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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  Sienna minivan -- comfortable & reliable - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By msromagnoli - December 25 - 4:43 am

  Weve had no problems at all with the Sienna and its been a comfortable vehicle for long trips and taxiing kids around town.

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  Nice 2002 - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By caccar - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I put 30,000 miles on in 8 months. Not a single problem. All wheel drive excellent in 6" snow and on steep muddy mountain roads.

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  So far so good - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By djc - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I am very impressed with the power of the 4 cyl in the XR model w/auto transmission. Interior is designed well. The only complaint I have with the car is the fuel economy 21 mpg city. Im hoping it gets better after it breaks in.

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  My space pod- COSMO - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Iris - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Love my little space pod - cosmo. I love the head room in the front of the car and dual hatchback lift. My cosmo provides a very pleasant, smooth, and comfortable drive.

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  Very Good - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By DANIEL GRIFFIN - December 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a very good car. I have owned 3 of them 1996, 1999, and 2002 and all of them were great cars.

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  Reliability but not much style - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Shaggydog1776 - December 23 - 2:46 pm

  Toyota Tacoma offers a reliable vehicle, but option packages were not flexible. Wanted cruise control but that only comes with extended cab. Color and other options very limited. Design is cookie cutter. Lots of extra holes in the dash for accessory switches that will never be used and so on. I4 engine is underpowered making it necessary to manually shift between 3rd gear and drive. Cruise control is useless on roads even with slight inclines. The transmission downshifts constantly with a very jerky motion. Driver and passengers are constantly being thrown back and forth. Even slight side winds whip truck around on highway. Fuel economy not even close to what I thought it would be.

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  Perfect Compromise - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Shiv - December 22 - 3:23 am

  In going from a true fullsize truck, to a big midsize double cab,isnt much of an issue in the new Tacoma. The driving position is perfect to see the road. The TRD Off-Road package makes for relatively uneventful travel over even the roughest roads in the city -- should tame the rugged trails too. The power from the 4.0L V6 is excellent and rivals V8s from just a couple years ago. The truck feels solid, handles well, and looks sharp.

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  Disappointed long time Toyota owner - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By JoesHomeWorkshop - December 21 - 6:13 pm

  The vehicle started out OK with no issues. By the time 70,000 miles rolled around we had unending engine light problems which the dealer kept "fixing" by running "calibration". This held for a few months at a time until the emissions warranty ran out. Then a "surprise" quote to the tune of $1,000 for catalytic converter job! At 104,000 miles the vehicle came to a literal "grinding" halt with a $4,000 transmission repair quote from a dealer. Took it an independent reputable tranny shop that found a pinion gear roll pin that had not been installed right at the factory, had backed out and caused damage to the transmission. Claim to Toyota did nothing. I had better luck with my other Toyotas.

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  Great truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Cedric - December 21 - 2:43 pm

  Ive had my Tacoma now for 3 and a half years and I couldnt be happier. It meets my everyday needs and is very reliable. Ive towed several heaviy loads in excess of 4000 lds several hundred miles without any problems. Highway ride is comfortable and road noise is at a minimum. Off road I havent gotten into anything that I couldnt drive myself out of with the rear locker the comes with TRD package. Wheel travel and groung clerance have never been an issue even with the factory suspension. The only downfall I can think of is the bed size, would like it to be bigger. With a standard size toolbox there is not much bed space left.

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  AWD - Good, No Spare - Bad - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By jdale - December 21 - 10:00 am

  All things said the Sienna has loads of space and drives well for a van. One gripe - fold flat rear seat is a big deal, so much so that other auto companies have discontinued their AWD models to add the well. It looked like Toyota had solved this problem. Not really - Run flat tires - no spare. This was not mentioned by the dealer. The vehicle even has a sticker displaying how to remove the spare, except there is none.