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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  Very Nice SUV - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By bowerman - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This is a very nice SUV and Toyatos are always very good.

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  Great Car - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By txgirl - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Great car to drive. Ive had my manual for over year and its as fun to drive today as when I first bought it. I prefer to drive a 5 speed, but also wanted a smooth ride. This car is a great mix of sport and comfort.

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  Not what they used to be - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Bob - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Pros: Great fuel economy for the size. VERY comfortable interior. Interior cabin is huge. Tons of rear legroom ! Cons: Rides like a 1970 Lincoln Mark 5 but handles like one too. Getting ready to take it in for yet another Toyota recall. Sensors going bad left and right. 02 and air-fuel ratio sensors and now the air bag light started flashing. It is also starting to have electrical gremlins (lights flickering)I have owned several Toyotas in the past and the quality and reliability used to be 2nd to none. Man has that changed. Ever wonder why Ford is selling so many vehicles now ? Because they build a better vehicle...Wake up Toyota, you lost yet another customer.

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  Happy With My Tundra - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By rtundra - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I have had absolutely no trouble with my 4WD SB Tundra. There has been no mechanical problems nor any squeeks or rattles. It easily pulls my 18 boat and trailer. I highly recommend.

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  Hybrid system breakdown! - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By keepwarmnow - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Great experience until 100,000 miles. All check ups done at dealership.100,000 miles warranty expires soon after car wont start.I bought a Toyota because they are meant to last.Took car to dealership and they announced it would be 8700 dollars to fix. The hybrid system does not work! CODES POAA6&526-614 and Warrantied only to 100,000 miles. I am at 119,000. I was told the labor on the part is minimal it is the part that is so expensive. I was shocked and then looked on the internet to find that others have found themselves in the same position.When I went to pick up the car at Toyota they charged me $250.00 for the diagnostic test and tried to sell me another Toyota. HA!!

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  Love this vehicle - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By PerspectiveMan - May 4 - 2:00 am

  We went to the Toyota dealership to test the legroom in the Tundra. Not only did my son not fit in the backseat, I did not fit well in the front seat. Well, long story short, we started to leave when my wife saw the Highlander at a price we liked. It turned out to be one of those "one and only" that dealers advertise, then sell the day before the ad comes out. Only -5- weeks old, but it has been a great vehicle. Quiet, roomy, and so far very economical. Was initially hesitant on the 4cyl but really have no complaints. Hard to call it an SUV, I think of it more as a tall station wagon.

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  2003 Corolla S - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Nate09 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  absolutely the best car ive driven

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  High pitched sound on 40 mph+ - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By ToyotaOwner - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Im just writing to say that yes, my 06 RAV4 has the high pitched noise at 40 mph. Its been going on for years now - and the sound continues sometimes up into the 60s. Extremely annoying. Also, I have a hum that is constant when idling. Windows stick into the runner - had them replaced once. But issue has returned. Rav4 is noisy, I agree. These little annoyances are causing me to look into another model. Seats are like sitting on cardboard...wish they were more plush and comfy. I get GREAT gas mileage though. Taken trips and once got 31mpg - usually highway driving allots 26-30 mpg and in town 23-24 mpg. Great vehicle - just the constant, daily noises are wearing on me.

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  4th Redesign and Ive had em all - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By heins68 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This is the 4th major redesign of the Camry since my first ine in 1990 and I am pleased on what that have done this time. The Toyota engineers have worked magic on the interior space by making the legroom for the front passengers larger than the 2001 design. The headroom space feels as if they pulled the roof up about 5 feet as I always used to bump the top of my head on the foof. The styling of the nose is very similar to its big brother the Lexus ES300 but smooshed in about 1/2 foot. The slab sides are nice and easy on the eyes and to clean! The rear is very similar to the Avalon in its design and huge trunk.

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  a quiet and smooth car (I) - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By toyotaowner - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I just bought a 2002 Camry XLE. It is a very quiet and smooth car. I read some reviews about the build quality of this model and rattling interior sounds. My car is extremely quiet with no rattling sound, even though there is one small scar on the wood trim of the XLE I bought. It perhaps shows that the new assembly line for 2002 Camry has occasional problems with quality control. So you might want to check carefully when you buy a new 2002 Camry. I agree with what one reviewer said, the wind noise on the highway sounds louder than it actually is due to muted engine and power-train noise. Accord has more road noise than Camry.