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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  No Problems - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By metaxaide - April 21 - 10:00 am

  Replaced my 99 Corolla LE which was a great car. This car is much improved and has been completely trouble free. I routinely get 30-32 around town and 38-41 on the highway. It has a smooth ride and handles well in snow and ice conditions.

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  lousy tires and poor brakes - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By hamisch - April 21 - 10:00 am

  The positive points of this car are; reliability, fuel economy-I get 30-32 MPG in mixed city/highway driving, interior room and handling. The negative aspects are; The OEM tires made by Firestone,they are by far the worst tires I have ever owned. After about 3 or 4 thousand miles driving on a wet highway was like driving on ice. I had them replaced at 16,000 miles-the lowest mileage that I have ever replaced tires at in my life and I have been driving for 28 years! The other problem is that the brakes seem to be undersized,the car should have better braking capacity. The last point is that the front roof pillars limit visibility a great deal.

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  Pings - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By palka - April 21 - 10:00 am

  My 2003 Camry has been good. The Ride is nice, its comfortable and roomy but I get a pinging type sound when I accelarate. You can only hear it when the drivers side window is open not inside the car. It doesnt effect accelation but the noise is annoying and I dont know what it could mean down the road. Ive been to two dealership who agree there is a noise or pinging type sound but dont know what to do about it. I would be curious if any one else hears this noise on their 2003 Camrys

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  Still Looking Good - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By New2Camry - April 21 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Camry for over 3 months now, and I am pleased. Aside from a minor cosmetic touch up (flaw on the dash), the cars performance has been exactly what I was looking for. After hearing comments from 03 Accord owners about rattles and apparent design flaws, plus news of the Nissan Altima having major problems with its engine, I believe I made the right choice.

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  It rocks - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Danielle - April 21 - 4:50 am

  I love this car. Everything is right where it should be. It is comfortable and luxurious, especially for a Toyota. Way nicer, bigger and more features than the Lexus 400h. The only complaint is the price tag.

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  Solid! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By KK - April 21 - 4:03 am

  I needed to buy an economy car and Id read a lot of good things about the Yaris (I did a lot of car research!), but I was concerned about getting something solid and safe; I didnt want to drive a "tin can". When I finally tried the 08 Yaris sedan, I was happily amazed. Surprisingly solid for an economy car! Has all the extras (side curtain air bags, ABS brakes, power everything) which pushed up the price but still was a great deal. Gas mileage is the best I ever had on a car. Ive driven it almost a week and the tank level has barely moved. Im surprised this car doesnt get more attention.

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  Buyer Beware - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By pmaqua - April 21 - 2:50 am

  Although this is a great driving and good looking truck, after just 3 years and 64000 miles it is falling apart. It is driven as a family car and is not used as a contractors truck. 1st the overdrive sending unit went out at 61000. Next the limit slip differential broke after driving from a parking spot over a curb. Now the tranny is going! We bought a 100K bumper to bumper extended warranty from the dealer - NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT IS PRINTED ON!! I have had to pay for all repairs. So far over $3000. P.S. POOR gas mileage and eats tires - on 3rd set. Also on 3rd set of brake pads.

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  I WISH I COULD JUST TAKE IT BACK - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By SAD CAMRY DAD - April 20 - 10:09 pm

  I purchased this really sporty looking XSE three weeks ago and love everything about it from the outside, but that quickly changes once I get in it , I absolutely HATE the navigation and apps programs that requires me to plug my phone into the car to use the Pandora/Spottily music or its horrible Scout navigation system. I did test drive it, but it took me several days to get around to programming the horrible so called infotainment system. so for now I have a small Garmin Nuvi stuck to the windshield of my brand new car with a useless seven inch display that I cant use for anything but the radio. As a comparison one of my other vehicles is a five year old Ford FX4 crew cab pickup that has a ford factory navigation system that blows this Toyota afterthought away.

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  Why Corolla is The Most Reliable - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Robt-Cobb - April 20 - 9:10 pm

  I have 103000 miles on my 03 LE Corolla. This LE will last 400,000 miles just by changing the trans fluid every 10,000 ml, oil at 3,000 ml, spark-plugs at 10-15 months. Tires when worn. The higher wheel base keeps the car from scraping the curb. You can also repair (or find mechanics to repair this car) very cheaply! With premium or high octane gas I get 34cty/40hwy. And I drive at speeds of 70+ mph! The speakers are fine but I hate the lame radio/DVD which is too hard to swap out! And the space doesnt accommodate any of the popular MP3 players! The larger headlights are a welcomed improvement. And the higher door and head room is a great improvement for my bike and computer stuff.

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  Think Twice 2010 Prius - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By margieprius - April 20 - 9:26 am

  I have 4 Toyotas all purchased from Westbury Toyota. All was good until I began to experience brake issues on my brand new 2010 Prius. The dealers service was horrible, and they denied there was a problem. Eventually a recall for the non existent problem, and after the recall the braking on the car is less reliable then before, they say thats the way all the 2010 Prius are.