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:

• 

  Mixed bag - I would still buy another one - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By CleanFuelVirginia - April 3 - 11:46 am

  I have had relatively few problems and the trouble with the car is that after 100K the service departments do not care about the car and have thrice given me careless and wrong diagnosis of the troubles I have had with the battery depleting while I am driving. It will simply stop in the middle of a journey. Its worse in city traffic. The other issue to my mind is that the mileage is no great shakes. I get maximum 50 miles per gallon. I remember in the 70s that many cars were small and getting gas mileage that was over 40mpg. So young people- dont be taken in by the hype. Get a smaller car.

• 

  Undenibly the best for me! - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By tony9988 - April 3 - 9:50 am

  Cant hear the outside traffic! Rides like the Continental! Superb command of the road! Power is there, just step on it! The truth is... if you test drive one youll buy one!

• 

  Overall - NOT BAD - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Ronnie - April 3 - 7:26 am

  Ive driven 4 dr sedans all of my life and this was my 1st pick-up. I bought a Snug-Top Tonneau cover for it immediately as I wanted to have a huge trunk. Overall, the truck was well-worth the money.

• 

  car hesitation and drivability - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Ginette - April 3 - 6:00 am

  Great car, very confortable on good roads, while not as great on our poor quality Quebec roads. A/C is fantastic.

• 

  Just traded my Prius - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By John H. - April 2 - 2:26 pm

  Great on gas mileage but I traded it because the traction control is AWFUL! Got stuck in the middle of the road 3 times with no power and twice on my lite slope driveway. Not safe in the MN winters when you lose power if the wheels spin. Had all options and everything worked great. Not comfortable though with manual seats, no power anything and no sunroof.

• 

  Great with a few reservations - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By dennism - April 2 - 9:40 am

  Ive had my RAV4 for about 4 months and I like it a lot. The 4 cyl engine is amazing and the braking is the best Ive ever had in a car. There are a lot of little extras which are nice. I have only two real complaints. The seat, while having a good lumbar support are quite uncomfortable. If you test drive be aware. The mileage is somewhat under the estimated mileage. My mixed city-highway is running between 18-21 mpg. Last, they should have had some heavy duty cover on the back bumper. It can easily get roughed up as you put things in the rear. They offer a little plastic cover, but it does not cover the critical area. This may have been fixed in the 2009 model. Great car-bad seats

• 

  Pretty good car (still) - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By stanley r - April 2 - 3:58 am

  We have had the car for less than 1 month. Initially the dealership did not detail the car properly upon delivery. They made up for it a few days later. We did run into a problem with the Sirius XM. Sirius XM reset the programming 3 times. It did not fix the problem of sound cutting in and out. We will be taking the car to the dealer in a few days to examine the problem. After seven months time...we find that the cars Blue Tooth system is not completely compatible with my wifes phone (a Motorola Droid Maxx II). The Blue Tooth connection is not reinstated each time my wife enters the car. She must do this manually. It is a small thing, but paying for all of this technology and having to hassle between Toyota and Verizon and THEN find that Toyota says "sorry, they are not compatible"....gives me negative vibes. Why not investigate this stuff when you bring the product to market???? And if investigation WAS done, why not advise the customer????

• 

  Great Family Car, Now With More Interior Room - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By johnfixesstuff - April 1 - 8:34 am

  We upgraded from a 2003 to a 2004 Toyota Sienna and there is a BIG difference. The vehicle is like 6" wider and longer and it is so nice. We were not able to put a rear-facing car seat in the second row of captains chairs in our 2003 but the 2004 fits it nicely and my wife and I are both over 6 tall. The stowable rear seat is very nice too. The gas mileage is right around 20 mpg which could be better. It has plenty of power though and the ride is nice.

• 

  Sequoia Review - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By pluto - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Love it; Fun to drive; Comfortable

• 

  Bland, and almost great - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Vinman2u - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Had it since new. Style, compared to the new camry or older Accords is too plain. Engine/Trans doing fine at 87000, but Struts have been making strange noises since 25K, and brakes are always squeaking. Interior plastic is warping, but cloth is fine.