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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  Mine may have been a lemon - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By thecasualgamer - January 4 - 12:07 am

  Mine was actually a 4 speed auto, but manual was the only choice listed. I bought my Corolla in 2013, expecting it to be a cheap car that would be easy on gas, but it had problem after problem.It also had an oil burning problem. I learned a lot from this car though and it will hold value due to it being my first car ever. It was recently totaled and now I have an 02 Avalon. Heres to hoping that itll be less problematic than the Corolla.

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  UGHHHH!!!! - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By JJ - January 3 - 11:13 pm

  While the truck does have towing capacity that is all it has, but it cant even do that at high speeds. Heck a golf cart can pull something, it just cant do it with any speed and neither can my Toyota truck. Gas milage is average for a truck. The interior is small compared to Mazda and Nissan. Also not very comfortable. Road noise is very loud. The body metal is even thinner than before and the vehicle can be dented just by leaning on it. Everything on a Toyota is an extra option costing you more money to upgrade. Toyota is relying on its name and reputation to sell there product instead of giving the customer options. Im getting rid of my Toyota and getting a Nissan.

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  2007 camry xle issues - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By lilibeth12 - December 30 - 12:02 am

  I was wondering if any one has experienced what I experienced with this car. The radio comes on blasting loud...cant be turned OFF unless I turn OFF the engine. I was so scared and startled when all of the sudden the radio came on very very loud and wont shut off.

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  Gas Mileage - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By KO - December 28 - 12:10 am

  Thought it would be good to be ecologically thoughtful and bought a Prius. Other than the good gas mileage, everything else about the vehicle just ticks us off. Seats are lousy, cant see out the back, if something breaks it will cost you a fortune because the average do-it-yourself person cant even change the headlight bulb. If all you are interested in is getting from point A to point B with using as little fuel as possible, this is the car for you. If you plan on driving more than 10 miles or hauling anything, buy a mini-van. You wont get 45 mpg but you can get a nice one for 1/3 the cost of this Prius. 20K buys A LOT of gasoline and you can ride around in comfort with tons of space.

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  Toyota = (disappointment)^2 - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By UNHAPPY - December 24 - 11:23 am

  A/C is too weak in the Summer. Heater is weak in the Winter. Plastic smells funny in the Summer. Seats are horrible and there is no way to relax. Looks old, like 2007 body. Observed gas mileage appears poor: 20 mpg. Ergonomics is very poor: I have to open my door with two fingers from the inside... Cheap-O stereo. Interior is cheap plastic garbage: Some of the dashboard parts have misplacement. Electronics (RPM failure) and some wiring issues were covered by Toyota since itÂ’s a lease and I donÂ’t care about details. My Story: I had no motivation to buy Toyota Camry but I needed a car ASAP (I graduated and moved to NYC in August 2008). I wanted to buy VW Jetta but NY dealers were playing games..

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  This is quality? - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Ross - December 20 - 10:56 am

  A/C works when it wants to. A/T shifting is bizarre. Interior panels mismatched badly. Terrible "orange peel" paint job. Truly glad I got it on a cheap lease. Cant wait to give it back. My wifes Sonata blows it away for a lot less $.

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  No quality no reliability - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Ed - December 18 - 1:00 am

  I traded in a Chevy Silverado for a Toyota Tundra. What a mistake! The 4 wheel drive broke after 200 miles. One week in the shop to install new control unit and front axle engaging device. Now the dashboard has a rattle in it and the fan is making a ticking noise. So far two trips to dealer have not resolved the problem. I have a Camry and love it. Toyota needs to stick to making cars and leave the truck building to some one else.

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  I hate the shifting in traffic - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Byran Wang - December 17 - 2:00 am

  When Toyota says in the brochure that the Matrix is Sportcar, Wagon, SUV and blar... I thought that Toyota really mean it. I love the Matrix at first, but after driving it for a while I never have the trill to drive it fast or at least at the speed that I want. I loose to WRX, CRV, 4Runner even Honda Odyssey at greenlights. And mind is a 6 speed.

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  Not so great - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Charles Hanson - December 7 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is designed to appeal to a market segment rather than to actually be a decent automobile. Its too tall, underpowered and doesnt live up to the Toyota reliability reputation. In short, "suck."

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  Why the following? - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert - December 5 - 12:12 am

  Have owned my Tacoma 6 years. Base model. I hope the resale is good that will be the only thing I would like about this truck. I am a full size guy 230lbs and the seat has not held up very well. Lower back and rear end support are no longer there. I don’t know where all the 159 horses are when trying to maintain highway speed on modest uphill grade. I would expect much better fuel economy with this type performance. Pay load capacity is pathetic therefore I cant consider this a truck. 800lbs is dangerous. 5 to 600lbs of gear and dirt bike with a crosswind will make for a white knuckle drive and that’s after the addition of helper spring. Think about it, there are cars that you can put more in the trunk. However the truck has been reliable but I will not buy another. I do believe the following comes from Toyotas past reputation. Still have the truck and will not buy another, Not sure what the payload capacity is but cant be more than few bags of groceries.