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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  Great Truck - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Smolenski7 - November 19 - 11:13 pm

  This is my first truck. Im a teacher by trade, but do a lot of work around the house and my wife drives a minivan that Ive "destroyed," so a pick up was a logical choice for me. I bought the Tacoma simply because it is the safest truck on the market today. Only the Tundra and Ridgeline compare. I also chose it because of the 6.1ft bed. I couldnt purchase a truck with a small bed. Didnt seem to make sense to me. The truck is quiet. In fact, its so quiet and the ride is so smooth, that I dont notice how fast Im going until I look down at the speedometer. The fit and finish is superb, no noises for me. The seats are comfortable, the steering is crisp, and the breaks are smooth.

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  Best vehicle I have ever owned - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Lee Towsley - November 19 - 8:17 pm

  I drove this 4Runner 275000 miles before selling it. I was still able to sell it for $2500.

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  WOW!!!! - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By cwm - November 19 - 8:10 pm

  I just traded in my 2004 Mazda rx8 for one of these. I was very surprised for how much power it actually has. Really cool to see how the engine is working, the push button for park is a little strange but over all seems like a great car. The bluetooth works great. The JBL stereo amazingly loud!!! I never thought I would want one of these but after I heard about how much they have changed I had to test drive one.

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  Second Corolla - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By Happy Owner - November 19 - 8:08 pm

  I bought my first Corolla in 2009 and was disappointed in the performance and stability when the weather was wet and windy. I traded it a year later for a different brand. Fast forward 5 years and I picked up a 2015 Corolla in May. The only thing I dislike about the car is the CVT transmission. Ive had other cars with CVTs before; I understand how they work and why theyre engineered that way. Its to maximize efficiency. Ive learned its more effective to strategically plan getting on a freeway instead of being able to jump on the gas and having the car take off. The fit and finish of my car is great. I got the Brown Sugar metallic with Ivory interior. The paint doesnt pop as much as Id like it to, but thats probably because the dealership didnt have time to properly detail it before delivery. I arrived in the late afternoon and left (in my new car) after the dealership closed. Handling is typical economy car...light steering, not very precise but adequate. Its comfortable. I traded in a Lexus IS250 for my Corolla, and the Corolla is more comfortable. I have yet to see how it handles in wet weather, but its larger and heavier than my 2009 so I expect it to be better. Overall, a solid car. I anticipate hanging on to it for many years.

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  We LOVE it! - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Alli & Jon - November 19 - 7:56 pm

  We just traded in a 1998 Grand Am for this baby, thought we were going to buy a Civic, but once we saw the new Corolla and how sporty and roomier it is, we were sold. The dealership was ready to negotiate and met us at our price including more options. The black interior is warmer than my previous tan, but opening the sun roof clears out all hot air in about a minute. The A/C cools down real quick. 3 days after we purchased we took a road trip to Marquette, Michigan from Chicago. We had no problems at all. We love the sporty look, aggressive body style, easy to clean black interior, smooth ride, and I can almost see the front of the car! (Im short!) We love this car and Toyota now!

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  Great but... - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By EAL - November 19 - 4:40 pm

  I have owned this car for almost a month. The gas mileage is great, the ride and feel would be great except for a not too subtle high pitch humming noise coming from the transmission. It seems to appear only when the engine engages, as soon as you release the gas pedal the noise is gone. I will be taking it to the dealership to see what they can do. Will update at that point.

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  Best Car Weve Owned - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Pat - November 19 - 12:28 pm

  Update #2. Pretty much status quo. Car still runs perfect. Toyota quality is the best. Ive owned Ford. Chevrolet. Chrysler. Nissan. Some good some bad. So impressed with Toyota we bought a RAV4. I would feel confident driving this car across country. Update: Now have 150k miles. Car has been so reliable that we decided to do the full service (timing belt, plugs & fluids) verses replacing the car. Found an independent shop specializing in Toyota that gave us a price and warranty the dealer couldnt come close to. This car still runs perfect. Air & heat work great and the convertible top functions as good as the day we bought it. We have driven this car everywhere and I expect it to last us several more years. Purchased the car used from a private seller back in 2007 with 41k miles. We now have 140k miles and have not had any major mechanical problems since purchase. 2-sets of brakes and tires since then. One power steering hose and one inner tie rod, thats about it. Havent even changed the plugs yet but regular on the fluid changes. Engine still runs strong. HVAC controls work perfect (Air & Heat). Factory radio still sounds great. Power convertible top still works flawless (orig factory top still). Auto transmission still shifts smooth. Gets good gas mileage for a V6 especially on the highway. I expect this car to last us another 10 years. Pros: Good build quality, powerful V6, smooth auto transmission, tilt/telescopic wheel great for extremely tall or short people (which we are). Cons: Only con is when its raining and you open a door, water will drip from the convertible top down on your leg. Not sure if this is just our car or a Solara convertible issue in general but its a minor inconvenience.

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  What a blast!!! - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By bmerton - November 19 - 10:00 am

  FredWirts review is way off the mark. As a matter of fact, I doubt he owns one (Cruise wasnt even available on the 2000! If he has it, it is aftermarket.) His problems are far out of the ordinary. Get the real story on the Spyder at www.spyderchat.com and ask the enthusiasts there. As for the guy with the 10K-15K tires...okay...sure. You can replace your tires with some excellent ones for less than $400 and pocket the difference between that and the extra $10-12K on the S2000. Dont know what kind of tires you had, but thats no reason to rate the car a 2-3 overall! :)

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  What youll get BUYING a USED Tundra - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By 1/2Tondra - November 19 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking to buy a Tundra I hope sharing my experience of two years with my 4X4 can help you. First, the 32 valve V8 is a powerful. Its not the biggest but it will take off like a rocket. Also, its better than owning a V6 and mileage is comparable... Best Hwy trip 20mpg. Average 17 to 18 mpg in town. I also tow my 5,000 pound camping trailer with ease. Thus, you will really be glad you got the V8 when pulling a boat or something. You will also smile everyday as you dominate most everyone else in daily driving.

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  Very Good Van - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By uskeatings - November 19 - 10:00 am

  We got our Sienna in 1999 when the new Honda van just came out. We couldnt even find one to test drive. We looked at the Sienna and the Villager and it was a no contest. This van is good to drive, allows flexible seating and storage, and is extremely durable. We just paid it off and are looking forward to driving it for another four years.