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:

• 

  Unexpected Surprise - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By desmondo - August 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 01 Toyota LE to primarly use for a work car and good gas mileage. (and too save wear and tear on my gas guzzling Explorer and Windstar Minivan). Wow, I was really surprised on the build quality and comfort, no rattles, excellent gas milage, and good power. Back seat is a little cramped, but if you want alot of space in the back seat by a Camry. This is my first Toyota, and certainly wont be my last. Great car for the money. Dont waste the extra money on a Honda!

• 

  A++ - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Britt_MS - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Great Toyota quality. Always reliable. With only 47,000 miles, only had the brake pads replaced. The interior holds up well. The car has a very smooth ride.

• 

  Great car - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By jwilson778 - August 4 - 2:00 am

  After 18 mos one trip to dealer to fix rear axle seal. Smooth v-6, decent mileage very good storage for the size. 8 year warranty on engine (to address sludge fears). Traded Odyssey LX for this more reasoable sized car but still have the high ride height and got AWD

• 

  Expected Better - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Norlin - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Purchased in Southeast Toyota region. Southeast Toyota leather installation is poor with many wrinkles and little or no padding, recommend getting the factory installed leather. There is a drivetrain vibration feeding into the steering wheel. We drove 3 Highlanders and noticed the vibration to some extent in each.My 1994 Camry with 175,000 miles has less feedback into the steering.There is limited tire selection for the 17" wheels, either the Goodyear Infinity or Michelin LX4. Was forced to take the sunroof since Southeast Toyota delivers with all Limited Highlanders.Very disappointed with this Toyota especially in light of the high cost.

• 

  suggest improvements - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By gmp - August 4 - 2:00 am

  I have only had the vehicle for 2 weeks. I commute between Dallas and Houston. I like the comfortable seats and the great speaker system. Mileage has been about 21MPG on the interstate.

• 

  moneys worth - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By stewart - August 4 - 2:00 am

  went 800 hundred kilometers on one tank average 600 a tank

• 

  Great car, with one huge exception: burns oil - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By Marlene Arnao - August 3 - 11:50 pm

  Need to a add one quart of oil for 175 miles. Burns oil and clogs exhaust system. I was told that this is a problem with models from 2000 to 2003. I replaced the engine, hoping to "fix the problem", but the replacement engine was just the same. I threw away $2,000.00. Very disappointed. The car is great otherwise. Update: Great mechanic fixed the problem!! Im happy with the car now.

• 

  Papa Loves His Prius! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Papa - August 3 - 10:26 pm

  Well, I have had this new 2007 Toyota Prius for exactly one month now and I have driven it 1400 miles. Some would say that isnt long enough to know much about a vehicle. I disagree. This is a very comfortable and quiet car; hence those miles were easy to drive. I am less fatigued than I would be if I drove the same 1400 miles in a Subaru or a Saturn. (I have owned many Subarus and one Saturn.) This car is so much fun to drive! Its the future, but now. I feel like Im driving a car for the second millenium! I love that this car is so well thought out and safe. Toyota hasnt compromised much of anything as far as I can tell - plenty of power on the highway & great fuel economy wherever.

• 

  New to the Corolla Line - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By HV - August 3 - 5:04 pm

  For my age, in the lower 60s, this is a nice conservative looking car. Im new to the Corolla line and for years Ive admired the new look. I bought one. I like everything about this car except for the stock tires. TireRack rated these low rolling resistance stock tires as one of the lowest in ride quality and it feels like it, i.e. some road noise. However when these tires wear out, Im looking to buy some premium low rolling resistance tires that will make everything about this car top notch. As a scientist, Im just looking to go from point A to point B with affordability, reliability and best fuel economy in mind.

• 

  Bullet Proof Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Hamish - August 3 - 4:53 pm

  I drive in the Baltimore, MD beltway traffic and have found myself to be rather relaxed due to the visibility out all the windows, the potent 4 wheel disc brakes, and the beefy 3.5 liter engine. Merging into the flow of traffic is a snap and the ride is quite smooth. I got the 6 disc CD player and the 400+ watt system sounds amazing. The 7 airbags, the traction/braking control option, and the size of the car itself lends to a very confident and safe ride. I would recommend it to anyone with a family (roomy) or single (classy). Way to go Toyota.