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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  Small Car, Great Value - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Kim Mason - April 13 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive and is small. For my husband and I it is perfect. Its got a lot of get up and go capacity.

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  2004 Toyota Camry Solara - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By FORBON32 - April 13 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a black Solara SLE V6 Coupe a few weeks ago. Took it to the dealership today to check and fix the alignment. It seemed to pull to the left pretty bad. Just got home and test drove it.....it seems completely fixed. Other than that problem, upon purchasing the vehicle, there were some chips and blemishes in the paint(Of course with black you can see everything). Am planning on taking it back to the dealership to have it fixed. Other than that I simply love driving my Solara and the inside and stereo system is awesome!!!!!!!!

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  great truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By kingdmn - April 13 - 10:00 am

  i put ladder racks on my truck and use it every day for my construction business

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  For the young or the young in spirit - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Ms Ann - April 13 - 10:00 am

  I am so very pleased with this car. This is my third Toyota and the most fun to drive of all. I love the stereo and the deep gray interior. The gas mileage is wonderful. This car has pep. I love to drive in the fast lane. Even though Im a grandma, I feel young and free driving my corolla s.

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  Good affordable new car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Pritesh - April 13 - 10:00 am

  Very Fun to Drive.COuld come to comparison with honda civic though the latter one is expensive

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  This is a Toyota? - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By m0000 - April 13 - 1:10 am

  Serious drivetrain problems the dealer says are a "characteristic, not a defect". Brand new car came with the wrong ECU (car computer). Warranty repair was limited to installing a used/remanufactured computer. Major exhaust leak under heavy throttle uphills. Toyota calls this "exhaust sulfur smell problem". Front wheels will not or cannot retain an alignment. Eats up tires. stiff ride. Trac control lights all come on - already fixed once. What next? Please dont make me deal with a toyota dealership anymore...

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  Tacoma issues - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By tacoma10 - April 13 - 12:29 am

  This is the six Toyota I have owned......probably the last. Toyota dealerships/service has always been the weak point in my experience with Toyota. I am currently driving a 2010 Tacoma double cab. Nice truck, but has a couple issues. Number one is the transmission; it always seems to be "searching" for the right "gear", not a big deal, just slightly annoying. It has done it now for almost 15,000 miles. Second issue is the AC/heater blower motor. It has been making a ticking sound for months. I took it to the dealer in December. They told me the motor is bad and it had been recalled. A replacement was ordered, but as yet has not arrived at dealer. I have given up talking to dealer.

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  Camry still a great car - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By camryfan105 - April 12 - 10:43 pm

  I have had this car for about a month or so, love the ride and the comfort it offers, the stereo, mp3 jack and all of that are great, the transmission is a little jumpy, and the car shudders around 40-50mph. All things considered a great car overall, the car floats down the road at 60mph, have to watch my speed sometimes. I have put about 4,000 miles on it in the short time due to long distance driving and its been great, 27mpg city and 31-32mpg highway fuel economy, cant beat that. Camrys have been in my family for years and are always great this one is no exception. My first Camry that I have owned by myself, and I love it.

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  2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Happy driver - April 12 - 4:43 pm

  After reading all the web reports on the hybrids, we test drove each and bought the Camry Hybrid this February. It is so quiet that you can listen to classical music and hear it as you would in your living room. Our fuel economy has varied from 36.8 mpg in the bitter cold and covered with snow to 43.6 mpg last week on a 900+ mile trip. Daily avg. 40-41 mpg.

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  Excellent Car - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By neumeyer8 - April 12 - 4:30 pm

  This is a wonderful car. The only repairs I have had to make are the normal wear and tear for a car with 147,000 miles. My next car will be another Toyota Camry.