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 car - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Scott - July 11 - 3:39 pm

  Not the most exciting drive, but solid, reliable, safe car. 116,000 miles with no issues. Avg 32-33 mpg. Had to replace axle at 124,000 miles. Otherwise no issues

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  Lemon or Bad Luck??? - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By LINDA - July 11 - 2:53 pm

  I purchased this vehicle new in 2001. As much as I would love to say how great this SUV is, it isnt!!! I do however love everything about it except its reliability. Soon after the warranty ran out the engine began to have problems with the check oil light coming on when I checked the oil (which was changed very regularly more often than recommended) it was completely dry on dipstick. Took it to local Toyota dealer to check for "sludge" as far as they could tell none noted hum! Continued to drive and add oil before & after long trips. Not leaking just lots of white smoke. Last week check engine light came on probably need new engine or valve seals? In the shop now. Very disappointed!!

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  excelent - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Ellen Meyerheim - July 11 - 1:04 pm

  Very well maintained.

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  excelent - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Ellen Meyerheim - July 11 - 1:04 pm

  Very well maintained.

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  fuel mileage is terrible, but hey its a truck - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By gadgetosis - July 11 - 12:53 pm

  I owned a tacoma 4wd standard cab and put 50k on it with not a problem one (save a sqeaky clutch pedal). The 4runner is great overall, but 15 mpg seems pretty weak to me. The trip computer doesnt tell the truth either. other than that, the tire pressure sensor, the auto a/c, and steering wheel controls. Its a great truck.

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  Very Trustworthy Car!!! - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Mrs. Taylor - July 11 - 5:36 am

  My car was bought in 2003 while I was college. I still have the car. My husband and I both drive the car. Its not sporty but you can definitely depend on it. The only major repair was to only replace the transmission, but at 185,000 miles I didnt complain. Now at 201,000 miles, it continues to run strong.

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  I love my 2007 Camry Hybrid - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By stevenvillatoro - July 11 - 2:10 am

  I am switching from two cars (a Lexus SC 430 and a Honda Insight) into one car that combines both luxury and economy features. A fully loaded Camry Hybrid has an amazing list of standard features. Now, with 700 miles logged in three weeks, I have to say this car has exceeded every expectation. The Camry is solid, quiet, large, and giving me 39 MPG average with lots of horsepower. The stereo is excellent, love the NAV, Bluetooth, nice leather, and the Smart Key entry/ignition. Other owners Ive met are praising the Camry, too.

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  Plastic trouble - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Brian - July 11 - 1:26 am

  We purchased our Sienna from the dealership, but the dealer drove it first, it was a used car. It was spotless, nice, we thought a step up from our 99 Odyssey. The car has mechanically been OK, we now have just over 50,000 miles. Our biggest problem is with plastic bits. The interior rattles constantly, and has since just after we bought it. The weather stripping broke on one sliding door (wind noise), on the other it actually fell off (hanging like a rope). Even with 100K mile warranty, the dealer considers this "trim" and will not fix. They were quite nasty about it, too, accused us of trying to steal from them, we should be happy to pay.

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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By tom - July 10 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this car 2 weeks ago and it is a great car. Very solid. We have a 2002 camry and it is also a great car. The car was built in Japan and is very well put together. I would recommend this car to anyone. I was looking at an Accord, but this has more room in it and is actually quieter I think on the highway. Great Car!

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  Dont fall for Toyota reputation- its garbage - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Onlybuyinghonda - July 10 - 9:29 pm

  I dont even know where to begin. We are in a time crunch and needed to buy a car and we had always heard that Toyotas were very reliable and dependable. We are loyal Honda owners however we figured wed give a Toyota a chance. We bought a used 2007 RAV4 with clean car fax from a reputable dealer and low miles (72k, which for a nine-year-old car is great). The dealership had changed the oil and done a complete tuneup before selling the car to us, however we had the oil change just 3000 miles later after we bought it and the person changing our oil said he couldnt believe the car was still functioning because there was almost no oil left. This is a consistent problem with Toyotas. We also had issues with the engine making noises and check engine light coming on sporadically. The car would shake and rattle and we had to have the oil changed four times in the less than six months we owned it. The worst part was when the air conditioner died and all of the coolant was leaking out through the front onto the driver and passengers feet!! The car would shake and rattle and we had to have the oil changed four times in the less than six months me owned it. The worst part was when the air conditioner died and all of the coolant was leaking out through the front onto the driver and passenger sides feet! Worst money we ever spent. If youre considering buying a used RAV4, please look into the fact that this year had over 12 recalls alone. There are known issues and the dealerships and Toyota are not good at taking care of these issues. They tried to put a Band-Aid on them and people like me suffer. I shouldnt have needed to buy a new car six months after owning this one. It is such a shame. From now on I am only buying Honda. For those of you thinking about this model please run dont walk. Look for a 2001 or 2002 Honda CRV. Much more reliable or you could get a Honda element which is even larger interior space and much more dependable.