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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  Didnt mind the rough ride... - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By RAFFY - April 10 - 12:20 pm

  I didnt mind the truck like ride, the constant shaking of my head up and down while Im going down the road is what really bothered me. I got rid of it like a hot potato. Took the loss, but at least Im not stuck with it.

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  A Diamond in the Rough - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By JET - April 10 - 6:16 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. This car is not indicative of the current problems that Toyota is having. A totally reliable automobile that offers everything you need in an SUV. I never had to take this car in for any major problems, and you can even hear the engine at idle.

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  Great family van - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By Erick - April 10 - 4:16 am

  We bought our Sienna used about 3 years ago and we are very happy with it. We used to buy Ford Windstars but the Toyota blew them out of the water. We live in the midwest and every year take our Sienna to the mountains for camping and fishing trips and it has gone everywhere we needed it to go even off road with no issues. In the snow it is great the traction control kicks in and it is almost like driving a 4 wheel drive vehicle. It is an amazing vehicle

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  I like It! - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By mchamp - April 10 - 3:16 am

  While I have only had the car for a few days, it has been great. It is a quiet, smooth and comfortable ride. It seems to be doing well on MPG but not quite what I expected (lower then expected). I also like the fact that you only need to do an oil change every 5,000 miles. This should help in cost (if other cars are still needing to do it every 3,000 miles). My Avalon has so far exceded my expectations.

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  Original Owner for 10 years - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By HyPERDRiVE - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This car has only seen one major problem and that was the alternator, besides that just regular oil change and tune ups. Well, you cannot really compare its performance to todays cars because its a whole new ballgame. The car also feels so nimble and easy to handle. If you are getting your first car and you are skeptical about reliability issues, go for this car because only rarely you will see any. They dont built cars like they used to. Our 2002 Maxima has had more problems over 15k miles than the Corolla has had in 10 years. I am going to try to make the Corolla last 500k+ miles...wish me luck :)

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  Luxury Toyota - 1996 Toyota Avalon
  By vinster29 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Avalon for 8 years now and it has been a great car to drive. I love the larger interior and big trunk too. The A/c and heater are ten times better at cooling and heating than my Lexus. The ride is excellent and the engine is awesome. The paint does chip off really easy but overall this car has been the best Toyota that I have ever owned.

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  Initial response - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By NewMatrixOwner - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Overall an excellent vehicle. I upgraded from a 1987 Accord hatchback and this was the best match in terms of price, mileage, and utility (it is basically a larger, 4 door version of my previous car). In picking up my Matrix XR, however, I noticed the fog lamps didnt work - hence my build quality rating - it was easily fixed (need a fuse put in), but should not have been overlooked by Toyota (especially since they delayed my getting this car for a QC check). Also, try not to buy the "teflon coating" for the paint, just wash and wax it yourself. I will give an update in a couple months.

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  2004 Prius -- Early Experience - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By davebizzak - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle has suprising acceleration due to electrical motor assist. Start/stop of engine while driving are seemless and hardly noticed--not noticed if you are listening to the radio. Ride is quiet and controlled. The most striking difference between the Prius and other vehicles is the small steering wheel, which takes some getting used to. In short, there is not a more technologically advanced vehicle on the market, at any price. Its too early in life to rate reliability, but I have been impressed with build quality and past experience with Toyota suggests that reliability will be good.

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  Turing Heads - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By SoCalRoadster - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Prius for about one month. After driving an SUV for the past 6 years, I guess just about any fuel efficient vehicle would impress me. However, I am extraordinarily pleased by the $$ that Im saving with my Prius. The first time I filled the tank, I thought the pump had prematurely stopped. To my surprise, the tank was full! $11.00!!! (in comparison to $40) I did the money-savings dance in front of the pump!!!

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  My two cents - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By sams123456 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  The syling and engine performance has been good. However, I have had this van at the dealership 12 times for alignment and tire problems (The first trip was immediatly after purchase when the fvehicle was new - about 200 miles). I have never had similar issues with other vehicles, so I am convinced that the alignment and tire probles relate to a design issue with this van. I like the JBL system and captian chairs. The controls are easy to use.