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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  04 Camrys quality is poor - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By hyyz - November 24 - 10:46 am

  My 04 Camry has many problems. Here is a list of problems I have: 1. It pulls to left. Dealer repaired 5 times without result. 2. Tires wear too fast. At only 15000 miles, many treads were already gone. I rotated tires regularly. 3. Windshield bottom rattles. Dealer replaced the cowl with only temporary results. 4. Rattles from door panels. 5. I heard rattle from engine or under vehicle every time I started the car and hit on gas to drive. Dealer said it is the intake manifold. After replaced, the rattle is still there. 7. Strong rotten egg smell at 8000 miles. Replaced converter and reprogramed ECM. The car started to feel heavy(hard acceleration, hard steering, and hard brake).

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  Our 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Ltd - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Bill in FL - November 24 - 9:23 am

  We did lots of research for our next new car. We also have a 2006 Prius & we knew nothing could touch it for gas mileage. So far it exceeds our expectations in all areas & now shows 26.2 MPG.

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  I love my new car - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By AN - November 24 - 6:00 am

  I fell in love with this car during the test drive. It drives like a dream! I love driving my new car... although I have only owned it for a week... I look forward to drive this car.

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  Perfect car - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By jbk - November 23 - 5:23 pm

  I bought Camry LE limited edition in 2006 December. This is just perfect car to me. Engine and transmission are amazing. Fun to drive, very comfortable, design is beautiful, I think 2004 model is better than 2006 new model in exterior design. Gas mileage is somewhat unsatisfactory. Average mpg 22.0 I think this low mpg is due to cold weather. 3-4 minutes warming up before start, and hitting in driving. Camry is the best car in mid-size. Any car is not matching to this camry.

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  Fits its purpose well - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By iisrael1 - November 23 - 11:26 am

  Its exhilarating driving this car as the acceleration is great for a 4 cylinder engine. It gets great gas mileage on the highway-about 35 mpg averaging about 25-26mpg with mixed driving. The car is a little noisy on the highway but with music on its not noticeable. The interior could be better but for a base model its pretty good when compared to the forester or the CRV. Also not to mention the brawlik exterior look if gotten in black.

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  Very nice truck - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Teacher Guy - November 23 - 10:13 am

  Always had Jeeps before. Bought this 4Runner and I have to say that Im very impressed. The 4wd system can run in 4wd on dry pavement, or you can run it 2wd. Locking center differential is electronic, so you dont have to worry about the transfer case binding on dry pavement (since it can be turned off). Interior room is very good, low, flat load floor in the rear is good, and ease of putting rear seats down is easier than the Jeep. The v6 is an excellent choice with plenty of power, and decent towing capacity for small jobs. I like the driver instrumentation and the stock radio has an MP3 player capability. Good fuel economy with the v6. Avg. 19-20 mpg.

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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Arthur - November 22 - 10:56 pm

  Its been almost 15k miles and this car still amazes me as always. We had no problems with our two previous Camrys. Our last one had 148k trouble free miles and was still getting 30 mpg on a trip. This new one gets even better mileage, averages about 33 freeway.

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  Toyota Sienna - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Daniel Georges - November 22 - 10:46 pm

  Owned Ford, Dodge,& Pontaic minivans. They were all good vehicles. So far I find this 2005 Sienna to be superior. You can feel the quality. Smooth ride,very spacious,built solid. Costs more than others, but if you want a vehicle that will hold up,its worth it.

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  Worst car I ever owned - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By jitenshajin - November 22 - 8:06 pm

  I bought this car from my mother since she could no longer drive. It had 5000 miles on it. Kept it for 2 years and hated driving it. It was terrible in the snow. ABS did basically nothing. Steering was unstable in the snow, as was acceleration. I usually drive or tow cars to the junkyard, but this one I couldnt wait to trade in, at 4 years old and 24000 miles. The only plus was that it was good on gas.

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  Almost There - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By New to Toyota - November 22 - 12:23 pm

  This is my first Toyota and I wanted an SUV with more reliabilty and better gas mileage than my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. This vehicle is perfect in size and the 3rd row seat is great for short trips with more than 5 adults. I like the styling and features of the LTD. However, the front seats are not padded enough to be comfortable on long trips and the gas mileage is disappointing. I have driven 3,300 miles and have average 15 mph in city driving and 19 mph on the freeway.