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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  NO HEAT = COLD FEET @ -20 Degrees - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By northpolermike - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Ive driven this V6 Sport 9339 miles in 11 months. Its had 2 recalls, and now is back for 2 TSBs. The heaters blower quit due to the ice and moisture entering the plastic housing - what a poor design for Alaska. The Vehicle Traction Control/Stability Control has now disengaged 5 times, twice while driving on the hiway. Dealer has yet to get either problem fixed. Doesnt make me feel confident to drive on ice!

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  Great Vehicle except for Tires - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By New Owner 2004 - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle comfortable and controls well placed. Acceleration is good, ride is excellent. Problem with the Goodyear Integrity tires a road hazard rendered one unusable, learned that Goodyear does not stock the tire since only Toyota is using it size 225/65R17. It is apparently an entry level tire according to tire shop suprised to see it on a Toyota. With 400 miles on the vehicle I have just replaced all tires with Michelins

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  Love My ECHO! - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By Kevin2 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun little car to drive. Never a problem parking or driving in the city. People are surprised at the amount of interior space. I love having everything built in to the center console. I like how high the seating position is. Plenty of room for tall passengers and driver. I even enjoy the occasional visits to the gas station! Ha Ha!

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  a year later... - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By rick - March 3 - 9:46 pm

  I did lots of research before I bought it (used with 11,000mi) and there is no doubt the Tundra fits my needs the best. I have two carseats in the car (Thanks for the LATCH) and carry my MC in the bed. Having owned the car for a year. Im quite satisfied and would recommend the car without hesitation. It is full of features and convencience items that makes it a great family car. However, there are a few things I am surprised Toyota missed. (For reference, previous cars include a 911,CR-V, Accord, 300Z, Explorer, Mustang...)

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  2007 Toyota Tundra Limited - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Blue_frogman - March 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought the truck Dec. 16 2007 assembled in Texas. So far have 12000 mi, had no mechanical problems and no strange noises.the truck does bounce some on the freeway when there is nothing in the bed. There is one thing I dont like and it is at the dealers now for, and that is to have the radio replaced. There is static, scratching noise in the AM section of the radio when I hit little bumps on the road or freeway. Otherwise the JBL 440 watt 12 speaker 4 cd radio sounds very cheap.

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  Fun car to drive. - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By vparque - March 2 - 9:53 pm

  I like everything about this car but two things: 1. Not enough power. The car does not accelerate fast enough. 2. No covering for the trunk area. I want to put a subwoofer in my car, but I dont want to show it to everyone who walks by my car when I park it on the street.

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  I love this car, but I wish ... - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By spacedude86 - March 1 - 12:13 pm

  I love this car. Its reliable, its sort of fun to drive, and it gets great gas mileage. I wish I hadnt gotten the CE base model though, because it lacks power windows, doors, and cruise control. I had to have the cruise control installed aftermarket. It started making this weird sound every time I started it up, that would go away after a while. Ran great, no problems. Then my girlfriend bought a Lexus (Toyota motor) and it made the same sound, so I stopped worrying about it. If you want a great little commuter car that is super reliable, then this is your car.

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  Excellent - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By dufour - February 28 - 1:48 pm

  I bought my truck 3 years ago. It has 29 km. I pull a camper (5200 pounds) and the tundra is doing a great job. Gaz millage is high but what else can I expect from a 5.7 liters engine. The power is impressive. This is my third toyota truck (old tacoma V6 3.0 and the last model V6 4.0 liter) and I have no fear about atrting the engine even when I going to my cabin on winter and start it after a week end of minus 35 (I live in northern Quebec).I change to rear brakes at 51km and a little noise is coming once in a while from the dash board on the passenger side. Toyota tried to fix the problem under warranty but the noise came back again in a short period of time. This is for the bad side.

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  Second review since purchase - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Bob W. - February 28 - 4:50 am

  Purchased new in April. Just took 450 mile trip. My Corolla owns up to numerous positive comments. Recent trip confirms Corollas strong economy statistics. I averaged 37.6 MPG. That reading was only 1.4 MPG higher than my personal calculations - not a problem. Satisfied with ride. Noticed only minor drifting because of electric Power Steering. Quiet ride. Still making adjustment to having a compact car after always having mid-size (Taurus type) cars.

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  After much research I chose a Camry - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By jpr - February 28 - 1:33 am

  All competitors seemed to have a few pluses and a few minuses. The 2010 Camry I found to be the best value of the mid-size four doors. However, the interior quality is not what most people assume a Camry would be, quite a few mismatched panels, inexpensive trim pieces (the back lower part of the front seats, thin carpet, visible flashing etc.). That said, it is a quiet car with many safety features which suits my 50 mile commute well. Figure adding on another $550 to get XM receiver on the base or LE installed. Some competitors have that standard, and thats a chunk of change, something to keep in mind when figuring the total price.