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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  Smooth like a Lexus but not quite there - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Creighton - September 28 - 9:03 am

  Having owned this car for a while now, I have very mixed feelings about it. Its smooth and refined like my Lexus but has very mediocre interior ergonomics that are very un-Lexus-like. Its very easy to love the features; HID lighting, AWD, Nav, laser-cruise control, bluetooth, DVD, comfy leather seats; but somehow, Toyota didnt get some of the basics right. The frequently used climate control buttons are small and mislabeled. The 2nd row seats constantly rattle and squeak. The run-flat tires are truly terrible but at least warranted by Toyota. Fuel economy was terrible at first but is improving with age.

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  At 95K its still truckin - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Distance Driver - September 28 - 5:13 am

  Approaching 95,000 miles and my 2.7L 4 cyl is still zooming along. No let up in the power though I pause for thought when the truck seems to "lurch" at stop lights. It gets warmed up and everything seems to gell for the rest of my drive. Light weight so it can be too bouncey even in the highway and a challenge to control in wind driven rain. Pleased with the quality and had no really expensive or repeated problems. Pretty much the next 50K miles is make or break for me buying another Toyota since Ive had less expensive Fords make it to this point just fine. I expect to be driving my 02 at 150K so heres hoping I see many more miles and that the next one is a Texas-made Tundra.

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  Good Value Option - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By jvg27 - September 27 - 8:27 pm

  The good: The Corolla LE provides a great value. There are a ton of high-end features that make it comfortable and economical. The car rides smoothly and I have averaged 33 MPG in mostly city driving. Overall, a great ride so far. The "other": I find there are quite a few major blind spots. In addition, the steering wheel does not travel far enough forward. The armrest is either too small, or too low, or just a poor design because I cant get comfortable on it. Lastly, and most concerning, I find that the car wonders. My previous Jetta tracked straight as an arrow. This car will just wonder off without warning. I really dont care for that aspect of the driving character.

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  Great SUV, But Expensive - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By garyp - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Goood looks, great features and seats 7 plus. Bought it to haul the family and it does that quite well! About to experience an east coast winter; should be no sweat with 4 wheel drive and a V8. Fit and finish are top notch, just as with every Toyota Ive owned.

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  Franks review - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By frankp - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I found this vehicle very reliable and comfortable both on long rides and short excursions, cruise control is very useful on long trips. I found that doing routine maintenance was somewhat difficult due to the lack of manevering room under the hood, but overall a good car.

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  My Matrix XRS - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Subman - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I have currently just over 7500 miles on the Matrix and have had reasonable luck with the car. Service on the vehicle has thus far been normal oil/filter changes (every 3,000 miles), tire rotation at 5,000 miles, and 2 warranty repairs. The first was a replacement door on the compartment below the shifter - it would pop open at the slghtest bump - after replacement - it still does it. The second was a check engine light - oxygen sensor and catalytic converter replaced.

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  Poor Workmanship - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By JS3 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is the 3rd Toyota Ive owned. The Seqoia build quality is poor and has several flaws: 1)no interior handle for opening the rear hatch gate 2)door latches fail frequently if exposed to dust - i.e if you leave the pavement 3)various interior plastic parts/covers fall off 4)paint scratches very easily 5)CD player has broken twice

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  My first truck - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mark McKee - September 26 - 10:00 am

  My 2001 2.4L Automatic Tacoma has been a blast to own and drive. While its not the tire- burning monster of a musclecar, it gets me to where I want to go in comfort. On 9+hr trips my back doesnt hurt and thats a good sign. Mechanically this thing is great. I expect many many years and 200,000+ miles of trouble-free service out of this vehicle. This was my first NEW vehicle purchase and the whole experience with Toyota and my Toyota dealer has been positive. I would purchase it again, and recommend this truck to anyone whos wanting to get an inexpensive (but nice) truck.

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  An Awesome Car To Own! - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By mauratierneyfan - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had a 2001 Toyota Camry LE V6 since December 2000 and have never had one problem with it. It rides like a dream and you can barely hear the engine when you are driving or when stopped and idling. It is a great car for anyone and would recommend it highly to everyone to check one out before buying any other make or model.

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  The tank - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By seriousnut - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Its been a great vehicle so far, a high performance tank. It drives great, is incredibly quiet & comfortable, looks great, handles well. My only knock is mileage. The computers consistently 1.5 - 2 mpg higher than actual mileage, & in normal commuting (some highway, some town) Im only averaging a little over 16 mpg.