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 - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By pdiddy5 - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Great car - bought in 2000 first year out. 2 problems (radio, sunroof) that toyota took care of. Handles great, much better ride than RSX and less road noise. Quick, but not fast. Worst blind spot ever. Still have random people asking me about it at safeway.

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  One month experience..... - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Penyos - May 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car from Crown Toyota(CA) and I had problem with the lower compartment, becuz it will not closed. Come on! this car is brand new car and I never expected such this will happened to me. The customer service is completely disappointed!!! So dont waste your time and money at this dealer!

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  none - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By keesh - May 31 - 10:00 am

  good over all. cant really complain it. is expensive, but reliable.

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  Poor substitute for an American car - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By Auto Enthusiast - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Reasonably comfortable, utilitarian vehicle. However, the fuel efficiency has not been impressive. I will probably purchase an American car next, because: 1. Their engineering and design teams are making substantial progress toward reestablishing themselves as innovators. 2. The aggressive discounting by the American automobile companies has made their cars an unmatched value. Can you tell that I regret the purchase and wish Id bought a far- superior -- and cheaper -- American car, instead?

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  love my highlander - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By daydreamerdee - May 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my first NEW car, and I am so proud I made such a good choice. I have had it for 1 month and love it. I dont like the tippy feeling when turning, but that is my only gripe. oh and also the price I paid...should have sent the guy back to the boss man 1 more time to get it down to where I told them when I first went in there. Other than that ...... I LOVE my new Highlander. SMOOTH.... Does the back window go down??

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  V6 4WD Gas Mileage is not very good - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Rob - May 31 - 5:13 am

  Love the vehicle, but the 15-23 MPG I get, and that is driving conservatively, is not the 22-28 that the EPA stickered the vehicle as. Im disappointed because the mileage isnt much better than the Explorer I traded in and I wanted much better mileage.

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  Love it with one exception... - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By NFLAGIRL - May 30 - 11:43 pm

  I like the vehicle on every level (body design, fuel efficiency, performance, etc..) with one exception. Every single time I am at a traffic light and the A/C is on, the vehicle shakes slightly. Even the very first time I took it out! I paid $41k for it and am disappointed and alarmed by this. However, I must comment that my husband absolutely loves our 4Runner.

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  Camry - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Al - May 30 - 12:40 pm

  This is our 3rd Toyota and this one will be the last one. We are very disappointed about the Toyota company. This car run well and smooth, but I think that the quality reputation of Toyota is over evaluated (specialy for the price of the supposed quality). After 58000Km the left rear brake pads were fully used but the right ones were half used (normal!? according the dealer, went elsewere for the repair of course) One security problem is the liquid washer nozzles are not adjustables and spray the liquid only at the bottom of the windshield, and specialy during the winter time that is very dangerous when you cant see in front of you (dealer replace them, no improvement) Motor oil consuption

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  Never Buying Toyota Again - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By perfect-storm - May 30 - 9:33 am

  I purchased my 2008 Tacoma 4x4 intending to keep it a long time as they are supposedly known for reliability. Mechanically, the truck was fine and had no issues. I liked the truck and enjoyed driving it. Fuel mileage was OK with an average of 17 to 18 mixed city and highway driving. On the highway, it would get 20mpg if you stay under 70mph. I recently got rid of the truck as the frame was rusting excessively. I have never driven it on a salted road and I did not park it anywhere near the coast. Toyotas rep was extremely condescending and absolutely refused to do anything. No treatment, no coating, NOTHING! Check toyota frame rust issues and realize the problem still exists in 08.

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  Bumpy ride - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By mark lau - May 29 - 1:13 pm

  Plenty of power and good gas mileage on the v6, average 22.5 mpg. This sport version has rough ride, not sure it has to do with the sport tuned suspension, 18 inch wheel or the run flat tires. Very uncomfortable on city roads.