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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  Love it!! - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By tiff1884 - December 27 - 10:06 pm

  I honestly have nothing bad to say about this vehicle. I absolutely LOVE my 4Runner. The fuel economy is great for an SUV (20 MPG in city), it is a very comfortable ride, looks good, handles great, the list goes on. The quality of the vehicle is phenomenal. I have been rear ended in my 4Runner and the car that hit me was totaled while I only had to have the hitch and bumper replaced. Both of my children were in the car and were 100% fine. I have every intention of buying a new one when the mileage on this one gets to be too high. GREAT vehicle!!

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  My Baby - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By BrockLanders - December 27 - 7:50 pm

  Got this car from my parents in high school and now I have it at college with me. Ive been waiting for this car to break so I can get less of a "Mom Car", but the car never has a problem. The only major repair in 9 years has been a strut replacement. Thats it! The interior quality is impeccable, and the ride and cab noise are as good as my dads lexus. Additionally, the spoiler, moon roof, and surprisingly powerful V6 do take a bit of the Mom Car edge off. Ive honestly gotten her up to 130mph, which isnt so much me bragging about being an idiot, but a testament to this cars transcendence above the typical family sedan stereotype. All in all, its a fantastic car worth more than its cost.

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  Matrix XR - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By Brian - December 27 - 12:26 pm

  Car handles pretty well. Also pretty generic looking car with number of issues. 1) My new car dash rattles ( I know, take it to the dealer). 2) 4 speaker stereo is bad, you cant hear it when sitting on back seats. Back seats are very uncomfortable, too. 3) Interior seat covers cheap. 4) Outside paint is very thin and pretty easy to scratch.

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  Great Sienna experience! - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By corey garcia - December 27 - 2:36 am

  This is our second Sienna and we love it. It drives great, and is smooth and quiet. We love the dual power sliding doors.

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  4Runner...Always solid...always dependable - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By mjmotto - December 26 - 1:53 pm

  Great value, rugged, solidly built and low maintenance costs. Solid towing platform. Only issue has been the front transfer case electronics which required replacement (a $1.500 repair) at 115K miles. Resale has consistently been high.

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  Lexus for Less - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Christopher Payne - December 26 - 11:13 am

  I love this car. I am getting 30+ highway and 27 combined. I made sure that I had a Japan built car instead of Kentucky and the quality is great. Toyota Customer Service is not educated and so dont expect answers from them. The XLE is well worth the extra dollars. Stereo is fantastic but the Bluetooth cellphone feature creates an echo unless you use the earphone. Very quiet and smooth but not a sports car.

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  Toyota moving Backwards - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By mespinosa1988 - December 26 - 8:44 am

  After purchasing the car with 39000 miles two weeks later my wire harness in the transmission went out. Took it to the dealer and they didnt cover it under the power train warranty even though they had to pull my whole tranny. That was a 900 dollar repair. After getting it back my transmission feels sluggish, it accerates and deccerates at the wrong times, Overall the Tranny sucks on this vehicle everything else is nice about the car. But i hate that its such a beautiful car except for the tranny and I wonder how much longer its going to last me :( Sad to say for a 2010 toyota camry.

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  LOVE it !! - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By Romer - December 26 - 7:53 am

  I bought my SR5 4WD 4Runner new in 97. 8 years and 88K miles later, only the antenna has stopped working. I have done all of the scheduled maintenance on time and 8 years later, I am averaging 20 MPG. The ride is fair for a truck based SUV. The power is also fair but not enough when I was towing my boat. Would not trade it for any other SUV.

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  Reliability went down fast - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By x2dmax - December 26 - 2:26 am

  For the first 4 years of ownership the Camry seemed to hold up well. On the fifth year, things started to fall apart. The rubberized door handle started to separate from the door switch module. Then the radio went out. Then the car started to smoke when starting up in the morning. This was probably due to the slug problem. The oil was changed regularly at 4000 too. Then the metal clip on the gas door broke, keeping the door from opening. Finally the clearcoat on the hood started to chip off. This after doing regular washing and waxing. What did hold up well was the material on the seats and the had no rattles. But that wasnt enough to keep it for another year.

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  Love it ! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sharon - December 26 - 2:00 am

  I was not sure at first about trading my 01 Honda Accord but have been more than satisfied with the performance, looks, and comfort. I love the interior lighting... very retro. Ride is much smoother than the Honda.