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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  Mixed Feelings - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By camrydriver - January 15 - 11:06 am

  I bought this car with 80,000 miles and now it has 190,000. Started having problems about 2 years ago. Key wouldnt turn in ignition, $200 to fix. Now I have multiple oil leaks in the front & back of the engine. Radiator is cracked and timing belt needs to be replaced. Woodgrain is cracked and peeling. Rear door handle doesnt work from inside. Struts/shocks are bad. With all problems, its never broken down and has taken me many miles. Not sure if I need to spend the $$ to get it repaired as itll be more than its worth right now. Im torn b/c this is a good car. Moms is 1 year newer and never any of these problems.

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  2004 sienna 8 seat CE - tires?? - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By sun - January 15 - 9:50 am

  Pleased with the reliability of the van, variety of space configurations, but please, help with tire selection! Looking to purchase our 4th set of years. Recommendations?

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  My Tundra is GREAT! - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By whoisthere48 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Have owned and loved Toyotas since 85. This was my first big Toyota pickup. It rides cushy but handles great and is quiet at higher (Colorado) speeds which run 75-90 most times. Reliability is perfect - hard to get better than that. Bought it used with 19K miles. Drove it 50K miles so far with just oil changes (synthetic oil) and 1 brake job - no repairs needed. Have to sell it cause I now need a salesman car not a construction guy truck. Resale value is great. Getting 18.5K now after paying 21K 2 years ago. Try that with a Chevy or Ford or Dodge. Snow and ice no problem w/4WD. In short, I love this truck!

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  Best car Ive owned (knock on wood!) - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Jim Nipe - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Well...Ive only had this car for 2000 miles, but its an extremely fun car to drive. Premium sound system was poor. I replaced it with four Infinity speakers and an Excelon Kenwood deck because I couldnt get the top of the line system Toyota offered. After about 1000 miles, the engine loosened up and now runs super smooth. Averaging about 28 mph.

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  Great SUV, with problems - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By watermn99 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Love the Truck, Its like driving your living room sofa. The truck has been in the shop for a week with a rear axle problem, The service dept has been good so far and they provided a decent loaner, so I am hoping for the best. I didnt like the sales tactics by the dealership, be aware and get your trade in #s in writing before you make the deal.

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  Reliability&Performance meet Good looks - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By waldyg - January 15 - 2:00 am

  What an amazing SUV. Im surprised at how Toyota went ahead and perfected even more an SUV that was already one of the most reliable ones in the market today. Its even better, stronger more dependable and comfortable and best looks outhere.You know youre in a big SUV.Excellent handling the controls are so smartly layed out you dont have to look around much to figure them out, especially the A/C its all very simple to adjust and operate, I enjoyed the information panel where you can see outside temperature and miles to empty displayed and the light orange color dashboard is appealing and soothing to the eye. Way to go Toyota.

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  Pretty much what I expected - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By danturner1 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the 4 Runner after winning a lemon law claim against Audi. All wheel drive was a premium, but I was hesitant to get a SUV because of the gas mileage. So far Ive been happy with the performance. The 4-Runner is fun to drive, easy to drive and very reliable. Although Toyota says 18 mpg on the highway I can get about 20 depending on the conditions. The interior is below average, compared to the Audi A4 (which is exceptional). One last thing, getting around in bad weather is easy, but the Audi was more stable. Ive also had no mechanical problems which is important to me following the Audi problems.

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  Toyota 4Runner - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Proma - January 15 - 2:00 am

  One of the best truck in the market.

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  Great Truck - dissapointing Manufacturer - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Royalist - January 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this truck based upon another Toyota pick up that I had previously. Within 3000 miles the wheels started to rust. Both the dealer and Toyota said thats normal! So much for the rust guarantee! The dealer took 2.5 hours for an instant oil change! The dealer and Toyota are a waste of time. My advice - buy the truck and then avoid the Toyota corporation completely! With a 150 mile commute and a 5 year note on this I go to work in an 89 diesel Jetta doing 49mpg.

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  A must for a family - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Cesar Ruvalcaba - January 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a must buy for a family, its very quiet, and the reliability is great. The Comfort is amazing and you wont even feel when its moving