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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  Very Big SUV - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By CanoeCrazy - February 24 - 5:16 pm

  I lost room going from an Aerostar AWD extended van, but I gained ground clearance and an extra seat. I canoe in Maine and need the ground clearance that the van could not deliver for the logging roads. One problem is that the truck is so high that I have troble loading a canoe on the useless roof rack. I will buy a canoe trailer! 4WD and traction control are OK in snow, but the skid control doesnt do much. This is a HIGH vehicle and the running boards help greatly getting in.

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  A good car, but... - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Not so hot - February 24 - 4:33 pm

  This is my third Camry and the worst Ive owned. I really like the style of this Camry, but the engine performance is subpar. Ive experienced the hesitation problem when applying the gas after slowing down. Also, the power windows seem to get stuck momentarily when I try to roll them down, especially the drivers side. Gas mileage is about 20 in the city, certainly not that great.

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  Better than expected - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By brifromwi - February 23 - 8:48 pm

  After much debate, we sold our 2005 Sienna XLE and found a great deal on a 2011 Sienna Limited ($2200 under invoice!). The ride is superior to our 2005; I would describe it as more "plush". The interior cabin noise is much improved over the 05 as well. Overall, in our mind, the Sienna beats the honda and the nissan hands down. The ability to move the second row so far back was what sold us on the Sienna. Overall, we are really happy with the purchase.

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  The Good and Bad of the Corolla - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Speedsaver - February 22 - 5:40 pm

  The Good 1: Remote Trunk release 2: Exterior design 3: Night Vision 4: visibility while driving 5: Gas mileage 6: Display of average and instant mpg 7: Steering and turn cycle 8: Parking spaces 9: ABS and 6 Airbags The Bad 1: Clock location and have to cycle through display to get to it. should be on stereo or like in the 2009 Camry LE 2: Smaller console 3: Cloth Material (cheap) 4: The body metal is thin that in cleaning they bent the cover to gas cap 5: Doors feel light and weak 6: The car seems like it would not take a 5mph or less impact to the bumper well. 7: Smaller rear space could not fit my Infant Seat there but could with the 2004 Corolla LE 8: rides stiff

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  Great reliability and drive for a van - 2002 Toyota Sienna
  By stickywickett - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Own a 2002 Toyota Sienna LE symphony with 42,000 miles, and absolutely NO problems at all. Only maintenance required was oil changes every 5,000 miles. Nothing fancy about the styling of this van, but it gets the job done (transporting kids safely, comfortably, and reliably).

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  ...bought this car in 12 & again in April 15 !!! - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By JonJGoldberg - February 21 - 5:26 am

  ...I dislike the new exterior more than I like the new interior - that said - this car rocks!!! It always exceeds my expectations - My other car is a 15 Chevy SS sports sedan & I gotta say the Camry SE-v6 is 85% of that car when I was expecting much less - With a rim & tire change that saved 7lbs per wheel & upgraded the rubber to all season Y rated tires the car has more grip, poise, & pep than the attractive but fuel economy tuned original equipment - From NYC to Durham NC w/the spouse taking our kid to a summer session & collage, we didnt have any extra room but - all were in comfort - the cooler was on the nicely finished folded seat back - our travel & our collage kids stuff fit snugly in the trunk - fully loaded the car had pep to pass, at will even @ 70 mph speed limits; while the suspension still had the agility to avoid, or the travel to absorb road imperfections, it still felt light on its feet - The brakes are ok, adequate, not as special as the go-power so be careful -

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  More than expected - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By b_miller - February 21 - 4:56 am

  I was expecting great gas mileage, I was expecting legendary Toyota quality. I was not expecting the power that this sub 100 horsepower engine put out. Very quick acceleration considering it has something like 73 HP. Very good cargo space, seats folding flat is a great plus as well. Car drives very smooth, and handling is responsive. Car seems to have a very light but noticable shift/transition from electric power to gas. Overall a great car, I would rate a 8.5 out of 10. Gas mileage is amazing and get up and go is more than adequate. Would recommend.

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  A few minor complaints - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By T0pS1aker - February 20 - 10:00 am

  Well, for starters, the truck hasnt let me down yet [knock on wood]! I love the styling on the exterior, although the interior can use a little work. The major complaint is the jerk that happens when you let go off the brake sometimes. I havent figured out whether it is related to transmission (my best guess), or the breaks. The dealer says there is nothing wrong. The gear shifter also moves slightly by itself when I drive (voodoo, I suppose). Road noise can be a bit of a problem, but thats expected with the tires that big. Positives: great AC, fine handling, superb off-road capabilities, lots of room for a "compact" truck, rear- locking is always good.

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  Several Bothersome Quirks - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By dcmharley - February 20 - 5:10 am

  Im a repeat Sienna owner. Leased a 97 and loved it. Bought a top-of- the-line 04 and wish I had leased it, so I can dump it. Navigation system stinks. It is disabled when car is in motion. Not even a passenger can plot a route without stopping (usually on the side of a busy highway!!) Run-flat tires are sold as a feature. They wear out in 20K miles and cost 3X the price of conventionals. No spare brings up all sorts of safety problems. They are rated as Ultra High Performance All- Season. What? On a minivan? Transmission shifts very poorly, particularly when downshifting then accelerating, as one does at yield signs, toll booths, etc.

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  Is Toyota ever going to do what I want? - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By windysun - February 19 - 11:36 pm

  I love my 09 Matrix. My tall kids are comfortable in the back. I think it is the best looking car for this class. However, Toyota skimps on little luxuries. If this car were made by Lexus under a different name, I would buy 3. This car needs more comfortable seats. As usual, it is bare bones. I dont feel I paid bare bones price though. When you hit a curb or something, holy cow. The whole car gets a jolt.