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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  Couldnt be happier - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By Jenkins - May 1 - 6:36 am

  If youre looking for a big, fast pickup, get this truck!! 5.7 cant be beat, except in MPG, but who buys a truck for mileage. Super roomy, and Im 6 200, friends are all bigger than me and we all spread out when Im driving. Only way Id be happier is in a $100k luxury sedan, and Im not rich, so this truck definitely has it all for the working man! Top ends are nice, but way too much for not that much. Grade model has everything you need, unless you cant read a map and dont know how to back up!

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  Happy to have a decent car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By yohan - May 1 - 5:56 am

  I bought my corolla in 04 it had 6 miles on it, I love this little car - the only problems I have had with it are a blown tail light, 1 flat tire and a blown fuse. Compared to caR I had before, a 91 Dodge Caravan, which turned into a 13 year nightmare this little car is a dream. My next car will be another Toyota.

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  Tacoma experience thus far...... - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By issisteelman - May 1 - 2:36 am

  My Toyota Tacoma is just over 4 years old. I only have 32,000 miles on it so far but the experience has been a good one. I live in the sticks in Northern NH and spend a lot of time on logging roads so many of the 32K miles have been hard ones. The only minor problem Ive experienced thus far is that my e- brakes recently locked up. Im also a little dissapointed in the gas mileage for a 4 cylinder (only getting about 17 mpg in town and 21 mpg on the highway). However, so far the truck is completely reliable and has lived up to my expectations regarding Toyota quality. I use my truck in all conditions to haul wood, to trailer my snowmachine, to trailer my 4-wheeler and it runs great!

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  Hesitation from start - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By ist. toyota - April 30 - 11:03 pm

  I purchased my first Toyota on reputation of build quality. I have had six trips to dealer for transmission leaks power steering leaks parts coming loose on front under carriage and hesitation on take off. The service rep. Said this was normal for this model and there was nothing they could do about the hesitation. Makes for a jerky take off. Not safe. I have 5 months and 10,000 miles left on warranty. Time to get something different

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  Excellent Car - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Matt - April 30 - 10:43 pm

  I tried not to like this car, but every time I compared it to something American made there was no comparison. The S model makes the car look much nicer in my opinion. I have almost 4000 miles on it since March. Gas mileage is excellent. Consistently getting 34-35 mpg with 75% highway driving. Im 6-2" and am pretty comfortable in it. I use a wheelchair and it fits in the trunk fine. The seating position makes you feel like you are sitting in a larger car. I agree with many other reviewers that the steering wheel position is a bit awkward, but I have quickly gotten used to it. I would highly recommend this car to someone needing economical, reliable transportation.

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  Love my new Prius 3 - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Sue Harris - April 30 - 9:13 pm

  I am averaging almost 60 mpg!! Love the information available at your fingertips. Comfortable and more sporty than my previous Prius.

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  Quick glance after 300 imles - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Motorhead - April 30 - 8:56 pm

  Love it fun to drive Great 4 door sedan that makes commute fun Lacks raw horsepower/torque of my other cars in the gargage but gas mileage is much better.No problem keeping it straight I think its just really touchy so people are over correcting. It has the EVP #3 plus sunroof the sunroof open at high way speed is very easy on noise.Dont be afraid of the recall on this car the only recall on mine is for floor mats, but my floor mats are attached to the factory hooks to keep them from sliding in to dash area. I checked my VIN # at Toyota website. Will use this for commuting as it gets way better mileage over my Mustang and Explorer.

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  Toyota will pay for transmission repairs - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By bbeek - April 30 - 7:55 pm

  I just found a link to an article that documents that Toyota will pay for ECM failures/transmission rebuilds. Here is the link:http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/toyota-extends-warranty-on-troubled-2001-3-rav4/. You can call the center in Torrance, Calif at 800-468-7814 for more info. I am going to get back my repair costs of $4300 for a rebuilt transmission and ECM module replacement.

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  Looks and runs great but its a rust time bomb! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Ben - April 30 - 6:48 am

  I purchased this older vehicle to replace my money pit 96 Suburban and considered getting rid of my car as well. While replacing the exhaust I found that the frame was rotted out in the back behind where the tail pipe muffler was located. This discouraged me greatly as I had heard these vehicles had this issue - but mostly the tundras were affected from what Ive read even though its the same frame. On the outside you would never know and even looking underneath you wouldnt see it because the exhaust system is hiding it from plain view. I contacted Toyota and they opened a case only to tell me that this vehicle was already serviced for this reason in February 2013 for the frame issue where they removed surface rust and treated it. It appears that the frame is rusting from the inside I think that they didnt treat the passenger rear corner because of the exhaust would be in the way. I thought I had purchased a dependable vehicle only to find out that its a pile of scrap now. It still drives great but I purchased it to tow which I will not do now - I hope to get rid of it before this rust time bomb explodes.

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  Mileage Surprise - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By ned.dick - April 29 - 7:50 pm

  With the premium some dealers are adding on to the Prius I started wondering if my concern for the environment was worth it. I have been pleasantly surprised. Driving the car reasonably with acceptable limits I get just under 49 mpg. On a trial using max speed of 55 mph and air conditioner only when really needed I got an incredible 62.4 mpg. Since I live in the foothills of western NC I think this is outstanding. Just watching the use of my air conditioner and staying at the speed limit (70 mph on Interstate I travel) gives me an average of 51.3 mpg. Over my 6 cyl. SUV that I use to commute in Ive saved over $800 in the 15,400 miles I driven in the last 8 months.