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:

• 

  Great car - 2002 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Greg Gelesko - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Best vehicle Ive ever owned

• 

  great car - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By brett huff - March 18 - 10:00 am

  the car is grat at high speed handeling and cornering. its verry fast and nimble. the accelarition is ungodly fast for the size of the motor. the enjind setup is verry unique and has alot of advantiges mainly traction on take off from a stop. the car gets awesome gas millage for a sports car around 32 m.p.g. the cars interior is small at first but in about a week you adapt to it verry comfortably. the best thing is the wind in your hair at 140mph.

• 

  spyder man! - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By kapper1965 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  this car has to be the most fun one can have for under $30,000. its fast, its agile, it just feels great. you ride so low on the ground that you feel as a part of the vehicle. the looks you get are amazing. someone comments on the car every day, and the design is in its 3rd model year now! toyota outdid themselves on this car. great job guys!

• 

  1993 Camry LE V6 - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By RHooper - March 18 - 10:00 am

  173,000 miles to date. Still original exhaust, and one brake job! The engine and transmission remain strong. The biggest repair was a driver side power window motor. The vehicle has been bullet proof and extremely reliable. At legal speeds during highway trips, the V6 returns 29-32 mpg. The car continues to earn my respect with each passing maintenance free mile.

• 

  Great Truck, Poor A/C - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By BigDaddy - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I am loving my Sequoia when it is not in the shop. The truck has been in and out of the dealership for the last two months for repeated A/C failure. If it not the compressor its something else. To add insult to injury the parts for the truck are always on "back order."

• 

  Outstanding Quality, Comfort and Value - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Car Quality Fan - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Our 1999 Camry V6 is the best car value we have ever owned, hands down. Fully loaded, it compares closer to the Lexus than, say, the Taurus. The ride is so smooth and the interior layout is so smart. You will not find better comfort, quality and value in a car than the Camry. Our Camry was made in Kentucky. We are very pleased! It is no secret that Consumer Reports has been enthusistically endorsing the Camry for many years. Just go look at CRs quality ratings based on thousands of cars surveyed.

• 

  Great Car! - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Steve Goldman - March 18 - 10:00 am

  This is truly a great mix of an SUV and a car. With the added payload room of an SUV and the drive of a car it is an incredibly versatile and pleasant vehicle to drive. Coming from a full size SUV I appreciate the better mileage and much smoother handling.

• 

  the poor mans lexus - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By jatemode - March 18 - 10:00 am

  This car has an incredibly smooth ride. I drive from Orlando to Miami(450mi) round trip on a regular basis and the car is just flawless. The more you drive it the more you like it. Ive had Acura Legends, 3 Series BMWs and a Ford F150 longbed pick up truck.This car is by far the best value.Im sure the Honda Accord is due for a serious update and it will be fine too, but if you have to choose between the two of them right now- Go with the Camry. The handling is excellent, the sprited 4 cylinder should be plenty for mature drivers that dont do a lot of hill climbing.I only wish I had purchased the Naigation system.

• 

  Look Out Big 3 - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Dave - March 18 - 6:30 am

  I checked out the "Big 3" and neither Ford, Chevy or Dodge could compare to the Tundras long-term reliability or resale value. I anticipate having this truck between 5-7 years and all the research I conducted led me back to the Tundra. Absolutely no regrets, and I can truly say I made the right choice.

• 

  Toyota Quality? - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By John - March 18 - 5:26 am

  Very soft paint. Chips and pit marks started to appear almost from the first day. After the first winter there were easily 100 "holes" in the paint all over the car. Toyota would not stand behind the defect. They stated it was from road salt and stones, etc. I agree that is what causes the marks but I looked at many others cars with similar driving conditions and none were even close to the condition of mine. The next big problem was with the brakes. A front caliper locked up at about 44K miles. The repair - two front calipers, rotors, pads, labor was almost $900. It would have been much much more at the dealer with OEM parts. So this is Toyota quality?