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 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By TPA_FL - July 19 - 10:03 am

  We bought our black Camry CE and we really like it. Its not a sports car and it doesnt drive like one. But is safe and reliable and that is what we were looking for. Plus it looks awesome.

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  I love my new Tundra - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By portac - July 19 - 6:00 am

  Ive had my double cab for about a month now. I really love it. It drives like a car. I especially like the power rear window that rolls down. I get about 16 mpg driving to work, which isnt great. But I didnt buy a truck for the gas mileage.

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  Best of the Compacts!!! - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By wheeler007 - July 19 - 4:14 am

  I recently purchased this car after conducting extensive research on it and test driving several of its competitors including the Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, and Volkswagen Jetta. Despite some nice features and futuristic design elements found on the other models particularly the Hyundai Elantra, I eventually opted for the Corolla S based on its smooth quiet ride, spacious interior, excellent reliability history, attractive exterior, and top-notch safety ratings. After owning the Corolla for a few weeks now, I couldnt be happier with my decision.

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  Great Basic Car - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Pete Chapman - July 18 - 10:20 pm

  Great car. Dont understand the steering problem with some people. At 80 miles per hour on the interstate car runs smoothly, very quiet and stays in line.

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  Best car I have ever owned! - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Glenn - July 18 - 12:53 pm

  Great car no complaints, I live in Tx and we have all kinds of weather. I can trust my Camry in 6" of snow or 3" water and even mud! Back couple months ago we had a bad snow storm that brought about 8" of snow and of course mud after it melted, got the Camry stuck in 4" of mud and after 5 mins she got out by her self! Great transmission and strong V6. I would buy another 97 Camry. I love this car.

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  Great Fun . . . Great Car - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By lmb - July 18 - 11:33 am

  Actually I have a 2001 SLE Convertible, but aside from a few cosmetic alterations the car is identical to the 2002 model. Great car, and a lot of fun to drive. O.K., its not a true "sports" car, more like a cruiser, but it is so much nicer and more reliable than the Sebring. I looked at the BMW, Saab, and Volo convertibles, but opted for the Toyota. Saved 10k+ and have more room for people sitting in the back seat. Plus less time in the shop means fewer headaches.

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  This car is dangerously boring - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Petrolhead - July 18 - 11:20 am

  I bought the Pruis in 2006 for $27000. It only has a few options (Stability control, side airbags, ect.), but the dealer forces you to pay $2000-3000 over MSRP. Since I bought the car Ive had to replace the batteries twice and the interior has fallen apart worse than the 1998 Ford Escort I was replacing. Even the gas mileage hasnt been great, because the batteries dont work properly in cold weather. The worst part however is the driving experience, the Pruis has a serious shortage of power and has no steering feel. I found the brakes very weak and delivered almost no pedal feel. The seats are also very uncomfortable. I find the ride rough and the whole car shudders over all bumps.

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  The best of its class - 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Alex - July 18 - 7:56 am

  Despite the issues we have with our truck, it is the best track in its class as far as exterior design, power and the way it drives - there is no other vehicle that I could compare LC200 to; The issues we had/have are the drive shaft that had to be replaced because it was factory or design defect (even this particular vehicle was built in Japan). Secondly, I already replaced the belt: around 20,000 miles it started making a noise; thirdly every other time I lift this truck to rotate tires (I like to do a simple maintenance myself), after I need to take it to the dealer to recalibrate suspension as it starts lining to the right. Other than that its perfect!

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  Questioning Toyotas Reliability Reputation - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By az29okg - July 18 - 7:27 am

  I purchased the van new and it now has about 106,300 km. This van is now about 4.5 years old and in the last 7 month, Ive had the following problems; (1) air conditioner compress had to be replaced, (2) starter motor failed, (3) Driver power seat failed. Other than these problems, I really enjoyed driving this van.

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  Great car/needs some improvement - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By E. Chiboucas - July 18 - 3:06 am

  I love the look of my Sequoia and how it drives. There wasnt an available year for me to fill in for my car. It is a 2002.