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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  KU Highlander - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Jerry Townsend - December 4 - 7:26 am

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  Great little car - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Bill - December 3 - 6:56 pm

  Ive been very happy with this car. Very reliable and easy to maintain. I do my own car maintenance and I really like how things are laid out under the hood. Ideal for my family of four.

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  if you want a nice looking boring car this is it - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Michael - December 3 - 4:50 pm

  We bought a new 2015 XSE with the 4cyl. They exterior does have a good look to it. The interior is pretty boring compared to most cars out there. I was driving the car to DC and finally got the gas mileage over 30mpg. The info center decided to reset itself 4 times with in 4 minutes. Shutting off my phone charger, radio and display screen. Did it again on the drive back home a few days later. I havent driven the car longer than 2 hours since and it hasnt done it since. We bought a new Camry because it is suppose to be one of the most reliable cars out there. Compared to my 14 year old lexus GS300 and our 2010 Nissan Murano this car is not all that impressive.

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  Great Little Commuting Car - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Jeff - December 3 - 2:33 pm

  I have only owned Toyotas, from including a Previa, Corolla, Rav4 and 2003 4Runner. This is a great little commuting car. I have a 30+ mile commute each way, and should save 15 MPG compared to my Rav4... which alone should save me almost my car payment. Surprisingly roomy, feels much bigger than the Corolla. We have 2 small kids in car seats and this car will allow us to take the Yaris instead of the 4Runner around town. I havent found a complaint yet with it... The Corolla in its current form is in trouble. This car is $3000 cheaper than a Corolla, feels bigger and is a heck of a lot better to look at.

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  Sweet Ride - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By Fiona - December 3 - 12:16 pm

  Best choice I ever made for a car. It is awesome in reliability and it does great on the beach. Excellent car.

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  Great Car 1st Car - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Allen - December 3 - 9:20 am

  Bought this car for my 17 year old daughter. 128K and runs like new, no leaks and interior is in top condition. Never owned a toyota but Id have to say this car is great. Awesome gas mileage. Not too powerful hopefully it will prevent speeding tickets for a teen. An added huge exhaust and cold air intake did bump the horsepower. Great car! Recommend to all parents looking to purchase a first car. I drove the Saturn ION, Cavalier, and Cobalt before purchasing. This one with high mileage beat them in looks, performance, ride and insurance cost. Highly recommend.

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  Top Drawer - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By wacka10sball - December 3 - 6:13 am

  Nothing like waving at gas stations as you pass by in big-car comfort, style, safety and handling. Im getting an average of 38-41 mpg and lovin it. Dont accept the view that its much cheaper to buy the equivalent "non-green" Camry XLE. That comparison may hold with other green, non-green car models, but not in this case; this is fact often overlooked. True, the trunk space is more limited, but the split rear seats go down, which helps. Im pleased with my selection.

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  Very disappointed - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By Max - December 3 - 1:23 am

  I purchased this vehicle with 126K miles on it. It now has 130K and is sitting in the shop with a $3,700 transmission bill. I had very high hopes when I bought it and was hoping to keep it for years to come. Unfortunately, the failure of the transmission took me by surprise. I am very surprised it wore down after only 130K miles. I really do love the truck, unfortunately someone before me did not take care of the transmission and now Im stuck with the bill. I guess its off to Craigslist to see who wants a mechanics special.

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  Cheap, Reliable, and Efficient - 2000 Toyota Corolla
  By SK - December 2 - 11:53 am

  Not having a lot of money and needing a reliable and efficient car, I bought the most basic Corolla. I doubt I could have gotten more value for my money from another new car. The car has 57500 miles now, and the only problem I had was burnt-out check engine indicator (promptly fixed by the dealer under the manufacturers warranty). The car handles very well, has very good angles (I can make a U-turn almost anywhere), and can fit into almost any parking spot. It has a decent acceleration (w/ manual transmission) and is comfortable at freeway speeds (passable even at 85-90 mph if needed). It gives me a great gas mileage -- upto 40mpg on the freeway and 27-33 in the city.

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  Great vehicle! - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Gene - December 2 - 8:53 am

  Purchased in Nov 2009, use primarily on long trips, although some around town avg gas mileage in low 20s mixed driving, on highway gotten as high as 27 mpg with the V6 AWD, doing 65 to 70. Very satisfied with that. Comfortable, roomy, love the heated seats, have to be a computer science major to work the nav system and other elect stuff. Great car so far. No problems re recall issues.