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:

• 

  Safety issues - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By review101 - December 7 - 7:33 pm

  Good mileage, some noise, average maintenance costs; youve heard it before but rarely are there reviews on how it stands up to impacts. Bought it new. Only issue was the check engine light that was part of recall. Dealer fixed it for free, it was good for a week then light came back on. I had about 96k when I was rear ended by 02 Toyota Camry on freeway. I was stopped when he hit me at approx 40mph. Vehicle buckled out instead of in. Exterior damage seemed minimal, but once we looked at the frame from below, it was totally bent. I was told metal went up through floor of rear seats. Good thing I only had groceries in back seat instead of my kids. Fluke? Who knows. Had to post

• 

  typical toyota=reliable - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Suwanna - December 6 - 3:03 am

  I use this car to commute but i live in sf and in traffic or breezing on the freeway this car fits the bill. Gas mileage is awesome and trunk space is big enough to hold all my gear. This is my first Toyota and the reputation of it being a great reliable car is accurate. 3 years on the road and zero problems. Oil changes every 5000 miles and im on my way again. They are ubiquitous on the road but there is a reason for this. If you need to commute or you just dont want to think about your car... this is the car for you.

• 

  First Truck - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By kentuckycat - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Tacoma used, but it was in great condition. I love driving it around town. 2.7L engine is peppy with the 5-speed. The highway is not a fun experience. Alot of rattles and shakes. NO RUST whatsoever. Perfect for off-roading. I would recommend it to anyone who just needs an around-the- town truck or weekend work truck.

• 

  Grey Rocket - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Errol Carter - December 4 - 8:54 am

  This is a quality sedan with good gas mileage in the city and on the highway. It has performed well and continues to give good service.

• 

  Rating of Camry LE 2007 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Rating Camry LE - December 4 - 2:46 am

  The look is much improved. Serious disappointment in gas mileage - particularly over my previous 1999 model. Interior is very nice and much improved. The car does have more power, is both wider and longer than previous models. There is a delay in the initial accleration. The ride is, as in previous models, very smooth and luxurious.

• 

  Toyota Disappointment - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Dave - December 3 - 5:56 pm

  Have 2200 miles on this vehicle and am getting around 30 mpg on trips. Have the same problem others have been experiencing with hesitation in acceleration. Also vehicle hates to decelerate below 30 mph on level ground without braking. Hates to slow going downhill even when in 3 gear. Using the brake so much will must likely result in premature pad replacement. Have a real concern when starting the car as it revs so high and when putting it in gear it backs up extremely fast. Have had it back to the dealer twice and contacted Toyota customer service. No action has been taken to resolve the problem. Seems like Toyota is not adequately addressing the situation. Very disappointed.

• 

  Quality - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By griffyx - December 2 - 11:16 pm

  This car has left me on the side of the road. The computer (ECU) needed replaced. The window molding is a joke and coming off. It makes a cow sounding noise running at about 35 mph or breaking. Always is hard to start. The quality has slipped on the Corollas.

• 

  Love this car - 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Stan Snapp - December 2 - 1:45 pm

  Over priced when new. Heavy but very comfortable. Between engine and electric motors 0-60 is very fast. Wish it ran more on the electric side.

• 

  Split radius steering - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By Rack - November 30 - 5:06 pm

  I can say nothing bad about the reliability and power of this vehicle. It is well designed for future maintenance. I dislike the steering on this vehicle so much that at under 11000 miles I desperately want to get rid of it! The steering radius decreases disproportionate to steering wheel movement. For example, 1/4 turn of the steering wheel might get you "x" degrees of turning. Move the steering wheel another 1/16 of a rotation and the amount the front wheels turn seem to double. The steering wheel is also excessively stiff. This renders a crude and unpredictable feel to exit/entrance ramps and makes backing a trailer inconvenient.

• 

  Prius 3 - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Amy - November 30 - 1:53 pm

  Just bought a 2010 Prius 3. My husband had really been wanting it so finally pulled the trigger. Has a nice ride but the acceleration is awful unless you put it in power mode. I dont feel comfortable merging or going uphill. Great gas MPG of course but other than that nothing special.