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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  Excellent Budget Purchase - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Phil T - February 20 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking for a high mileage, sporty, reliable commuter, this is the car for you. I went through 3 months of research on the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, and this car. For the money, my needs as a 70 mile commuter a day, Toyota reliability. The decision was easily made. I love the look of the car looks much better than the smiley Mazda or the alien looking Civic. Some notes to those that read other peoples review. The suspension is sport tuned so the steering is a little light at first but with a little break in the steering is more weighted and is easy to drive.

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  Peppy acceleration for 4 cyl - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Best Value Seeker - February 20 - 8:26 am

  Peppy acceleration for 4 cyl, ride is serene (almost no road noise), steering is light & handles curves fine w/little body lean, auto trans shifts abruptly, esp. in city traffic. Too early to tell how reliable new engine and trans are.

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  Worth the Money - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Bryan G. - February 20 - 6:23 am

  Bought this truck new; despite the updated bodystyle, this truck gets looks. Purchased the XSP package, everyone asks me about the 20" tires & rims. I tell them it came with the package. Truck has been extremely reliable, will tow & carry whatever I need it to. Do not drive much (only about 7K per year), the gas mileage is what it is; a consistent 15 mpg around town.

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  Fantastic Car! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By hblatt - February 20 - 4:03 am

  I have been driving my car for over a year now. This car still impresses me every time I drive it. The millage is incredible. I am averaging 36-37 per tank. I often hit 40 mpg on individual trips. If you are looking for a quiet car... This is it. Its smooth and quiet. No shifting. No sudden lurching. The only time you ever hear the engine is under hard acceleration. In fact, the propulsion system is so quiet I installed a backup alarm because pedestrians cant hear this car.

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  Best car I have ever had - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By JBS - February 19 - 1:26 pm

  I drive a lot-about 100 miles a day. This is the best car I have ever had and I have 221,000. I have only replaced tires and brakes. I do change the oil regularly and have replaced the battery once. I love this car and even though I am thinking of getting a new one I will miss this one terribly. The ride is so smooth, it handles extremely well, and I have always felt safe in all kinds of weather.

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  Best car ever - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By huston - February 19 - 12:10 pm

  This car is very dependible and it also is a fun car to drive as well. it has never broken down on me and i never think it will.

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  Wonderful Vehicle - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By BrianB - February 19 - 11:56 am

  After owning many other vehicles and always wanting a 4Runner, I finally got one. I looked at older models over the years and found them to be lacking. Especially in headroom and interior quality. Well, all fixed. Great interior, controls and quality and now headroom. The engine makes good power, very quiet, hands free phone system works very well and the interior is cozy without being cramped. I couldnt be happier.

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  Drive them before buying and not for a few miles - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Ron M. - February 19 - 11:45 am

  I drive a lot of new and used cars. I do swap driving for dealers. The Camry is not a perfect car but for the money you cant or would find it hard to buy something better. I have driven Camry, Hondas, Chevys, Fords, Nissan and Subaru. I find that the driving experience is better in a Camry for the comfort, and reliability amongst other things. The only ride I like as much is the Subaru because of the AWD. When buying a car, my best advice is to find the one you think you like most and then rent is for a few days to verify your choice. You will find many things you like and dislike about cars, but you wont find a superior one to the Camry in an equal price range.

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  The new has worn off :(.........Troubles at 30k - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By gail76 - February 19 - 9:05 am

  Vehicle has many rattles appear after 30k miles or so, transmission is getting a factory replacement as i write this (Toyota says transmission failures are common in our hilly area). Interior seat quality is poor, our leather is looking very worn out already. Had to replace the battery and recharge the A/C as well. We are a couple in our late 50s and always look after our vehicles. Having very mixed emotions about this vehicle and i doubt well keep it past the warranty.

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  rav4 hybrid vs honda crv - 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  By henry - February 19 - 7:45 am

  why would you build a 35 thousand dollar vehicle and put fake leather and only driver side electric seats, drove the Honda and quality wise it far surpassed the Toyota dash looks cheap on the Toyota. its to bad because I would of bought the Toyota but build quality definitely goes to honda