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:

• 

  LE Auto - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By ToyotaFan2004 - November 5 - 2:00 am

  The build quality was almost perfect. One thing so far....The trunk has to really use force to latch. Also, there is an exposed wire from the headlinear down the windshield to the rearview mirror to power the reading lights. It looks so "after thought". Other than that the car performs more than I expected in every aspect, it drives good, the night visibility (headlight & instrumenattion) was super, gas mileage is unapproachable by any automatic seden in its class. However, the price really adds up fast when you start adding options like ABS, sideairbag, alloy wheels, upgraded stero. Overall, I am very happy with it.

• 

  My 95 Tacoma after 11 years. - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jim - November 4 - 2:50 pm

  My tacoma is now 11 years old with 84000 miles on it. I have the original tires and brakes. I am trading it in for a new 2006 Tacoma just because I want a new truck. The 95 still runs great. I do not regret having bought it. I do all the suggested maintenance and have had no unexpected maintenance issues. The truck has never let me down. I go off road in Utah and Colorado and have a great time with it. Biggest beef is the flimsy drink holder that pulls out from dash. A pop can will bounce around dumping out pop. Another is the brittle paint; it chips too easily.

• 

  Sweet Ride - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By Stevesemm - November 4 - 10:00 am

  Purchased a 2001 Black SR5 w/ the sport package. Man this thing is great looking! I shopped around and found others that offered more for the $ but it all came down to the kick a** looks of the 4Runner sport!!! My only complaint is that my wife drives it more than me!!!! Love my 4Runner!!!

• 

  Axle Wrap - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By MarkMarkN - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my truck 2002 dbl cab 4x4 with a TRD suspension package although axle wrap is a real problem. Axle wrap is caused by soft leaf springs distorting while braking and or accelerating causing the drive line to bind, thump and bump. It has been to the dealer twice without long term correction. A crack service tech from Toyota is supposed to work on the axle wrap problem when he is in town. It is my hope that this problem can and will be resolved soon. I have never had a Toyota or any other car with this type of problem.

• 

  6600 Miles So Far - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Fair Assessment - November 3 - 5:03 am

  This is our third Toyota. I drive about 80 miles round trip to work. The drive is mostly highway. The car is comfortable. However, the gas mileage is not quite where it should be about 27 MPG. I expected closer to 30. This is comfortable overall. However, if you are over 63", dont buy it. My older son is 64" and he doesnt fit well. The handling is OK, but remember this is a family car not a sports car. I have not had any issues. I did have recall fix applied at my 5,000 service. The car goes very well in the snow with the standard tires. I drove 400 miles in treacherous conditions (12+ inch snow storm) with no problems.

• 

  jane jones - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By jane jones - November 3 - 12:16 am

  the car performs well and drives nice

• 

  Spoiler is very low - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Nutan Jha - November 2 - 2:33 pm

  Pros: I bought Toyota Matrix because of its hatchback feature to transport kids back and forth from their college dorm. It is roomy and has lots of space inside. Cons: The spoiler is too low and I always hit and scratch it during parking. Not only that the spoiler is just a clip on and it keeps popping out. I am very disappointed due to that. I was traveling on one of the busiest bridge in New York at night and I felt I drove on something, later when I stopped at a gas station I discovered that the right spoiler was missing and the left spoiler was hanging out. I had to stop at a gas station to tie a string to it.

• 

  Old Reliable - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Jsmiles - November 2 - 4:13 am

  Ive had my Camry for three months now. This is what I call an everyday sedan, from Japan, so-so styling, comfortable interior, safe, good resale value, and reliable. The car meets all of that and more. This car is one of the most comfortable cars Ive ever owned, and Ive had a newer camry from 2002, and this car handles better than my 2002 camry. Its a normal sedan, not too over the top, and not too boring, its just a good car to get you from point A to point B. I love this car, and will trade up in a couple of years.

• 

  2nd Sienna & 3rd Toyota - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By CR - October 31 - 9:30 pm

  Our third Toyota is a people moving, dump hauling, fishing, camping, road tripping machine! Leather seats are very good (I log daily mileage and have driven multiple long road trips with kids). It is easy to use the gearbox to enhance power and control. I wanted AWD and a fold down rear seat. XLE Limited is too much luxury as the most beneficial features are available on lower priced models. The fold down rear seat and especially the AWD are terrific. Dont care for a fixed nav system but back up camera is sometimes useful. Leather seats a must. Gas mileage is 19-20 everywhere. White color stays cleaner looking longer

• 

  best car yet - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By gone with the wind - October 31 - 10:00 am

  This is the first toyota car I have ever owned, and I would be hard-pressed to buy anything else. I had a lot of problems with all of my GM automobiles. This car has always gotten me where I wanted to go. Toyota is definitely a more reliable car than GM. Why would you buy anything else?