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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  Extrimly Fun - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By sashach - November 28 - 12:07 am

  We bought 2009 Camry Se about 8 months ago in Autumn and i have to say in the beginning it was a little iffy. The first thing we noticed is rattles in the dash panel, which Toyota told us would cost 900$ to fix. (p.s. i fixed most of the rattles for 10$ by applying a thin strip of spongy material under the dashboard clock). Another thing that was little strange is the whining noise coming from the engine on low rpms, but after asking around i was told its the way engine works and no problems after 10 k km. Other than that it is a gorgeous car, this is my first vehicle and its my baby. One thing to note is if buying, ask if the car has wind kit and nv008-07 upgrade.

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  Great SUV! A Must Buy!! - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Kim - November 27 - 8:56 pm

  Ive had my 2008 Limited Rav 4 for 1 month and I just love it! I went from a 4 Runner to a Rav 4 because I decided that I didnt need as much room for my future purchase of a car. I also wanted a vehicle that had better gas mileage. So far, I get about 22-24 miles/gallon. Thats great compared to my 15-17 in my 4-Runner. I love the way the Rav 4 drives (its smooth and very fast) and I like the amenities (heated seats, bluetooth, tire indicator, temperature view, auto seat up and down control, etc). Moreover, I like the design of the dashboard. Its innovative. I encourage you to buy the Rav 4 Limited. You wont regret it.

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  Boring looks? Try the S - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Zang - November 27 - 4:50 pm

  S type Corolla has a much more interesting look to it, for those who are knocking the "plain" look of the Corolla, the S package doesnt add much in price but adds a body kit and rear spoiler to jazz it up a bit. Yes, its still a Corolla, but its much better looking in the S version. For those griping about performance, its either gas mileage or performance, not both. Face the truth; you and I grabbed this car because its cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, cheap to drive. If it had a monster V8 in it and had tons of performance, we would have bought a Civic; were not happy with 10 mpg. You DO however feel much sportier and more in control of engine horsepower with a stick. Try it.

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  biggest pos ever - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By ryguy6 - November 27 - 3:56 pm

  This has been the worst car I have ever owned I got it with 116k on it and it has nothing but break every few months since I got it power steering g rack and pinion tie rods tires starter the trunk broke fuses 3 batterys not to mention it gets terrible gas mileage my 95 astro got better mileage it has the turn radius of 1 ton dually cummins and sounds like crap the trannys almost blew up and it bounces around past 65 to were I wont go on the freeway with It I drive my 95 civic over it all the time not to mention how it accelerated full throttle at an intersection by its self and almost killed my family toyota needs to take responsibility for there crap cars I wouldnt recommend toyota.

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  All you need to do is change the emblem! - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Stan Tomberg - November 27 - 12:20 pm

  If you remove the Toyota emblems and replaced them with Lexus IDs no one would notice! The steering wheel is identical to my friends Lexus LS. The back seat is larger. It as close to a Lexus LS that I had, than any other car I have been in. The gas mileage is great, especially for a car this size. 33 mpg hiway, 23 in town and on regular gas! I did not buy this car for economy but, for comfort and style. A bargain at the price. Compares favorably with cars costing under $50,000

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  I love my new car - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Alex - November 27 - 10:53 am

  I just bought a new Matrix. So far, I love the car. It drives well and with the larger engine, has great pickup. I am a large person, but with the extra headroom in the vehicle, I dont feel cramped. I think this car will meet and exceed my expectations for an economy vehicle.

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  Very Unhappy - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Upset - November 27 - 7:40 am

  The vehicle has less than 3,500 miles and already needs a new camshaft. Its been in the dealership for 3 weeks and still has not been repaired. They are working on it.Dealership keeps telling me it will be soon.Ive contacted Toyota Motor Company and they have been ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. Once its repaired I will always have concerns about the reliability. I would never recommend buying this vehicle.

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  Handy Inexpensive Reliability - 1997 Toyota Tacoma
  By marko9 - November 27 - 6:16 am

  With 120,000 miles on a truck picked up used with 60,000, it has been a hard- working reliable partner on a mess of major remodel projects over several years. Most reliable vehicle I have had in 32 years, and the one I have worked the hardest (I had to replace one spring due to heavy loads).

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  The best economy 2-door coupe ever.... - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Siddh - November 27 - 5:40 am

  I had first driven a 2002 solara... and immediately fell in love with it. That was when i decided to get a solara as my first car. But in 2004, when i started looking for cars, i did not want to get the Solara, only because of the 2002s looks... this changed as soon as i saw the new 2004 solara.. i went for a test drive and did not waste any time getting it!! Its been almost an year, and it is a great car... no problems at all. All my friends now envy my Solara. Its got great interiors, and a great performance.. specially the V6. I would strongly recommend the Solara.

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  Gadget fun - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By notsomuchgas - November 27 - 2:16 am

  A lot has been written about the fuel efficiency and the futuristic look of the car. But what took me by suprise was the fun of "trying to be fuel efficient" and the computer display (map and energy use). I was a foot to the floor sports car driver that loved the roar of the engine. I thought I was giving up that thrill; only to have it replaced with the video-game-like challenge of trying to achieve the highest MPG score. Strange but its turn practical in to an unexpected fun.