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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  This is a tank - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By Luka - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this 4 Runner wreaked in the front left end and rebuilt it. It took a lick and fixed up real good. Solid car. Not a tire spinner, but good all round reliability. Nothing more than general maintenance on the car with no repercussions of the previous wreak. Change the oil and go.

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  Great H.S or College Car - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By TG - November 30 - 2:00 am

  This car has given me only one worry and that was a fault starter after I owned the car for 5 years. Great car to have in college you just have to add gas and change the oil!!

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  Not Bad - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By NOS2006 - November 30 - 2:00 am

  hey everyone. my mom has this car in an automatic and im always complaining because it is too slow and not sporty enough but overall this car is pretty fun to drive. i have a lead foot all the time and love racing other people even though i usually loose, but i have one a few as well. this car sounds alright at high rpm. great family car and everyday driver. stereo wasnt bad untill i blew out 1 of our rear speakers. nice handling and overall good car.

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  Not Bad - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By nos2006 - November 30 - 2:00 am

  hey everyone. my mom has this car in an automatic and im always complaining because it is too slow and not sporty enough but overall this car is pretty fun to drive. i have a lead foot all the time and love racing other people even though i usually loose, but i have one a few as well. this car sounds alright at high rpm. great family car and everyday driver. stereo wasnt bad untill i blew out 1 of our rear speakers. nice handling and overall good car.

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  This vehicle could be better built. - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By C Foltz - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for a little over a month now. On 2 seperate occasions I had to put the vehicle into the body shop to repair the doors due to dents received from vehicles parking next to me. Its probably due to the vehicle being so low to the ground. The body side moldings do not protect the vehicle. What the vehicle needs is dent resistant panels on the doors like the saturn vehicle has. ( I did not know this until afterI bought this vehicle. I am sorry I did not buy a saturn ).

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  I will sorely miss this car! - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Judy - November 28 - 3:53 pm

  I bought this vehicle new in 1997 and never regretted a day of driving it. Sporty little number that always turned heads - Ive had several people want to buy it but of course I turned them down. I kept it maintained but in the end (July 2008), I didnt pay attention to oil leakage and the engine died. I went to several auto mechanics (personal friends) and was willing to pay $2500 to get another engine but decided after driving it for eleven years that I didnt want to take the chance (on expert advice) that another engine could fail in six months. Annoys me that had I paid attention, I could still be driving it another five years!

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  Great gas - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By k-man - November 28 - 2:30 pm

  I traded in my Toyota Tacoma because of the gas prices & because I drive 80 miles a day. Im getting 35 miles to the gallon highway. Its unbelievable. Of course I had slowed my driving down to 65 to 70 miles & hour & filled my tires to 35 lbs. But to get a pretty good looking car w/ 1.8L engine & fun to drive @ the same time get good gas mileage, what else can you say. Nothing.

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  Decent Car For The Price. - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By aaaaa - November 28 - 10:00 am

  A pretty good car, I got it for under invoice so I dont really have much to complain about. Toyotas have a great record for reliability but Im disappointed with the build quality. Gaps are already starting to appear in the plastics surrounding my audio console and dash. There is a rattle in the steering column. Dashboard controls (HVAC, Audio, etc) feel cheap, the plastic feels weak compared with the older toyotas. Trunk lid feels cheap and flimsy but doors have a nice solid feel to them. Stock tires (Goodyear Integrity All- Season) are terrible, can easily lose traction when accelerating and tend to squeal when taking corners a little fast.

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  Very Good, But Not Great, SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Mitch45 - November 27 - 8:16 am

  I bought an 08 Highlander Sport with AWD in August of 07. Its a weekend car for me, so it has just 2500 miles on it. So far, its been a very good vehicle, solidly built and reliable, just like every Toyota Ive owned previously. But I have a few little complaints. First, the acceleration is not what Id expect from a 270-hp engine, even given the vehicles weight. Second, the transmission makes me crazy. From a rolling start, the transmission doesnt upshift quickly enough from first to second, resulting in an awkward "pull." Third, the "low tire pressure" warning light is much too sensitive, going on when the tires are just a pound or two low on air pressure.

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  Lexus-light... - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By nek_md - November 27 - 3:27 am

  Resembles a 2008 Lexus RX with fewer features and a reasonable price tag. Traded an 08 Outback for the Venza because of the need for more rear-seat room. The Venzas 4-cylinder engine is adequate but works hard on steep grades. The 6-AT is buttery smooth, which makes the engine tolerable. Quiet ride. Strong brakes. Solid feel. Build quality is above par, although the molding of a few dash panes could be better. Also, odd metallic sound from under the car is heard when the rear doors are closed. Comfortable, supportive seats. LOTS of passenger space. Clear gauges and instrumentation. Poor snow traction with OEM tires. Overall well-appointed base model. few interior dash panels