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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  Nice try, but disappointing - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By BrewsterX - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Fits in the short side of my garage, tows 7000 pounds, and is a true off roader. Its a lot more fun to drive on the road than my RX300 was. The X- REAS shocks help, and the torque (and the sound) of the V8 doesnt hurt, either. The fit and finish match the RX300, and the leather seems less fragile. The road noise isolation is extremely good, but there is too much wind noise. There is also a vibration in the steering wheel at around 1700 RPM, which becomes extremely annoying in 5th gear. Instead of fixing the problem, Toyota is calling it "characteristic of the vehicle." Also, so far Im getting no better gas mileage than on my Suburban.

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  highlander tires - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By allen - October 28 - 9:36 am

  The highlander is an extremely reliable car. My first was a 2002 with no problems and the second is a 2006 model that Ive had for 10 months and so far so good.

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  After a Year Good Overall Except in Snow - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By dan_o - October 28 - 3:25 am

  After a year and 15,000 miles, I am happy overall with my purchase. The interior is very comfortable on long drives, the fuel economy of a four cylinder is great compared to a V6, handling in curves is decent for a family sedan, the exterior is stylish and I like knowing it has good crash test scores. The major complaint I have are: (1) Trans still hunts at times, though is much better than when new and (2) Traction Control and ABS braking do not work well in snow. TC is very grabby when starting up from a stop, and ABS brakes chatter a lot when stopping in snow.

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  Amazingly Reliable But Bland - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Toyota 289 - October 27 - 9:10 pm

  This is my first Japanese car. I became disgusted with the past 3 gm cars I have owned. This car changed my view on Asian cars, I used to think they were junk. This car proved me wrong. Purchased used in 2007 with 15,000 miles it now has 63,000 miles with ZERO issues. The only things it needed were tires, brakes, and oil changes. Not by any means an exciting car, if your looking for reliability and economy this is your car, if you are looking for excitement you will be bored of this car after a short while. Overall its a great commuter car for the person who just wants to get from point A to B.Its has fairly peppy acceleration for its class of vehicle. This car is a great value for the money.

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  My first Toyota - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By bl78 - October 27 - 4:43 pm

  I have been in the Honda / Acura family for years. Currently own 07 Acura MDX but traded my 06 Honda Civic with 77k miles. Civic was good in many ways but it was small, too much wind noise and lacked power which was not fun to drive on a long road trip. I didnt want to purchase a new Honda or Acura for other reason. Im not a fan of the Accord exterior design and didnt want to pay extra $$$ for the Acura TSX V6. I chose the Camry for many reasons. Its not luxurious like an Acura or BMW but its satisfactory with the exterior design, space and the comfort of the V6 drive. Some people may differ depending on what vehicle they used to drive but I enjoy the ride of the V6 Camry SE.

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  Still love it 9 years later - 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By grant - October 27 - 6:56 am

  Great truck. Drives like a charm, very reliable.

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  My first car - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By anesidora916 - October 26 - 9:40 am

  I love my Camry! This was my first car, I got it at 161k 2 years ago. We have put way more than the car is worth in repairs, but all are reasonable considering the car is 17 years old and now has 204k on it. The distributor went out in May. The oil leak has been repaired numerous time and still persists; once leaked on the rotor and caused car to die. With a V4 its not very fast. Ive kept up with all maintenance but I inherited the car with some electrical problems; reverse lights dont work. I think my transmissions about to go. Car barley passed smog this year because the timing is off, engine needs a tune up. Regardless of the problems its been an awesome first car!

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  My Little Trooper - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By TacoScott - October 26 - 8:26 am

  This is easily the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I have the base 4WD model with the 2.7 and few frills. I got it in 2001 with 40k miles. Im a homeowner with the more than occasional need to haul stuff around and the every day need of getting back and forth to work through the occasional snow storm. It has fulfilled all of my expectations with no major repairs until about 131k miles when the clutch went bad. Still has the factory brakes and exhaust but looks like a little body rust will need tending to shortly. Not bad considering it hasnt seen a single day inside a garage since Ive had it.

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  Just about nails it - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Kayaker - October 24 - 4:33 pm

  For context, my previous cars were a BMW and Avalon. It came down to the Lexus 330 and this, which offered so much more for the money. Smooth power, comfort, luxury, room to spare in cabin and trunk, and all the toys are the story here. The controls are arranged well and are easy to use. Storage bins are ample and handy. Quality is in evidence everywhere. I looked at about ten large, luxury models in all and this one just stood out.

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  Did its job - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By J. VanZanten - October 24 - 3:46 pm

  we bought the Car for a reliable, fuel efficient vehicle. It did its job. When our family got bigger we outgrew the car. Around town we would still keep it. However we need something bigger with a two kids. I see it as an old man car but Toyota makes a quality car. Ours is a little over 150,000 and still runs great.