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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  Lovin My Camry - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By mn011890 - September 20 - 1:06 am

  I am 18 years old, and this car is the first stick shift I have ever driven/owned and it was great to learn on. The performance is decent for a 4 cylinder, although it could be better. For me personally, the manual makes it blast to drive, but during sharp cornering there is quite a bit of body roll. Despite the body roll, handling still feels fairly secure. Gas mileage is good, I get about 21 mpg in the city. Perhaps my favorite part is the way it looks. The lines of the car are gorgeous, especially in the blue ribbon metallic color. If you want a car that looks good, is good on gas, has pretty good performance AND is cheap (got mine out the door for about 18k) then this is the car for you!

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  2016 Highlander is too high - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Don - September 19 - 6:51 pm

  Sitting in the car is like sitting on a high chair. The front view above car hood is fine, but the side view is poor. It is very difficult to see the road before the hood since the car is too tall. You cant see if there is a dog or a two years old toddler in front of your car like a Camry. The back camera is great help and it should have a front camera. Parallel parking is be difficult as I had experienced in DC. Braking seems slow to react. Gas consumption is 20 mpg, kind of high. No compass on the car like my Camry, so I cant tell direction easily.

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  my toyota rav 4 sport 4x2 . - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By john_ufo - September 19 - 3:16 pm

  i bought the car april 16 and its 3 and half months later. i waited to gather more info for my review. the car overall is good. it runs smooth on normall roads . but in pot holes and going over train tracks jesus christ i thought my teeth fillings were going to come out . the car is kinda slow even for a 4 cyclnder. they conned me into buying the rav 4 with no money down and my finance rate at 6.00 so they got my payments as high as $ 355.83 a month for 75 months. but i got smarter in my old age and refinanced the rav at 2.00 percent with a bank in new york. so now my payments are $ 305.25 a month .

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  Car of 2004 America & Car of 2005 EUROPE - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Puica C - September 18 - 7:46 pm

  Absolutely EXCELLENT! Car of 2004 in N America & Car of 2005 in Europe! YES! enjoy every minute driving this hi-tech jewel! (And other drivers peeping and pointing with their finger toward my new Prius!) Coming from Toyota RAV4, I found turning visibility a little obstructed by bottom corners of the front windshield. Also too bad those Edmund editors forget that Prius is a midsize sedan and comes with full side airbags …. (!) – HM! Why is that? Where is the verticality and credibility of Edmunds.com? Should I contact the Better Business Bureau or the managers?

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  Nice Truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Frank L. - September 18 - 1:46 pm

  My truck has been wonderful to own. I have almost 25,000 miles on it and it has not given my any problems.

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  Rav4 - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Lynn - September 18 - 11:50 am

  I really like the rav4 with the exception of the road noise. It is extremely loud. I would not recommend this vehicle for that reason. I will be getting rid of mine as soon as I can.

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  Jacks update - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Jack Harris - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Just returned from a 4200 mile trip to TX and rtn to CA. Traveled Rte I-40, altitude 7334 plus, on problems. averaged 45 MPG for the trip driving 70 - 75 MPH.

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  The Camry - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Nick2000 - September 18 - 10:00 am

  One good Car thats all I can say. We bought the car certified in April of 2003. For 3 years old we got it for just under 13,000, and 36,000 miles. Not one problem after a year and a half. The car has the reliabilty part down to par, but now we have to get some excitment. The V6 was probably the fastest in its class for 2000. The suspension is a little bouncy, and the interior is a little ugly compared to the Celica. Toyota could have a better car then the passat all around. But deffinitly would buy another one. Best car I ever bought when it comes to down to the money. Awsome sound system and its not the JBL version.

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  long time toyota owner - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By altoona - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Over all it is ok for the money. Drive train is very noisy at slow speeds or when climbing hills. I have owned toyota trucks for many years and would not even consider any other type of maker. I would like to have had a clock somewhere on the dash.

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  wyo_taco - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By wyoming taco - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Good quality,only 20mpg,cruise control is a joke,no foot room for big boots, underpowered,hard to wear coat in truck.