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:

• 

  Amazing Economy Car - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By yooper42985 - February 21 - 11:43 am

  I inherited my Corolla in 2004 with 114k miles shortly after moving away to college. It isnÂ’t sporty or sexy, but it was a far sight more reliable than the 1984 Grand Prix it replaced. The car now has 170k miles. In this time, aside from oil, tranny fluid, tires and brake pads all I have had replaced is the radiator, shocks/springs, and strut mounts. The radiator was actually still working fine, even with a whole rusted clear through it. But out of prudence, I decided to have it replaced. Gas mileage is great (24 city/32 highway), although I believe the newer Corollas are better with new technology. Not as good as a civic hatchback, but way more car. I have the 4 gear auto tranny.

• 

  fun little car - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By ennui - February 21 - 10:00 am

  great car for fun, little to no storage space, lots of looks and comments.

• 

  Rocket Car - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By Hangin Sixth - February 21 - 10:00 am

  What a fun little missle. It takes the daily drive and makes it an adventure. I have to watch the speed on the freeway because the GTS just gets more solid the faster it goes. Get the action package, with leather!

• 

  02 Solara Coupe - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Lunar Mist - February 21 - 10:00 am

  We traded in a 1995 2-d Camry with 200k miles for the Solara. This makes the 5th Camry weve owned. Very satisfied with the vehicle. Beautiful machine both in style and performance.

• 

  Economical but boring - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By mnoeltne - February 21 - 7:16 am

  I tried to like this car. Its relatively inexpensive, it gets great gas mileage, and Toyotas tend to be super-reliable. Our Corolla is all of that, but its boring to drive, and I just cannot find a comfortable seating position in this car. Ive adjusted everything that can be adjusted and I still get pain in my lower back and upper legs after driving this car for more than 45 minutes. I ended up giving my wife this car, and I started driving our 04 Golf TDI. My wife is happy enough with the car so we still have marital bliss. But, I have to say that I probably will not buy another one like this unless the redesigned models have improved seating.

• 

  2005 Toyota Sequoia SR5 - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By maripro1 - February 21 - 5:43 am

  I purchased the Toyota after selling my much loved Nissan Pathfinder. We needed something larger and the new Pathfinder / Armada just look "sloppy" in comparison to the Sequoia. A lot of on-line sites will tell you the 05 is just a carry-over of the 04. This is wrong, the 05 has a 282HP engine (compared to 240) and a 5speed automatic (compared to 4 speed) which so far has netted us about 15MPG in mixed driving. The fit and finish appear to be outstanding (some say boring) but in my view approaching Lexus standards.Having only two weeks with the SUV, my only concern is the brakes take a little more effort to slow the Sequoia down than I would like.

• 

  Ready to Trade - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Joe - February 21 - 1:56 am

  I purchased a 2009 Toyota Camry SE in March and will be trading it very soon. Only has 800, but I would rather not have a bad back. The seats in the Camry are the most uncomfortable seats of any car Ive ever owed. The ride is smooth and the car is quiet, decent gas mileage and nice style. NO pickup at all. This car is to big for a 4 cylinder and it hesitates when you press on the gas as you start off. Not good if you plan to do a lot of highway driving. Toyota should be ashamed of themselves for designed such uncomfortable seats. Honda here I come.

• 

  90 Day Review - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By sheepleking - February 21 - 1:46 am

  Purchased a 11 Limited RAV4 (Pyrite Mica color) in May and have driven approx 4900 miles in that time. Overall Im pleased with the performance and features. Gas mileage has been approx. 22 mpg in mixed driving with a high of 26.5 for a 600 mile trip to see family in Missouri. A couple gripes are a few rattles/creaks coming from the console (to the right of the shifter) and the passenger seat (underneath near the rails). Ive also had a consistent tapping noise when I am at idle (appt set for this week to have it looked at). Would rate build quality at 3.5 if that was an option. Overall Im pleased with the purchase and have yet to encounter any "buyers remorse".

• 

  1998 Toyota Land Cruiser - 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Sal Paradise - February 19 - 8:06 pm

  I bought the LC used in 04 with 115k miles on it. Its stock except for rear diff locker. My wife drove the car with the kids for two years and now its my daily driver. Its an excellent all-rounder. Plenty of power and traction, etc, in the rough Utah winters. Excellent on the dirt roads. The craftsmanship of the vehicle is soooo nice. I now have 155k on the ride and its still our #1 choice for trips.

• 

  Didnt Know What I was Looking For Until I Found It - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By tandem2 - February 19 - 5:09 am

  I had been looking for a vehicle to give my 2001 Trooper a rest for the work commute. I had driven everything from BMW X3s to the Nissan Cube and was really getting disappointed. Then I got behind the wheeel of a 2009 Matrix XRS with 10k miles on it...WOW! Within 5 minutes I knew that I had found the vehicle I was looking for. Comfortable for my 6 foot frame, sporty, fun to drive, relatively economical and pretty darn practical for the exterior dimensions. It has been 3 months since the purchase and my wife and I are still commenting how pleased we are with the car. We some long (400+ mile) trips coming, and we are looking forward to them. Great job Toyota!