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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  Happy with my FJ - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By kekaikane - February 13 - 6:06 pm

  Great fun to drive, looks are great. People stop and ask me about it all the time. It drives really comfortable, and handles very well. I accidently hit a small pole one day and the aligment got totally out of wack. I was parked in front of it and didnt see it. Couldnt hace been going more than 5 miles an hour. I am a little concerned about off roading if that small bump knocked it out of aligment!

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  corolla - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By Kadie - February 13 - 2:00 am

  great to get around in.

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  Great truck except for rough shifting - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By Winedog - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I like everything about the Tundra except for the way it shifts at low speeds. If you accelerate quickly it shifts fine but if you are in rush hour traffic or just drive slowly it surges into gear when it upshifts. Also, the transmission does not know which gear to be in at around 11 mph. Be careful when you test drive because the truck shifts great when cold, make sure it is warm before you decide to buy.

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  wifes favorite car ever - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By sajslade - February 13 - 2:00 am

  We like the vehicle overall, but expect a little more in a top of the line vehicle (have a Limited awd 6 cyl)

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  camry from 9/12/01 - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By michaelg - February 13 - 2:00 am

  mine is japanese.seem to have less rattles than others.reliable except for a tracking problem on the highway especially in a cross wind;still working on this with the dealer. posible the cheap potenzas are at fault; theyre also noisy and wear poorly.

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  First Year Blues? - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By John - February 12 - 11:16 am

  I have had problems with the transmission not shifting into overdrive when the temp gets below 32 degrees. Dealer says its "NORMAL"). Also the front passengers inside door handle broke in half!(It was fixed under warranty).

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  One of the best cars I have ever owned - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By m3matt - February 12 - 12:26 am

  I bought my 2001 Celica GTS back in 2004 or 05, cant remember. I bought it from the Toyota Dealership as a certified used car and had roughly 50K miles on it. Had the car for about 5 years. I always changed the oil at regular intervals as well as other routine maintenance. I used to drive over 100 miles a day to and from work for over 3 years. Also weekly trips for 4 years to visit my girlfriend on the weekends who lived over 100 miles each way. In the summer of 2010 the car was in an accident and totaled. I had over 240K miles on it and it still had the same power as the day i bought it. Only thing I ever had to do was replace the clutch at 185K miles but that happens on any manual.

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  The Mini SUV - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By WorkerE - February 11 - 9:53 pm

  Compared this to a Corolla on the dealer lot and was immediately amazed by the amount of interior space and the fact that you dont feel like youre falling into the seat. You are almost sitting at the same level as some SUVs on the road. Gauges and interior controls are well placed and easy to operate. Handling and performance is ok for what you get in this model which is relatively basic. Plenty of room for family of four to get around - even on relatively long trips. We really like the hatchback design. Biggest gripe is the tire wear - were at 47000 miles and just had to replace tires for the 3rd time and they aint cheap for this car. Told that Matrix design just burns through tires.

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  Mini -Van for the Wife - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By TruckGuy - February 11 - 7:30 pm

  My wife had a Grand Caravan that we traded for a Tahoe. My wife has wanted another mini-van ever since. We chose the Toyota based on reputation for reliability, safety, and the fact that it has more leg and headroom for me at 64" than Honda or Nissan. The 3.3L Toyota engine blows away the 3.8L Dodge engine, and handling is very car like. So far we have about 1000 miles on it, and fuel economy is a reasonable 23mpg on the highway. I never thought Id by a Toyota, but Im happy with it. My next new truck might very well be a Toyota.

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  I cant believe how bad the gas mileage is on this truck. - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By nycbugkiller - February 11 - 2:15 am

  I bought this truck with 78,000 miles used in 2008. I have to say it is very reliable and it starts every time I try and fire it up. Of course it bounces all over the road like a typical small size truck does on bumpy roads. I just bought new Monroe shocks and struts that have to be installed. Ill see if that changes the ride. Regardless, when I first got it I was getting 16mpg. Dont ask what happened but I am at 142,000 miles and for some strange reason, I am now getting like 13. I have changed the spark plus, got a new air filter, new tires, I keep the air in the tires at the right poundage and I still cant understand it. And its a 4 cylinder.