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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  Nice but beware - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By cicero - February 13 - 9:53 am

  Generally nice but would not get DVD or NAV again. NAV system is terrible, hard to use with weak interface and weird quirks, and chooses bad routes (e.g.: business 1 not express 1). NAV and many features cant be adjusted while driving, even by passenger. Wireless headsets dont work well in 3rd row, without headsets answering phone turns off DVD. DVD does not just start movie, you have to pull off the road to change movies. Radio has poor interface in many regards, no way to scan from steering wheel for instance. iPod interface can play audio but not video, so forget downloaded movies.In short, love the car but the electronics get 2 out of 10

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  Great Value - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Jesseusn - February 11 - 10:33 pm

  LE w/moonroof/auto. Does everything well. Good, if sometimes busy ride. Firm seats comfortable for long trips. Headroom fine for my 75" under sunroof. Fairly quiet ride. Good sound system. Roomy trunk. Outstanding economy, 30-35 mpg. Driving postition is a bit odd when hands are at 10 and 2 on wheel. Its fine for the 4 and 8 oclock position the pros recommend. Only gripe is that useful options e.g. alloys, stability, abs, hard to find. Distributors prefer packing the car with pricey junk like paint sealant, stripes, etc.

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  Almost bought a Sonata - 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By tobyone - February 11 - 9:01 pm

  I almost bought a 2011 Sonata after comparing to Accord and Fusion, but the Limited Sonata gas mileage on the car i ordered only got 28MPG highway on the test drive. the computer said 36 mpg. so decided to test drive Camry- and then the hybrid. so very quiet and the idea of higher gas mileage interested both me and my wife. Dealer made me an offer i could not refuse on a 2011 loaded except for Nav. $28,000 before tax and license. included leather, sunroof, spoiler, tinted windows, backup sensors, upgraded sound system and wheels, fog lights love the car so far - first tank was 37MPG- using the calculator method - just filled up 41.2 mpg wife is doing 1/2 driving and she is not a hyper miler

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  Shame On Toyota - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Chris - February 11 - 5:36 pm

  Toyota has just given American car manufacturers a leg up by putting out this inferior car. This car has a serious/dangerous hesitation problem. Unpredictable acceleration including hesitation when pressing on the gas while moving for up to 3 seconds. When making a left turn, feeding onto a highway or giving it gas while moving the car hesitates for up to 3 seconds before moving! It goes nowhere! When it finally gets moving the acceleration is sluggish. Have almost been reaer ended twice because of this defect. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. SHAME ON TOYOTA!

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  What good are safety signals they cant be heard - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Arlene - February 11 - 1:42 pm

  What good are safety signals if they cant be heard above a radio. or even road noise if the windows or moon roof is open. The lane drift would never be heard if a person falls to sleep. I asked about making them louder but was told it was impossible

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  07 FJ Cruiser - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By DAsper - February 11 - 1:10 pm

  This thing feels like a big truck. It feels very solid and well built. There are more traction options than you can shake a stick at on our 6 spd stick 4x4. The seats are waterproof, which is nice because of the floor mat, you can actually hose the truck out. The add on gauge pods in the center are cool too. Its a real pleasure to drive like I said, and plenty of leg room and cargo room if you need it. It has 3 wipers for the front windshield, and a rear wiper, plus household current outlets in the front and back. Also a real parking assist system that beeps when you get close to something. A great CDROM came with it too, way better than reading the owners manual, tons of videos.

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  Good car for long trips, definitely not a race horse! - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By delmarva5 - February 10 - 6:18 pm

  I bought 2011 Camry LE (4 cyl.) with alloy wheels, sunroof, bluetooth, carpeted floor mats for about $24000 with 0% financing in late Oct. 2010. I have about 6000 miles on it and feel confident enough to write a review now. Overall: Comfortable car with good gas mileage, but definitely not for someone who wants a sporty ride or good accleration (ZERO sportiness and accleration). The car struggled while going uphill, however driving on flat roads was very comfortable. Almost noiseless cabin. Easy to use features that seem to have not been upgraded since 2005. Have a buyers remorse of overpaying the price.

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  My 4-runner - 2013 Toyota 4Runner
  By dusmmike - February 10 - 3:06 pm

  Very dependable SUV. Very neat body design. Larger size vehicle then the past 4-runners.

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  Fun and Pratical - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Ran Kizama - February 9 - 11:46 pm

  I traded in my 200WHP Mazdaspeed MX-5 because I was getting out of drifting and needed and fun yet practical daily driver. The Yaris was the best car to fit the bill. Fun to drive, excellent wheel response, and great MPG made the Yaris a prime choice. While it doesnt have quite as many bells and whistles as other cars such as the Nissan Versa or Honda Fit, its not a 5-door station wagon like they are either. This 3-door compact has been nothing but fun since I got it and Ive already began throwing on a variety of TRD Performance goodies that will keep my warranty intact.

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  Im trading mine in for a Volvo! - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By KxVx - February 9 - 5:53 pm

  Overall my V6 SLE has been ok, but not what I expected from a Toyota. The parts are expensive ($200 for an O2 sensor, $250 for a pair of tires, $75 for a set of spark plugs), and the 18-20 MPG that it gets is now killing me at the pump ($60 wont fill the giant tank). The A/C controls are still a hassle to use, even after two years of owning the vehicle. The doors are extremely heavy (not good if you dont lift weights), and require plenty of room to open (not good if you live in a place with tight parking!). The exterior of the car is very attractive, and unfortunately it was that and the Toyota name that sold me this car. I wish Id done some research!