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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  Problematic - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By SoCaluser - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Weve owned lots of Toyotas and usually expect high reliability from the company. The 2001 Prius hasnt met that expectation. Our car has been the shop every couple of months with lots of problems including: tires wearing out, steering column noise, battery dying, mysterious engine stalls, electrical problems that disabled the radio and assorted other nagging things. Weve been quite surprise by the severity of the problems and the inability of Toyota to diagnose and fix them. Presumably, the newer version of the Prius have worked through the problems. But the 2001 was been a disappointment.

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  XR Equals ZOOM! - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Toyotabill - February 25 - 2:00 am

  In town and on the road, my Matrix XR is fun to drive and all around affordable. My advice is read the information on the Net, test drive one and then make own decisions. There is so much bias around that you have to do your homework or you will not get the whole story. After downszining from a 1995 Ford Explorer, my feeling is that Ford is toast! Toyotas quality and pound for pound performace is so far superior that it is just amazing. No more overweight, inherantly unsafe American gas guzzlers for me.

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  SEQUOIA - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By SALUKI - February 25 - 2:00 am

  I WAS SHOPPING AROUND FOR A NEW VEHICLE. I WAS MOSTLY LOOKING AT AMERICAN SUVS, BUT THIS TRUCK REALY BLEW THEM ALL AOUT OF THE WATER. EXCELENT QUALITY, BUT IT COULD USE MORE HP

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  Just Plain Happy - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Jenn_d_whist - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Not much to it -- just plain happy with this SUV. Runs well, is comfy, nice inside, not a huge thing.

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  Economy with a Luxury Feel - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By the-wire-guy - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Almost bought the Honda EX; I think I made the right choice. Car is roomy, solid, and definately fun to drive. With only 130 horsepower, I thought the car would lug going up hills -- definately not a problem. As the car is breaking in, my gas mileage is going up (started at 30 MPG City/Hwy, now is up to 36 MPG City/Hwy driving). If you want gas mileage without giving up comfort, this is your car. Be aware the cost of insurance is high (replacement parts are high, safety is not a contributor), but the car is worth the extra insurance money.

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  Love this car - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By aron - February 25 - 12:40 am

  Im a first time car buyer and bought the car with 160,000 miles yes 160,000 miles and when I drove it it felt like a new car and when I bought it in for in oil change the dealer asked if the car reached 50 thousand miles I love the car. It keeps its value if maintained

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  Design Flaw - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By TBM - February 24 - 11:03 pm

  The placement of the a/c condenser, close to the ground, and very little protection from the grille can cause foreign objects to damage the condenser, especially small rocks. A very small rock penetrated through the grill and damaged the condenser causing a micro hole depressurizing the a/c system. The a/c no longer works. I took it to a Toyota dealer even though it is under warranty I still had to pay $80.00 for them to look at it because the damage was caused by an outside object and was not covered. The bill to repair it was $1200.00. Toyota should have put wire mesh in that area of the grille to protect the condenser. Positives are gas mileage and price, but you get what you pay for

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  Love it! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By keskkesh - February 24 - 9:28 pm

  Ive had this car about a year now! I love it. Its very spacious, well made, has a luxious feel, and an awesome stero. I love the hard lines and sporty look. It runs smooth, light, and fast. Its truly a great car!

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  Pros & cons - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By dehaas5 - February 24 - 6:50 pm

  We just got in a head-on accident in our 2005 Prius. The cars "crumple zones" performed perfectly keeping the engine out of the interior, greatly reducing injuries. However, one of the rear seat belts did not "grab" sending my son flying into the back of the seat in front of him resulting in head injuries. Also, the gas mileage was never at 60 mpg as touted. Even with conservative driving (slightly letting off the gas) the best we could maintain was about 46 mpg. Also, the interier dash finish rubbed off easily and seats needed better fabric. Even with these flaws, we are considering re-buying, because other features worked great,it was very dependable and improvded exterior styling.

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  Sherman tank that gets great gas mileage - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Adam K - February 24 - 4:13 pm

  Prior to buying this vehicle, I owned a 2002 Honda CR-V and thought that it was the best car ever built. Then I bought my Highlander Hybrid with 26K miles and the it is more rugged and gets better mileage than the smaller Honda. This 06 Highlander Hybrid has it all: Good Looks. Great interior space. Smooth ride with a CVT transmission. Good gas mileage for a powerful SUV I get about 26 MPG overall. While this is less than advertised, it is still very good for a car with 268 HP that is built like a Sherman Tank. I typically keep a car for 200K plus miles and I am confident that this will go way beyond this milestone with basic maintenance.