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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  Awesome! - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert LeBlanc - March 29 - 10:07 am

  Went from a 11 year old F-150 super crew to 2017 Tacoma DC Long bed, because I wanted the sporty looking Tacoma, with a functional bed size.

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  More than a Toy - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Susan - March 29 - 8:53 am

  I have thoroughly enjoyed my Prius. I drive about 50 miles total every day to and from work with combined city/highway miles. Currently (Apr. 2005) I am getting 55.4 mpg and loving it. It makes me feel good that my car releases so few pollutants and is still a VERY practical car to own and drive. I would recommend anyone who is looking for a new car to at least consider a Toyota Prius. Its roomy inside, stylish outside and a whole lot of fun to drive! Its dependability is "Totally Toyota".

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  Worth Every Penney - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By dbatten - March 29 - 7:26 am

  Well, Ive owned my Tacoma for almost a year now and its time to review it. I had wanted one for about two years and when I found out they were changing the style for the 05 I went in and bought an 04. Ill let Toyota work the bugs out of the new design before I give it a try. Toyota is good, but not perfect and the 04 is basically the same truck they have been building for 9 years. Theyve had lots of time to get it right. So, what did I get for my money? I got a vehicle that I can take my wife and 3 kids in to get groceries or I can take a few buddies and enough gear to go camping for a week. Its smaller size and high ground clearance allow me to go places where others cant.

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  Some major costs with replacement of headlights - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Nurch - March 28 - 8:23 pm

  Apparently this year Prius had a problem with the headlights, and mine chose to be problematic after the warranty had expired. The dealer was incredibly expensive to replace the first one that failed, I used a body shop for the second and the price was significantly less than half the dealer cost. UPdate, 2016: I am now having to replace the headlights again! This is silly - Ive never had to replace headlights in a car before, and I keep all my cars until they have over 200,000 miles. I will again use a body shop to replace the headlights because the dealer is more than double the cost (and the light the dealer replaced is the one that has burnt out!). I also have had a squirrel or mouse chew through the gas line, and have had mice chew through the wiring harness for the anti-knock device. What do they make these plastics of that they are so attractive to common rodents? Update, 2017: I totaled this car last month when I rear-ended another vehicle at a low enough speed that the airbags did not deploy. I had failed to see the brake lights or turning signal of a car stopped in my lane waiting to make a left hand turn. Good tires, but we were unable to stop in time. We replaced it with a Ford Fusion Hybrid, 2014 which we strongly prefer to the Prius.

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  Happy so far - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By redrobert - March 28 - 5:16 pm

  This is an outstanding car and excellent experience in my first Toyota. My XLE 2007 is both responsive and quick to a fault. The dealer told me I should buy the 4 but I wanted the V6. The V6 was too much power, but with the gas mileage difference of less than 2 MPG. So far so good. I do recommend this car!!

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  Over 200k and still going - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By carissab92 - March 28 - 1:11 pm

  My Corolla is just reaching 244,500 miles and is still going strong. So far, the only thing Ive had to replace is the normal; oil filter, air filter, tires, and brakes. I absolutely love my car and Im glad its lasted this long.. I know the day will come when old Rollo retires, and it will be a sad day indeed.

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  FABULOUS - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Cher - March 28 - 9:56 am

  This car is like driving a luxury car. Styled like the Lexus es 330 ! Priced much LESS! Wow what a BARGAIN! Youll think you are driving a EXPENSIVE LEXUS and people will have to look twice! GREAT CAR TOYOTA!

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  Utility outweighs negatives - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By 2005mo - March 28 - 5:26 am

  Pros: Engine good enough to get up my hills. Peppy enough for city/traffic driving. Great versatility. Reliable/dependable so far. Cons: Fuel economy could be better. Brakes not that good. Interior rattling/workmanship issues. High speed cornering "squeakish". Wimpy horn. Weak stereo. Hard to start (battery) sometimes. Some dead areas/lag on the drive by wire acceleration.

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  Llights on alarm - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By frisbee - March 28 - 4:16 am

  I have 500 miles on this car and am very happy with it. The only problem I have is the warning chime for lights on and key left in ignition. Its virtually inaudible. Brought to the dealer for repair. They told me nothing could be done under warranty but for 180 dollars they could fix it. Left a bad taste

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  Randys Blue X-Runner - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Randy - March 28 - 3:10 am

  I am very impressed with the build quality and the design detail of the Tacoma. It seems that each time I look at the truck I notice more lines in the exterior design. One thing that I can not get over is the amount of attention I get in the Tacoma X-Runner. No matter where I go people come up and ask about the truck.