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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  Great SUV/CUV - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By ron - November 16 - 9:03 pm

  Great fit and finish on all interior and exterior items. The engine is both quiet and powerful for most any driving style. The ride is very comfortable and the vehicle handles extremely well. Purchased the Toyota vice purchasing a Honda CRV because of its overall value and interior space.

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  Unbeliveably dependable - 2004 Toyota Echo
  By BeatleFan - November 16 - 8:50 pm

  We have over 100,000 miles on our Echo and still have the same spark plugs, coolant, battery, clutch...everything except 2 sets of tires and 1 set of brakes. Never had a minutes trouble out of this car, it still drives as well as the day we boughht it new and the fuel economy is awesome. We will definitely by another Echo in 2 years. YOU CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS CAR!

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  Great truck! - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Rob - November 16 - 6:40 pm

  I was looking for a pickup that handled like a car and comparable gas milage, the Tacoma fits the bill. Pleasantly surprised to find a/c, stereo and cruise all on this trim level (SR5). Rear-end skip takes some getting used to, but otherwise handles well. Highway milage greatly improves with tailgate down (or off).

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  Nice car but doesnt hold up in a crash - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By jaye_037 - November 16 - 1:39 pm

  I loved this car when I bought it- it has a fun, youthful design, great on gas and is fun & zippy to drive. Beware though- this car does not hold up in a crash. I had a head-on collision in 2009 in a Yaris that caused $10,000 damage to the car and bent the frame beyond repair- and the airbags did not deploy. I contacted Toyota about it and got a canned response stating that I wasnt hit hard enough to set off the airbags - but it was sufficient to bend the frame beyond repair and left me with a concussion from hitting my head among other injuries. When I bought a Corolla my insurance rate dropped considerably due to the lower risk of death or severe disability in the event of a collision..

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  Old trusty - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Dixie - November 16 - 10:00 am

  This car has been in the family since it was new. I have had it for the last eight years. Honestly, I neglect the poor thing mechanically. All I really do for it is change the oil. It has had a couple of $600.00+ repairs but is super-reliable even when neglected. Mine is over 160,000 right now and the engine is strong (even though some seals are a bit leaky). Kudos to Toyota for this model!

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  Great vehicle - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By caribouowl - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Bought the LC new in 2000 after owning and being disappointed with the quality of Chevys for years. I did quite a bit of research and everything pointed to the LC for reliability and ruggedness. It has lived up to its reputation. Ive used it for long trips, hauling stuff, going off road in the national forest in northern Minnesota, driving in heavy snow, etc. It is reliable and, after 10 years, runs like new. Have gotten 60K on the Michelin tires.

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  Best affordable car ever - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By EP - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used from Thrifty Rental in 1996, it had about 25,000 miles. Fourteen years later it is above 160,000 miles but runs great. This is a no- hassle, no-worries car. Toyota needs to go back to the mid-90s when it made solid good-lucking cars. No problem with sudden acceleration because these older model use a mechanical accelerator, not a computer-controlled one. And I think the style still looks good.

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  Great car, remember its over a decade old - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By kms1990 - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Great looking car even at 100k+ miles engine is strong for 1.8L 140 hp i4 the interior looks modern and is well designed and built look out for factory exhaust though catalytic converters are a big issue with these cars its all over Internet forums and with that comes O2 sensors as well at $200+ a sensor make sure your intake stays clean or it will start all these problems and it gets nasty easy causing many preventable headaches it also needs premium plugs even the gt not just gts or it will burn through them fast over all though great car not many complaints after I fixed the exhaust issues and cleaned intake no major issues when cat dies it can leave you stuck just use caution when buying

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  Terrible car, do not get! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ruthey - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for a little over a year. I got this car as my first car. I am currently 18, i got this car when i was 17. I was so excited to get a car and my dad told me i had to get this one. It worked ok for the first few months but slowly gone down hill. when the recalls came out, and they replaced the recalled items. that is when the problems had started beside from the air conditioner and heater. it smells like smoke when i turn it on, so i do not use it. it is loud and it takes off from me. i hate this car and i will never buy another Toyota and Toyota doesnt do anything and refuse to. I tried to get it as a lemon but since theyll take it not do anything, it cant go through as 1

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  Nice car with poor reliability - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By rancher8 - November 16 - 10:00 am

  It looks great, very nice to drive, i love all the features, but i will never buy another Toyota. Ours is getting a new transmission installed at the time i write this review- and its backordered, our service guy said its a common failure on awd Venzas. Our A/C quit needing a new compressor unit, right seat heater quit, front brake rotors warped, the nav system often freezes up, and after 32,000 miles this car rattles and is starting to feel old. Its a nice vehicle but i seriously doubt it will hold up well, my old 98 Rav4 felt better than this with 200,000 mi. While loitering around the service department waiting i can say Im not the only one disappointed with my new Toyota!