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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  Great SUV minor complaints - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By EdBright - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Great performance, truly tough vehicle. The ride is very smooth, interior comfortable and roomy. Only problems are (1) front ceiling height is low for very tall person (espec with sunroof), (2) Bad sunroof rattle started at 2000 miles (dealer says they tried Toyotas recommended adjustments on six 4runners and it worked on three). Mileage is 17 around town, 20-22 highway with 5-speed auto trans and V8. Cant tell any difference between various octane fuels.

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  Toyota quality? - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Dexter - February 2 - 10:00 am

  This is probably the vehicle with the widest gap between the design concept and the built quality that I ever owned. While the engineering and the design concepts are right on, the rattling and the squeaking make any trip an irritating experience. It appears that the Moon Roof is a major source of rattling.

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  Kills any domestic suv - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Double-----D - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I have put 12,000 miles on this vehicle in 6 months. Not a single problem. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned. The acceleration is great for a vehicle its size, and off-road this thing tackles any type of terrain I take it through.

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  Mileage Lie - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By dwarrior - February 2 - 10:00 am

  First new car. Great for college student, like myself, however, I got ripped off with the price, and the gas mileage is nowhere as good as it claims. Im lucky to get 19 city mpg!

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  i love the car but stuff fell off? - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By phtass - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Good car all around and fun to drive good family car and you can fit a lil more into that car than one might think!

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  xle 3.0 5a - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By mafia1 - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Had a grand marquis,was looking for a comfortable replacement.bought the camry and all is well.We have very very bad roads in quebec so comfort is more important then handling,which is very good by the way.

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  Couldnt Be Happier - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By dginga - February 2 - 5:48 am

  We bought our 2010 Camry at the height of all the Toyota recall hype because we were confident it was nonsense - and it was. We could not be happier with our purchase. We got a great deal, the dealer was a delight, and the car is great. We take a LOT of long car trips and this car is comfortable, gets decent gas mileage (30 mpg), holds a lot of luggage and, most importantly, is reliable! Our previous car was a Volkswagon Passat wagon, and it was in the shop all the time, so reliability was key. Id buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  So far so good! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Trey - February 1 - 2:20 pm

  I owned a 89 Camry during my college days and that car went through some rough patches. I doubt this one would go through the same treatment. It would probably break in half before going through half of the stuff the 89 model went through. The exterior shape is a lot better than the 05-06 models which looked like grandma model. One thing I had noticed when car is still cold is that it shakes and the passenger seat and the dash start to rattle a bit but once warm and car on the move, it seems fine. Overall, no problems with the car.

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  ECHO ECHo ECho Echo - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By ECHO ECHo ECho Echo - February 1 - 1:40 pm

  I really enjoy my Echo! Its a fabulously cute car and all of my college friends love it! I would definitely recommend the Echo to a chic, young person! Its just almost too perfect! Beep! Beep!

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  Great investment!! - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By My BABY! - February 1 - 10:40 am

  I purchased this truck as my 5th Toyota, Ive had 2 4Runners, a rav4, and a camry. Not to include my families trucks. I drove 3 different models of Tacoma before purchasing mine, all different engines. I settled with the 6 speed manual. I love it to death. Ive had it for six months and have nearly 7000 miles on it. I take it on trips often from Augusta, GA to Conway, AR. It does great! It is amazing off road, better than all the other Toyotas Ive driven so far. Handles and climbs great. My dad and uncle went and purchased after me. They have automatics though. They love them.