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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  DRIVES LIKE A OLD JALOPY TRUCK - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Liz - September 7 - 7:51 pm

  Buyers beware of Toyota Camry xse 2016 is dangerous. Dont let the beauty of this car fool you. This car shakes and bounces. The car veres to the left or right depending on the road. Toyota refuses to fix the problem.

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  Big letdown - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By alexsdad2 - September 7 - 3:49 pm

  I had this vehicle for less than a year because of 3 things: 1) The mpg was poor! I do a combination of city and driving. I could only get 20 mpg out of it. 2) The brakes in hard braking situations required me to press the brake all the way to the floor. The reaction of the car was not one of confidence. 3) It was brought to my attention that the safety rating needed to be looked at further. There was something the passengers safety being rated 2 out of 5 (safest) in an accident. I do not remember if there were qualifications on the angles of the crash or speed, etc. All of the above led me to bail on the vehicle. The vehicle was spacious and was attractive.

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  Trixie the Matrix - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By GreenMile - September 7 - 11:30 am

  I replaced my Limited 4 runner with a more gas efficient Matrix. I thought I would hate at first but really it has all the space my 4 runner had and way better milage (33 mpg) on average. I have 25000 miles on it and have had no issues at all. I love driving this on my daily 100 mile roundtrip commute.

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  Corolla experience - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By JAC2488 - September 7 - 8:23 am

  This belongs to my wife which she initially bought unbeknownst to me! My initial reaction was met with derision until my first behind the wheel outing. Very powerful, no hunting of gears with the automatic transmission in OD, no mashing of the gas pedal in passing or accelerating situations even with the air conditioning on while going up a grade. Fits my wife like a glove which is what counts!

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  I like the 4Runner - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By New VDP - September 7 - 4:10 am

  My 4Runner has been a great and reliable car. The RWD has been sufficient to navigate construction sites and occasional soft dirt without a problem. The ride is more comfortable than 90% of the cars that I have ridden in lately. The visibility of the displays and access to switches and buttons is superior. The V-6 is a strong and nimble performer, the car is fast for its segment. I have had only two problems: 1) electrical problems with locks wouldnt allow driver to unlock or lock the rear right door. 2) A/C switch burned out for some reason.

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  First year of Camry computer runs car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Dalia - September 7 - 12:10 am

  This is a dangerous car. This is the first year the computer totally controlled the accelerator and the brakes and they can fail. Toyota should pay to fix all these cars that are still on the road.

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  very good family car - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By kris - September 6 - 10:10 pm

  We own a 2003 Toyota matrix and we never had a problem with it. though Toyotas suffering from the recall media hype, we still consider buying a venza. WE LOVE IT! the interior is very well crafted with all the electronic gadgets in mind. JBL speakers are awesome. we got the panoramic roof and the kids enjoy the view. bluetooth saves us tons from buying different headsets. the backseat is very roomy. the leather seats are spectacular. i just wish we can save on gas.

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  I hope they dont change it - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By goyaris! - September 6 - 5:00 pm

  This zippy little car has totally exceeded my expectations. Its got phenomenal gas mileage- almost as good as my inl-aws hybrid civic, and for half what they paid for it, so really its a better deal. Way bigger inside than it looks, really attractive body style (I especially love the front, it seems to smile at me whenever I walk out to it), and it doesnt feel or sound like a tin can which is often the case which cheap cars. It feels like a much more expensive car. It took me about a day to get used to the center gauges- now I prefer them, and about a week before I realized I could simply shut off the vent in front of the cupholder if it was making my hot drinks cold (duh, I know). Go Yaris!

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  Sienna after 2 years - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By tater_skins - September 6 - 3:02 pm

  After two years the 2012 Sienna is doing its job. There have not been any quality issues and my kids love having their own sliding doors. Here are some things to consider if you are looking at getting this used. 1) This vehicle eats tires. Even rotating every 5k like recommended and itll probably need a new set at 25k. 2) Drivers seat arm rest is way too high, and doesnt even line up with the rest built into the door! So uncomfortable it is not used 3) I infrequently pull a trailer weighing roughly 2500lbs and the V6 is not a strong as Id like. Van is rated for 3500lbs, that would be a stretch with any hills. 4) Gas mileage never lives up to billing. In MN winters it gets 16mpg combined

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  Some good, some bad. - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By rlovall - September 5 - 10:20 pm

  I own two of these cars. One has performed well with no problem and gets 50 mpg or better. The other has had the software glitch causing the car to shut off the gasoline engine, plus it only gets around 43-45 mpg at best. Oh yes, one more thing, if you plan on sitting in this car for more than 45 minutes you will need a seat cushion to sit on as these are the worst seats I have ever had in a car. The car is also hard to keep on the road in any kind of side wind.