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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  Full Throttle - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Yarrrr! - November 7 - 2:46 am

  Flawless car. Any time I think I hear a noise or think the car has changed in some way, its just me. It is amazing. Mine gets 39mpg on the highway (manual) and gets around 30 in town. Its great fun to wind it out once in a while through the gears. Absolutely amazing quality and efficiency. I love it!

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  Good car; could begreat with AWS - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By ND - November 5 - 2:20 am

  2005 Avalon XLS is an excellent car that could be great automobile with All Wheel Drive and improved braking and navigation system

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  High maintenance - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Stephanie - November 4 - 4:00 pm

  I purchased this car new. I have had the oil changed every 5,000 miles and it sits in my garage when not being driven. At 34,000 miles the car started making a screeching sound like a belt was bad and it began shifting roughly. The dealer said I needed the transmission fluid changed and a new belt. $312.00 later my car seems to be ok. I have had a Ford and Pontiac in the past and never had to make these types of services until 100,000. I am disappointed with this car and feel that the quality that Toyota is known for is slipping. Will never buy another Corolla.

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  Why sacrifice XYZ - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By rcaron - November 4 - 2:20 pm

  Significantly LESS headroom compared to my last Sequoia and the seats cant adjust down. Sunglasses on my head hit the ceiling. They also dropped the gas tank cover lock from the old Sequoia... why??? And they dropped the side moulding strips to protect vs door dings. And the gas mileage is much less than my old Sequoia, and much less than advertised. It is a great truck and very comfortable but I might think twice about keeping my old Sequoia. Dont get caught up in the hype!!

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  Not what they were in 89 - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rob Gregory - November 3 - 9:50 pm

  Well, though its good, there are some quality issues. First month I had it, it would miss and accelerate on hills in the cold. Toyota fixed that. The rear seats only fold down w/ the headpieces off and front seats forward. New tires at 22K. New rotors and pads at 50K dealer tried to charge over $1,000 for that. Got it done for $550. Dirt piles up inside rear door/wheelwell. The interior fan motor now freezes when the temp is below 25*F. Toyota wont fix that. I need to pay $400 for their mess. My windows cant defrost in the morning now. Tire pressure light is on all the time cause I refuse to pay $190 for a new valve that Toyota needs to program to your truck.

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  2000 Echo, loving it - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Al - November 3 - 8:43 pm

  I purchased this car for my son in May 2005 with 88000 miles on it and have since added 6000 miles without any troubles. Its a solid little car which gets excellent mpg. With the price of gas going high, I was lucky to pick this up.

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  buy it now - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By sternmeister - November 3 - 10:00 am

  interior seat is worst problem. set too high and not enuff support for back

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  Its Beautiful When You Get to Know It - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By oolalaa - November 1 - 8:43 pm

  Maybe the big draw is the gas mileage, but once you get to know this car, it becomes a thing of beauty. Once you begin to understand that the lines were developed for efficiency, rather than trend, the smoothness of the hybrid drivetrain, the excellent handling (mine is the touring model) and the good feeling that you are making each drop of gas go as far as it can, you grow to see the beauty come through. Now, when I look at it, I see an utterly gorgeous machine. One that is more advanced than any BMW, Porsche or Mercedes. Its also very very useful. It can carry four passengers in comfort, carry 10 bags of cement without a problem and fit in 8 lumber.

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  Great Transportation - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Darren - October 31 - 10:33 pm

  I just traded my 2002 RAV4 in for a 2006 a couple months ago, and all of the things that I had issues with (all were very minor) they addressed. I wished that it had a little more power, seats fold flat, more size (now its almost as big as a Highlander). I put 148,000 flawless miles on my last RAV4, and I plan do the same on this one. I just wish they would come out with a hybrid. That would be the only reason that I would trade this one in before 150,000 miles. Great hob Toyota.

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  Shocks...Please Ignore Earlier Comment - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By alfonso_bedoya - October 30 - 2:52 pm

  In an earlier post, a consumer commented on the weakness of the Toyota OEM shocks. The comment is inaccurate. The poster describes a condition which is clearly the result of driving style, not the performance of a 5,000lb truck. If you drive a truck the same as you may drive a BMW, the results will be dramatic and perhaps traumatic. Changing to Bilstein shocks will not help this problem. The shocks are fine. It aint the car. And no, I do not work with or for Toyota in any way. i have been in the automotive biz my entire life and involved with motorsports for 30+ year, but never with Toyota.