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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  Disappointed with throttle response - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By dbb - December 1 - 6:56 am

  I bought my Camry in January 2007. It now has 4200 miles. I like everything about it except low speed throttle response. From dead stop and cruising above 40 mph it is ok, but slowing down to 10-20 mph and needing sudden burst of acceleration to merge into hole in traffic, nothing happens for what seems like seconds when I put gas pedal down to floor. I become a traffic hazard. My wifes 1999 Toyota Sienna has always had consistant and powerful throttle response at any speed and situation, I want the same in this new car.

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  Excellent family TAXI - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By Carlos-Puerto Rico - November 30 - 7:06 pm

  My Family TAXI. She came in to the family at the same time as my twins... she has held up with the mistreatment of the baby years, the toddler years of abuse going on to the abuse of two little 6 year energizer bunnies that use the van as their alternate toy chest, sleeping bed, fighting ring, fast food table, after the beach resting area, camping house, immagenary treasure hunt cave, space ship and who knows what else... but she keep on running and keeping my two precious gems and my Queen safe and my pockets free of mechanics hand picking. She just askes for regular maintenance and thats it.. exception, a small Power Steering oil leak that I will attend to asap.. plan to have her for at 15 ys

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  Split radius steering - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Rack - November 30 - 5:06 pm

  I can say nothing bad about the reliability and power of this vehicle. It is well designed for future maintenance. I dislike the steering on this vehicle so much that at under 11000 miles I desperately want to get rid of it! The steering radius decreases disproportionate to steering wheel movement. For example, 1/4 turn of the steering wheel might get you "x" degrees of turning. Move the steering wheel another 1/16 of a rotation and the amount the front wheels turn seem to double. The steering wheel is also excessively stiff. This renders a crude and unpredictable feel to exit/entrance ramps and makes backing a trailer inconvenient.

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  Ignore the snobby critics - 2015 Toyota Prius c
  By Justin M. Chase - November 30 - 5:05 pm

  To be honest, since this is a hybrid car and its main purpose is to get you from point A to Point B while cheap on gas, I am totally pleased with this car. I got even better mpg than the claims. Acceleration is not neck breaking however it isnt slow like critics claim. If you mash the gas it will scoot so Im not sure why anyone would buy a Prius to race it. This car is very nice and I know that whoever chooses this car will love it like I do. I am convinced that the magazine and internet critics that rag on this car probably drive Mercedes to work and I cant help but feel as if they are biased in their opinions toward this car. They gave a good review of the Ford Focus and when I drove the Focus SE, the transmission kept slipping from 1st to 2nd during the test drive (it was a new car). Anyways, if you like the idea of a hybrid and want to save money on your gasoline, this car is the smart choice. Like I already mentioned, I love this car.

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  Ignore the snobby critics - 2015 Toyota Prius c
  By Justin M. Chase - November 30 - 5:05 pm

  To be honest, since this is a hybrid car and its main purpose is to get you from point A to Point B while cheap on gas, I am totally pleased with this car. I got even better mpg than the claims. Acceleration is not neck breaking however it isnt slow like critics claim. If you mash the gas it will scoot so Im not sure why anyone would buy a Prius to race it. This car is very nice and I know that whoever chooses this car will love it like I do. I am convinced that the magazine and internet critics that rag on this car probably drive Mercedes to work and I cant help but feel as if they are biased in their opinions toward this car. They gave a good review of the Ford Focus and when I drove the Focus SE, the transmission kept slipping from 1st to 2nd during the test drive (it was a new car). Anyways, if you like the idea of a hybrid and want to save money on your gasoline, this car is the smart choice. Like I already mentioned, I love this car.

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  no cash - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By wasted money - November 30 - 2:50 pm

  This was a great vehicle when purchased. We average about 11000 miles per year. At the end of last summer the air conditioner went out at the tune of $2500! No recall just a service bulletin. Yeh ok - No help either from the dealership. Now the suspension is wearing out at the tune of $500- after 52,000 miles. This is a daily driver truck driven by my wife. Buyer beware. For a $45000 plus vehicle when new and make sure you figure in your maintenance costs. Or make sure you buy that extended warranty (that I usually dont believe in) I thought Toyota meant quality.

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  Prius 3 - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Amy - November 30 - 1:53 pm

  Just bought a 2010 Prius 3. My husband had really been wanting it so finally pulled the trigger. Has a nice ride but the acceleration is awful unless you put it in power mode. I dont feel comfortable merging or going uphill. Great gas MPG of course but other than that nothing special.

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  Beautiful Car - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By flybye - November 30 - 12:20 pm

  I bought this car about a month ago I absolutely love it. It is so much fun to drive, and it looks great. So far I have not had any problems and everything has been easy to use. Im still getting used to the dual transmission, but I found that if I drive in manual I get slightly better gas mileage.

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  2012 Toyota Camry Highway Perfection - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By smokeymaxwell - November 30 - 3:32 am

  I leased my 2012 Camry because I drive over 20k miles per year all highway. It has the base 4cyl engine and what a sweet thing it is! Easily does 34 MPG on the highway while traveling a brisk 78 to 85 MPH. No weird noises, no hesitations. Transmission and engine are quick to respond and are plenty fast. The driving dynamics on curvy roads is not so good. Car tends to push, which is normal for this segment. I didnt buy it to carve beautiful back roads in. I bought is because Im 63" and need something comfortable, reliable and efficient with gas. Job well done... This Camry is perfect at those things. Love the Bluetooth - its the best system yet. Crystal clear on both ends.

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  Excellent Commuter Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By keegm480 - November 29 - 11:27 pm

  I have owned my fair share of cars, and this is definitely my favorite to drive to work in every day. No, its not exciting to drive, but it is very comfortable and has plenty of power for the average person. I have had zero issues with this car, just routine maintenance. Has a very good stock audio system in the car, I cant see myself selling this any time soon! I drive a lot of long trips, this car just eats away the miles!