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:

• 

  One Fine Truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By The Kentucky Kid - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Had this truck for four months now, and absolutely love it. Its not perfect, but its definitely a quality vehicle. Ride is a little bouncy, especially on concrete interstates (asphalt is smooth as glass). Couldnt afford the V6, but the 4 cyl. does fine. I dont do a lot of heavy-duty hauling or towing, so the HP is more than adequate. Getting 21 mpg avg and as much as 25 mpg on the open road. Its a great hill climber, creek splasher and rock rider and Ive spent many fun hours off-road, exploring places Ive never been before. But clean it up and shine it up and, man, it takes to city streets like a Jaguar to the jungle. And chicks love it!

• 

  Loving it! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By PAX5formerowner - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I was a BMW owner for the first time and had a 2001 X5 for 2 years. I loved that car . . . so I thought. Dependability NONE! Decided to go for the Toyotal quality and what I got was an SUV with a better ride than the X5 -much better and $12,000 less in sticker price. Saved a bunch of $$ going with the Highlander and thought I would sacrifice something, however the quality is superb to the BMW and the ride is wonderful. Roomy, fun to drive and love the leather package. Got the Limited with everything and glad I did. Wonderful vehicle and should have went with Toyota 2 years ago instead of the X5. Sacrificed nothing except more $$ in my pocket . . . .

• 

  Love the car - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By bmxer - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Im getting 38+ mpg with style.

• 

  Top of the Line - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bill - January 25 - 6:16 pm

  This is my first Toyota since a Corona station wagon back in the early 70s, and boy have things changed. It feels even more solid than the 94 Dakota it replaced, and its at least twice as comfortable to drive. Havent had the chance to put all the off road features through their paces yet, except for checking that everything works, but I already have some very interesting "roads" in mind to try it out on. The double cab configuration with the short bed is just about perfect for what I have in mind for it. Fuel economy is nothing to write home about, but for a truck this capable, its not too shabby. Reliability remains to be seen, but Toyotas reputation is very high in that regard.

• 

  Cant beat it. - 1999 Toyota Avalon
  By Bobkat67 - January 25 - 3:46 pm

  PRO: We have had it since 1999 and purchased it used. We have had no problems. We traveled cross the US twice and never had a single need other than gas and oil changes. Great car. CON: cup holder in bad location....

• 

  Its Not My Saab Aero and Im Glad! - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By jsw - January 25 - 12:43 pm

  Having moved from a 6.5 sec 0-60 very comfortable sedan to a Prius is a lifestyle change that I am willing to accept. However, the Priuss winning suit is because of its technology. Despite the lower ratings I gave, I think it is a remarkable car. We will grow older together.

• 

  I was loyal - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By yellowsun_5t5 - January 25 - 11:26 am

  I remember going with my mom when she purchased her Corolla new in 96 - and her going with me when I bought mine new 10 years later. I am a full time student and work full time, and thought having a new car meant no mechanical problems. The car worked well for the first two years, but has been falling apart since. The ECU has had to be replaced, but the engine problems persist. Toyota apparently has a "no code, no problem" policy. They apologize a lot that you are having problems, but thats the extent of their customer service. My engine feels like its about to fall out, and they refuse to acknowledge that their solution to the recall on my car has not solved the problems.

• 

  Life is Good! Thanks Toyota! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Dean - January 25 - 8:06 am

  I bought my 4Runner as a CPO a few years ago, the first CPO I have ever purchased. It has been superb! 19- 20 MPG in the city and about 23-24 MPG on the highway, marvelous comfort, great stopping power, very low cost of maintenance.

• 

  Love it!! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Kao W. Brown - January 25 - 2:23 am

  I had a Town and Country which turned out to be a lemmon. I love my Seinna. We have two young children and the attention Toyota put in this car to make it a family car is great. We have taken several long trips and she drives like a champ. This car also looks sleek and its a Toyota.

• 

  TOYOTA WARRANTY INFORMATION!! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By ConcernedConsumer - January 25 - 12:15 am

  Before you purchase a car, check to see if the company stands behind their product. Some companies do and some companies do not. According to my recent experience with Toyota, they definitely do not stand behind their product. Paint was chipping off immediately after purchase and it was determined to be a defective paint job by the factory. Google "Toyota paint peeling" and youll get tons of results. I called into their corporate customer service and they were immediately trying to deny that a warranty applied even without hearing which model car and year I had. (Person helping me was Angelina; case number 1606203521)