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 Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By ProudPriusOwner - January 25 - 11:53 pm

  Read about it, bought it, love it. The interior is amazing. Im just waiting for PHEV now.

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  Fun to Drive Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Chaep on Gas - January 25 - 2:36 am

  I just purchased this car a few weeks ago, and I have driven it for over 2000 miles. Very fun car to drive, and for a small car it is pretty spacious. I love the fact, that I can drive in the carpool lane alone. The gas mileage is overrated, I get about 45-47 mpg average, not 60 impg. I guess its still better then the alternative, but not as nice as I thought it will be. Other then that, cool little car.

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  Great Vehicle - 1999 Toyota Avalon
  By Silver Ride - January 24 - 11:30 pm

  Great and reliable vehicle. I drive 40k miles per year and only mechanical issue was to replace a starter once. I expect to get another 150k miles. One negative is I have had to replace the struts twice . I wish I had seen this page years ago as I had front noise for years that turned out to be the front strut holder that I finally had diagnosed and replace. Also the only safety issue is that the vehicle does not require you to put it in park first before you remove the key so that the vehicle could roll if you forget to put it in the park position.

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  08 Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By TBL - January 24 - 5:10 pm

  I bought the limited without the awd option; interior quality & comfort excellent; performance good; gas mileage has been averaging over 21 mpg in town - - more on the highway; so far Im very satisfied; great value for the money; have owned Toyotas before and also have a 2006 Tacoma; have found them to be very reliable.

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  RAV4 is the best! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By B Rodz - January 24 - 2:20 pm

  Great gas mileage. Great vehicle! Sporty! I love it!

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  More than what it looks like - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Ray W - January 24 - 2:00 am

  The acceleration and response was better than I expected, although it still revs pretty high going up hills and merging onto freeways. Once on the highway, I can cruise along at 70 no problem. Five mid-sized adults can legitimately fit; headroom in the back is exceptional for a small sedan. Ive found synthetic oil improves gas mileage, as well as keeping tires inflated to the upper recommended limit. Consumer Reports said it had acceptable side crash results. Trunk space is modest, but deep enough to fit large suitcases. An excellent first car / commuter car.

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  120K miles - looks and drives like new - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By TL - January 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car from Hertz less than a year old with 22,000 miles. Good design, smooth quiet ride, but handles reasonably well. Reliable and easy to maintain. A joy to drive; a joy to own. Drove in the last year between California and Minnesota three times. You wouldnt know this was a 7 year old car with 120,000 miles. I like this style better than the later Camrys which are considerably less sporty. The only weak spot are less than perfect seats. Not as comfortable for long drives as my 2000 Passat. If they made this body style today, Id buy a new one without a moments hesitation.

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  Fun, useful car - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By ed6061 - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is exactly what I was looking for - something to haul friends and stuff in - including filthy mountain bikes - without the hastle of a roof-rack. Interior stowage is plentiful and clever. The seat and driving position is great. Price is great. Wish it had more power (read torque - the 180hp engine has no more torque) Handles very well.

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  One Fine Automobile - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By sayu - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This has got to be the sleeper sedan of all. Hard to find any articles or data, beyond what we owners write, about this vehicle. I tried to uncover something, anything, on this model, before I went shopping. Looked at many sedans. Our objective was to find one with lots of room, yet would be easy for around town mobility. We love room and comfort while on the road, and this car delivers in spades. Totally satisfied with this car. It has it all, if you can live with a spirited 6 cylinder, for half the price of some competitors.

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  Smooth Rider - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Scotty W Sly - January 24 - 2:00 am

  Have had this car for 1 year at this point. Ride is exceptionally smooth-I like it better than the BMW it replaced. Reliability has been top notch (unlike the BMW!). Drivers view is commanding and broad. Space utilization is great. I wish stereo was a bit finer like my wifes Acura MDX (another winner, by the way). Looks are not great-but , hey its a wagon-like SUV-so who really cares!