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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  Not Much to Improve - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By jmai - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my 2002 SR5 2WD two weeks ago and I really dig it! Despite all of the belly-aching over the lack of horsepower by many, it really is not too bad. Its much faster than the Mitsu Montero Sport (3.5 liter - 200 HP) that I test drove (I can walk faster - on my hands)! I like the interior layout and I love the exterior. Its a bit dated, but still a "looker" nonetheless. Im hoping the new 4Runner looks like a Highlander, so I wont be tempted to trade in.

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  Toyota = Reliability - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By girion20 - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned several (4) toyotas now, and this car is by far the best one of the lot. The others were trucks, and performed well for me, but Ive been impressed with the Corolla. I used to do quite a bit of driving (for a long distance relationship) and have put almost 105,000 miles on my car, and its still running every bit as good today as it did when I first purchased it. Ive changed the oil regularly, and with the 6-disc CD changer, 15 inch alloy rims, and automatic tranny, Ive put off plans to purchase a new car in favor of driving this one well into the 175,000 range.

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  Wrinkled ragtop - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By pjb - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Much quieter and smoother riding than my Sebring Conv., but the wrinkles next to the back window and next to the side windows are ugly and embarrassing. The wind noise with the top up is inexcusable. Its a good car but with an amaturish convertible top.

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  Carloss Toy - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By BuddyBoy - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I have owed my 2002 Rav4 for 5 months now and driven it 9,000 miles. On back roads it does great, takes the curves like a little sports car. I get 24 miles per gallon. Good ride. Does great on the highway except when you go up prolonged uphill grades, the car wants to kick in and out of passing gear. The major complaint that I have about this vehicle is the passing gear. Do not try to pass someone on a 2 lane road except when you have a lot of time to do it. When you punch the accelerator down into passing gear, you think the car is going to take off like a rocket, but when you pull out into the passing lane the vehicle doesnt go anywhere.

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  great truck - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By ba2ty - July 28 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive great styling lots of room

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  Wind Noise is the Problem - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By kprko - July 27 - 8:13 am

  Wind noise from both sided leaking thru the doors will cost over $200 for new window runners. Air conditioning vents blow cold air directly on you is a nuisance. After 3 years the dash component seams are separating. Steering wheel controls are sorely missed

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  Above average - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By none - July 27 - 5:13 am

  This car is sporty looking,but overall its a nice car. Great mileage and i enjoy the motor. So far i had o get a new motor costing around 1800.00 . Hate the breaks and hate the plastic on the front. Love the car tough

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  My Favorite Car - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Ancistrus - July 27 - 2:33 am

  Ive owned/co-owned 9 cars. This one is my favorite. No problems at all in 57,000 miles.

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  It Still Works But Required Work - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By Wayne - July 26 - 6:36 pm

  I bought this SUV in 2003 as a carpool car that could handle the NE winter, and ski trips to VT. It had Toyota 2nd hand warranty. 2 immediate problems: car stalled when accelerator punched (once on the Whitestone Bridge!), and parking gear did not engage (almost rolled off of a cliff!). Both were dangerous and the dealer only IDd the second problem (both had numerous complaints). At 140,000 miles: paint job failing on rear hatch (no fix), bumper rusted out ($1000+ at dealer), replaced air sensor twice ($450 each at dealer) and inside tire rod ends ($70 at non- dealer part store).

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  Worth how much you pay for it - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By RSKamath - July 25 - 3:07 pm

  I bought this car for my wife who loves SUVs and this one is no exception. I bought it 22k miles and it has served both of us very well in the past 2 years. We are now closing on 60k miles and so far we have only had to replace the Stock tires at 30k miles - which was the only bad thing we thought. Other than that we have stuck to a good 6-7k maintenance schedule and havent had any problems with it. Some cabin noises such as squeaks and the brakes groan a bit.. but apart from that it does what it is built for. The V6 has amazing passing power and can really get off the line pretty quick. I have put the care through the paces and it hasnt let me down so far. Excellent room for moving etc. - we were able to stuff a LOT of furniture in our car and it just drove without even a slight lag. Good gas mileage for an SUV - I average 25 mpg with about 50% highway driving.