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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  2007 Toyota Camry - Gutless Wonder - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CaliforniaCommuter - January 24 - 6:36 pm

  I bought this car for the following reasons, in order of importance: 1) Price (based on features) 2) Safety - front and rear airbags (for the 3 kids) 3) 4-wheel disc brakes 4) Gas Mileage. 5) Reliability (its a Toyota!). The car is gutless, however, and should not be used for passing other cars (I have a 4 cylinder). There have not been any major issues, with the exception of some brake squealing in the beginning, which Toyota fixed. It serves the purpose in which I bought it, and I really do like the roomy interior and the new styling, but there really is no fun factor to it. I still dream of replacing the Camry spot in the driveway with a Corvette.

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  One great little car. - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By jadejaz - January 24 - 12:28 pm

  I bought my 96 Corolla in May of 2012 from a Porsche dealership. It was used with 106k miles on it, and I probably overpaid for it at $4k. I havent put more than 5k miles on it since my purchase, but it has been a great car to me! I never worry about it not starting and it has never had any major problems - all Ive really put into it is routine maintenance. For a car that is nearing twenty years old, its got surprisingly good gas mileage. I get 30 hw and 25 city, give or take. My car is also an automatic, which would explain the mpg being a little lower than that of the standard manual models. Being a college student, its cheap to maintain and perfect for me.

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  Rear Entertainment System issue - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By jkb7 - January 23 - 10:51 pm

  Just bought this vehicle with rear ent. sys and was extremely disappointed to find that Toyota decided to apparently use a new radio this year that is not connected to the rear entertainment system. Audio for movies is available through the included wireless headphones or you have to use an aftermarket solution like a bluetooth connection (not provided) or run a manual cable from one of the headphone jacks of the ent. system to the auxillary jack on the radio which should work in theory. Considering Toyota is still charging a premium price for the Rear Entertainment System, and the dealers are not even aware that the sound is not avbl thru the speakers, I wanted to warn potential buyers.

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  Excellent Family Car! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Shawn - January 23 - 9:30 pm

  Bought the Highlander last year when we discovered we were expecting our 2nd child. We got an optioned out Sport 2WD, mainly because in Southern GA we dont need the 4WD, and could get almost all the features included in the Limited and a sportier suspension for less cost. After one year, I couldnt be happier. The ride is quiet and comfortable with plenty of room, visibility is great, plenty of power, and fuel economy for a midsize SUV is fantastic, we got 26 mpg on a trip to Florida last year. The backup camera is invaluable with pets and small children around (our son is 2). Do not regret this purchase one bit.

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  Power-computer problem - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By CARMEN - January 23 - 6:56 pm

  3/9/2010 check engine light came on and I lost power. Stopped and waited about 5 mins. And started again. After about 15 mins. the same thing happened. Took to dealer, they said that was computer problem they fixed cover under a 80,000 mi guarantee- Toyota corolla ce 2007

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  06 Tacoma Crew Prerunner LB - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Steve - January 23 - 5:06 pm

  I have owned my Tacoma for about 6 weeks and have 3300 miles on it. I shopped all the mid-sizes and bought the right one. I have trailer tow pkg, longbed, side curtain airbags, alloy wheels, and running lights. Controls are friendly, comfort exceptional, handling good. I am a very conservative driver, keep my tires firm, and only can get 18.5-19 mpg hwy. One main reason for buying was mileage and its not there. Long box is a big plus. I wish the truck had auto-on lights like my old Sonoma had, but other than those two items, I love it. It runs well, rides good, and looks great. Despite the mileage disappointment, I still wouldnt trade for anything else Ive seen.

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  Quality Car - Economical Price - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Ryan - January 23 - 3:40 pm

  This is a wonderful car. I traded in my 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the Cash for Clunkers program, before it ran out! I wanted a comfortable car that would get great gas mileage and be very reliable. This car meets and exceeds all of those criterion. From personal experience I know Toyota builds quality vehicles. My grandfather still drives an early model Toyota Tacoma with 300,000 miles. My father has a 2006 Camry with 90,000 miles that drives today just as it did when he bought it new. I look forward to driving this car every day. Drives great and looks really slick. I got it in black and Ive received numerous complements. What I hear most is that it looks like a Lexus.

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  Squinty eyed driver - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Starr Grubb - January 23 - 12:03 pm

  If you are driving where there is sunshine.....surprise! The visers in this car are of NO benefit, they are much too short to block sunlight. When I make a left turn, no way to see side of car or how to navigate a turn. I see the panel at the windshield and the mirror! The console is pushed back so I cannot open it..while I drive...it is a nuisance more than anything. This Camry takes off slowly and most times, it gets past that and jerks as it groans to pick up speed! My 2003 Camry is the reason I wanted another one! But I wished a thousand times I would have gotten a different vehicle! I would love to sale this Camry now! Or if I could turn it back in and get a refund...I would completely satisfied! I can honestly say I hate my new Toyota Camry. 2016. It may have several airbags for safety but the way they are arranged in car is mind boggling and blinds your vision to things outside you should be aware of on the road! Yessirreee.....my eyes are tired from squinting to see how to drive this vehicle and yes I hate the whole package!!

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  Great car! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By UFMike - January 23 - 8:23 am

  Excellent car. I couldnt be happier. Rides great, looks wonderful. I considered several others cars in the same class (Fit, Aveo, Smart, etc.) and the Yaris didnt let me down.

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  Camry 2008 Automatic - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Prasanna - January 23 - 8:03 am

  Camry is a good vehicle to own and drive. It performs well on good roads. I have not had the opportunity to test it on bad roads, so I cant comment. I would rate the vehicle overall 5 or 6 in a 1-10 scale.