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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  AWESOME! - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By Fatina - March 19 - 12:13 pm

  Ive had this car for 11 years and the only major work done is timing belt, water pump and starter. I have a little over 218,000 miles and it just keeps on ticking.

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  Still a Great Car Eleven Years Later - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By YSSMAN - March 19 - 8:36 am

  What can I say about the Camry that has never been said before. When my Mother was looking for a car back in 1995, it was easily one of the best cars sold in America, and thus she made the purchase. It has been a real gem for most of its life, really only showing trouble now (eleven years later). It is a great family car, and the car has been across the country several times. But, the car is dreadfully boring. It is boring to look at, boring to drive, and most certainly boring to ride in. But, for most people, boring is a good thing, and it should not drive them away from buying one of the better cars made in the 1990s. But, she needs replacement, and it looks like we are going with a VW.

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  Overall Garbage - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By wicked31036 - March 19 - 1:48 am

  Got this as a hand me down three weeks ago with 32,000 miles. Ride is terrible. I feel every pebble in the road. Traction control stunts hard/quick acceleration at all speeds. Steering wonders at high speed. Cheap interior quality, the plastics rattle. Wind noise is bad. Cheap feel overall. Dealer has to do certain customizable feature for you. My 2005 Civic with 183,000 miles was better in every way. Including MPG. (Note: I never changed the shocks and only did routine maintenance on it) And this car does not have as much room as the Civic. Civic all the way.

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  Toyota MR2 Spyder - 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Weaselboys - March 18 - 11:20 pm

  Toyota quality is in this vehicle, it has held up remarkably well over the last 5+ years. Ive only had some minor problems that were easily fixed.

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  Underwhelmed - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Don-T - March 18 - 12:20 pm

  I bought my 06 Sport pkg 4 dr short bed a couple months ago after trading in my 2000 Tundra. Ive had Toyota trucks for 18 years now and Im a bit dissapointed in their latest offering. I find the ride much harsher than previous trucks, like old solid axle GMCs. That has translated to numerous ugly rattles that the dealer cant seem to find. The Sport seats are comfy for about 30 miles and then get progressively harder. I dont like loosing the cassette player and ashtray either. Style is a personal thing but using a third of the dash for the radio and painting it all silver is a little pushy. The V6 is short on torque like the previous V6s but does get V8 gas mileage.

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  Is Toyota losing their touch? - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By johnhlanding - March 18 - 12:59 am

  This is my second toyota and has come to be very disappointing. The build quality, cheap parts, and overall value of the car is terrible. My biggest issue is oil consumption. The car uses at least 1 quart of oil a week. The dealer says nothing is wrong. Other reviews online point out the same issue. My life now consists of weekly visits to an instant oil change place to get it topped off. Thank God it is free! Otherwise I would go bankrupt just buying oil to refill it with. The steering is awful at high speeds. I fear that Toyota is becoming the Japanese version of GM. I guess I will try my luck with Honda or maybe Ford if I am forced to find another vehicle.

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  My Black Sand Pearl, 2009 Corolla S - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Lakesguy - March 17 - 3:50 pm

  Great JBL-6 disk w/XM stereo. Ride is controlled and solid, brakes are strong. Acceleration is pretty much the same as my old 2006 S. Car is VERY quiet on the road. Great gas mileage and great looks.

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  Overall Good SUV - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mandi - March 17 - 11:56 am

  I have owned this vehicle for over 1 1/2 years and overall its very safe, reliable and dependable. I dont like that it has not much get up and go without taking a second to think about it first. Also, have had to replace rotors 2x now and working on the third. For some reason had strange wear on tires that were put on 9 mo ago and all rotors and tires need to be replaced again to feel stable. Had an accident in it and let me tell you, this is one SAFE car. Im glad I trusted my life in this car. VERY safe in winter.

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  Love My Highlander!! - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By Anna - March 17 - 11:53 am

  I knew I wanted this car from the moment I saw it. When I found out that 3rd Row seating was available, I knew it was the car! I love how it drives!! The ride is smooth and the seats are very comfortable. My husband sat in the 3rd row and he said there was plenty of legroom. Our 9 year old son thinks the car is "spacious". Our 3 year old likes the car too. I love all the features it has. Outside temp display, drivers window is auto up and down, auto dimming rear view, separate rear heat control, the little compartment to the left of the steering wheel (great for garage door opener and parking garage card AND chapstick!), 6-disc in dash CD changer and the 10 cup holders!! WOW!!

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  The Best! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Fisher - March 17 - 11:16 am

  I was looking into buying a Camry but found the Corolla loaded for much less! I knew I was going to buy a Toyota and would be happy with it, because I have always had Toyotas and have gotten about 300,000 miles out of each of them! So this Corolla will last me a while I am sure of it! With my automatic I get about 33mpg in mixed driving which is pretty good! I am a big person and I fit well in this car, better than I did in my old 4Runner! They designed this car with a high roofline and command seating, visiblity is very good! I wouldnt trade my Corolla for the world!