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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  Good truck but not up to the hype - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By john - March 21 - 11:06 am

  I honestly can say that this truck out accelerates (barely) my 400+ hp modded dodge hemi similarly equipped featurewise, no doubt due to its 4.51 rear gear ratio which seems to get overlooked in comparison tests as the main reason its so quick. As far as handling the steering felt looser than my ram which has 80000 miles and the brakes were softer than I expected. Overall its a nice truck but its not my style inside or out and if I ever tow 10000 pounds on a regular basis Ill be driving a diesel.

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  The Little Tank - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By BTD - March 21 - 3:16 am

  I just inherited this car from my Mom yesterday, but Ive driven it a lot over the years. Shes owned it since 95 and drives 56 mi. round trip to work 5 days a wk. It has NEVER had to go to the shop for anything other than ordinary maintenance. If you take care of this car, it will take care of you. Yes, it has a few insignificant rattles, but it has 178,000 miles on it. Obviously, I rated it low in the "fun to drive" & "performance" categories because its a 1.8 L 4-cyl car. No excitement behind this wheel, but w/ gas prices what they are + the incredible reliability, Ill take the tradeoff. The car is easy to drive (and park) though, and isnt slow to the point that its annoying.

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  Better than average - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By venza - March 19 - 5:26 pm

  Ive owned my Venza for over 15 months, some road noise from passenger side, have developed a small rattle in the steering wheel, only on rough roads, having it check out. My next car may be a Mercedes or Hyundai Genesis, or may just keep the Venza, AWD , 6cyl, Premier package. For the money it is the best buy.

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  first impressions - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By vt2nv - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I was initially impressed with the styling of the 03. Kind of european, not nearly as pedestrian as our 00. We wanted a manual, we ended up with an automatic. The car was driven up over the Sierra Nevada mountain range as part of our test drive. The car handled beautifully on hairpin turns, and had more than enough power to climb the miles long road. The climb was done with overdrive defeated. With O/D off the car never doenshifted, there was plenty of power. The car does not feel underpowered. Fit and finish of the car is very good. There is more room due to the new styling, very welcome indeed. The car is very, very solid.

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  camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Dan Topolskov - March 19 - 10:00 am

  lol

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  Nice little Truck - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tim - March 19 - 9:28 am

  Ive never owned a Tacoma before and I honestly never liked them in the past but I like my 2016! I got a great deal when I bought it, 6k under MSRP as it was a dealer demo with 1500 miles on it. The transmission does shift more frequently than Id like but after 300 miles of me driving it, it improved a lot. The complaints about the vibrations in the trucks has not been an issue in mine and it doesnt do it. It runs down the highway well, hauls my trailer, dirt bikes, kids, and seems to be fairly capable in the dirt, so I cant complain. To everyone who is complaining about the transmission, pretty much all, new/first model years after a revamp have bugs to work out. The computer does in fact "learn" your driving habits and adjusts accordingly; or you could just buy a standard. Ive been averaging 21 mpg out of the truck in mixed driving which is just slightly better than EPA estimates and I expect it to improve as it has been climbing steadily the more I drive it. I sold my Ford today and my other car is for sale too so I must like the Tacoma! I live in the Colorado mountains and I think it will be a great truck for many years to come!

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  GREAT LITTLE CAR..... - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By DENISE - March 18 - 1:03 am

  Bought my car brand new five years ago...just love it...love that it is compact and an easy car to drive and manage. And of course the savings in gas money...cost me now with the high price in gas approx. $40 - 50 a month...have had no problems mechanically until recent...the fuel injector went and the sensors...was surprised since the car has such low mileage. Was disappointed about that, cost me 600 to fix. Other than that I still have the original battery and just finished replacing the 4th original tire, which I do say, hugs the road better.

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  Overall good, honest transportation - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By JMG - March 17 - 1:40 pm

  The Corolla is a good commuter car that will retain its value and last for years. Its cheap, honest transportation with a few bonuses like standard side impact airbags. The biggest drawback with the 09 Corolla is the steering. Its incredibly vague and drifts on the freeway. Looking back, I wish I would have leased the car with a manual transmission. At the time, there werent that many on the lot. I love Toyotas in general. We also have an 87 Camry in the family. Service has been very good at our local dealer.

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  2001 Tundra Ext Cab V8 - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By BC - March 17 - 9:53 am

  I have owned my 2001 Tundra for almost 4 years now, and I have put 50K miles on it so far. I have loved everything about this truck so far. Reliability has been excellent. I have taken the truck to the dealership once when an O2 sensor went out (fairly common problem among Tundras). The warranty fixed it for free. The gas mileage is as advertised (about 18 mpg on the highway), and the 26 gallon fuel tank gives me plenty of range. I can fit a baby seat in the back seat, but the front seat will be a tad tight. I am 64", and I have plenty of room in the front seats. The back seats are OK for short trips, but I would not want to be back there for more than an hour or so on trips.

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  Its just ok - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By khamsher - March 16 - 11:13 pm

  got the car 3mos ago. have driven 6500 mi. the car has a rougher ride than I thought and the mileage is not nearly as advertised (31mph tops on hwy). Maybe will be better as it get broken in. However, its a Toyota and reliability should be excellent. It is fast and nimble and looks sporty. I use it mainly on hwy. Not that great in the snow and can be dangerous.