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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  7000 Mile Report - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By DJS - February 3 - 11:10 am

  Since early October have put 7000 miles, including 4500 miles on a trip from CA to TX, on the car. Comfortable drive after 8 plus hours going across West TX at 80-85 MPH. Gas mileage for the trip was 34 MPG, many of these miles at fairly high speed. I waited 3 months for the car in part to buy one that met our needs, that is, no sunroof, no leather, and the middle up-grade package. Acceleration is pretty darn good, handling very nice until you get into mountainous roads as we did in southern NM. Then you know you are not driving a BMW. But overall a technological marvel-usual Toyota quality build.

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  Great SUV - 1994 Toyota 4Runner
  By speed321 - February 3 - 9:07 am

  My grandma bought me a 1994 Toyota 4 runner about a year ago for my first car it had 202,000 miles on it now it has 211,000 miles on it and runs amazing but sucks very bad in the hills or up any hill unless your like off-roading and your going up a hill slowly in 4x4.. The brakes do suck i need to have my rooters turned. Had problems with rear window switch. The two back passenger window motors are almost done working i think they go pretty slow up after you put them down all the way.. Leaks oil but with those kind of miles its expected. Oh and how its bad in the hills is that when your going say, 65 mph and you start going up a little or a big incline you will loose speed very quickly and

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  Excellent value for the money! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By JohnieB - February 3 - 4:30 am

  I have owned this vehicle for 1.5 years and I love it. It is quiet, comfortable and very relaxing to drive in the urban, traffic snarl. I barely notice the other vehicles, even ones with sirens. I replaced the stock Michelins MXV4s with the new Michelin Primacy and the car is quieter than I ever imagined. These tires really seem to work with this car. The ride is supple, comfortable but you can tell what the wheels are doing. Mine is 2003.5 model which is the 3.0 VVt-i motor and 5 speed tranny and I love it!

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  Love It!! - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By momof3 - February 3 - 4:10 am

  I love this van! I do a lot of driving - almost 700 miles a week simply routine, not including other out of town trips. This mini van is one the the best and reliable vehicles I have had (the other being a Toyota as well, a Tercel back in the 90s). Its comfortable, rides smooth and looks great too. The only annoyance has been the tire sensor light when the weather gets cold outside & the sliding doors dont latch open when windows are down. But small potatoes compared to other vehicles I have had. I have had this van for 16 months and have 40,000 miles already. No problems from this vehicle, nothing negative in my eyes about it. I love it and would definitely buy another without pause!

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  Like it! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Dana - February 2 - 10:40 pm

  This is a vehicle that is a surprise to all those who see it the first time. Then they sit in it and "wow" sets in. And, finally a ride that is quiet, smooth and comfortable has them sold on buying one - except, Im not a salesman and dont have any to sell. But if I did, I could be a millionaire now.

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  I love my car! - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By elf08 - February 2 - 8:46 pm

  Ive wanted a Matrix ever since they came out, and I got my wish this year!! It is everything I expected it to be, and I am very happy w/ it. It runs great, gets good gas mileage, its adorable and its so fun to drive. Ive gotten a lot of compliments on the looks of it.

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  Lifesaver car - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By clarkcastle - February 2 - 9:46 am

  I had the car for 10 years. 270k miles. We were just in a rollover accident on hwy, doing 70 mph. The whole family was in the car, we all walked away unharmed. GREAT car, comfortable, and it saved our lives. It was like losing a member of the family.

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  Its a Truck, not a Passenger Sedan - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Matt Rowe - February 2 - 8:11 am

  Great for small families if this is an everyday driver like mine. Averages about 16 mpg and is not the most comfortable long distance ride, but then I bought mine for camping, hauling, and trail riding. I haul firewood and construction materials on the non-standard Gobi roof rack. This vehicle is a beast! I even used it to drag thousand-plus pound tree trunks around when I cleared some woods for a home site. Awesome in the deep sand with the right tires and inflation level. If you want something better than a Jeep CJ, then this is the vehicle for you. If you are looking for a luxury status symbol truck, buy something else. This one is for sport and work.

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  Corolla=RELIABLE - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Dave - February 2 - 7:06 am

  Bought this car brand new in 1998. First year it was incredibly smooth and quiet. Very surprising performance for a small car. Ours has the 5 speed, so mileage is GREAT. Recently (2005) I drove 412 miles on 10.67 gallons of gas. That is 38 MPG! This was not all interstate miles either. It was mixed, city and highway miles. That was pretty impressive considering the car just passed 138,000 miles. The AC is great, and so is the heat. The channel preset buttons on the radio are all falling off, which stinks. The cup holder in the rear seat was placed in a bad spot. The cloth seats are adequate and are durable. The interior panels are resistant to temp extremes (no cracking so far). Great car.

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  Great Little SUV - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Buckey - February 2 - 6:56 am

  WE use this for long trips some times in snow country. Its comfortable to drive and has a positive feel on the road. Lots of places to store gear etc. I wish the rear seat would lay flat when down and a little chrome on the grillwork would perk it up. I cant believe Im driving a 4 cyl. (except at the gas pump) its great. I use it for hunting and pull a loaded trailer with ATV and lots of gear and hardly know its there. The getting in and out height is just right (Im no spring chicken} the rear loading height is great too. Ride and handling is good also.