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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  Safe car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By rb - May 30 - 5:33 am

  Bought this car new, and had it til yesterday when my teen totaled it at 50 mph flipping it through a guard rail and into the woods. Both kids walked away from this crash with only minor injuries. Seat belts were on. It is clear that while the majority of the car is destroyed, the cabin is mostly intact. Air bags however did not deploy. Reliability was excellent, only problems were engine gasket leaking, and noisy front suspension that never actually had a problem (but sounded like it did). Anyway, we buy only Toyotas, and this model at least lived its life well.

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  Disapointed - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Disappointed 2 - May 30 - 2:00 am

  The fuel mileage is great. The power is OK. Plenty of room. I am disappoined with the interior. I have had my Camry since Feb 02 and around 30K the interior body panels have started making snap, crackle, pop noises. I have had back to the dealer 3 times to no satisfaction. I was in a new 2003 with 2500 miles and it does the same thing. Whats up with that??

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  Standard Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Jack S - May 28 - 4:06 am

  Excellent quality overall. Fuel economy not what I expected....too low, and I drive conservatively. I would get the manual trans. next time, although the auto is very smooth! Lots of room in the cabin and the trunk. Very little routine service to perform, only oil and some inspections.

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  Not the Toyota I Expected - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By mikeecee - May 26 - 2:55 pm

  Our Avalon was purchased w/ about 90,000 miles...we took it for a short test drive it was great! HOWEVA, when driving on longer trips, both passenger and driver seats become uncomfortable, to the point of numb legs. After about a year of ownership, during an oil change, the technician informed me there was a lot of oil on the engine. We took it to the dealer, and a crankshaft gasket had failed (they said it is a freak thing). Most expensive repair ever. Otherwise, it has been fairly reliable

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  Tacoma - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By DanS - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun truck to drive, but i have had some minor problems.

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  Tacoma - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By dans - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun truck to drive, but i have had some minor problems.

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  Excellent!! - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Heathcoat - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck because I knew that Toyota was very reliable and I wanted a truck. I am very pleased with its performance so far! I have put almost 70,000 miles on it, and have not had any problems with it thus far!

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  Most Reliable Car ever,, - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By dov - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This car sounds and runs like the day i leased it 3/20/00. I have put 65,000 miles on it. Its a dream. Old reliable. Not a whimper, PROBLEM<< daytime running lights use alot of battery and I have to make sure battery is charged. The trunk if even slightly uncentered looks like a sore thumb( very sensitive door there if its off,, your in for a headache..).

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  Whatcha got? - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By search66 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  When looking into the economy, commuter car that is fun to drive and under $17, 000 our options are limited. My choices were between the Honda Civic, Mazda Protege, Nissan Sentra and the Toyota Corolla. To make a long story short, the Toyota was the best overall value. From the quality to the peppy performance, I was impressed. The price (under $15k) was amazing, and it is the first time I left a dealership without buyers remorse.

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  Good car but.... - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Melle - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Have had the car fo 10 mths. There is an extremely annoying rattling sound originating from the drivers side dash, also car slips forward sometimes when at a complete stop-very odd, almost as if some one has rear ended you. Also ? that there may be an issue w/ catalytic converter, awful egg smell. Dealer ran emmisions test and said it was fine, however, after some digging on the web found that hundreds (and hundreds) of people all over tyhe US w/ 2003 model report same problem. Mysteriously we all get the same response from dealer. I know there is multiple reasons that may explain the smell, have tried all suggestions from dealer none of which have worked.