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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  My Small Truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By cromanxx - November 11 - 6:30 am

  I use my truck for pleasure and work. I pull a 3 ton dump trailer with no problem. It handles well in snow but you must engage 4 wheel drive. I dont go off road, but the ride is fine considering its a truck. Ive filled the bed with pavers & cement and the truck didnt flinch. Its a reliable and dependable vehicle. I only take it to the dealer for service. I put a cap on the bed and it looks great!

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  Put gas and go! - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By surfer40 - November 10 - 6:16 am

  My Camry is like an old friend. As it gets older, items wear, I guess. My exterior driver door handle broke and revealed it was not designed as I thought it shouldve been. Car gets temperamental and an infrequent occasion, it doesnt want to start and I found out several other owners had suffer from this. Lots of good looking plastic, but I guess the good ole days of steel are gone. Especially the bumper. Wind noise from exterior mirrors is loud and CD player probably needs adjustment.

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  Sienna XLE 2010: A Giant - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Rahul Kapoor - November 9 - 9:50 pm

  Sienna XLE has been given all the bells and whistles that can be given to a mini van; it has comfortable seats, mine is a 7 passenger so enough space for my wife to move around the vehicle and take care of kids while theyre on the road. The only problem I have with this van is the accelerator and brake pedals are installed at much lower height which makes me change my sitting posture at least 2-3 times even if it is less than 2 hours drive one way. I have owned it for last over 2 weeks and have already put on over 1300 miles on it; 21mpg is what I am getting (all are highway miles). Overall I am satisfied with this van and will recommend it to my friends!

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  Bad suspension! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Mark - November 9 - 6:03 am

  This was my first brand new car ever. I was very excited until after 1000 miles the rear suspension started making this annoying popping noise coming out of the rear struts. The dealer has been giving me the run around now for over a month now. They say this is a common problem and to just wait to see if the engineers at Toyota come out for a fix for it. For $20,000 dollars this car should be perfect. The annoying thud in the rear suspension makes the car too annoying to even drive. I also noticed the noise gets considerably louder when the weather gets colder. This car sounds like junk and it is only 2 months old. Even Toyota makes lemons I guess?

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  2013 Highlander - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By atw1 - November 8 - 12:48 pm

  Bought in September 2013. Definitely has trouble staring in winter??? Makes an excessively loud humming noise in cold weather coming from the transmission. Noise disappears after vehicle has warmed up. Ride is adequate - steering too loose. Not what I was expecting in a vehicle at the price.

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  2000 ECHO ECHO - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By CAJUNMAMOU - November 7 - 10:00 am

  BOUGHT IT WITH 80K MILES, THE BEST CAR I EVER OWNED BECAUSE OF THE ROOMINESS AND GAS MILEAGE. CAST IORN TOYOTA RELIABILITY ADDED CRUISE AND POWER DOOR LOCKS. GREAT FACTORY SOUND SYSTEM. A LITTLE SHORT ON PERFORMANCE EXPECTED IN RETURN FOR FUEL MILEAGE. 31 TO 37 COMMUTER MILEAGE (REAL NOT INFLATED) CANT WAIT TO SEE LONG HIGHWAY MILEAGE. MY DAUGHTER KEEPS ASKING TO USE IT AND SHE HAS A MIATA. HAVE AN ISUZU TROOPER AND LEAVE IT PARKED FOR USE OF THE ECHO.

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  not a bad little suv - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jody brad - November 7 - 10:00 am

  bought toyota after my husband had his truck for 18 years and he bought it used. it didnt cost us anything. i had a ford exploder with acutaly did explode. bought toyota after much research. i am happy with this vehichle although i too have had problems with stereo (had to be replaced), check engine light, rattle in my back door (took a year to be fixed finally) and other small things. I have had it 3.5 years and i would buy it again. I just hope the reliability I reasearched comes through for me till the end. Definetly go for the 5spd

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  Great Investment - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By case2003 - November 7 - 10:00 am

  My AWD V8 Limited 4Runner is very stylish, powerful, and comfortable. It gets great mileage for an SUV at 19.2 mpg even with the all-wheel drive. Its my first Toyota after owning 3 Pontiacs, 1 Chevy truck, and a Dodge Ram. It is superior in quality and I feel it will be a great long term investment.

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  Awsome truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By bryan nc - November 7 - 10:00 am

  Great truck. Handles very well on and off road. No problems out of it yet.

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  As fun to drive as a toaster - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Skuuter - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I do not own a Camry, but drove an LE rental for more than a week. The car had very few miles on it so it wasnt abused. Personally, I dont see what the attraction to Camry is outside of reliability. For myself, Id trade a little reliability for a dash of excitement. The car is boring, in styling and in performance. Its well built, a comfortable cruiser, good for commutes, but I would never buy one unless I had to. Its just basic transportation at a premium. I think you folks need to shop around and experience some other brands, unless driving is not something you like to do.