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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  the best truck that Ive ever owned - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By mikethesatisfied - September 18 - 10:00 am

  This is the best truck that Ive ever owned. Ive owned several trucks, Mazda, Chevrolet,Dodge and a Ford. But as far as comfort and ride goes, Toyota can not be beaten.

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  Excellent - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By jimdan - September 18 - 10:00 am

  I got a very good deal for this puchase. The Toyota folks worked with me to find the car I was looking for and added a few extras in for free. The van is very roomy and rides like a luxury car.

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  My 1st Toyota and lovin it - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Rogo1976 - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Ive recently traded in my 2004 Corolla for a 2005 and Im glad I did. The 05 has a better feel, is smoother and quieter. I have been very pleased with the performance of this car as well as its reliabilty and think that it was the best purchase decision. The added power locks and cruise control option is definantly a plus and comes in handy. Will definantly purchase another Toyota product when I need to.

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  Great car - 2001 Toyota Celica
  By case - September 18 - 8:53 am

  I bought my 2001 Celica GT off of eBay in October, 2004. Its been a great car. Only thing I wish it had was a 6th gear, other than that it is an amazingly fun reliable little car. I would definitely recomend it if thats what youre looking for.

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  Bad design - giving back /hip pain - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By az - September 18 - 8:50 am

  I had Corolla for 9 years. I had no problem with that except for its slow pickup and not-good for high speed (over 65) travel. But with Camry I am having back/hip pain because of poor interior design. Gear shift is not smooth, it gets stuck in there. Seating comfort is very poor - I am feeling the vibration in my back and hip. I feel I got cheated after buying Camry 2009 model. Anybody over 40 years old, dont buy Camry it is not worth it. You may get somewhat good mileage but it is going to hurt your health in the long run.

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  Wow! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By ech6548 - September 18 - 6:43 am

  I test drove a lot of SUVs and this is the one that rang my bells! This gets great gas mileage and is one with the road. It is truly a pleasure to drive.

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  My Venza woes PART 1 - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By larryoutwest - September 18 - 6:33 am

  Purchaced new off the lot late in 2010 as a 2011 model. This vehicle has been a huge let down, I have had a truly unacceptable amount of issues with it. Lets start with dead batterys, I cant count how many times this car has failed to start because its dead. Toyota has replaced the battery 6 times now, they have no idea where the drain is coming from. Ive also had troubles with transmission shifting, rattles, wind noise, creeking sounds when going over speed bumps, a dead climate control unit, and im sure there will be more as I only have 37,000 on it. Also fair to mention this baby is a fuel-a-holic, 15-17 MPG mixed with mostly highway is average. I will update quarterly with my reviews

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  1st 4 Runner - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Wayne Scardino - September 18 - 1:36 am

  After owning another brand of SUV and not being satified I checked out the 4 Runner and was suprised at what I founed. I test drove and found the preformance and handling of the 4 Runner to be sound and well made from an engineering stand point. I now have the Sport Edition. Being a sportsman and going off road I found it preformed very well. I have more then enought room for all of my equipment. I have been asked by my friends how I feel about the Toyota compared to my other SUVs. My answer is Im very well pleased with its preformance.

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  Great Car - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By jenny541 - September 17 - 10:06 pm

  My husband bought this car for me in 2001. It had been leased for 6 months and only had 1400 miles on it! I LOVE this car! It drives smoothly, is comfortable (never had seat problems), and it is safe! I am looking to trade it in for a Matrix, most likely, but I still love this car, just wish it had more cargo space.

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  My first Toyota - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By ruffy25 - September 17 - 6:24 pm

  At age 58 and having owned maybe 20 cars, this is my first Toyota and I do not regret it. I bought it on its reputation for reliability and life-span, and was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and performance. The 1.8L gives decent acceleration, I had a concern that because of my driving habits, which consist of a 1.5 mile trip to the store, shut off, re-start and come home totals 3 miles of driving about 4 times a week that eventually the battery would not re-charge from not enough driving. But after 5 months: no problem. I have of course taken longer trips, but what I described sometimes goes on for a month. Complaint: no trunk-open on remote entry.