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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  2007 camry le - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By enki1 - March 12 - 8:45 am

  Hi, I bought my camry new from the dealership. The only problem I had its that at 70k miles started burning oil a lot, I brough the car to service dep and they told me that is a had gusket, and they fixed cause was under warranty, but the car still burned oil as much as the beginning. I brough back to Toyota and they were saying that the car is to old thats y is burning this much oil. I stop dealing with Toyota service dep. My camry now has 190k still runs good, it doesnt have the same pick up as it used to but still runs good. At 7 years I have changed tires twice, 2 batteries, struts once, a radiator, a lot of adding oil, and oil changes every 5k miles. my new car would be a camry again

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  A Few Suggestions - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By peterpjb1 - March 11 - 8:54 pm

  I traded a 2008 Buick Enclave for my 2012 Toyota Prius. Overall, I agree with the other reviews with one HUGE caution. On the turnpike the road noise is deafening... So much so that having a conversation or listening to the radio, CD, I Pod etc results is a challenge. The Buick was whisper quiet and my Prius V is similar to driving a tin can. Other than the above the car is perfection but the cabin noise is irritating. I sincerely dont know if purchasing a loaded Prius to gain excellent fuel economy was worth giving up the creature comforts of peace and quiet.

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  First non-American car - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By cburg - March 9 - 12:43 am

  We bought this car after our 99 Ford Taurus was eating up our bank account. Overall my wife and I love the car, we drove the Civic and the Sentra. The Toyota had the best ride and options for the money. This car takes the bumps very well. As far as mpg after 3 weeks we are getting 22 mpg. My wife mainly drives the car and she is only 7 miles from work. We drove the LE and didnt like the interior - very plain, not a lot of options. The S model has a lot of nice stuff in it. Does not come with floor mats! 130.00 - thats outrageous.

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  This car just wont die! - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By davidvnyc - March 8 - 9:44 pm

  I purchased my 98 Avalon XLS in 2003 with 150,000 miles on it. At about 180k miles I changed the front two 02 sensors. At 220k miles I changed the timing belt (first time), water pump, struts and ball joints. Other than these item’s I’ve only had to do standard fluid changes, tires and brakes. About 2 years ago, I came too close to a guard rail and scraped the right side of the car. Because the car had 340k miles on it at the time, I chose not to spend the 600 to repair the damage. The car now just broke though 400k and while it doesn’t look as good as when I bought it, it still runs perfectly and zero operational issues. I have my eye on a new car, but my wife will not let me pull t

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  Poor Yaris gas mileage - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By vtrans - March 8 - 5:46 pm

  The car got upper 30s when we first got it. Two weeks into owning mileage dropped to 30 mpg. I was after a go-cart for the street but the manual door locks and sub-par gas mileage are annoying

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  It is a cheap truck with a back seat. - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By ckimmel - March 8 - 10:52 am

  Last car was a $55g 09 BMW 335i xdrive w/ sport - ref this vehicle for my pov. It was the ultimate, if you want a fast capable vehicle. Now lets talk about a real suv. I wanted a fun and radical departure from a 335 - I got it! The 4runner is not fast and is NOT a luxury car - slow down and enjoy life. The interior, ride, and quality is fine for a 45g truck based suv. If you want a fancier version - shell out the bones for a Lexus GX. The seats are fine for a truck, the body is not meant to reduce drag so it whines at times, and the brakes make a sound. It is a great vehicle in a quirky niche that is overall big fun to drive for a relatively small payment. Fun ride.

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  Great value - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nick George - March 8 - 5:30 am

  This vehicle has almost 100,000 miles on it and it runs almost like new. Its a truck; rides and sounds like one, but is mechanically superior to anything Ive ever owned with this many miles on it. Gas mileage is good at around 18 around town and 23 on the road.

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  Great Car - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By pauly45 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Camrys are the best, this is my second Camry and wont be my last.

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  Devil in the Details - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By rob in co - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Overall, this is a very impressive vehicle. However, I have had a recurrent front suspension squeak (traced to the body mount) that is still not fixed after 4 visits to the dealer, and I am now seeking to have the vehicle replaced with a new one with 3200 miles on the clock. I have also been bothered by a rattle in the headliner by the sunglass holder. I expected better attention to the small details by Toyota, but hopefully they will remedy the situation. I love the vehicle otherwise, Id just like to have a new one thats without the squeaks and rattles.

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  Have to drive to appreciate - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Ericka - March 7 - 10:00 am

  When I went in to the dealership, I wanted a bigger SUV like the 4-Runner. I was trading in an X-Terra. I couldnt afford the 4-Runner so I test drove a Highlander with a few extras and drove it home. I was very pleased with the difference between this suv and the x- terra. It was wonderful being in a quiet smooth ride.