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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  Not wat i expected- But overall OK - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By intelinside - April 7 - 1:00 am

  I bought this used 2009 Rav4 in Nov- 2009. there are many small issues that we can not see when test driving, listed are a few: 1)THE CUPOLDER "like a smile can tell a lot about a person" same way a well designed cup holder can tell you a lot. The cup holders have a rubber mats without which nothing will fit in them cos of the oval edges, Try drinking coffee from the cup holder and the rubber mats gets snuggly tied to the flask. cant fit any thing having a handle. 2) on a snowy slushy day, lot of snow and slush got on to the tire fender covers and due to high winds weighed it and broke the PLASTIC rivets and the cover rubbed with tire and destroyed the front cover, cost 500$ not covered.

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  Perfect vehicle for us - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Nicmo - April 6 - 4:06 am

  Owned 1 month. So far this car is perfect for our needs. Has plenty of power, big nav/back up screen, good stereo sound, quiet ride. Waited 3 yrs for the 2010 RX 350 and finally saw it at the SF Auto show. It looked essentially the same as the old version, which we didnt care for, only slightly bigger. While at the show checked out all the Xs (MDX, RDX, FX, EX) but for the money there was no comparison, at least from a tech side and sitting in the showroom, plus this runs on regular gas. The next weekend we test drove them all except the 2010 RX which is available in Feb and found the all wheel version of this car to be as good as any of the others.

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  My first big truck experience - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By PETER BOURLIN - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Overall I enjoy the smoothness of it ride.. When it got snowy and cold, the brakes started making ungodly metallic noises when I pressed on them to stop at a light The windows dont have a channel to let the water drip away if I have it cracked open to let in some fresh air during a rainy day or a snowy one..The water would drip into the door handling console inside the cab. I had to invest over $50.00 to buy an attachment for the

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  Toyota Tundra 4x4 - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By Sharon Fulton - April 6 - 2:00 am

  We have had good times in this truck and it is a nice truck but , we have had many brake troubles , even though , it has the so called state of the art brakes . Also , we has a exaust manafold leak . Not good for a newer truck . This truck had 7 miles on it when we bought it . We just sold it at 62,000 miles . We had 3 sets of brake on it and never pulled anything with it ! We have talked to many other people who have them and they all had the same troubles . TRD models and the works . We still liked the truck , not the brakes though . Also had to replace the 2 front rotors . Looked like they over heated . From what , who knows ? They should not have !!

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  Best vehicle Ive owned yet! - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jethro790 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  When I started looking for a Toyota Tacoma, I was interested in a used vehicle. After seeing the price of the used Tacomas, I decided to go with new. I now understand why these trucks hold thier value so much. The quality is great. Even the used ones I test drove with 35-50k miles on them felt tight and solid. My truck is equipped with the inline 4 2.7l engine, and it has plenty of grunt for my use. I have been off-road with it many times and it performs flawlessly. I was impressed to see that the owners manual specifically states that "This truck is designed for off-road use." I will be sticking with Toyota for some years to come.

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  LIKE AN OLD FRIEND - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By Dupepraw - April 5 - 7:33 pm

  Purchased new in 1995 and never took it back to the dealer for any work only oil changes. It has been the best car that we have ever owned to date and has never let us down. It still has the original exhaust system, maybe because it was undercoated from the beginning and ever since, we live in a cold winter of Canada. It is not a car to excite you or burn up the pavement, just a good car for every day use and not to line the pockets of mechanics with gold. Would buy another, but with 8400km., why bother, it may be old but it gets where I what to go.

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  Cant beat Toyota Reliability - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By Rush PIKE - April 4 - 10:00 am

  With all truck prices costing about the same (not too big of a difference), the reliability of a Toyota is what attracted me to this truck. I bought it on Memorial Day, trading in my 1996 Camaro RS. It was quite a change, but I am glad I made it. The large ground clearance is phenomenal and I actually find it harder to go the speed limit than I did in the Camaro! An unbelievably smooth ride for a truck, and an overall great vehicle.

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  Engineering errors and Ergonomics - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Disillusioned - April 4 - 10:00 am

  Sun shining from above and behind hits instrument cluster glass, reflects up on windshield and back into drivers eyes. Second problem is that you cannot shut the center air vents without turning off all four vents. If not shut off cold air chills the drivers right arm or if directed up, chills his bald head. . I . Also cant read the info panel unless tthe sun shine right on it. Dangerous as I must take my eyes off teh road to read the symbols.

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  1999 Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Camry - April 4 - 10:00 am

  A very reliable, dependable, if unexciting auto. Does every thing that is expected..good design.not flashy, but attractive. Never any problems, all that it wants is gas and oil changes. Should keep going for a long time..

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  2010 Toyota RAV4 Limited 4dr SUV 4WD (3. - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By manu_nis - April 4 - 2:00 am

  I recently bought this vehicle from Napa, CA and I love this one. It has a great pickup and power. 269 bhp is not too bad. Unknowingly, I bought the one with built-in GPS and I regret to buy that. I didnt know that it wont speak street names and when you move, you cant select another destination until you pull over somewhere. I was very disappointed with this GPS overall.