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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  I will drive it till it falls apart! - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By Jenlovescats - May 13 - 10:00 am

  This was my second car. My first car was a Renault Alliance, I used that while I was going to school. I purchased this car 4 months out of nursing school and it was, without a doubt the best 20gs I spent. I havent put a lot of miles on it; I just turned over 100,000, but it has run great for me and I am afraid to trade it in for fear of getting a less reliable car! This car has grow with me, it was sporty enough for a single gal (I have the moon roof and I got the detail package), then a married gal and now a Mom. It has transitioned nicely with my personal life. It sure isnt as clean and it was when I didnt have any little ones!!!

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  Toyota Sienna Minivan - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By Gordon Bennett - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Great Minivan...easy to live with. Drives smooth and solid

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  Nice First Truck/SUV - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By toolmanjohn - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Only 230 miles so far. Looks like the mileage will be in the 17/18mpg range for my mixed style. On road handling is good. Does EXTREMELY well on bigger asphalt bumps and jolts. Loads of interior room. Well designed layout. Features are great. SMOOTH AND QUIET powertrain. Accelerates as good as my car! Suprising! Shifts smooth too. Had to add a leg bolster to get a raise. Didnt realize this in test drive. My bad. Probably would not have bought. Rotten EGG smell when moderate accelerating or kick down a gear when passing. UGH. Hoping a better tank of gas fixes it! Fingers crossed!! Didnt smell it on test drive.

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  Paint is a problem - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By heinybeerbelly - May 13 - 10:00 am

  The paint on the corrola is easily damaged. I got hit by an egg the second week I had it .I Washed the egg off as soon as I came home. There was already chips off the paint on the passenger door by the handle from the egg. I remember as a teenager My AMC pacer got hit by eggs and I did not wash them off till a few days later and nothing happened to that paint!Luckily it drives, runs and looks much better than the Pacer! The only other problem I have is when I run the AC it fogs up my windshield on humid days. It goes well on he highway. The gas mileage is great especially on the highway.The added size gives it a nice overall comfort.

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  Loved it... till we killed it!!! - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Stacy - May 11 - 1:03 pm

  I purchased this car in 2002 with 69000 miles on it. In March of 2006 the engine blew up, but it had a little over 200,000 miles on it and my husband didnt get regular oil changes. About 6 months later we recieved a recall notice for the engine, but it was already past the 7 yr mark. I absolutely loved my Camry and am looking for a 99 model. I will definitely continue to buy Toyotas and would recommend them to anyone!! Before the engine went we only had to replace the tires, oil, etc., that was routine maint.

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  Toyota wins again - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By p. morris - May 9 - 11:13 pm

  My guess is the first generation Prius has hurt the new model. Most folks are amazed at the interior room of front and back seats, Front seats are very ng vi easy to take on long rides.Grey cloth seems to show slight wear after only 10 months and easy use. Perhaps the 2006 will have better cloth or even leatherette would be better. Car is smooth at all speeds and especially quiet for the driver.Engine shut down in traffic is great feature that few cars can have.$75k BMW owners do not have this great feature. A/C works great at all times, even at a stop. Technology is terrific at this price.MPG complainers are possibly inaccurate in their tests as my typical reult is 53 mpg in mix

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  Best SUV value - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Barbara F - May 8 - 10:43 pm

  I bought this SUV late June after considering multiple sedans and other model SUVs. I test drove the Highlander and instantly fell in love with the drive and comfort. So far, gas mileage is OK (havent really officially clocked city and highway) and the air conditioning system is great! (Cools the car within seconds.) Overall, this car is a great value for the money. The 4 cylinder engine has enough pep for both highway and city driving so I didnt see a need to purchase the V6 model.

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  Best-priced but must drive first - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By G Folse - May 8 - 12:03 pm

  While deciding on the Camry, I drove 1 SE and 3 LEs. The SE definitely had the better tuned suspension, but the seat comfort (especially in the rear) and bumpy feel were a turnoff. The paddle shifter did not tune down the engine enough to be effective and it sometimes did not switch back to automatic shifting while it was still in D. Sit in the middle of the back seat (like a wooden 2x4). LE was much smoother and more comfortable; however, I began to notice the wind noise in 2 of the cars (1 more pronounced from passenger side and the other on the driver side) as well as a bad vibration above 60 mph in one of them. I finally found one with no noise or vibration. They all had Michelin tires, so you cant blame the tire unless mfr is putting out sporadic poor-quality tires. Camry had good acceleration from a stop but hesitated after slowing down. If you slap it into S and down shift a gear or two, there will be no hesitation!! Also, steering is very vague when going slow and weaving from lane to lane. But I had absolutely no issue with it cornering (as good as my 06 Accord). I strongly recommend test driving the car before purchase and ensuring you are happy with it. For comparison, I tested the Legacy and Accord. Similar feel for the Accord Sport - not into the bumps and paddle shifters do not affect the transmission enough to be fun. 20-60 mph acceleration was the best, but 0-20 was very sluggish. I want to accelerate the fastest from 0-40. Accord LX is nice (looks better on inside and more functionality but no ability to downshift when needed. The Legacy was my favorite. The ride was a little noisier but mostly comparable. The interior looked and felt cheap (and not as comfortable). But the drive-ability was by far the best. Paddle shifters torqued the engine well for breaking and resumed in drive when accelerating. You can go manual with it like in the Camry. It is very punchy for 0-40 mph. The Legacy is also well laid out for maintenance. The problem I had is there are not enough Legacys on the lots to get a great deal. And you have to hope they have the one you want. The dealer by me had maybe 6 on the lot and was not getting any more in until the 2017 models come out in 4-5 months. After driving my wifes Acura, I do NOT want any lane-deviation warning or front collision warning!! And you can throw away any deals for a while if you wait for 2017s.

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  Will it last forever? - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By duster497 - May 8 - 4:33 am

  I was looking for a cheap, used and reliable car. I found this 1996 Toyota Corolla DX. Its dark green w/tan interior & a spoiler. Its a 5 spd manual, PW/PL/P mirrors, cruise, A/C. Everything works on this car, even the A/c. It has 158,800 miles on it, but it runs like it has 58,000 on it. Its fun to drive, easy to drive and easy to park. A little light at higher speeds, but not bad. Rides ok, a bit rough on bumps. Im averaging 30 MPG around town, a wee bit of highway and A/C use. If you can find a used Corolla in good shape, dont hesitate to buy it!

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  Almost still original after 152,000 - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By GB - May 7 - 10:26 pm

  I bought my Toyota Tacoma with 40,000 miles on it. 7 years later I now have 152,000 miles on it. Other than routine items such as brakes, tires, batteries, air filters. Everything is still original. I did have to replace the o2 sensor at 102,000 miles. Great truck, my kids will be still driving it 10 years from now.