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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  Regrets - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Lonestar - May 16 - 7:26 pm

  I bought this truck with reservations because it was made in my home state. Give me back my Ford F-150 with 245,000 miles on it! This truck has been nothing but dissapointing. The seats are hard and uncomfortable, the dash looks like it was pieced together by a dozen differnt designers, and guages are obstructed by the steering wheel. With a load, this truck struggles. Interior and exterior Trim pieces are loose- nothing major and I fixed them myself- but not what I expected from a $30,000+ vehichle. Truck looks aggresive and heavy, and it handles as such. The truck seems to struggle around the corners and rides rough. Nothing what I expected with Toyotas so-called "quality"

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  Excellent - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By mike0205 - May 16 - 3:10 pm

  I took a month to compare the Odyssey EX and Sienna LE and found that EX lacks features that are standard in the LE. The only advantage on the EX is the second row middle seat but I thought how many days practically I will use it while I will use the blue tooth, backup camera, USB interface, Roof Rails, one touch windows (back seat), XM radio, Sun shield, Home link etc on a daily basis. Also the third row seats in Odyssey is smaller than Sienna and I started getting back ache within a 7 mile test ride (my wife was driving) while I was able to sit comfortable in Sienna with ample leg room (I am 6.1" with 230 pounds). Sienna LE comes out to $3500 cheaper than EX.

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  MR2 spyder - 2004 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By schutcher - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. It handles curve like no other car i have ever driven. Unlike most other small sport cars it is a smooth ride. It does lack in power, I wish toyota would come out with the zz2 motor in it like what is in the Celica GTS. That would boost the horse power up 40.

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  Ferdis TRD-GT300 - 2004 Toyota Celica
  By Ferdi Laco - May 16 - 2:00 am

  The Celica is one of the most beautifully designed 2-door sports coupe in the market today within the 4 cylinder category. With tons of aftermarket upgrade kits to improve performance. The Celica GT is priced right, with so much potential for improvement and innovation. The owner only has to be resourceful and extremely creative. What would make the 2004 Celica an awesome sports car, put a 19" inch 5-spoke AXIS Hagen wheel with 35 series HP tires, drop body by 2 inch, and install wide body kits by APR, and then install a carbon fiber hood scoop, retain your metail hood. To me that is what a Celica should look like

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  2004 Martix, So Far, A Great Deal - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Shell56 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  After much research I purchased a 2004 Matrix,base model with the power package,I got it for under $15,000 before the TT&L.I have added mud guards and am going to get the windows tinted.So far I am very pleased with it.It is ideal for hauling stuff, has a sporty look, plenty of room for passengers and is economical to run.This is one vehicle I can say I have fallen in love with, it is a lot for the money.I read it had a noisy engine,which it does,and that the dash dials can be hard to read in the sun light and that was true also but overall it is ideal for my situation.

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  Could be much better - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Barshel - May 16 - 2:00 am

  The Matrix does not live up to the thoughtful design and comfort of my previous Toyotas. Unfortunately, Toyota borrowed some of the worst GM features, such as the recessed gauges, trim, and radio. The front underbody spoilers are poorly designed and flimsy. One was ripped off by a tire tread on the freeway and they are constantly scraping small road obstacles or curbs. There is no low-end torque so you have to press heavy on the gas pedal to obtain decent acceleration, resulting in a noisy take off. I bought the car because I needed utility and wanted decent gas mileage (24-26 mpg, mixed driving). There’s potential here, but for now, Toyota missed the mark.

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  MPG varies widely -- for a reason - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By IowaCityOwner - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car - comfortable, handles well, fun to drive. The fuel gauge is a mystery as it raises the alrm way too early; but accumulated MPG figure on the screen is accurate, so just multiply that by 10 and youll know when 10 gal. are needed. Ive seen complaints about the fuel mileage not being as high as EPA ratings. People need to realize that when you drive an efficient car, the effects of variations in driving conditions -- cold, wind, hills, fast accelerations, etc. -- are a lot more noticeable than in a car that just burns a lot of gas all the time, no matter what. If you want predictable fuel mileage, buy a gas hog and youll get it!

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  Exceeds Expectations - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By financeman - May 15 - 8:33 pm

  Took advantage of the low lease rates offered by Toyota in December, leasing a Base AWD with just a few options including rear air. Did not need anything fancy, but wanted something for my wife that would seat seven without the size of a minivan. The ride is smooth, quiet, and comfortable. The engine/transmission is powerful and well matched. Initial quality appears high, though I have owned the vehicle for only two weeks - time will tell. Although amenities on the base model are fairly minimal, it has the basics including cruise, tilt, decent radio, and some great features. The layout of the dashboard and instrumentation is very attractive.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By L Gigante - May 15 - 9:56 am

  Great power, economy and comfort. Lots of nice features and well thought out. Sharp looking but not gaudy.

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  Good car, but make sure its right for you - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Paul - May 15 - 5:50 am

  I ended up with a Prius due to a strong, strong recommendation from a family member who swears by them. I took a data-driven approach to justifying the purchase, showing that the Prius is the car the minimizes lifetime cost for a set of safety, reliability, and size characteristics. Here the Prius has lived up to my expectations. So yes, the Prius does often make sense for your brain. However, make sure that its really the car that you actually want too. A bunch of things beyond the numbers really bug me about it. The outside is really ungainly, and the insides high contrast color scheme isnt my style. The center speedometer I thought would be fine, but when I hold my hand around 2 oclock on the steering wheel, my hand blocks it. Without a doubt the Prius is an incredibly well engineered car, but thats not all there is to a car purchase. If I were doing it again, Id choose one of the many other cars that is also well engineered but looks and feels a bit more conventional.