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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  Green is Good - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Going Green - May 14 - 9:36 pm

  I bought the 50th Anniversary Edition. Overall I like it (now 2.5K miles). Traded BMW X5 SAV 3.0i; wanted to drive green. Averaging 29-32 in town, depending on how hard I accelerate; 36-42 on freeway. It does promote one to drive better. Disappointed in lack of Toyota quality - rattle in dash; ill-fitting door bits. Now dealerships (all in my area) have no moldings or spoilers available for after market, because of Anniversary Edition. Very annoying.

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  Peeling Paint - UGH - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By silver09 - May 14 - 9:10 am

  I bought a 2009 Corolla in January 09 and the paint is peeling (about the size of a half dollar) below door on passenger side. The piece that is peeling is plastic I believe since the color below the peeled spot is black, not metallic.

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  Test drive a lot before you buy! - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By kbrew - May 13 - 6:40 pm

  I just bought a 2008 crew cab trd tacoma. The TRD is very bouncy. I dont know if it is because of the TRD but it rides like a truck even though I have read reviews claiming that it rides like a car. It does not! I am also not impressed by the road/wind noise or the engine noise. I hope the bounce and noise settle down seeing that I only have 150 miles on it. Test drive the truck a lot before you buy!

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  Meets most of my needs - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By Up-the-River - May 13 - 8:20 am

  My Matrix XR replaced a Honda driven 10 yr, 250k and loved. I have yet to develop same affection for Matrix. After 10k it seems reliable, functional, economical, fun to drive. 5 sp shift is smooth but has a unique click sound each shift. Some design features are at times inconvenient or annoying. Visibility out side and back suffers. Front and rear seat headrests are always in way, same for body/roof posts. Warning signal for unbuckled seatbelts is loud, obnoxious. Why all the noise when passenger unbuckles to remove coat or briefcase or box is on passenger seat? And panic button on the key fob is horribly designed. How many times have I accidentally set it off? Please dont ask my neighbors!

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  Like my older Camry better - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By JohnL - May 13 - 3:40 am

  My 02 Camry 4 cyl LE had a smoother and quieter engine. The 07 constantly downshifts when in cruise on the interstate and is annoying. There are also hesitation problems. I still like the car and the reliability, but my old Camry definitely had the better engine even with 170,000 miles on it.

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By loco local - May 12 - 4:03 pm

  I bought this car new and now have 134,000 miles on it. I have not had a minutes trouble with it. I have had oil changes at 3000 mi. and do take care of it. It still has the original exhaust system and I replaced the battery last winter for the first time because I thought I was pushing my luck. I keep thinking I should replace it, but its like owning a "free" car.

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  Best vehicle in the world! - 1996 Toyota 4Runner
  By P.J. - May 12 - 12:53 am

  I bought this truck in 1998 with 30,000 miles on it. It now has an unbelievable 217,000 miles! Not once have I had a single engine problem with it. The only problem I have had is with the power antenna which had to be replaced twice but works fine now. The power rear window and wiper recently stoped working but look at the age of the vehicle too. The only thing I dont like about this truck is the ride. Way too harsh over bad roads and still isnt that great on newly-paved roads. My 4Runner is an SR5 Limited 4WD. I have never seen another one of this trim level. I love my truck! I will buy Toyota/Lexus for the rest of my life!

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  Great Car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By DPO - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Have had 225,000 miles with no oil use or leaks. Extremely satisified with dependability, and comfort.

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  Another Toyota Win - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By chewy - May 10 - 10:00 am

  This is my third toyota, and the first I bought new. The others, including an 87 Celica, gave me 150K and 220K respectivly. The car has been trouble- free and my current resale value is around a third of my purchase price; after 8 years. Overall, one of the best cars Ive owned

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  Most reliable & economical car ever - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By Kieron - May 10 - 12:40 am

  I bought this car in March 2001 with 60,000 miles on it. I live in Ft. Lauderdale so the ice cold A/C is a boon. I work the summers on Cape Cod so every year this little beauty runs the 1550M distance each way without a problem. The mileage is just approaching 140,000. I replaced the clutch at 100,000 (usually a driver induced problem). I have had one leak in a steering hose and that is it. I replaced the belts as a precaution at 130,000 and replaced the front pads at 135,000, the garage told me the rears didnt need changing yet!!! Loaded down with all my gear for the summer it goes fast enough to put me at risk of big speeding tickets and returns 36+MPG. An absolutely world class car.