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:

• 

  Better than the Lexus - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By teacher - October 17 - 1:16 am

  We have a Lexus ES-300 and a Camry XLE- V6. The lexus is our second car: the camry is more fun to drive. Long story short-- we can buy whatever car we want and we chose the camry over everything for a daily driver. Now that the new Camry is out, Im tempted to trade up, but ours is still great after three years. Its nice to know that when the time does come to sell it, it wont take me more than a few days to find a buyer.

• 

  Sorely disappointed in the new TAcoma - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tom - October 17 - 1:03 am

  My wife and I were in the market for a new truck to replace an aging and old 3/4 ton Dodge we no longer needed. We test drove a 3rd gen Tacoma at the local dealership, which after a 20 mile trip decided the truck would be a pretty good replacement for us empty nesters. Good mpg, reliability etc.. Totally drank the Kool Aid. We ordered our TRD-OR 4 dr lb and waited 4 months for it to arrive. We took our first trip- a camping trip that took us over the divide to south western Montana. Not a ton of gear- lightly loaded I would say. We were SHOCKED that to climb the grade the tranny dropped to 4the and 3rd gear, and it redlined the entire uphill climb! Our 100 mile trip to the campsite returned a whopping 16mpg. Stock truck, mostly highway and then 10 offroad. My offroad mpg was better then the highway. That should have been a sign. Then the tranny starting shifting erratically, up-down, up-down.. It would never hold a gear. Took it to the dealer to perform the TSB update on the tranny- service department at first said "No TSB exists". I had to do an internet search and show it to them. TSB flash fixed it for about 500 miles, then it reverted back to erratic shifting. Also- dealer said mpgs "Will get better after 2,000 miles or so".. Third problem- the hood support braces are glued to the hood. 75% of the glue points failed, and my truck had a wavy hood at highway speed. If the sun glint was just right, it was like having a disco ball in the cab. Very annoying. Fourth problem- after 6 months and 14,000 miles the truck differential started howling and moaning. At this point the avg MPG was 16 (yes- 16), even after a long highway trip from Montana to Ohio. The dealer refused to address the hood- they said "Normal Characteristic of the truck", my tranny still shifted erratically and the car was unsuited for long distance travel. We had it. We drove over to the Chevy dealer, test drove a 1500 Silverado with a 6.2L V8 and 8spd tranny and got a decent trade on the Tacoma. No shifting issues, no wavy hood, no groaning differential and Im getting 19mpg on average. Toyota really duffed this Tacoma. Not worth the hype, the price or the hassle.

• 

  toyota corolla sport great value auto - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Bobalink - October 16 - 7:30 pm

  Car is very dependable, handles good but steering is numb, the sport model has comfortable seating and good smooth ride. Car is responsive and will give 36-37 mpg on hwy with Cruise set at 73-74 mph., get 28-29 mpg. City driving. No problems in the 16 months I have owned the car & driven 10k.

• 

  57.3 MPGs - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By anthony tortorella - October 16 - 3:08 pm

  great car that drives like a dream. roomy and very comfortable. great gas mileage no worries about comparison pricing for gas. Just go almost 600 miles on this tankful and it cost me $20.00 for gas @ $1.85 a gallon in NJ. Mileage above the expected rating. Love the fact that it tells me and rates my driving and how to maintain great gas mileage. held the road in a driving rain storm last night.

• 

  FAST - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By iced - October 16 - 10:00 am

  IT IS FAST IT CAN GO 0-60 IN 4.3

• 

  love it - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By hoppy - October 16 - 10:00 am

  exactly the right design and function for a small town car. Not designed, nor particularly road-comfortable for long trips = over 200 miles.

• 

  A Year with my Avalon - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By troutman - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I traded a 2000 Camry for my Avalon XLS. I injured my back and found I couldnt ride in the Camry for more than 20 minutes without developing severe back pain. I was forced to do something. I shopped around for a month and looked at and drove many cars. The Volvo S60 2.4 was most like the Avalon and I would have purchased one but the dealer expected sticker which I will not pay. Toyota sold me the Avalon at invoice. I am not that pleased with the light steering feel but I am use to performance cars with big power. Im 55 years old and grew up driving muscle cars. Overall the Avalon is exceptional in this age.

• 

  impressed - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By foxstar - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Since I bought this car brand new, I have put 105,000 miles on it. Other than routine maintance, I havent had one single problem with it. Hey, Im even on my original set of brakes.

• 

  2nd Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By luvmycamry - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy driving my 1999 Camry. I think it is very comfortable and have been told by my passengers that they also feel very comfortable. I have frequently driven from Florida to Vermont and back again and have never felt uncomfortable in the drivers seat. I have over 60,000 miles on my car and have not done any work on the Camry other than regular oil changes. I think the look of the Camry is a little boring, but it performs well.

• 

  Car Rating - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Sandra Gums - October 16 - 10:00 am

  The Toyota Camry is a very nice and is a very reliable to drive. The gas consumation is good. I only wish that the interior came standard with more comfortable seats (Lumbar etc.), also when you adjust the seat (manuel) the seats dont rise very far so I have to use a pillow so I can see over the steering wheel. Other than that the car is excellent.