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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  Problems, Problems, Problems! - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Brian jackson - January 26 - 3:00 pm

  I own the 2007 Touring model. The transmission bucks and slams into the next gear, I had a wheel bearing go out at 5K miles, the electric mirror adjustment button fell through the dash, tire pressure sensor stays on all the time even though pressure is right and now the sunglasses holder is broken and wont close. Dont buy Avalon 2006 - 2008 year model. Buyer beware.

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  Its been great - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By JDWOITON - January 26 - 10:53 am

  Ive had this truck for 6 years and its held up very well. Ive added a matching color camper shell on it. It well serves my two biggest hobbies, music and camping. I can pack a bunch of equipment in it and keep it secure wherever I go. Its been wrecked twice and the value of the truck was always too high to total it.

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  MATRIX IS BEST CAR IN CLASS - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By halowse - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Only been driving for a month but it seems that Toyota has fixed everything that people complained about in the 03. Guages are bright and look cool, no rattles or squeaks, and the handles awesome. Got the 04 XR AWD because we do a lot of snowboarding in the winter and AWD seemed smart for getting in and out of the resorts. Even without the XRSs more powerful engine the car still seems really zippy, and the handling is incredible.

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  Sequoia - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By Phil007 - January 25 - 4:26 pm

  The Y.A.W. rate sensor went out on my family and I while on a road trip. Very dangerous. This is a recall item. This really put a dent in opinion of Toyota. Fuel economy 12.3 avg. this vehicle will break you if you use it as a daily driver and need to drive more than 100mile per day. The 2wd model is basically a big gas guzzling car with out any capability off the smooth paved road. I got mine cheap at $10,200 and 96k miles and only one owner so I guess I am going to keep it for awhile since it is such a big car and we all can pile in, but as soon as I can I am going to look for an FJ cruiser and not look back at the sequoia.

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  I love my little 2002 Corolla CE - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By teenblac - January 22 - 9:06 pm

  I bought my Corolla in November of 2001 and always maintained very well. Changed the oil & filter at least twice a year, changed the plugs every 2nd year, get the antifreeze flush every 2nd or 3rd year if you lived up North like I do, and so on. Very content for my first new car and OMG, its good on gas, appx. 45 miles/km.

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  What a car!!! - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By badcompany2 - January 21 - 2:41 am

  We bought this car around 2008, for $5200. It had about 220,000km on it at the time. We used it at least 3 times a week, with each trip being over 200km total, we also used it for everyday driving and any trip me made. It now has 435,000km, it has has needed rear suspension work and the A/C does not work but thats are fault, we hardly used it. It now needs a new exhaust and fuel tank. We also did not maintain this car very well. Another thing is this car has very little rust, and I live in Ontario. The car is fairly comfortable and parts are available, not as available as a Chevy Truck, but what do you expect. The mileage is good at 25mph to 35mph depending what your doing. Overall great.

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  Very good family car, smooth driving - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Toyota Driver - January 19 - 8:36 pm

  The van is very roomy, comfy, quiet, smooth. Got 25-26 MPG on highway. 23 MPG combined.

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  Great little car. - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Dennis Holt - January 19 - 2:03 pm

  This car feels solid and rides solid and comfortable. The fuel economy is excellent. I am a 6 ft. 2in. adult and I have taken this car on long trips without feeling the need to stop and rest often. I have a bad back and this car is comfortable to drive. It gives a nice quiet ride.

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  mpg not what it seems - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By DRJ - January 19 - 12:50 pm

  Its very deceptive advertising that the vehicle gets 60 mpg- in the NEast, consistently getting between 42-50 mpg: much poorer in the cold weather!

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  Solara - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By glam1 - January 18 - 6:00 pm

  Still chugging along at 120,000 miles. Reliable; no major repairs needed. Changed battery twice. Needed idle valve control cleaned about 5000 miles ago. Getting only about 20mpg, though.