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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  Toyota Never Again - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nick - September 2 - 2:26 am

  I am very disappointed with the Tacoma. So far the engine sounds like a diesel engine, its burns oil when first started and the stereo has a mind of its own (on, off, on, off volume up and down by itself). Toyota factory rep. says everything is normal. Its safe to say that I will never acquire another Toyota again. Back to my Jeeps.

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  Not for me - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jeremy - August 30 - 12:01 pm

  Ill make it short and sweet toyota made a big mistake by changing to the 3.5 liter engine. This new version is so underpowered. It made my decision for a new truck easy. Ill check by with toyota in a few years to see if they have fixed the problems. Also the GoPro camera mount built in is absolutely stupid. Technology changes over time but that mount on your windshield doesnt. Same situation for the built in phone charger. Epic failure in the part of toyota on this one.

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  Be very careful when buying a corolla - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By jimsh - August 29 - 5:20 am

  After owning for 40 days, the fuel pump died in my corolla with 67,000 miles. The big problem is that mine was made in Japan. Because of that the fuel pump will cost over $800. If my corolla had been made in North America the fuel pump would cost $130-250. Why on earth would Toyota want to do that to their customers? Right now my car is still in the shop because I dont know what to do and neither does my mechanic. If the VIN starts with J that means it was made in Japan and you should not buy it!

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  Long life - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By rothkclark - August 27 - 7:33 am

  Great car. Sold it in June of 2010 in order to buy an SUV. Great MPG and lasted! There was nothing wrong with it when I sold it. Had 194,000 miles and ran almost perfect. Sold it for $1,800 even though KBB listing was $2,200. Overall, it was great.

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  Oh what a Feeling - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By pam - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2003 Toyota Sequoia, bought it new and at approx 8,000 miles it now has a pecking noise in the engine. I have had it back to the dealership several times and they tell me that it is a design flaw in the engine called "PISTON SLAP". It sounds like a diesel engine. Have contacted California with no success. Does Toyota really stand behind their products? What a feeling to ride in a pecking $40,000 vehicle. Their response is you still have a lot of warranty left. If it started pecking a approx 8,000 miles and still doing it at 13,000 miles by the time it has 50,000 miles it will be junk.

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  Bad front end Car is "2002 model" - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By Mike Collins - August 27 - 2:00 am

  This car is very over-rated based on price and reliabilty. The car has road noise, wind noise from exterior mirrors, and we have had excessive front end problems. I will never buy one of these again, for the price $33,000, should have bought a Lexis, Acura, or simular designed vehicle.

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  A big disappointment - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By Sad owner - August 26 - 10:00 am

  I have owned Toyotas for years. I had always been happy with their quality and reliability - until now. I have had nothing but problems with this van and been blamed repeatedly by the dealer for all the problems. Its funny that I take care of all my Toyotas the same way and none of them ever had any problems like this. The engine is destroyed by oil sludge. Its in the shop getting a new engine right now. The interior of the van is falling apart. The vanity mirrors fell off. The door buttons stick in the down position so you cant close the door. I haul my kids around in this van and it needs to be safe and reliable. This van is WAY off base for that.

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  2004 Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By strata - August 21 - 10:20 am

  My 2004 Prius was bought in Oct 03 because of the claim of outstanding mileage, the federal tax incentive and I was driving a large crewcab pickup. Mileage range from the high 30s in the coldest (below -0 F.) months to the low 50s once the weather gets warmer in the spring. It gets the best mileage in city driving about 40 mph. It is fairly comfortable in day to day commuting. The hatchback feature is very useful with the extra room with the rear seats folded down. The biggest gripes are the light beige cloth upholstery that show dirt easy and the couple of times that it left me stranded with computer glitches once at dealer when they were doing a recall and once 300 miles away.

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  Poor Quality Toyota Tacoma - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By hl - August 20 - 6:26 pm

  I have the truck for about 1500 miles. It has following problems: 1.) poor alignment: I have to re-align front wheels to drive straight. 2.) power steel failed with fluid leaked out. It has to be serviced and part changed. 3). rattle noise from right side of cab. It has not being fixed after two trips to dealership.

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  Had higher expectations of the car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By D. Grugan - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Power could be better and the gas mileage should be considering that the car requires premimum. I have a navigation system and its merely a toy unless the owner is in a position to travel to unfamiliar routes. Driver fron seat came up somewhat short on support for my long legs. Also, the power seats do not tilt back far enough for taller drivers with long legs.