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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  Tacoma Double Cab Pre-Runner - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By joeld - August 8 - 2:00 am

  After comparing all of the competition, this is the best truck for the money. Everything about it is smooth and well built. If you like the looks of a 4x4, but the price of the 4x2s, the TRD package is the way to go. The only way to tell that its not a 4x4 is to look under the truck.

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  Bruce Lees Opinion - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By bruce Lee - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Great Vehicle

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  Six Month Experience - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Ron - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Comfortable ride and driving experience. Really a car with SUV capabilites for bad weather and road conditions. Like the high ride with car feel. Would not reccommend for real off-road activites. has very nice cargo capacity for a SUV of its size. I really like the tight feel of the car and Toyota dependability.

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  Warning on Toyota Period - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By d. smith - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This is my 5th Avalon. I have enjoyed the comfort and mileage and I thought quality to this point. This model the 08 was involved in the acceleration recall and computer adjustment. But just this past week the light all of a sudden went totally out! Upon investigation its the classic HID light problem that is so abundant on the Prius. Apparently Toyota is well aware of the problem and the critical safety issues involved if you go to consumer reports, NHTSA, etc you may well be surprised of the cost involved with the HID light problems w/ avalons and most notably the Prius. This is a definite safety issue as the lights will fail with no warning. Very expensive repair stay away from them

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  Satisfied... - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By mozzez - August 8 - 2:00 am

  PROS: This car is a HUGE improvement from the identical model of 2001. Seats are much more comfortable, Im 65" and my head doesnt have to stick through the sunroof. Radio/dash controls easy to access. Interior is stylish. Plenty easy-to-access storage throughout console and armrest. Back seat is comfortable. Low/no road/wind noise. Adequate steering/suspension. Plenty of storage in trunk - packed all but kitchen sink for roadtrip w/ child. Awsome safety features - 4 million airbags. My wife would give a rating of 12 if possible. CONS: Tranny jerks sometimes only when cold - maybe b/c its new? Exhaust pipe hangs down on all Camrys. Why?

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  Still excellent - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By JonJon1223 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE my Camry SE. I do a lot of driving daily, mostly highway. I get 30+ mpg, the ride is comfortable and quiet, the seats are really nice, great stereo with XM radio. Its roomy and fun to drive. Dont believe all the negativity that appears here. Its mostly bogus. Camry is by far still above the Sonata, Accord, and Altima.

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  Thank god for toyota - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By mark150 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  When looking for a small truck very few options existed. I owned a Toyota Tacoma before a few years ago, and checked out Chevy Dodge, Ford, Nissan. Besides hefty price tags, low resale values, bare bones options for $25,000 or less, no other truck compared to Tacoma. I was further surprised at the addition of the 4 cylinder with double cab offered this year. The truck is awesome, decent power, great ride and surprisingly quiet. To me their is no competition out their to compete with the Tacoma.

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  Good Buy - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By john - August 7 - 10:20 pm

  Great gas mileage, over 350 on a tank with a little over half being highway miles. city driving for me is averaging around 32 which is great. Cheap interior, my windows already squeak when they are rolled down. But I would recommend to anyone who solely wanted a high mpg vehicle.

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  They should not have changed it - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By 1mobeau5104 - August 7 - 8:59 pm

  My family has enjoyed the use of a 1998 Corolla that was purchased new. For the past eighteen years and more than 235,00 miles, problem free driving was ours with only routine scheduled maintenance. Two weeks ago we decided to purchase a new Corolla. We test drove the 2017 Corolla. The lack of comfort and the level of road noise in "that cabin", as compared to what we had become accustomed to in our 1998 model was no small matter. The noise especially, was so annoying that we decided to purchase a Camry after giving one a test drive that very same day. I had learned from the sales manager that a lot of owners of our generation Corolla had decided to upgrade to a new Camry instead of repeating their purchase of a new Corolla after test driving the new Corolla. The manager also mentioned that Toyota made certain design changes between the model years that probably contributed to the issues we had with the new Corolla.

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  Excellent Buy - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By gary owens - August 7 - 7:20 pm

  Never owned a Toyota until I bought the 2007 Camry. I have heard about Toyotas from friends about how they were excellent automobiles and one of the best automobiles to own. So when the wife wanted a new car I decided to check out the Toyotas and was hooked.The new Camry design is excellent and I am excited to own my Camry. When I go to buy another auto it will be a Toyota.