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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  Nice truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By clintstacoma - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Bought the truck a 2 weeks ago. Already I want to buy another one (only 4 wheel drive) and give this one to the wife. She is addicted to it.. Right now she drives a corolla. I wish the truck was sold a little bit more user friendly..IE.. floor mats, bed liner etc..

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  Yaris Sedan - A great car! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Jeff - July 14 - 11:46 am

  Excellent vehicle for the price! Great commuter car! MPG is in the mid 30s in Dallas traffic. The center instrument cluster is easy to get used to, and easy to read. The steering handles very well, and the car reacts quickly when needed, but initially takes getting used to. Braking is good, but clutch can be a little stiff in stop-go traffic. It rides very well, if somewhat noisy. Lots of room for such a small car, including great head clearance both front and back, and good trunk space. Sits high, which makes entry and exit easy, and gives the feel of a larger car. This car was an excellent buy; thank you Toyota!

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  Buyer beware! Sienna tires dont last! - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By geri6 - July 13 - 5:25 pm

  Make sure to put money aside if you buy a Sienna! At 13,000 miles I was told I needed new tires on the front. By 15,000 I definitely needed new tires! Toyota shuffled me back and forth to corporate, Firestone, and back to the dealer. At no point did Toyota ever take responsibility for anything! Firestone was great, but Toyota was definitely lacking (and I had followed their maintenance regime to the letter!). So, get a good deal if you plan to buy a Sienna because you will probably be getting a new set of tires within the first year! Crazy! P.S. They also "corrected" the alignment--even though it is impossible to adjust the rear alignment without shims! Seriously Toyota?

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  Real Deal on my Camry - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By andre - July 12 - 7:10 pm

  I believe ever since Toyoya started building cars in America, quality has gone down. I bought my Camry with 1000 miles already on it, but it was new since it had no title. Problems Ive had with my car are, the paint - no clearcoat and one layer of paint make it easy to get chips, I have MANY; dashboard - rattles; sunroof - leaks; front passenger speaker - rattles; engine - V6 is not responsive; and the front driver window - doesnt seal properly. The only problem that has been solved is the leaking sunroof. All other problems have been brought to MULTIPLE Toyota dealerships and ignorance has caused me to still have these problems to date. If you want a more reliable car, look elsewhere.

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  Best car ever - 2008 Toyota Avalon
  By Lin Thig - July 12 - 5:02 pm

  A great car to buy.

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  Wonderful but..... - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By thinwishes - July 12 - 2:00 am

  We love our 2000 but am disappointed with Toyotas quality. We were always Honda owners and thought Toyota would be just as good. Well the engine is but not the body. Have had problems with the electronic door and interior falling apart. Otherwise great car.

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  Avalon Experience - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By L.PASCIUTTI - July 11 - 9:20 pm

  Excellent road car. Have some issues with quality and ergonomics. Transmission seems to shift excessively in traffic. EPA estimates were off significantly under old stds; now are more in line with my experience.

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  Poor Mileage - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Ronald Cotton - July 10 - 9:50 pm

  This vehicle drives and handles very well. My anger is that I paid a premium of $6000.00 not for the car but for the mileage factor. I drive 15 miles each way to work on the highway and the highest mileage I have gotten has been 25.5 mpg. I have gotten as low as 22 mpg. I dont do much city driving with this vehicle. I check my gas mileage every time I fill up. I wrote a letter to Toyota 3 months ago and I havent got any reply yet. I feel that if youre paying for the "mileage" you should get it. I dont know any else who has this vehicle so we could compare notes. I dont recommend anyone to buy this vehicle if they are looking for this mileage.

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  none - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By johnhart44 - July 10 - 12:23 am

  nice car overall - fun to drive. A good value for the money. Would buy another one.

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  disappointed - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By william sheridan - July 8 - 5:40 am

  This is my second Avalon, the first was 2000. I assumed this years model would offer the same high quality performance as the 2000 model. Wrong! The transmission seems to shift very harshly and often. The wind noise is excessive and the engine noise sounds like that of a much cheaper auto. The leather used on the interior seems of a lesser quality vs the 2000 model.