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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  Sequoia Review - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Chad Gosda - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Very quiet ride and engine; extremely reliable; very spacious, with great usability and versatility on use of the cabin/cargo space; easy to operate; respectable gas mileage, better than peers; for such a powerful V-8, nice look. Do know that this is a large, full-size vehicle, tougher to manuever and drive for those inexperienced.

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  Reliable corolla - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By bcalvin - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 2003 corolla S when it first came out. I have had 0 trouble with the car and love it. Gets great gas milage and you can even get a supercharger for the 03-04 model. I have drove it from california to new mexico back and forth 2 times and ran into 0 issues. The only minor problem i had was orange peal on the side of the body and the alloy wheels would started to rust.

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  Wow, where to start... - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By stayhomemom94 - December 28 - 12:23 am

  Got new, little over 110k now. On 5th set of tires. Cant keep pressure consistent. Front left tire 1st to be replaced. Radio knobs broke in half. Driver window off track. Need new starter now and front right making awful noise (maybe cv joint needs replacement?). Automatic door sticks and now hardly working. Dash lights barely visible. Had wreck and when dealership repaired, broke piece that held passenger window mechanism into door. Never fixed. Corners of luggage rack have come unglued. Dealer never told us of major saving coupons in middle of manual or we had liquid weatherproof for paint. Tire pressure light on most of time as it wont stay aligned and balanced.

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  Much better design then Echo - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By N9QGS - December 27 - 12:23 pm

  After looking at the Echo and the option packages, Im very pleased to say that I really like what the Yaris has brought, nice package options, safety curtain airbag option, gas mileage better then 36 mpg. and the car has a very nice ride longer wheel base then the echo, quiet interior for the price of the vehicle. Great commuter with toyota reliablility

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  Not impressed - what next? - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Very high maintenanc - December 27 - 7:53 am

  Lift gate window motor went out right after warranty expired, 3 years old, Ive replaced all the interior door handles because they broke off ($100 a pop), constant brake problems, $500 avg price to fix every time the rotors have to be machined and brake pads changed, which is about once a year. Ive spent about $4000 in repairs due to poor build.

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  Good Solid Vehicle - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Trent Family - December 27 - 4:30 am

  This was our familys third Toyota and we are pleased with the brand. We bought the V-8 in order to pull our pontoon boat. It is a good solid vehicle that offers a smooth ride. I especially like the remote rear window. I would have liked a third row seat but didnt like the fold-up configuration. I expected worse than average gas mileage since I owned an SUV before this one. However, I have yet to get even the 15mph listed on the sticker for city driving.

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  30,000 miles later would I buy it again? - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Mark Fritzler - December 26 - 3:20 pm

  Absolutely!! No regrets. A very cool car.

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  2005 Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By M Ward - December 25 - 6:06 pm

  Current gas milage: city 46, highway 51. Surprisingly comfortable. Easy drive and maneuverability. Good interior storage & glove boxes. Too much road noise unless all windows closed. Looking forward to seeing how hybrid evolve. Would buy this vehicle again (even tho is ugly). This is a one or two person car, 3 or 4 OK persons for short trips. Rear visibility poor. Would like more luggage room for long trips. Cruise, light and wiper controls need impovements--awkward to use. *Please note: reliability of vehicle unknown to me now. Will make judgement after longer ownership. Marked survey with a 5 because of unknowns.

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  Family hauler for 13 years, still going strong - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By bond_fanatic18 - December 25 - 9:26 am

  My parents third Camry and our family hauler for 12 years until my dad bought a Honda CR-V last July. Our Camry has been all over Eastern North America including the Maritimes (PEI, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia). I learned how to drive on this car and my mother drove it to work for several years. Never any problems, except a small rattle that started 2 years ago, goes away when the engine warms up. This thing is a tank! It has 144K (about 89,000 American miles I think) and still has tons of life left in it, barely any rust. I drove it to high school and as a high school (university now) student I love it, fantastic first car, will last forever, is a beast in the snow, and reliable as hell.

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  Solid design - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By mrscot - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This is a durable vehicle with plenty of interior space for the average user. It has the famous Toyota reliability, but unfortunately not the efficiency Toyota is also known for. I average 16 mpg, but with a tailwind you can get 20 mpg on the highway. Power is adequate with the V6/5spd, but I would be concerned about any other engine/transmission combination for this vehicle. I purchased it with 93,000 miles and have put another 30,000 on it and the only problem I have had is with the power tailgate window.