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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  Roomy sporty Camry SE - Manual - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By SE 5-MT - February 19 - 9:50 am

  First the car is great for the money. Pep, power, acceleration. The downside is turning not as tight as Accord and fabric tends to catch lint. 3M makes special lint guard for autos/boats which should come with black ones. I love to drive to work still, and the the speaker system is balanced quality, just not highly refined Bose like a Maxima. Burns regular and getting 29 MPG on half highway, half city with agressive driving. Get a 5 speed manual and youll have no regrets.

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  New Taco - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By dstolk - February 19 - 1:53 am

  This model should sell well for Toyota! I bought this truck to replace an aging 95 Montero.

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  Hmmmm - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By Cal - February 18 - 10:23 pm

  Ball joints went out without any warning of indication they were bad. The drivers side suddenly dropped to the ground. The brake routers have not held up very well at all. My 4 wheel drive went out, had to replace a small electrical box by the passengers side floor area. 2 Ignitions coils went bad and the CD player suddenly stopped working. I have had the truck serviced by the dealer every 3 to 5 thousand miles. I called Toyota and they said sorry, and that was it. I think I will go back to Ford!

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  Sienna view - 2012 Toyota Sienna
  By GB - February 18 - 7:04 pm

  Toyota has good reputation for long lasting vehicles.

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  Corolla is great - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Johnnster - February 18 - 12:56 pm

  MPG! MPG! MPG! I am commuting 65 miles one way and need my Corolla to rescue me. I have check MPG yesterday and it was 41.6 MPG (gas tank was less than half full), average driving speed was 65-70 MPH and A/C was on most of the time (speed 1 since it was not very hot). The motor is very quiet and road noise level is very low for a car of this size. This car has exceeded all my expectations!

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  Dont buy it - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Beachbum - February 18 - 11:36 am

  It is extremely difficult to find a comfortable driving position. Blind spots are huge. You get neck strain trying to make sure there are no cars around you. Acceleration is slow and the wind plays with it like a kite. This is a car that is just no fun to drive. I feel very unsafe. It is very little car for much too much money. The controls are very difficult to get to. Dont buy it!!!!!!

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  Best Value In America - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By M Digman - February 18 - 9:53 am

  This is a great car, beautifully equipped with all the creature comforts you can want. As for economy, Im beating the revised EPA MPG estimates by +4MPG in the city (25 vs. the 21 Estimate) and by +3 MPG on the highway, (34 actual vs. the EPA 31 estimate!). Beauty, styling, luxury and great gas mileage... I love this car!

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  As reliable as mom - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By shar - February 18 - 6:13 am

  This corolla was more loyal than my dog, as sure as death and taxes to start up and run like a top. It never once stranded me. I feel stupid selling it, but its getting embarassing to drive. It drinks a quart of oil every 2 weeks for the last year, but adding it is no big deal.

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  Gotta Love It - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jim Thorpe - February 18 - 5:13 am

  Awesome. Living in the Pocono Mtns of PA this truck goes anywhere anytime and its a blast to drive on the winding back roads. Bought it to get me to the trout streams and ski slopes which it does just great. However, Ive driven it to SC repeatedly with no complaints and used it to build a couple brick patios out back. It hauled repeated loads of brick, gravel, and sand like a mule. No complaints about the 24 MPG for a truck either. Quicker out of the hole would be nice, but thats a compromise I knew I was making for the gas mileage when I bought it. I am an outdoorsman and "do it yourselfer" so this vehicle is ideally suited to my lifestyle.

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  Love my truck - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Jolyn - February 18 - 4:40 am

  I have drove my Toyota Tundra for one year. It is the first vechile I have owned that did not have to go back to the dealer for repairs or adjustments. I just have it serviced as directed by the owners manual. It is the first Toyota I have owned but it will not be the last.