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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  excellent except - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By carolyn - January 13 - 10:23 am

  I love my 4runner except one thing. The fuel economy on this puppy is not that good. I go to the gas pump quite a bit in this thing. The 4 wheel drive is awesome and has pulled me through many a snow storm. Toyota quality is outstanding.

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  Great on gas mileage - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By rosi104062 - January 13 - 3:10 am

  When I researched this vehicle, I also reviewed the Civic, Fit, and Elantra. I liked the Civic, but its a little out of my price range. The Corolla turned out to be an excellent overall vehicle for the price. It seems to be a quiet car. The exterior design is nice. I was almost afraid to get this since I saw a lot of complaints about the ECS, but I dont notice anything bad about this. The leg room is as expected, and seems fine.

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  Could be better - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By its ok - January 13 - 2:50 am

  We bought our 1998 Toyota Camry LE with 100,000 miles; currently have 116,000. Have had a couple of sensors replaced, but is mostly reliable. Have never gotten more than 30 MPG. Everything is just average, nothing exciting, in fact it is very boring. Not much room up front, and the cupholders in the back are terrible. Seats are moderately comfy, but the legroom in back is great. Wish there were a button on the remote for the trunk, and the buttons are not labeled for lock/unlock.

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  Great Car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By arpy - January 12 - 11:33 am

  I bought this car new and have put 190,000 trouble free miles on it. It does not even burn any oil between changes. I have done just the routine maintenance and replaced wear and tear items as needed. A few signs of age have cropped up lately, notably bad valve stem seals and front upper strut plates, but who can complain after nearly 200,000 miles? Get that kind of service from an American car? Doubt it.

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  AWESOME - 2005 Toyota Celica
  By KRISTIN - January 12 - 10:00 am

  SPORTY FUN TO DRIVE.

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  Much better than 2004 - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By igmatas - January 12 - 10:00 am

  I drove several 2004 Corollas earlier this year - was not impressed. The 2005 made up for the weaknesses. Its as if Toyota read my mind.

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  Camry: Great Commuter car for LA - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Cindy - January 12 - 1:13 am

  Great dependability for 110 miles a day and more in LA traffic. I now have a car I can count on getting me to work and home every day. It has never misbehaved.

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  2010 Toyota Corolla - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Texas - January 11 - 11:36 pm

  Traded with cash for clunkers . Looked at Mazda 3 , Honda Fit, Toyota XB. Came back to the Corolla. Trunk good size for small car. Quieter then cars in its same class. Agree with others about the clock being moved to radio and the left foot rest is poorly placed. Great commuter car and the S model is very sporty .

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  Mainly happy - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By GMcGuire - January 11 - 3:30 pm

  Ive been mainly happy, when you treat the thing like a motorcycle and bang off the redline at 6,000 rpm in 1st thru 3rd it works not too badly. Engine slow idle is a bit lumpy, and it lacks a bit of power with the a/c on. Absolutely must have 4 good snow tires installed, its very light and it steps around quite a bit even on wet pavement. Great gas mileage, lots of room and functionality.

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  Good looking truck not cost effective - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By IT_guru - January 10 - 9:56 pm

  Exterior design makes it a good looking truck. I was complimented several times on its design. Fun to drive on weekends but looks are deceiving. It claims 18/22 but it was more like 16/20 with the 4x4 TRD. The bilstein shocks made for a hard drive. Clutch pedal replaced with only 9000 miles after making squeaking sounds. Extended cab rather cramped for adults but adequate for children. Expensive to maintain especially with the suggested 3000 miles oil change along with dealers "suggested" preventative repairs.