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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  Couldnt Be More Pleased - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Keith - November 26 - 2:36 pm

  I replaced my 12-year old Geo Prizm LSi with this car and I couldnt be more pleased. The 2.5L 4-cyl offers plenty of power and mileage is decent (only filled up a few times and getting around 24-26 mpg combined. I anticipate getting better because weather is so cold right now. This car is quiet, smooth handling, and great for me to drive as a car to work and run errands in, plus fine to carry the wife and 3 small kids in as well. I would definitely buy one in the future if Toyota continues to make these!

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  poor tires on awd - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By gary - November 26 - 2:33 pm

  Why buy an awd. The tires that come for it are junk. Only two mfg make them. The tires are very poor in the snow. See tire rack survey. Toyota told me to install chains. Why did I pay for the awd. Toyota blew it when it specked these tires. They should have gone to a size where there are more tires avail.

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  PaZaZZ - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Outagas - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the car new, excellent vehicle with great reliability. Best car we have ever owned, we will keep it for our grand kids and their kids. Car is getting to be a classic with excellent body lines, still looks like knew. The black flaked paint is awesome and people stop and ask about the color. Just a super car!

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  202,000 miles and going strong! - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By smrheinhardt - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I would have loved to have given it 10s across the board, but it is a minivan! I bought this van from the original owner just over six years ago with 65,000 miles. He was very meticulous with maintenance as am I, and it has really paid off. In my time of ownership I have just done my second timing belt, a new battery, starter, brakes, tires, struts, and wheel bearings. All a reasonable amount of work for 200k, and all preventative. Nothing has ever actually broke on it! The catalytic converter is starting to go finally, and will be $650 to replace when it does. I will happily pay this, as the van still runs as smooth as the day I bought it!

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  Great car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Carl - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I have a 2008 odyssey, which i have determined is too large for city driving, but great for the long haul as we run up and down the coast from Savannah to Cocoa beach. As a result i purchased a 2009, 25,000 mile Yaris sedan to tool around town . Great car, turning radius, great fit into parking lots, easy to maneuver, and an average of 33.7MPG in the city. (mind you, not a metropolis city, but more like long island. This also removes the wear and tare from my Odyssey which i reserve for the relaxing long haul, especially since my wife likes to drive!

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  Not a Sienna - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Charlene - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Decided to downsize from a 2005 Sienna XLE to reduce monthly payment & improve gas mileage. Toyota was offering $199 lease & with taxes,etc am paying $252 per month. Averaging 24 mpg (Sienna 15-18) Seats comfortable but ride is very bumpy. Front seat area feels cramped. Headrests force me to sit with seat back out of my comfort zone to avoid sitting with my neck thrust forward. Poor placement of cup holders. Doors do not lock automatically. Quick handling. Good storage in back. Occasional squeaks in dashboard. Occasional grinding sound when braking. This is my 4th Toyota in 16 years & my least favorite. I purchased this rather than a car so we could haul things easily.

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  Wow. What a difference. - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By SoCal Marine Family - November 26 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Sienna as a replacement for our 2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L. Our Honda was a great van, and with a large family (5 kids) it was time to find another mini-van. We looked at the upcoming 2011 Honda Odyssey and felt it was a "step backward" in its design, not very appealing. We liked the way the 2011 Sienna looked and once we test drove it, we knew this was it. At that point it was just a matter of which trim level to buy. Since my wife would only compromise on one color (Blizzard Pearl White), we had to buy the Limited FWD. What Mommy wants, Mommy gets. And I have to keep Mommy happy. If you do the research, you can save A LOT of cash on a purchase. Do your homework!

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  Loss of product and service quality - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By First & Last Toyota - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Purchased Camry for Toyotas product & service reputation. Within 1000 miles, drive train (transmission) began to shift either very hard, or slipped; had very uncoordinated shifts. Dealers told me I was too sensitive, cptr was still learning, and everything else to make me go away. Most every discrepancy was dismissed, or pencil whipped without maint. Toyotas quality of product AND service have been denied. They finally admitted to a problem, only to dismiss me once again because another Toyota on the lot did the same thing...thats like a tire company saying its OK and considered normal for a tire to come apart and explode when another tire does the same. I wont purchase another Toyota.

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  Good but Not Great - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Good but not Great - November 26 - 7:16 am

  Overall it is a great car. Fun to drive, a lot of pep for a car this size (without A/C, and only driver). Good design, holds up well. Got the car Feb 2005 - and it has 90,000 miles on it Sept 2008. No Major complaints, would recommend to anyone. Had to get the ECU changed within the first couple of months because it was hard to start. The tires wore extremely bad on edge even after Toyota Dealership aligned them Only 16K on 60K tires. Got them aligned recently and it has been much better. Passenger window rattles at any speed. Also the idle/tensioner pulley makes ticking noises and has been replaced 5 times, yes five times. Without the extended warranty Im sure this would probably be costly.

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  I love my Sandpiper! - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By taylorruckus - November 26 - 6:39 am

  My great-grandmother bought this car new, and when she passed it went onto my grandmother, and now its mine. With 265,000 miles on it, this car is so unbelievably reliable! I have never broken down. Its only problems are a leak in the power steering fluid (an $800 fix, but no problem if you just top off the fluid every other week), broken interior lights and weak door handles that break every couple of years. This car is such a ridiculous value if you need something that will get you where you need to go-- and I get at least 29 miles to the gallon, sometimes more.