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:

• 

  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By MemphisCar - July 7 - 10:00 am

  Picked up my New Camry and it drives so well. Looks good - They had 3K off 2004 but the 2005 looked better so I went for it. Daughter owned a 89 Camry that is still on the road! One reason I went wiht Camry. Dealership was fair and the salesman Mr. Duckworth made things fast and easy. Drove it off the lot with 7 miles on it.

• 

  Happy Campers - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Cupid - July 7 - 6:03 am

  We have only had our Highlander for 7 months but we could not be happier. No problems with performance or engine quality and we changed from V6 minivan to 4 cylinders. Only complaints were with internal finish. We had to have some minor adjustments done to roof molding etc.

• 

  Great car - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By enginemedic21 - July 7 - 5:53 am

  We purchased this vehicle to replace my wifes problem infested 2003 Maxima. So far after 5000 miles weve really enjoyed the Camry.Its very smooth,great on gas(were averaging 30 mpg mixed driving), and the Entune system is very easy to use and impressive.We did drive an Altima and Accord before purchasing this vehicle and found the Camry to be the sportiest and come with the most options for a better price than the other two. The standard Toyota Care that comes with the vehicle complimentary make it an even better deal. My wife locked her keys in her car and a rep was able to come out within the hour to unlock her vehicle for her. She also has complimentary roadside assistance!

• 

  77 Yrs old, owned many cars, but - - - - - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Darrell - July 7 - 3:00 am

  This Prius is THE winner. Exceptional engineering, that works. A lot of thought put into the way a person uses a car, especially from the womans point of view. Quiet. Convenient. Very good accleration and speed. Mileage: 7months 7500miles 47.8MPG over all. 60 mpg on LEVEL terrain @ 35 to 50 mph on a 20 mile stretch. It can do it. 1700 mile round trip across Nebraska, over the Rocky Mountains, over two mtn passes at 10,000 ft,and across colorado at posted highway speeds, 46MPG. A good interstate highway automobile. This may be only me at my age but I find that I have markedly less eye fatigue with the Discharge Headlights. So far the best vehicle I have ever owned, over the last sixty years.

• 

  New 06 Camry LE - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By TD - July 7 - 12:20 am

  After years of owning mini-vans and hauling tons of kids around, it was time for a sedan once again. Went shopping for a decent used car and ended up at a Toyota dealer and saw a silver 06 LE Special Edition with the body kit and BBS wheels. I always thought the Camry was a boring old lady car but this package changed the whole looks. My wife said it looked as good as a BMW. The car was a dealer demo and had only 7k miles, so they put up some hefty discounts. Came away with a $26K ride for a shade less than $20K.

• 

  Grrrrreat Car !!! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Daniel - July 6 - 4:00 pm

  In the cons section, this web site states the Corolla is a bit pricey... I dont think so if you consider that this is not your typical entry level car. This Corolla doesnt need audio upgrades (I got the one with six speakers), air conditioning is powerful, SUPER reliable, gas mileage is wonderful, and it doesnt get stolen as often as the Hondas. Ah, and did I mention it is actually powerful? And do not just look at raw numbers. If you want to compare fairly, divide the HPs by the weight of the car, and you get a Corolla that has very decent oomph. Now, if the price for all that is an extra grand, so be it. It will truly make you forget about car problems... And you will feel smarter.

• 

  efficiency compromised by style - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Timothy Trelease - July 6 - 3:40 pm

  The only vehicles I have ever owned have been long-lasting Toyota pick up trucks. After owning the Tundra, I am ready to switch makes, which I never thought I would do. This vehicle guzzles gas, makes too much noise, and never seems able to find the right gear. I am willing to give up some comfort to get more efficiency.

• 

  Overrated as usual - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By jdowmiller - July 6 - 12:50 pm

  Purchased this car after a teenager totalled an otherwise perfect Nissan. Bought it based on the endless positive reviews here and elsewhere. I wasnt expecting much more than a safe commuter but it hasnt even lived up to that modest task. I have the usual problems: steering rack is broken - this is totally unacceptable, especially for a "high-quality" car; strut mounts rattle; rotors needed replaced and now brake pads squeal (regardless of brand or amount of adjustment). My belief is that Toyotas reputation for quality is based solely on their indestructible cars of the 80s and very early 90s. This generation of Camry is simpy an average car overall.

• 

  I Love This SUV - 2008 Toyota 4Runner
  By Old Coot - July 6 - 12:20 pm

  I test drove many SUVs until I got into this 4runner. Right away I could sense that this vehicle was a step up to another level. Its definitely in another league from the all wheel drives and cross overs. It drove like a luxury car and I and my wife were hooked. We love this truck. Cant wait to go out into the desert 4 wheeling and exploring.

• 

  The War Horse That Would Never Die - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Spencer - July 6 - 12:06 pm

  My wife got this car new before we met in 1999. It had 18k on it when I came along. Now its less than 500 miles from 400k. It has been the epitome of reliable. Its had some replacement items (front struts, some axle work and transmission at 370k), but that is to be expected for a car that has been driven the distance of earth to the moon...plus another 161k on the surface of the moon! The only design flaw are the plastic door handles which over time simply break off. My brother-in-law owns car dealerships and actually sold my wife this unit but even he said theres no way to retrofit a metal handle on the doors. So I just get tie wraps and loop them through to allow easy entry to the car. Weird? Sure, but I dont care. No car payments is a good kind of "weird" so Im driving this sucker til the wheels fall off. Even then Ill just throw some spares on and go another 400k! This is to update my original report shown above. 13,000 miles later and shes still running. As noted above my Camry shows her age (original gray exterior paint has some degree of fading in spots but this is 20 year old paint, so that should come as no surprise. Overall, I couldnt be happier to drive this highly durable vehicle and hope I can still say this a few years from now.