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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  Love This Corolla !! - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Larry - December 30 - 9:30 am

  I bought this car for fuel economy being I drive 160 miles per day. The 5-speed with cruise delivers 42mpg at highway speeds. The comfort is unbelievable for long trips and this car is really fun to drive. Although many consider this to be a small car, I find it extremely comfortable to sit in, and Im 63 and weigh 220. There is plenty of head room too. I just wish I had a sunroof.

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  Love my Tundra - 2011 Toyota Tundra
  By kcoughlan - December 30 - 6:03 am

  Sick and tired of the poor quality of GM products I finally moved to the Toyota tundra.I was able to get my reg.cab SR5 4x4 for thousands less because I waited until Oct. clear out. For the short time I have driven the tundra, it is an amazing truck to drive. The 5.7 litre power plant will take some getting used to.Loaded it handles with very little sway at 60mph,power to spare! My GM products were always far below the estimated mpg.the Tundra so far is getting around 14 city , 17 highway. So this truck is certainly not economical to run. No worse than my Gm products.

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  The Ripening of a Lemon - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By David - December 30 - 12:03 am

  Having had Hondas since 1976 when the original Accord first was introduced and having no major problems with any of them, I made a poor decision to purchase a Toyota Camry. The Smart Start malfunctioned three times and left me stranded in far off places. The radio scanned on its own. The struts leaked and had to be replaced. And now a wheel bearing shot. $718.00. All the aforementioned, except the wheel bearing under 36,000 miles. The wheel bearing at 37,000 just after the warranty is up. Now the recall because of the accelerator. The car is a lemon.

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  Woe is me - 2007 Camry XLE V6 problems - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By corton - December 29 - 12:43 pm

  After about 3000 miles on my 2007 Camry XLE V6/6sp Auto, its been in the shop 4 times already and the last call from the dealer was to replace the transmission. I have rattles on both B pillars and the build quality is rather poor, with unsightly gaps in the passenger side dash where it does not fit together properly. The steering is light and floaty without any on-center feel making for a numb driving experience. Lots of road noise on worn road surfaces. The 2007 Camry does not measure up.

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  2009 Corolla XRS Consumer Review - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Pete - December 29 - 11:50 am

  Reliability I will not rate due to only having it a few days. This is my 3rd corolla and they have been flawless in reliability so I pray it remains the case. The car is very fun to drive, sporty and practical on economy. Has good power off the line and plenty of power in reserve when driving. Drives solid, powerful, and quiet like a European car. I hope Toyota recalls the rumored transmission issue they knowingly sell the car with. I have heard about it and pray its not true, but I hope Toyota remains in good standing by honoring a fix to any known issue. Otherwise, this boy wont be buying anymore cars from them. It could be nothing but do your homework and keep abreast of news about this

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  Had to Junk Our Sienna Due to Oil Sludge - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By going.back.to.honda - December 29 - 3:20 am

  Purchased a new 2001 Sienna XLE in 2000. 3 years later we had to replace the engine due to oil sludge. Toyota calls it "oil gel". Toyota fought us at first but then agreed to fix the car when we produced oil change receipts. 2 years after that the engine started leaking oil, and we had to replace all the oil seals. Again we had to fight Toyota for reimbursement. Also around this time we incurred over $1800 in costs to replace various fuel and exhaust sensors. And even after that, the check engine light kept coming on. Finally after another 2 years (we had the car 7 years and 80k miles at this point), and a major oil-related repair bill, the engine seized again from oil gel build-up. Avoid the Sienna. We junked the car after spending thousands on oil sludge related repairs and two engine seizures. A total nightmare.

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  prius V level five - 2013 Toyota Prius v
  By serejka4992 - December 28 - 10:15 pm

  Really good car have 10600 on it so far had first oil change my mg for far 39 in average.

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  Great All-Purpose SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Frank - December 28 - 3:13 pm

  Ive had my Highlander only a week but can tell already Im going to love it. Interior appointments and ergonomics are superb. Transmission is smooth however the downshifting at around 40MPH is a little noticeable. Braking fine. This car is quiet, by far the quietest SUV I tested. Ride is outstanding. Note this is not a sports car however. Seats are very comfortable. This is going to be fabulous family trip car. Cant wait for our first big trip. I wanted this car be be everything and it is: the comfy ride of a sedan, cargo space of a van, and style. Toyota has done it again. On my first gas up I got 22.5 MPG in mixed driving. Not bad. Great car - what I have always wanted!

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  Makes Sense to own - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By HpRet - December 28 - 1:26 pm

  This is my 4th Toyota... 1st one was purchased in 1969. Ive owned many other cars over the years. I have rented many cars for business as well. Toyotas are bland, but reliability, economy and fit/finish convinced us to return. Our first weekend with the car was a 600 mile trip. We averaged 43 MPG! The car was quiet, comfortable and handles well. Another benefit, it fits much better in our garage than the Silverado we traded. Toyota continues to set the benchmark for mainstream vehicles.

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  So Reliable - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Fyneboi - December 28 - 7:56 am

  I bought the SUV in August 2002 and still rocking the car till today. I changed my oil at 5000 miles, has only done one full tune up, changed the O2 sensors. Other than that, never done any major mechanical repair on this car. The car runs great.