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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  The Best mid-sized SUV on the Market - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Bullet - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Overall Toyota dependability and styling convinced me that the 4Runner would be my next vehicle. After only 3 months I am convinced that I made the right choice.

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  Good car, but not perfect... - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By tra_2883 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  My 1995 Camry LE 4-cylinder has almost 82,000 miles but you wouldnt know it. The car still acts like a brand new one. Ive had this car since December of 2001, and it had 69,000 miles on it then and all my friends thought I got a brand new car. The car is underpowered with the 4-cylinder engine. In order to keep the car moving, you need to keep pretty heavy on the gas so fuel economy was not what I was hoping to get from such a small engine. Also, the suspension is very soft, which makes for a nice ride, but take it easy in the turns. Also, because of this, I cant tell you how many times Ive bottomed out on a dip in the road.

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  First Impressions - 2003 Corolla S - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Neocount - July 19 - 10:00 am

  this is a day rental while my car is in repair, so only brief impressions here. I find a few glaring interior problems, such as the sun visors impact the rear view mirror when theyre turned down, the controls for the electronic windows are poorly placed, and cause you to crack your elbow against the doorframe to utilize instead of being next to the steering wheel. And braking... hoo boy. Interested in what distance the 60-0 braking test would yield. I nearly collided with another vehicle because in comparison to a 2001 Elantra this Corolla DOES NOT STOP.

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  Big Yawn for the SoSo-rolla - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By skintight2k9 - July 17 - 5:06 pm

  It has some things I like, looks nice in Barcelona Red, and has good mpg, I avg 31-35 in 50/50 city/hwy but only have 4000 miles on it. I am 65" and the dash/tower digs into my right leg just below the knee. The JBL/XM audio kicks, the steering wheel controls are nice, but there is an awful lot of plastic everywhere. An anniversary edition car? It seems like Toyo cheapened it up too much on the inside. Too much flat black plastic that shows every little scratch. When I go thru a car wash, the air blast at the end flexes the roof to the point where I think it is going to be dented inward after every wash, so far it hasnt. Drove XRS is fun, but not the mpg. Lets see what winter brings?

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  Realy wanted to buy it - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Dennis Martin - July 17 - 11:08 am

  Passenger seat is only 4way and rear seats r so uncomfortable for passengers, as thats important to have r passengers be comfortable

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  Our second Camry Hybrid - 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By 2000kdriver55 - July 17 - 8:49 am

  With about 10,000 miles under our belt and this being our second Camry hybrid I would say this is a great car. Our 2008 Camry Hybrid got about 36 mpg over all and this 2012 gets about 41. My best tank so far has been 43 mpg mixed, with about half of that being 75-80 mph highway driving. As before we have noticed that very cold or hot weather reduces the mileage greatly. I think the interior is well designed and the seats very comfortable. I would however like to have my full leather seats back as I dont care for the cloth panel seats as much. Love that the trunk space is so much greater than the 08 model.

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  Questioning Reliability - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By jeff - July 16 - 1:00 am

  Initially, I loved the car. Into 1-2 months, the car was taken in for various concerns, mostly brakes, then later in the months for check engine light, rattling. The dealership supposedly resolved the issues. Why was it necessary to go back on many occasions, especially for the brake work? And why did the check engine light come on (this was not filling up the gas tank related)? I am now questioning the reliability of the car. All I want is a good car, with good gas mileage, and looks good.

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  Decent, but Overrated SUV - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By workinonjunk - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I have 79K mi. on my 4Runner and its been somewhat reliable, but not what I was expecting from a Japanese vehicle. The MAF sensor had to be replaced at 65K and Ive had to replace the front brake rotors several times due to warping. The seats are horrible on long road trips as theres no thigh support at all. The rear suspension is too soft and it wallows and pitche with even one person in the back seat. Replacing the springs/shocks with an aftermarket set VASTLY improved the handling/ride. Acceleration is OK but highway passing could be better. The ground clearance and 31" tires are great. Fuel economy is OK for an SUV-21mpg highway.

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  Good overall car - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By hard driver - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Have had the car for a month (1500 miles) since waiting 7 months. Gas milage is what we expected ranging from 41 to 64. My wife uses it to commute 85 miles a day and she is averaging 51. I am used to firmer rides, so springs in rear could be firmer but it handles adequately. Surprised that it could easily do 100 with 5 on board.

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  The best option.... - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By dschauf - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my RAV4 in August of 02 and I have had a great experience. I have friends that have large gas guzzler SUVs that think my RAV is too small. That is not the case. It has hauled everything from a 36" TV to all of our gear for a weekend of camping while getting 25 - 30 mpg. It is best balance of economy, cargo hauling capability and comfort.