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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  Reliable, comfotable, powerful and great resale - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By kworben - March 1 - 2:19 pm

  I bought my 4runner Sport V8 new in Feb of 04. 8 years and 135K miles later its time to find a new home for it. It has been the most reliable car Ive ever owned in 37 years of driving. Gas mileage is what I expected at about 16/mi overall. I used it to pull a 5K # boat and trailer and never missed beat. Even pulled great through the hills of NH and VT. Ive done all of my own maintenance and found it to be very easy to work on. It still looks and drives great. Cloth interior shows no signs of wear. Only significant problem I had was with the sunroof while it was still under warrantee. Took 3 trips to the dealer and they finally replaced the whole thing.

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  Still love my Prius - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By art man - March 1 - 11:50 am

  I now have over 5000 miles on my Prius and have been very pleased. When I had my recall taken care of, I had them make the car so it would only beep once when I put the car in reverse (they did it for free). It has made the car more enjoyable to drive. Since I have had the car, I have been getting over 50 miles a gallon, thats with mixed driving. The car is fun to drive and the more time I spend behind the wheel, the more I like the car. Over all I am very happy with my Prius. Anyone who gets one will enjoy it, just give yourself a couple of week to get use to it, because it is quit different than most other cars.

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  Love it! - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By blacksmithdog - March 1 - 10:00 am

  We had two (basically) two passenger vehicles (a Wrangler and a Mini). Granted, they could carry 4 people in a pinch, but not for any long period of time. We opted to sell the Wrangler. We wanted a 4WD SUV. We couldnt find anything we liked made in the USA, so we broadened our search. The reviews on the 4runner tended to be good so we went and test drove one, and decided to buy one. the dealer didnt have what we wanted in stock, but they looked around and found one that had about the options we wanted, so we agreed to buy it. We picked it up about a week to 10 days later and really love it.

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  2009 Braking system w/o TC option - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Paul - March 1 - 10:00 am

  After one year plus and visits to remedy my brake problem, Toyota service changed a valve that they felt was the problem. It was not. I took it to arbitration, which at that time, the technical people gave me a full explanation of the brakes design. And, admitted that all prior service work done was a waste of time due to the brake design. The brake pressure is proportional. To top it off, the Toyota experts indicated that if I had the traction control option, things would have been different with the brakes. In the 2010 model they all have traction control as standard. I guess Toyota dealers were unaware of the importance of traction control on the 2009, they did not stock this option.

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  Love it - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Dea - March 1 - 10:00 am

  Really enjoy my new Prius, 52 average miles to gallon. Used to drive Jeep liberty so the Prius gas saving is huge.

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  I Love My Prius - 2003 Toyota Prius
  By jussmith - February 28 - 11:10 pm

  I have owned a Prius for 2 1/2 years. I love it. I have had no trouble with it. The only time it did not start the temperature was 40 below zero and I really dont think many cars were starting that night. I have had no problems with the car. I would probably get better milage if I lived in a city instead of the country. If I keep my speed to 50 miles/ hr or less i can get 52 miles/gal. But since I drive 40 miles a day to work one way and my speed is between 65 and 70 miles/ hr i"m getting about 45 miles/ gal. the car is wonderful the only thing I would change is that I really like a sun roof and this year did not have one.

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  A match made in heaven - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By 2010-V - February 28 - 11:10 pm

  It has taken approximately three weeks to acclimate to driving this hybrid. Wet surface braking is different, be prepared to skid and activate the anti-lock braking system if you brake hard. My mpg is 49.4 with mostly city driving.

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  Most reliable car ever owned - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By brad - February 28 - 7:50 am

  Purchased used with 40K. While I maintained it, it never gave me one bit of a problem. Was getting 33 mpg. It was a pleasure to own this car. The reliability and fuel economy were unmatched. I could surprisingly lug around my toddlers car seat, stroller, and daughters softball equipment with no problem. Solidly built through and through.

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  great car for me--so far 25 k - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By hrs5 - February 28 - 7:14 am

  I think my yaris is fantastic as I look towards long term ownership w/o problems... It might be a bit underrated if assessed from the standpoint of initial 2010 reviews of the vehicle versus longer term ownership. This car has really grown on me in every way! Im hoping that I can dime in again in another 25k with more positives.

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  Dashboard Sticky and Melting in Sunlight - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By ses4747 - February 28 - 2:53 am

  I bought this car used. In the 1st week my dashboard appeared overly shiny and sticky to touch. In the 3 weeks Ive had it my dash as begun st melt literally with small to medium size holes in it. If anyone has the same problem Id like to know. [HTML removed].