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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  Needs more power but good on gas - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By stevesoxx - April 12 - 5:36 am

  Needs more power. Engine jiggles car. Good on gas and nice styling

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  Great Reliable Car! - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By decator - April 11 - 8:15 pm

  We bought this car new in May 2001, we now have 135K miles on it and still love it! The only issues we have had to deal with was replacing the clutch at 95K (driver fault) and simple maintenance. The front brake pads lasted until 120K (I check them regularly). I still average about 31mpg when its all city driving and 36 when I commute on the highway. We could afford a new car, but I will drive this one until its last mile, and would not hesitate to buy another. With that said it is not perfect and there are drawbacks like interior size, road noise, etc.. But I am a believer that those are little things while reliability and affordability are the things that are harder to come by.

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  Good truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By ExcuseI! - April 10 - 12:56 pm

  Bought used in 2008, have literally driven it across the country. (Truck has about 110k miles on it now) Avgs 16-25 mpg. Took it tailgating in the southeast with 4 adults and gear and got 25 mpg on highway in "mountainous" terrain of western NC and SC. The truck has been worry free over about 15k miles. The power from the V6 has been more than adequate with hauling rocks, dirt and plants/trees for homeowner "fun" and around town. I havent towed with it. 60# dog fits in back of cab nicely as the seats fold flat and have a robust back. The cubbyholes behind and under the rear seats were borderline genius (they have become more common now, I think). The power outlet in truck bed is handy.

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  Prius review - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Prii_luver - April 10 - 6:26 am

  This car get phenomenal gas mileage, looks good and is fun to drive for a small car. People are always surprised on how fast the car moves for a small car, it is not a race car, but the electric motor gives a lot of torque from a dead stop. I also have a feel good experience that I am not contributing to global warming and sending oil money to countries that hate us.

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  Nice truck but not a keeper. - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By rblau - April 9 - 5:40 pm

  I bought my 2009 Tacoma regular cab with the manual transmission in June of 2010 with 13,000 miles on the clock and traded it in August 2012 with 42,000 miles on it. I loved the way the truck looked. Reliability was never an issue. My Tacoma never failed to start and never left me stranded. The 2.7 four is a great engine. I averaged about 20 mpg with it. My dissatisfaction was the result of the trucks build quality. I had constant rattling coming from the drive shaft going over bumps when the drivetrain was unloaded. The dealership replaced the driveshaft. The problem remained. Toyota said it was a known issue with the 4x4 manual regular cab. I would have to live with it. I chose not to.

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  OUTSTANDING - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By LYNN - April 9 - 10:06 am

  Except for a few squeaks and fuel economy under 20 MPG, the truck is excellent!

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  Rate of car - 2005 Toyota Celica
  By Brian Chaney - April 8 - 10:00 am

  I love driving the car. But I just with it had more power under the hood. It seems like it takes forever to pick up enough speed. The RPMs run too high for the speed Im going. But its a damn sporty car and I do like it.

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  Prius after 6 months - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By montrailer - April 8 - 10:00 am

  After initial software problems, the car is generally reliable. Weather conditions, especially high humidity, will set-off a cacophony of warning lights, but after the software fix, the system resets itself so that I do not have to drive back to the dealership every week. Ive been averaging 51-52 mpg on the highway but most drivers will only average a couple mpg better than a corolla. The secret to getting the advertised mpg is in the law of averages.

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  Poor Over Road Ride - 2012 Toyota 4Runner
  By dmacri - April 8 - 6:09 am

  I just purchased a New 2012 4runner Limited. I purchased the Limited over the SR5 because it was supposedly smoother riding. The vehicle pulses through the steering wheel at all speeds. I spoke to Toyota and had it back to the dealership twice. They both told me that it was a truck and that is the way it rides and I should live with it. I owned 12 new trucks before this and none rode this bad, of course none were a Toyota. I personal feel that it is th 20" wheels and tires that they put on this vehicle. They are hard riding and poor handling. I am limited to 2 tire manufacturers with these wheels so i can not even buy touring tires.

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  OK, but... - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By bayverse - April 7 - 1:26 am

  I purchased the Avalon because I wanted near full-size comfort with reasonable fuel economy. Unfortunately, I am not as satisfied as I thought Id be. The ride is OK, and theres a grinding in the CVT transmission when first accelerating...blogs suggest thats an 05-06 Avalon characteristic. Bad. I have to get used to the CVT transmission too. Its always looking for the sweet spot and that hurts quick acceleration. Once if does find that spot, and after a pronounced lag, it issues relatively powerful performance. Interior is well thought out, but the seats belong in the Corolla. The trunk is tiny.