 2002 Audi A4 that was a disaster. Toyota is the benchmark of well built and fairly priced mass market automobiles.

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  2006 Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By BillR - October 16 - 3:10 pm

  Great mileage, no defects noted. With gas prices going higher I am smug about driving a car that its on board computer says gets over 53 MPG.

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  Meets Expectations - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By inuchan - October 16 - 2:56 pm

  I bought this car 10 months ago and it still feels like a new car. Being a new car it is hard to say how reliable it is but it has not failed me yet. The gas is wonderful and lasts a long time though like any other car the A/C drains the gas very fast. I will say that this is not a sports car. DonÂ’t expect to go 0-60 in 2 seconds. It is mainly for looks not speed. I use it just to take me to work and really nothing more. I highly recommend this car if you want a low price car and great gas mileage. Just wish the A/C was stronger.

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  Drive 55 mph & Smile - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jim - October 16 - 6:23 am

  My best purchase "ever". Drive 80+ miles daily, and recently slowed down to 55 with the cruise control on. Best mpg so far is 26 mpg @ 55 mph! Usually, Im @ 22-23 mpg, but I consistently drive under 60 mph. Recent valve rattle is a concern and I will check for technical service bulletins. Have not missed an oil change, and it cannot be "normal" for a new engine to rattle! Toyota can be tough, but be persistent and do not accept defects as "normal". I demanded an engine rebuild @ 108,000 miles on a Camry due to an oil sludge problem caused by an engine re-design in order to receive a higher EPA rating for the 2.4L engine. The dealer rebuilt the engine, but it took serious effort.

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  Camry Rocks - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By Michael Canning - October 16 - 4:55 am

  Excellent reliable sedan. Great value.