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:

• 

  Sulfur Smell - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By pauldp79 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Be wary of a sulfuric release inside the car. No one yet knows if this is harmful, but many new 2003 Corolla owners are reporting a "sewage" or "rotten egg" smell that is coming through the ventilation system. This an occur regularly, but there is no definitive pattern. It is beyond annoying.. please search Edmunds corolla message boards for "smell". In these cars, the mileage is also affected by whatever is going on with the engine.

• 

  Solid Begining - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By NEW2CAMRY - November 21 - 2:00 am

  After considering the Honda Accord, and the Nissan Altima, I chose the Camry. Everything about the Camry makes a firm statement of quality. If you want flash and power, go with the Altima. If you want a fun, sporty drive, pick the Accord. If, however, you want a quiet ride,smooth handling, and overall design excellence approaching higher priced luxury models, the Camry is your car.

• 

  Terrible interior, terrible gas mileage - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By mathues - November 21 - 12:29 am

  I bought brand new summer 2000 (as a starving college student). My converter died early and I had terrible gas mileage. My interior has just collapsed. I mean its a cheap car, but really, Toyota cant make an interior headliner that looks nice for at least 5 years?

• 

  Navigation Disaster - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By navdisappointment - November 20 - 9:13 pm

  Purchased my 08 Camry Hybrid in late 07. Previously drove a Honda Pilot with nav. Cannot live without the navigation, would not consider any car without it. The 2008 toyota camry hybrid navigation system is completely useless. There is NO ability to program or reprogram the navigation system unless fully stopped. Old models had overrides, but no more! This dirty secret will soon be well known and poof goes any value for the nav on re-sale, which by the way for me will be within two years. This is a huge problem and not how the majority of these systems work.

• 

  Blown away - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Torosmaduro - November 20 - 8:13 pm

  I could write on and on about how much we like our car. In an effort to be brief Ill offer the items that could be improved. The A/C system is underpowered, It takes 15min to get a chill on during bright summers day. Next Ive never been able to put more than 10.5 gallons in the tank (specs put it at 11.9 gallons). The 10.5 was only after we ran out of gas and ran on electric for a half mile. Lastly this car gets blown around in crosswinds. If youre not paying attention you could end up in another lane.

• 

  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 2014 Toyota 4Runner
  By Shell - November 20 - 2:28 pm

  I bought this as my main vehicle and as a backup to our tundra for towing a camper or boat. We camp in the mountains of Wyoming and we were thrilled at how well it towed the camper, and accommodated 2 adults, 2 teenagers and a dog. Handled amazing on the mountain back roads. Great handling in deep snow too. Other than tires, air filters and oil changes Ive had no maintenance issues. ...still has original brakes at 103000 miles. Lots of room in cargo area.....if youre a multiple dog owner its great. Best vehicle Ive ever owned, both stylish and utilitarian.

• 

  My Corolla is great! - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Toyota lover - November 20 - 8:13 am

  I love my Toyota. It looks great and sporty for a Corolla. It is very comfortable to drive and I get 32 miles per gallon on daily commutes and 38 miles per gallon on trips. The only thing that is a little challenging is that it is harder than average to see the rear when backing up, etc. because of rear headrests and the high back design.

• 

  Best SUV ever - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By toyoglide - November 20 - 6:02 am

  Bought the 4runner when it had 70k miles on it. Have done a lot of long distance driving and now have 397k on the suv. Have only done normal maintenance. No valve jobs or other major procedures. Recently replaced igniter, plugs, and fuel injectors and it runs good as ever. Had Michelin LTX tires on it and got 150k miles on one set. This is an amazing vehicle and is built to last. I am sure I can get to 500k miles. Engine is not overly powerful but not a big issue. You can also chew through brake rotors quickly if you are heavy on the brake. Overall I love this suv.

• 

  Good job, Toyota! - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Prius - November 19 - 9:56 pm

  The Prius is a well thought out vehicle which has everything in the most convenient place, plenty of room in front and back and performs wonderfully. I average 50mpg except in winter when it drops to 48mpg with heater use. I would not hesitate to buy the same model again when this one gets long in the tooth. Maybe by then theyll get 100mpg!

• 

  The best economy car I have ever purchased - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Jackson - November 19 - 5:50 pm

  I bought it at Lone Star Toyota. Everyone here has been accommodating with my needs. The car deal was better than expected and I encourage everyone to see the great people at Lone Star Toyota.