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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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By prius owner - July 22 - 7:13 pm

  I have no complaints about this car. I gave up a Mini Cooper, my dream car, after 2 1/2 years due to the high maintenance cost (I drive almost 100 miles a day and high performance tires are expensive and dont last). Since I gave up the dream car I went for highest MPG. After the first test drive I thought it felt like driving the space shuttle. However, it grew on me and I am happy with my decision to trade.

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  Great car! - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Saugata Ghose - July 22 - 7:05 pm

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  MR2 Roadster / Spyder - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By phat - July 22 - 10:00 am

  The car lives up to its promises. More fun to drive than my 911 C4 and a lot less expensive to run!

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  Gutless-guzzler - 1995 Toyota 4Runner
  By Dan G. - July 22 - 10:00 am

  What we have here, is a peppy V6 on light truck chassis...squashed with a giant turtle-shell body. The result...a gasping, whimpering, gutless-guzzler, that can barely make it onto the freeway via the onramp. Floor it, and you know it just cost you a dollar. The vehicle does not feel stable on slick roads, and even with a new set of Michelins from costco, my 87 Honda feels much safer. Of course we bought it for its comfort and looks. The interior creature comforts are very nice and practical. All electrical is flawless, and mechanically, exceptional. Its has an overall appealing quality, but I would stay away from this one.

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  THE BEST!! - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By dwMarc - July 22 - 10:00 am

  This is THE truck! Ive had it for just over a year (bought used) and it has surpassed my expectations constantly! It performs like the true V6 it is and rides more like a car. This is my third toyota truck and I could never be happier and reliability is top notch! Ive never had to do anything with it! I change the oil and rotate the tires as expected but NEVER have had a problem even though it has about 70,000 miles! Finally, I had driven it to Montreal and back a few weeks ago and suprisingly enough it was the most comfortable truck ride Ive ever felt (aside from my LX470) probably due to the TRD suspension.

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  An Excellent Vehicle - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By mjbarnard - July 22 - 10:00 am

  My 2000 Avalon XLS is a pleasure to drive and to own. The stability of the ride and the quietness of the cabin are outstanding. The car is exceedingly reliable. I would like, however, to get better mileage. 16 MPG in town and 25.1 on the road is the best that I can get. The passenger power seat is somewhat disappointing. There is no lumbar support as in the drivers seat, and there are fewer adjustments than the drivers seat. Overall, this is a fine car, and I will look first to Avalon when I consider a new one.

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  Happier every day with my purchase! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By jp999999 - July 22 - 10:00 am

  This car has been great to own so far. It has plenty of room and is very comfortable. I am averaging about 37 mpg and am waiting to see how it does on an extended trip. It seems like a scaled down camry and i have no complaints so far. I expect to feel the same at 120K miles...!

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  Long term update - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ACDII - July 22 - 9:23 am

  After 25000 miles, the car has been flawless, getting 39MPG mixed driving, 50 on the highway @60MPH. A few things turn me off though, and make me want a Fusion Hybrid. First being the dash center console, cool at first, but when driving in bad weather where you need 100% visibility, the lighting is a distraction, and no way to turn it off without turning off the entire dash. Material quality is sub-par, my Hyundai has better quality. Seats OK, material a bit thin, I can feel parts of the springs in the seat. I expected a bit better quality from Toyota, but with that aside, it has been a good car, reliable, and safe, and thats what is most important, 39 MPG overall isnt too bad either.

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  Four trips to the shop so far. - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By aeroengr - July 22 - 8:10 am

  We love the Camry, upgraded from a 1997 V6 Camry with 150,000 miles. The 2009 is a big step up in quiet and smooth performance. Even with the small 4 cyl. engine, the performance in the mountains where we live is very good. Problem has been wheel bearings. Four wheel bearings have been replaced by two different dealers within 1000 miles. Great customer service from both dealers, but Toyota has no clue as to what is causing our problem.

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  Things you need to know about the 2016 rav xle - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By John Tran - July 22 - 6:34 am

  1. Seat belt adjusters make rattle noise (when driving) 2. Popping sound in the back of the car ( after braking) 3. Strong engine vibration - shakes both front seats just like the 2015 crv. Sometimes I have to shut it off when parked because the vibration causes dizziness. 4. Car makes metal type sound when backing up and turning the steering wheel (like an old car). 5. For around $ 27k, TOYota makes auto headlights an option for the rav xle. Not a smart move. Overall the car looks luxurious but feels cheap. Lots of road noise, cabin noise (because of cheap materials in the car), and wind noise. Buy it for reliability. Look for something else if you want more features and comfort with the same amount of money.