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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  Kick A$$ - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Sparky451 - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Power great, Traded in an Explorer with a V8 and the Tacoma feels like its got more get up and go. Got the SR5 w/chrome and TRD in white. Looks real sharp.

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  Couldnt be happier - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By bill b - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Paid $15.4 K. AC Chrome SR5 pkg. 5 speed manual. 4 cylinder totally fine for me, even with a load. I drive very conservatively, and get an honest 32 mpg. I figure it every tank. Expect it may drop some during winter months. Solid feel. Good handling for a truck. Love the size, nice low bed. I wouldnt own a 4x4, at least for my current needs.

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  Very Comfortable - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Brian - January 16 - 8:03 am

  I traded in a 1998 Chevy Lumina for the 2009 Camry LE. So far, the car has met my expectations in every area and exceeded them in a few. The cabin is very comfortable and spacious. I drove the 09 Malibu and while I like it, the cabin felt "closed in" and has a major blind spot toward the back of the rear passenger window - no such issue in the Camry. Car offers plenty of pep when called for and is quiet. My neighbor though I had purchased a hybrid the first time he heard me drive in. While I agree with a professional review that this car is about as exciting as a ham and cheese on white, Ive got enough excitement in my life and love the soothing nature this car provides.

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  05 Toyota Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Drazzst - January 15 - 3:50 pm

  2005 Toyota Prius, "Pkg 9" Mile: 22700 Purch: 12/31/04 Loc: New Hampshire This is probably one of the best cars that I have purchased. Toyota quality is very prevalent in this model. Vehicle handles very well in most weather, including snow and ice. Mileage is ~40mpg Nov-Mar, ~50mpg Apr-Oct. Learning to drive this vehicle does take some time, as working the accelerator is key to activating the gas/electric motors. Visibility out of the windows is decent. The main plus for this vehicle is the money saved on maintenance. Vehicle is serviced approx. every 5k miles.

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  2005 Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By From Seattle - January 14 - 10:46 pm

  Good car overall. After two years overall MPG is 40. I have been driving with traffic. I guess if you drive delaying everyone then you can get 50 mpg. Otherwise forget about it. After two years rattles started to develop in the cabin. Toyota should be looking closer at who is buying the car - this is not Echo/Corolla crowd. Toyota, please dont hesitate to make car a few grand more expensive, but make interior higher quality and insulate sound better. I dont need Lexus 450h, I want better Prius. 2007 model adds leather, but seats are still cheapo stuff.

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  Not what I expected!! - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By lakiki - January 14 - 5:56 pm

  I bought this car in Feb of 09. I decided to get a brand new corolla since I had another corolla 94 for many years. Great car!!! I guess they dont make them like that anymore!!Three months later the A/C compressor broke, then took it back because of brake issues, ended up with a rental car for 2 days while the parts arrived. The steering is not smooth at all, this car just drifts to the right and then to the left. Seems like it has a mind of its own. Not fun for long drives, even in the city.

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  Very Poor NVH!!! - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Marty - January 14 - 3:20 am

  The Touring is very Boomy (pressure on ears). Every slight road input results in Boom! Hurts my ears. Road Noise at highway speeds is atrocious. Tire slap is continuous and very annoying. For a $30k+ vehicle, I am very disappointed. Please test drive the car extensively before buying. I should have too, except I put too much faith in Toyota. Very cheap sideview mirrors (not even fold-away!). Big gaps between trunk lid and doors, and the body: very un-Toyota like.

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  Still not as smooth and quiet riding as the competition - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By gemigniani1 - January 13 - 11:27 am

  I bought a base 2015 Camry LE with tall 16" Firestone Affinity tires hoping it would be the softest and quietest riding 2015 Camry available. While fairly smooth and quiet, the 2015 Camry LE is not quite up to the level found in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata and its far behind the very smooth and quiet riding 2015 Ford Fusion. While bump impact harshness is not too bad, the ride still feels busy compared to the Sonata and Fusion because the body structure is not as rigid and dampened against road vibrations. Drivers seat comfort is another area where the 2015 Camry also falls short of the competition. Like the 2012-14 Camrys the drivers seat bottom is short and feels hard after 10 minutes

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  2007 tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By wgale - January 12 - 4:10 pm

  Rides like a car, 4.7v8 has plenty of power. 13,000 miles later, only change oil and filter. 17 mpg is the best it has done. I have a cap on it and has all my tools for my trade in it. Love it.

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  Fun Machine - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Prashanth - January 12 - 12:26 pm

  We bought a Limited v6, 2WD with third row seat. Now that we have been driving it for a week, we love it. Its really zippy, drives and maneuvers like our sedan. The v6 option is really great. The interior is comfortable, the dash design could have been better. Overall a great buy. The negative, we had a very tough time finding one with third row seat. Very few in the market, we had to pick our third choice of color. The options were pathetic. If you pick third row seat you get nothing else. Overall this was a major disappointment.