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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  More for the money - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By TWH - May 28 - 8:46 pm

  Like the car, but in comparison to other makes I feel I should get more options for the money spent. Car seems pretty "basic" for the type of car it should be. I feel there should be more standard equipment on the SE model. Disappointed in the partial text display for the xm/sirius radio. Also disappointed that I dont have heated side mirrors. Fuel economy display would be nice as well. I had these things on my $18000 Focus but are not on my $25000 Camry SE.

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  As usual, cannot see blind spot - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By sn - May 28 - 10:30 am

  As usual, with so many cars out there today, you cannot see your blind spot with the camry. Even if you turn your head to the left, out of a total of 180 degrees, you will only be able to see about 45 degrees. With my old 00 Corolla, you could turn your head and literally look down the street in the left lane. With the new camry, you cannot - you must use your mirrors and buy a blind spot mirror; and using mirrors is dangerous when making split second decisions - you simply cant see down the left lane with this car - obstructions block it. Dangerous car. Its a very, very dangerous car. I almost got into about 5 accidents already with it on multi lane roads/highways. I want to get rid of it.

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  Tacoma ok but no so great - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jerry Hosteg - May 27 - 3:16 pm

  Ive so far owned two 2009 Tacoma Trucks. An offroad model and a sport model. The offroad was totaled and I replaced with the sport model. Overall I like the truck and its a keeper, nice acceleration, quality interior vs the competition, safety features are great - ie. my airbags worked on impact, and the frame crumpled and distributed the impact force properly where my cabin area stayed intact. However, I wont buy another 6 to 10 yrs down the road unless Toyota can fix the rough ride, the spongy brakes, and improve the fuel economy by at least 2 MPG for the 4X4 model.

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  my corolla - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Danielle - May 27 - 3:10 pm

  I love toyota they are the only cars I will buy. My last one had 250,000 miles and it was still going when i traded it in. The only thing I dont is the velour interior it attracts alot of lint.

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  Toyota Sequoia 2003 - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By cfm jr - May 27 - 10:00 am

  A great vehicle. Meets all our family space needs. Comnfortable and spacious. Very smooth ride. Mileage about as expected for a car of this size. A small negative is the occasional surging of engine performance when on hilly roads in cruise control.

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  Not Bad/Could be Better - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By seriousmoodyblue - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I miss my V6 from my old GM AchievaS.I feel the difference in the power.I like the fuel economy;the large trunk is great;the interior is great-lots of leg room.I like the cup holders and leather -like accents in the car.I like the fact that if I leave on the headlights after turning off the car,the lights turn off automatically- no dead battery the next day!! All in all, I do feel safer in this car.

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  2004 highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Deb - May 27 - 9:23 am

  I bought my Highlander new.It has been an excellent car up till now @ 66,000 miles. Last week my service engine light came on also vsc and trac monitors were on. I took it to a Toyota dealership and they said my catalytic converter was my and it was still under warranty and it would take a day to repair. Now they say a fuel sensor has gone out and it has been three more days I am not very happy with my highlander now or the dealership

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  Meh.... - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By woesy - May 26 - 10:15 pm

  Currently leased 2013 Corolla LE. My wife had 2 previous leases 06 and 09. Both were better Corollas. I appreciate some of the new improvement s like USB port, but the older models were more comfortable and felt more nimble. That being said the lease was definitely cheaper than what I would have gotten for say a Focus, Cruze, or Sentra. If youre looking for a Corolla I would say look for 07 to 10 model used and dont worry about Bluetooth and USB ports. You can get by without. I think the model has regressed. Really dull ride. Unfortunately, I disregarded my kids 4,7 in the decision. No room in the back seat for them!

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  Tougher than it looks - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Rick Rock - May 25 - 4:50 pm

  Like many of you, I researched this one pretty well. I knew its shortcomings (odd visibility, lack of luxury etc) going in and accepted the FJ on its merits. Mainly: its just so much fun. I cruise out to the mountains nearly every weekend to work on my cabin restoration and to 4wd a bit. This puppy is TOUGH. I have run it up fairly steep talus and soft powdery roads and it doesnt lose grip or fade me off the trail at all. Ive run it through deep-ish water where it crosses trails and again it rolls tough. Ive also loaded it down with construction materials. Easy to load and manage for the most part. Strong, good mileage for its class, eye grabby looks, good center of gravity, & sturdy.

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  Piece of Art - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By veewhitehead88 - May 21 - 9:43 pm

  I bought my Yaris a year before it became the model year, it had 19 miles on it. The car is reliable, Ive never had a problem with it running. It is unbelievably peppy for such a small engine, the car climbs to speed easily on the road. Gas mileage is fantastic. Its all the hybrid mpg without the hybrid price. The only cons against it is that there is no rpm or battery gauge, and it does not handle well on turns at high speeds. The dashboard is all plastic, and while it has tons of storage room up front, my two glove compartment doors do not line up properly with the dash for whatever reason. I would recommend this car to absolutely anyone in the market for a small, hybrid-ish car.