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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  Awesome car, if you like rattles - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By waterweb1 - January 7 - 2:19 am

  I love my Prius for many reasons, The back seat has a ton of room, I get between 40 -46 MPG depdning on weather and it is a really fun car to drive in. I call it my "space ship car". The downside is the rattles! I know it is not a luxury car but i think that Toyota can do a much better job preventing these rattles. I am not sure I would have bought this car if I had known about this issue. It does NOT get 48 mpg either. It gets about 40 in wet and up to 46 in dry weather. That is city/mixed driving in rush hour traffic. I think the dash board lay out can use some improvement as well. After driving for a couple of years, I still find myself searching for buttons

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  Well designed and built, but underpowered - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dave in Arkansas - January 6 - 12:51 pm

  Truck is solidly built. No rattles or squeaks, good audio, comfortable and quiet at highway speeds. However, the engine lacks low- end torque and this issue is exacerbated by very poor software mapping for the transmission. In an apparent effort to improve mileage, the transmission shifts quickly to keep the RPMs low as a result, the engine is always out of its powerband, making it feel even more sluggish. You can overcome this annoyance to some degree by putting it in Sport mode, or selecting the ECT mode. But you shouldnt have to do this. It drives like a slug unless youre very aggressive on the throttle. At highway speeds, the transmission is always hunting for the right gear. The engine is very noisy at all speeds. This is apparently normal and is due to its injectors and Atkinson Cycle function. It sounds like a diesel with 500k miles on it. Very annoying and disappointing for a truck this expensive.

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  Vibration - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Volker - January 6 - 5:53 am

  This SUV has been in the dealership 5 times for excessive vibration and rear end clunking and not been fixed yet. Ive even had the Toyota technical rep look at it. The clunking in the rear end is a known defect in the SUV which according to the technical rep Toyota is not going to fix. If you get it youll just have to live with it. We thought the vibration was fixed with a new set of tires but that ultimatly did not fix the problem. Toyota quality is not what its advertised to be. Id recommend looking at another companies product before buying one of these.

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  Former Nissan Fan - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By allriedge - January 6 - 5:13 am

  Traded in my 1999 for a 2002 Camry. I initially had my heart set on a 2002 Nissan Altima until I test drove a 2002 Toyota Camry SE V6. The newly designed exterior of the Altima is sharp. Altimas drawback: noisy ride. The Camrys quiet (shhhhh) ride, roomy cabin and interior fit and finish left the Altima in the dust. That, added to the cars solid feel, handling and excellent reliability made the Camry an easy choice. I know I would have had regrets if I had purchased the Altima.

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  Great Little Car - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Morgan - January 5 - 7:23 pm

  I Bought my Matrix as a replacement for my 99 Tacoma which Toyota bought back for 150% of its worth due to warranty. The car was paid for in cash. Was my first non truck it had plenty of space and good power as long as you dont go up any steep hills. My only 2 probs were that the car would sometimes crank for 30-40 seconds before starting to solve the problem the dealership replaced the fuel pump and it worked for about a month and started doing it again. and when it was totaled a year later I got $5000 less than I paid for it the year before.

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  Straightforward Toyota - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Ed - January 5 - 5:06 pm

  This has been an excellent car so far. I bought it with 40k on it, and I have 56k on it now, and it has had no problems whatsoever. I just do my routine maintenance and it keeps going every time I need it. It is like any Toyota: not exciting in any way, but it does the job without any problems.

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  Great car - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Rodney - January 5 - 2:56 am

  If you want a dependable, good looking car at a value 2017 camry 2.5 se. No crappy cvt transmission. This car handles great and has surprisingly good get up and go.

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  Pleasure to own/drive since day one - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Evan - January 4 - 5:20 pm

  This car has been a pleasure to own/drive since day one. Toyota did an excellent job at making an inexpensive car look and feel twice what I paid for it. Also the headrest is perfect! If you are looking for a great car thats budget friendly this one is definitely worth a look.

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  "King Of The Road" - 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By CTP855 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Built like a rock, dependable, reliable, impecable quality, and fun to drive. Handling is superb for such a heavy vehicle. Owned my last Land Cruiser for eleven (11) trouble free years. Pricey, but worth every cent if you plan on keeping it for a number of years. Has excellent resale value. Gas mileage isnt good, but mosy SUVs arent.

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  Best car on the road - 2004 Toyota Celica
  By Jenifer Coffman - January 4 - 2:00 am

  This had been the best vehicle i have ever drive. its fun & sporty!! i love mine & wouldnt trade it for anything