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:

• 

  Good Van / Avoid Crooked Dealerships - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By j_ly - October 12 - 1:15 pm

  I bought my 2005 Sienna used from a private party in 2007 with 40,000 miles and I have over 130,000 miles on it today. I put new Michelin tires from Sams Club on at 90,000 miles (rotate every 10K) and they still have over half of their tread life. I changed spark plugs and plug wires as well as the timing belt at 110,000 miles. Thats it! I received a recall notice for the spare tire holder so had to bring to dealership. When I got my van back I was told I needed a new radiator ($800) and cabin air filter ($80). I brought the van back to my mechanic and he said the radiator was fine and took 2 minutes to change the cabin filter ($15). That was 15,000 miles ago!

• 

  2010 prius - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By michael sanders - October 12 - 4:56 am

  More fun to drive than I expected. Lots of room inside and very comfortable. Acceptable performance and great gas mileage (50mpg). Back view is limited and the bell in reverse is a real pain.

• 

  235 hp, are you serious? - 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By trwool - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd LC and they have all been great but still only 235 hp and all of that weight??? i know, i know its a TRUCK but Toyota needs to update this motor and asap. i drive a lot of miles and will need to replace this soon. i have done all the looking as usual but the quality of this truck rules over the lack of power. maybe im asking too much.

• 

  Mileage not holding up over time - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By gypsy2 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  After 14 months the mileage began to fall and the dealer claims to find no problem. Mileage has never matched what the computer says, off consistently 2 to 5 miles, more lately. I got consistent 46 mpg first 14 months, more on long straight drives, then it fell to 23 mpg for a month, then gradually climbed back up to about 30. Climate control also stopped working efficiently. Mostly I like the car, but will switch to Honda this year as the dealer seems uninterested in the strange drop in mpg.

• 

  Great SUV - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By AL4runner - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had this suv for 4 years and never had one problem with it. It has 52000 and nothing has been replaced other then tires.

• 

  A good car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By cherry-kun - October 12 - 2:00 am

  My parents bought this car certified/used at around 30,000 miles or so because I needed a car for college. As a car enthusiast I was disappointed at first for not getting a sportier car but having this car for a while made me like it, because I rarely had any problems with it. So far after driving this car for about two years the only problem I had was an engine check light coming on, which turned out to be false, I believe. The standard stereo sounds all right. Highway ride had some noticeable tire noise when I had Potenzas but was better when I swtiched to some Michelin Pilots. Overall in many respects a pleasurable car to own.

• 

  Transmission problems - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Allisonian - October 8 - 6:56 am

  My Venza was silky smooth the first week. Loved it! Then the annoying grinding noise from the transmission occurred when starting in the morning with every shift. The technician said that it was normal in a morning cold/cool start. The grinding sound became worse and worse. Now the venza wont move when start in the morning, on reverse, or drive for up to a minute, while the VDC light up on the dashboard. Have to turn it off and restart. Very disappointed. Other owners reported similar problems. Will take the car to dealer to have it checked out.

• 

  Well built, "fun," economical car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By harddrivin1le - October 7 - 2:13 pm

  I feel the greatest value in this car is found in the base models and that people who want more options would be better served with the Honda Fit. That being said, I love my Yaris. Mine has the dealer-installed TRD suspension parts (springs, shocks and rear sway bar). The package utterly transforms the cars ride and handling and gives it a Mini-like feel. The TRD package yields a very well balanced, fun to drive car and Il highly recommend it to any enthusiast. I also installed the leather wrapped TRD shift knob, which flexes less than the factory rubberized plastic knob and yields a more direct feel to the shifter. Nice brakes, nice steering, acceptable seats, lots of storage, MPG!

• 

  Great truck - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By r smith - October 7 - 12:30 pm

  Bought this truck new and have been very pleased. No major mechanical issues, but a few items to note, front brakes are undersized for the size of the truck and have to be replaced more often than normal. Paint job dulled in 06 and o2 sensors keep going out. Truck does great off road, I put a leveling kit on the front and an all around 3" body lift, looks great. Overall a great investment, Ive been driving the truck daily and it is very dependable.

• 

  it is the best - 2004 Toyota Celica
  By Amanda Lenhart - October 7 - 10:00 am

  it has been the best vehicle ever and i used to have an eclipse but that never drove as smooth as the celica. i love my car and i couldnt have asked for more. thank you.. please feel free to e mail me anytime