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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  I love my Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By lbstrgrl1 - January 24 - 4:46 am

  I love my Yaris. This is my fourth Toyota and I will never buy anything else. This econo car has it all... Looks, Performance, and Reliability. It sure doesnt look and act like an econo car.

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  Minnesta cold - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By rhuber - January 24 - 3:40 am

  Very quality automobile, does not feel like an economy car. Quiet, solid, tight. 6000 miles on it and no problems yet. Even if it wasnt a hybrid it would still be a great auto.

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  Great commuter car - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By matrixgirl09 - January 23 - 4:40 am

  I have had this car for almost 4 months and I like it a lot, I wanted the hatchback for carrying around stuff like my bike. I like that it sits higher off the ground like my suv did. Great gas mileage. The base model has enough power for me. The gauges take some getting used too, I can see them even with sunglasses on but in direct sunlight (usually at sunset) they can be hard to see.

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  I love this car! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By PMM - January 22 - 1:30 pm

  I love this car! We own two in our household, and the monthly savings in fuel costs are exceptional. I am averaging between 48-52 mpg depending on my travels. I do a good deal of long-disance driving and find the interior very comfortable with everything I need at my fingertips. And as far as pickup goes, the Prius delivers. I am just as confident merging into traffic in the Prius as I am in my van.

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  Awesome Car - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By Katie Needle - January 22 - 12:56 pm

  I have owned this vehicle for 2 years and I love it! If you keep it maintained it wont fail you! Ive never had a problem yet, except for one day my rigt side power window didnt work. Then it worked again the next day. Its a great sports car to own before you have a family. I do cart my neices and nephews around in it though!!

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  Value for Money Finally - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By Happy Prius Owner - January 22 - 11:23 am

  We purchased our new Prius in Dec 08 and promptly drove from Florida to CA and back. 5900 miles with no problems and $125 in gas costs for the entire trip. Since then we have put another 17000 miles on it with NO problems mechanical or otherwise. I am looking forward to purchasing another in the not to distant future. Excellent value for money. Gas mileage after the first 6000 miles went from 47 highway and 49 city to 48 highway and 51 around town. Got to love the savings. Cruising speed is comfortably up to 80 interstate with no significant loss of economy. A pleasure passing the clunkers going over the great divide.

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  2007 Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By NYHARLEYMAN - January 22 - 5:26 am

  This truck is everything Toyota said and I am real pleased with the performance, mileage and quality. I am towing 10400 pound travel trailers 188 miles to a storage area to NJ from NY. The roads go up and down some very steep hills and the power is more than you need, going down hill the brakes are perfect even without the trailer breaks turned up. I was a Ford F150 man for years, I cant imagine going back.

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  Do Not Hesitate - Best Car Ive Owned - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Dan - January 22 - 12:50 am

  My wife bought this car before we were married for $6000 w/ 50K miles on it from an older woman. It now has 140,000 miles. We have taken it on old forest service roads and through small streams, packed to the brim with camping gear and a canoe strapped on top. It is comfortable and reliable - I *never* worry about breaking down or repair costs with this car. In 90K miles we have done the regular maintenance and service: timing belt & water pump, spark plugs and wires, and oil changes. Other than that, we had to replace a seal on the final drive unit and both CV boots. Overall, $1500 worth of repairs and maintenance for 90K miles of hard driving. Simply the best car we have owned.

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  Great Buy! - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Paul - January 21 - 9:50 pm

  Researched SUVs extensively and picked this one b/c it drives like a car. The camry base makes it a much smoother ride than most SUVs. Gas mileage is great for SUV (better than our 2000 VW Jetta). Plus trunk area is great for moving large items (larger than Lexus RX 330). Two complaints: 1) Toyota does not give oil changes included in warranty and 2) Whats with the 15 cup holders in the car?? Youd think camels designed interior. Maybe Toyota runs a sweat shop for their designers and all they could think about was water. So for the rare case you want to buy 15 Cokes (or Pepsis) in one sitting, you at least will have a place for all of them. Overall: Highly recommended.

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  5 yr. review - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By harshad - January 21 - 9:13 am

  This is my third review on our 03 symphony. After almost 5 yrs and 48000 miles, it has been reliable. We changed the power steering pump in warranty. other than that its been good. Good gas mileage. We have seen some sign of rusting on front passenger door. Please share experiences after 5 yrs.