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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  redkarr - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By syzygy - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Great looking, fun car to drive. Very nice features inside ie; stereo, panel layout.

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  GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By SDRIFLEMAN - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I AM THE OWNER OF TWO MATRIX AND XRS 6SPEED MANUAL AND A XR 4WHEEL DRIVE THE XRS IS A FUN VEHICLE TO DRIVE IT IS VERY QUICK AND HANDLES GREAT IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC THE XR DRIVES JUST AS GOOD HANDLES THE CORNERS BETTER THAT MOST OTHER CARS THE HEAD AND LEG ROOM IS GREAT I AM HOPING THAT TOUOYA COMES OUT WITH A TWO DOOR MODEL THIS CAR WOULD MAKE A GOOD RALLY CAR TOYOTA HAS DONE IT AGAIN

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  Outstanding all-around family sedan - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By hercdrvr - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding all around car. Unless you really need an SUV, the sedans are an even better value than ever. Seems everybody wants an SUV - hell, even I WANT one - they are very nice. Im just not willing to spend 30-40K and get 15-18mpg in the process. Not to mention the cost of tires and increased insurance. Great safety features - mine has front side airbag option. Ratings for crash are top-notch. Comfort - awesome. Power - I have 4 banger so I expect a little less but it is surprisingly nimble.

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  BEST CAR EVER! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By NnK - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I Think you should buy a Corolla S! It the best car, nice engine and nice interior! You should just go out there and buy it!

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  CAmry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By psb` - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I find this car to be among the most comfortable I have ever driven around in.

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  My first new car - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By cougar92 - January 13 - 5:03 am

  Just purchased a 2006, V6, 4wd, 3rd Row. Bought it to augment my 1991 Toyota Corolla sedan (200k, few problems). This is my first new car and love it. Great power, smooth ride, and more room than I will probably use. Bought mostly because of brand loyalty. Looked at competitors. Bought the Highlander.

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  Quiet, Good Lookin but a little slow - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By W.Tarchala - January 12 - 9:10 pm

  Overall, I love my Camry hybrid. Its got great features, its good looking and its super quiet. I had an old Toyota Avalon v6 before which was more powerful then my new Camry and I still remember v6 performance. This Camry could be a little faster, but you cant complain averaging 36 mpg (50% highway, 50% city). Mileage is all about the way you drive anyway. You can get as high as 45-46 mpg in a city or as low as 30 mpg when you do not care at all on a highway.

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  Another great Toyota truck!! - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By huladog - January 12 - 5:23 am

  My previous Toyota truck was a 1992 4WD V6 with a 5-speed. I racked up over 285,000 miles on it with no problems. Take care of your Toyota, it will take care of you. Same has held true for my 2006 Tundra. I found an extremely rare 2006 SR5 Access Cab with the 4.0L and a 6-speed manual transmission and had to have it. Bought it in 2011 with 181,000 miles. Miles mean nothing on Toyotas if they have been maintained. Replaced the shocks with Bilstein HDs (Yellow), and it made it ride like a new truck! With 220,000 miles on it, I am ready to declare my Tundra the worthy successor to the Beast! Had one single failure, a bad coil, which was easy to replace. 400,000 here I come!

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  What is Missing - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Stuart Goldfine - January 12 - 3:30 am

  Wish the car had a temperature gauge for outside temp. Also another cup holder on left side of steering wheel. Also with the cloth seats on the V-6, you do not get a CD player holding 6 discs.

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  Not much to fault - much to praise - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Christos - January 11 - 9:30 pm

  Overall a fantastic van. Chose between the 2005 Odyssey and the 2005 Sienna - the Odyssey was great but we needed the 8 seats and werent willing to pay the extra Honda was asking. The only reason I would recommend the Honda over the Sienna is the standard stability control and the standard side airbags which are a big deal for us. The need for 8 real seats was the tie breaker for us. The Honda handles and is more fun to drive but the Sienna is no slouch either. All things being equal, the Toyota represented better overall value and suited our needs better.