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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  Getting to know you..all about you - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By rwinga - April 6 - 2:12 pm

  Ive had the Prius Three for about a month and it is the first hybrid car Ive owned. Theres been a bit of a learning curve as to how the unit operates, what works in driving it and what doesnt. While not a sports car, I think the handling of the Prius is under rated. Its not glued to the rails so to speak but handles far better than many other cars from my past, especially the crossovers and SUVs. The vision outward is a bit of a challenge, especially in the early days but Ive since gotten used to the sharp angles and have come to rely on the side view mirrors more than on most any other car Ive owned. So far, so good. The joystick gear changer is OK but too cute.

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  Headlight problem - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Liz - April 5 - 5:46 pm

  Most of these reviews are given after a day or week of owning! Ive had the 06 Prius for 2 years and 40,000 miles. New problem: at about 37,000 miles, the headlights started going off, one or the other, sometimes both at once. Fixed temporarily by turning lights off and back on. Mechanic cant find anything wrong with it. Toyota should do a recall and fix this. Gas mileage is greatly affected by the quality of the gas you buy, and how you drive! Watch the info display, and buy higher octane, and no gasohol!

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  Beware old Hybrid Battery - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By ihtsjnellay - April 5 - 1:20 pm

  I bought this car used at a dealership and they checked everything else EXCEPT for the hybrid battery. Being a hybrid, and having 2 batteries could be a nightmare waiting to happen. I used it for 2 days and the 2nd day, on the way home from work on the freeway my car had stopped accelerating. The main battery light came up and I had to stop on the side of the road to start it up again. This happened 3 times, and I only live 10 mins away from my work. The cost to replace an old hybrid battery is 3000 for parts and 2000 for labor. BEWARE. Only the new Prius are reliable considering this is the earliest of models.

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  Nice car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By JJ994 - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I have the car for only 5 weeks but so far it has been nice to drive. It is quiet and is good on gas. I am getting 30mpg on the hyw. with a heavy right foot and about 26 mpg city/hyw. I have been from N.Y.C. to Montreal and it cruises nicely at 90mph.

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  Not what I expected from Toyota - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Marc - April 4 - 1:10 am

  About the only things I like about my Highlander is the reliability and it drives pretty good for an SUV. Others hit themajor disappointments starting with the poor MPG about 17 summer & 14 winter. Tires were replaced at 21,000 miles. Transmission is jerky if you step on the gas and then let off. Paint does scratch very easy (just rubbing finger on paint). The best part is while getting an oil change at the same dealer it was purchased from (about 1 year old) I asked how much I could get for trade-in on a new Hybrid. After review (on my almost as good as new condition vehicle) they offered $12,400 less than what I paid one year previously. What a big disappointment.

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  What was Toyota thinking for interior? - 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By 911skibum - April 3 - 6:30 pm

  I bought the 2009 LC for the new engine and transmission which are outstanding. The interior of my old LC was a light tan. The new interior is three different colors and is like sitting in a cave. Very bad design. Black dash? UGLY!!! The other BIG problem is that you cannot remove the 3rd row seats. Thus, you loose a lot of storage and hauling room. My old LC you could remove the seats in 2 minutes. There is no way to remove the 2009 seats. Toyota, what were you thinking? I haul skis, golf clubs, luggage, go to Costco, etc. I think most owners are like me and very rarely have passengers in the cramped 3rd row (made for kids). This makes no sense.

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  Disappointed w/ Business Practice - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By jon - April 3 - 3:43 pm

  After 5 trips to Toyota service they made the throttle issue more dangerous with a feather light gas pedal. Resistance on the gas pedal was scary lite. If you have a recall make the dealership prove they wont mess it up and take whats yours. Lakeland Toyota offered insults, excuses blaming Toyota. Paid premium for upgraded floor mats, had dealership steal from my vehicle "at direction of Toyota". Dealership took my upgraded floor mats which retained snow and mud in return they gave me the cheap, poor quality mats. Dealership blamed Toyota took no responsibility, thieves. Very disappointed in both dealership and Toyota customer relations. Wouldnt recommend either.

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  Going Strong - 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By EZK - April 3 - 9:50 am

  I bought this SUV in 2000 new. I knew it was expensive compared to other SUVs but my 1996 Chevy Tahoe stranded my family and I for the third time in VT and I was willing to pay more for reliability. Almost ten years later and this is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. 105,000 miles and it runs and rides like new. Unlike my newer VW Passat and the Tahoe predecessor, the TLC does not leak any engine oil or any other fluids on my garage floor to this day. Only negatives are 16 mpg (no matter how you drive); very expensive parts when they fail; awkward third row seat arrangement; chews through tires at the front end (latest Michelins are holding up better than others). Best SUV!

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  Happy Owner - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By BillTrail - April 3 - 2:43 am

  Compared to my new 06 Honda Civic Hybrid my new 08 Pkg 2 Prius is wonderful. I dumped the 06 HCH after just 5 months Ive had this Toyota now 6 months and 19,000 miles. Handles like a real car while the Civic didnt. The Prius is a great all-around solid and upright car. Fuzzy beige cloth gets nasty if you drive a lot like me. Overall, kudos to Toyota. I get 43 mpg at 80 mph freeway speeds and 59 to 61mpg running it at 55 mph on state highways with 48 mpg overall avg so far.

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  High School Car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Monkeywrencher - April 2 - 9:16 pm

  As a college student I find this to be a perfect car. I have had this car for several years and have only had minor issues with it. One complaint is the windows! Back passenger side window will not roll up or down..currently held in place with clear duct tape. Drivers window will not roll up unless you wait 5 min to gain 1 inch of window. Other than that I have never had any engine problems and love my car! So much better than my old Chevy Blazer 1994!