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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  07 Camry I4 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By palpak - January 28 - 1:23 am

  Love the car. The only thing I hate is the shifting performance of the A/T. It feels like the car is in neutral or stay on the same gear when power is required and you have to press the accelerator harder such that the car jerks when the gear is engaged.

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  1999 Sienna as seen in 2008-bad tranny! - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By R Roberts - January 27 - 8:10 am

  Delighted with the drivability after we bought it in 2005 w/99K mi. Almost no problems the first 2 years.Then in quick succession the radiator and starter failed, soon followed by the tranny. We took it to a reliable tranny shop recommended by our mechanic. They fixed it and we continued to drive it problem free for about 7 months, when the tranny again went out. We took it back to the same shop, who stood by their guarantee, though they kept having problems getting everything right and had to start over about 5 times (cost us only about $200.00 for one addl part). We drove it only 3 months and the tranny again went out; now no longer under warranty from original repair. Selling this $ pit.

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  Good entry-level car - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By Ely - January 27 - 4:13 am

  Ive driven it for 11 months now. 2 months after the purchase power steering started leaking. I had to replace rack and pinion. Acceleration is very slow, but the car maintains the speed pretty well. My fuel economy is about 30 mpg with 80/20 highway/city driving. Because of the awkward rear design, I find it hard to see whats in the back while parallel-parking. The turning angles are too sharp for the car this size. This car also lacks folding mirrors and power seats. Anyways, I think Corolla is a good entry-level car to drive short distances in the urban environment.

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  07 matrix - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By gjens - January 26 - 12:50 am

  Might be a little under powered but a real fun car to drive. Auto, power windows, air, etc. I love hatchbacks, it has an extra wide opening and I can get all kinds of unconventional shape gear inside.

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  2010 Camry LE 2.5 automatic - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By rji1 - January 24 - 12:45 pm

  I bought this with 14000 mi and have put on nearly 6k of mixed driving. Having owned everything from economy cars to muscle cars I was not sure how I would feel about what many look at as an old mans car. Being a modestly priced car I was pleasantly surprised at the fit and finish. The interior although well designed, uses what seems to be low quality materials. Silver painted plastic is the choice over brushed aluminum. I quickly corrected this with a wood grain overlay kit. Safety is a big plus with the Camry and shows with its safety rating. Front and side air bags, knee bag along and standard traction control and abs add to the security. This car exceeds my expectations.

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  Steering Issues and the FIX - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By heiliner - January 24 - 12:03 am

  My 2009 Corolla LE has about 23000 miles on it and steers great and handles great. That wasnt always the case. The car used to steer like the front was toed in. The problem issues were that the car was out of alignment in the rear and the Goodyear Eagle tires. The rear axle of an LE is a "stamped axle" and has no alignment adjustment. I had to have an alignment shop modify the rear axle bolt position to bring the car into a correct factory assignment. Once that was done the car steers as you would expect and it gained about 2 miles per gallon in fuel economy. I also replaced the Goodyear Eagle tires which are not safe on wet pavement with Yokohama Avid Tour S tires. Now a very nice car!

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  2009 Matrix S - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Mike Vukich - January 22 - 5:33 am

  Great car! But Ive always known Toyota made excellent vehicles. This is my 3rd one. Quiet, smooth ride. No maintenance worries. We just had a stretch of sub-zero weather. My matrix started right up; maybe a few extra cranks of the starter. I highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Oil Burner - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By Larry Bowman - January 22 - 3:06 am

  Purchased car with 93K on it. Had owned five previous Toyotas and ran most of them past 200K. This one is an oil burner - uses 1 quart per 400 miles. Toyota does not recognize that it is a design defect although it seems to be very prevalent in these cars (98-2002 Corollas). If you are looking to purchase one - be sure to check the exhaust pipe for excessive black soot and look in the oil filler cap for oil sludge (check underside of cap for black crumbly deposits and look inside oil filler for brown coating - if it has these features I recommend to stay away from it). Also the engine light just came on - not sure yet what this problem is. Struts are worn out as well.

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  disappointed - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By gcoffey - January 21 - 12:03 pm

  This is our fourth Toyota. We are pleased overall with the Highlander. However, we are having problems with the alignment. Currently, have 23,000 miles. The 6yr/100,000 mile tires are experiencing unusual wear due to back wheel mis-alignment. These tires require rotation and balancing ever 6000 miles(our dealer charges $49.50). To this point the dealer is not standing behind the warranty for alignment.

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  Second Review. Got rid of it. - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By Thebigv21 - January 21 - 9:50 am

  While the gas mileage was a definite plus, the lack of power in this vehicle and the size of other vehicles when driving the Matrix, made me get rid of it. I didnt have any problems with it mechanically. I guess the 4 cyl ran as it was supposed to. I havent had a 4 cyl for years so maybe it is just me, but the car lacks power and is loud. Low profile made for uneasiness driving in rainy weather. Being in Western PA, I felt that I should get rid of it for when it snows.