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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  SURPRISING POWER - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By JSMUDD - September 30 - 10:00 am

  BOUGHT THIS TRUCK A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH 5000 MILES.I LOOKED AT BUYING A CHEVY SILVERADO BUT THE DESIGN OF THE STEPSIDE CAUGHT MY EYE. UPON DRIVING THE TUNDRA I WAS SURPRISED AT THE POWER IT HAD, ESPECIALLY DURING ACELLERATION. IT IS FUN TO DRIVE. THE GRAY PEARL PAINT IS REALLY NICE! THIS TRUCK HAS MORE GET UP AND GO THAN MY HUSBANDS CHEVY 1500 TRUCK WITH A V 8 5.3 ENGINE.I JUST SOLD MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SO I KNOW THIS WILL HAVE A GREAT RESALE VALUE.REAR SEATS ARE TIGHT BUT I WASNT LOOKING FOR A CREWW CAB. I WISH TOYOTA WOULD PUT A COMPASS,TEMP MIRROR IN THIER TRUCKS BUT IF THATS ALL I FIND FIND TO COMPLAIN ABOUT, I FEEL LUCKY!

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  Great Matrix! - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By jon cartridge - September 30 - 10:00 am

  this is the car for anyone who wants comfort, style, and a reliable car!

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  2004 4 Runner - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rudedog - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Great Auto, Ok Gas mileage Plenty of Power Smooth Ride

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  So Far So Good - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By JJPC - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Just brought our 4Runner home a short while ago but the test drives and initial week or two of driving have been impressive. Went to buy a Mercedes ML430 or similar upscale vehicle but resale values, reliablility ratings, and features for the dollar made the 4Runner the best deal.

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  judis highlander2004 - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By iamjudi - September 30 - 10:00 am

  in the interior i would change the side doors so there is vinyl, not fabic at the top where your arms rest. i am also very dissapointed with my fuel usage.i expected better. also the smog emissions are 1.5 times the average.

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  Not bad but having VSC issues at 100K - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Jim - September 29 - 10:36 pm

  Just turned 100K for 2003 sequoia and pretty good truck. Have had a few recent issues with the VSC light and needed sensor replacements as well as timing belt at 90K for about $1500 but other then that, pretty reliable. I have four kids (two in college) and we use for trips back and forth. I hope to drive and put 250K miles...

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  Camry, great commuter, not much else - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Su lee - September 29 - 7:26 pm

  Great commuter, but not much else. Surprised and disappointed at the blue book value of the car. Lower resale value than our older civic with manual Windows.

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  Love my Tacoma...BUT... - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By tonyd924 - September 29 - 9:23 am

  This is my 3rd Tacoma and I love the ride and the overall build quality BUT the engine noises drive me absolutely crazy! The best description I can give is that the engine sounds like a wind-up toy. The noises seem to be an exhaust leak of some kind (most noticeable during acceleration) along with a loud valve-tapping sound coming from both the top and bottom areas of the engine (most noticeable at idle). I believe the exhaust sound may be a known faulty manifold problem (?) but Im not sure about what seems to be the valve-tapping sounds. If anyone has any input whatsoever to the problem and/or fixes, PLEASE post a reply. Im praying the dealer will be able to find and fix the problems

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  Best vehicle we have had. - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Donna - September 28 - 9:10 pm

  Love the car. Gets us through the snow. Gas mileage is better than we could expect for being called a "truck". Stay with the higher rated Ethanol gas (manual states tested). We have on occasion had to fill up with the regular brands. Expensive!! Had a 1995 Altima before. It got us 100km more on ethanol. This vehicle gets us 100kms more than the Altima on a fill-up. (Both same size of tank.) Averaged 32 mpg on a trip that had freeway and city driving. Original tires were 17 inch all seasons. Very stiff ride. Felt all the bumps in the road. When needing snow tires, we called around and found out you could put on 16 inch tires. Saved us a lot of money, and, have a smoother ride.

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  Only one thing going for it, really - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By ruby3zdy - September 28 - 8:45 pm

  Ive driven Honda Accords since 1990. I bought this 2011 Camry LXE used at 36,000 miles. The Camrys drivers seat is hard (compared to the Honda). I had to get a chair pillow for it. The display is hard to read unless youre 16 yrs old & dont wear glasses. The left wide mirror is in a bad place, blocks view of traffic on the left. The NAV/rearview camera/radio unit, which the dealer installed, is practically unusable. The sound quality is inferior.