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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  Nice truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By mike - February 8 - 2:26 am

  Have had no problems with truck other than the average wear and tear of use. No rust and its now 3/1/08. Have owned 3 toyotas and this is the best. Recommend and will purchase another. 4WD works great.

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  An outstanding car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Bill Messer - February 8 - 1:56 am

  My 2004 Prius has met all my expectations. It runs perfectly, is smooth, roomy, and comfortable, and is still a head-turner though this model has been out for well over a year. In the past 2 days I have been asked about the car by 3 complete strangers, eager to hear about my opinion of it. Its performance is vivid in terms of acceleration and road holding. Its quietness is impressive, and even after a year I am still finding out new things to delight me. This car is a complete winner!

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  Happy owner - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Frank - February 8 - 1:20 am

  It was 10 years since I bought a new car and I chose the Rav4 over the CRV after careful consideration and driving the V6 version. I needed a new car for a newly emerging family so I needed something more useful than a 2 seater truck and Miata. I required fuel efficiency and a healthy reliability rating so Toyota and Honda were top of the list. I chose to get an SUV over a car because of the utility factor (I also have 2 big dogs). I cant comment on reliability yet but I am in love with this vehicle.

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  One excellent piece of a truck - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By chirravu - February 7 - 10:03 pm

  This is also an update to our 2000 Tundra SR5 V8 4x2. Just finished 150K mark on this. Some time ago performed spark-plug tune-up - bingo, this truck runs new like the first day I bought this Big Dawg in 99. Change oil every 5K and this Toyota keeps going 4eva! To date, this truck doesnt rattle, squeak, squeal, or rust. Recently put a another set of Michelin LTX. I do get about 17-18 MPG on mostly highway drive. I have used it to tow just about anything you can imagine (within ratings limits), impressive passing power even with full-load. At times dont even realize we have 5000+ pound trailer attached, power fools ya!

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  Awesome little car! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Sean - February 7 - 2:10 pm

  I did a lot of research on this car before buying, and love it! It is fun to drive around, cheap on gas, and with Toyotas name, Im sure it will be very reliable. I get compliments on it everywhere I go.

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  Thought it was reliable - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By SteveMA - February 7 - 6:53 am

  I had no trouble with this car and felt it was highly reliable, like the Toyota reputation suggested. I bought the car new and always took car of the maintenance. Then at 59,000 miles, the transmission completely failed. No warning, no symptoms, just stop at a light and when the light turned green, the car would not move. Turned it off and turned it back on, and when I put the car in drive, the car made a horrible grinding sound. Called Toyota and they would do nothing for me. 6/60000 miles was the warranty. Guess they had it figured out just right. Ill never buy a Toyota again.

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  Quality ? - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Tom Bergklint - February 6 - 10:56 pm

  I purchased my Tundra 4dr 4WD in 12/06 brand new. I previously owned a 2002 access cab 4WD. The quality of this Tundra is inferior to my 2002. I have a shifter lever that doesnt like to let the key out, heater controls that work hard, and an A/C that didnt work when I got it. The truck is nice riding, but huge to try to parallel park. The gas mileage is only 15-16 and really needs improvement. I wish I would have kept my 2002 and I hope that Toyotas quality is not starting to slip. I still have not received the questionaire from Toyota asking me how I like my truck. I plan on letting them know about the difference in quality from my 2002 to this 2006.

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  Greater Than I Imagined - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Happy to Drive - February 6 - 2:30 pm

  Read all your reviews before I purchased and they helped a lot. Once I bought the vehicle and actually got behind the wheel as an owner and then discovered what it can do, Im so happy. I wanted the v6 for the gas mileage thing, but got the v8 full-time 4wd edition and here are the real world stats... On the highway and 65 mph and under, 25-27.7 mpg. Yes, really. Was going to get a Lexus GX-470 (built on the same platform as the 4Runner and at the same factory in Tahara, Japan), but decided on the 2006 4Runner instead. Whisper quiet. Not as fancy of an interior as the Lexus, but all the important elements, performance and reliability are the same. What a great car.

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  Cant Go Wrong - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By plevy824 - February 6 - 12:13 pm

  This is my 3rd SUV (ford bronco II and GMC Jimmy). The 4Runner is by far more reliable, better looking, and able to do more real 4 wheeling than my previous mistakes. The only mistake Toyota made is a single power outlet in the front cabin, but a minor inconvenience compared with the problems on my last two. You will enjoy no rattles, great highway mileage with the V6 (22 MPG with K&N installed) and not a single problem in 14 months of use.

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  Great Car - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By Amy - February 6 - 11:43 am

  I was all ready a Toyota fan with my first two cars being Camrys.I love my Echo.I bought it off the lot new.This car has been great, I have not had a single problem with it.I love the spunk it has and I live in Atlanta, GA where there are hardly parking spaces but my Echo always finds room in tight spaces most cars cannot fit into.Also driving in traffic is great because of the space issue- it can weave easily when needed.I love the truck space and small compartments.Any improvement I have suggested is petty compared to the overall package.After reading eveyone elses reviews I will have to say that we all have the same little gripes but I know that I am glad to have made this my 1st new car.