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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  its always been about the environment, not your wallet - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By whcc90069 - November 16 - 1:35 pm

  bought the package 4 not long ago. it took a while to get accustomed to the "park" button, the "gear" selector, and the complicated instrumentation display. the car is fairly quiet, though, i remember riding in a 2nd generation prius which seemed better at taking care of road noise. i drove it from l.a. to phoenix and had no problems accelerating up hills. with the a/c running, i averaged 50.9 mpg throughout the entire 780 mile round trip. the seats are comfortable and theres plenty of legroom for everyone. toyota made the prius because of their (mis)interpretation of calif. air quality standards way back when. the low emissions are great, and, the high MPGs are an added bonus.

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  97 RAV 4 - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By weber - November 16 - 1:43 am

  One less thing to worry about with our daughter away from home at college. The RAV just does not fail. Other than standard brakes/oil/tires, no repairs in 84000 miles. Paint stays rust free, shines with a wax job. Not going to light em up at the raceway, but will always get there.

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  Jerky Camry - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Chuck - November 15 - 9:26 pm

  The tranny bucks and skips at low speeds. The V6 needs a tad more HP. Interior is roomy and comfortable with loads of storage space. Trunk is very adequate. For the money it is a decent car.

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  My Rav4 - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By GOTREALITY2 - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car 1 year and have not had one big problem with it. Im very much pleased with its performance. I will buy another Toyota without hesitation.

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  Absolutely Not a Good Car. - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Gautam Arora - November 15 - 10:00 am

  Please Please dont buy this car LE/XLE/SE V6 especially 5A. It tons of problems (check the forums / reviews) : 1. Very Very Poor Acceleration even a compact car would leave you behind. 2. Bad Fuel ecomomy. 3. Lots of rattles which would never go away.

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  LE V6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Mike Krahn - November 14 - 9:06 am

  Warning: once your car hits around 100K the oil line breaks down and you lose all of your oil which if not noticed in time could result in engine break down. Toyota is aware, but so far no recall notice has been excepted.

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  Incredibly Reliable, Cheap to Own - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By ayersdj - November 14 - 1:30 am

  Bought this from the second owner 6 years ago. 5 speed stick with A/C. Now have 143,000 miles on it. Has never broken down on us. Other than a suspension job at 141,000 and a new a/c compressor at 143,000, never anything but standard maintenance. Northern car, bad winters but no rust. Last week, got 45 mpg on a 300 mile drive, with the a/c on. Not a fast or fancy car, dies on steep hills, not much pep for passing. But a great car if you want something reliable that is cheap to drive and wont leave you waiting for a tow. Id buy it again in a heartbeat.

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  Great Little Car - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By Bert - November 13 - 1:03 am

  Great car! I bought this car used from an individual. I have nearly 100,000 miles, and not a single problem. Comfy, roomy for a tiny package and great on gas!

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  Toyota Tacama Truck/Extra cab - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Ronald Samfeld - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Good Value. Well built. Has served me well. Gas Mileage, so,so. I like the extra cab, reclining seats.

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  Toyota Camry: Luxurious. Boring. - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Chill Will - November 10 - 10:00 am

  The good: stiff chassis, roomy interior, high-quality materials, 60/40 split foldong rear seat, and well- finished trunk. The bad: boring design, wallowy handling, numb steering.