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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  Reliable Reliable Reliable a little fun - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By RJH - January 3 - 2:00 am

  This is the ideal car. A little fun to drive, quiet, comfortable. I upgraded tires which really improves ride and handling. Best value, these things run forever with basic preventative maintenance...

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  BULB - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By jay - January 1 - 1:06 am

  It cost $238.00 to have a headlight bulb replaced!!! Do not buy this car. If I knew I was going to pay BMW prices for things light lightbulbs, then I may as well have bought a BMW. It was 5000 miles out of warranty, and not covered under extended warranty - another ripoff. With the economy the way it is and people trying to keep their homes etc., nobody is going to buy a Prius now that I have educated them about the price just to replace a lightbulb. Toyota would not do nothing for me stating that they had already reduced the price from 500.00 dollars!! This is my last Prius. Please do not buy this car, because they always find a way to avoid the warranty coverage.

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  Get One Before Theyre Gone - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Paradoxfalls - December 31 - 12:36 am

  I love the 2006 Toyota Matrix. Its a well-built, peppy, fuel economic car thats fun to drive. The only problem we have with it is that the small rear windows (hatch and behind the doors) create bigger blind spots, but once you get to know the car, its not so bad. My husband and I bought this car after our 2005 Matrix was totaled. A speeding drunk driver jumped a sloped median, landing his Jeep Cherokee V8 on the hood of our Matrix, then flipped over and crushed part of our roof. My husband and I were injured, but WE WALKED AWAY, vowing to buy another Matrix since that one saved our lives. I heard that the Matrix may be replaced in Toyotas line-up, so get one while you can!

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  05 review - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By John Young - December 30 - 11:33 am

  Third Toyota owned. Toyota changed to a direct wire transmission with which they have acknowledged having rough shifting problems, particularly when driven by more than one driver. Also has soft braking, again acknowledged by Toyota, which makes for unsure stopping. Seats are not comfortable on long trips and overall quality is not as expected of Toyota which now appears more interested in outselling its competition rather than upholding past quality standards.

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  A great little car - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By DSIEGER - December 29 - 10:00 am

  Nothing but good vibes from owning and operating this car. It handles very nicely and draws a lot of attention from other drives. Both my wife and I love it.

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  Needs Improvement - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By friendlyphil - December 28 - 4:46 pm

  This is a fine truck. But the 5 spd. automatic transmission needs reprogramming. You get to 5th gear too fast. Then, theres no pickup when you need it. The cruise control downshifts two gears to regain the targeted speed, putting the tach at redline. This needs reprogramming also. Other than that, I really like the truck. The size is good. The orange dashboard indicators are hard to read during the day, especially the clock and temperature. Bright white would be better

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  A roomy car with a good ride - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Charlie - December 28 - 4:20 am

  The car is very roomy, has a good ride, good pickup, but the engine groans when shifting into higher gears.

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  My Baby - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By BrockLanders - December 27 - 7:50 pm

  Got this car from my parents in high school and now I have it at college with me. Ive been waiting for this car to break so I can get less of a "Mom Car", but the car never has a problem. The only major repair in 9 years has been a strut replacement. Thats it! The interior quality is impeccable, and the ride and cab noise are as good as my dads lexus. Additionally, the spoiler, moon roof, and surprisingly powerful V6 do take a bit of the Mom Car edge off. Ive honestly gotten her up to 130mph, which isnt so much me bragging about being an idiot, but a testament to this cars transcendence above the typical family sedan stereotype. All in all, its a fantastic car worth more than its cost.

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  Matrix XR - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By Brian - December 27 - 12:26 pm

  Car handles pretty well. Also pretty generic looking car with number of issues. 1) My new car dash rattles ( I know, take it to the dealer). 2) 4 speaker stereo is bad, you cant hear it when sitting on back seats. Back seats are very uncomfortable, too. 3) Interior seat covers cheap. 4) Outside paint is very thin and pretty easy to scratch.

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  Solid, reliable car with no frills - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Will E. - December 25 - 10:43 am

  Have had my Corolla CE with 5-Speed manual transmission for past 8 years (73k miles). Runs same as when new. Its a small car that isnt great on the highway due to the weight and powerplant (and additional passengers and/or having the AC on will bog it down somewhat), but it was cheap, reliable, and gets over 30 MPG city. I have had no mechanical problems - just change the oil, etc. Havent even changed a light bulb. Overall a great value and I plan on driving it at least another few years.