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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  2004 Camry Solara SLE Convertible - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By steve7749 - January 11 - 3:40 pm

  This convertible meets my expectations with the exception of fuel economy far below the EPA estimates.

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  Good reliable truck - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dan - January 11 - 5:16 am

  Bought the Tacoma brand new. All in all this is a good vehicle, but parts are rather pricey ($225 for a tail light which got cracked accidentally). Four cylinder engine is alright in the power department, the five speed manual shifts easily, and the 4x4 performs excellent in the snow, I mean rock solid! Ive had this truck 32k miles and did nothing to it mechanically, besides regular maintenance. Too bad I have to sell, need to get rid of the payments.

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  Incredible Car - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By eastsideirish - January 10 - 11:17 pm

  I bought my 2000 Solara used in 02 (with 61k) and had it for 10 years (ended at 162k). I had a 89 Beretta and 93 Civic before buying my 1st Toyota. Both were often in the shop so I bought this b/c of the Toyota reputation and it never let me down. In 10 yrs all I did was replace the brakes & battery twice, the alternator and the air conditioning. It rode smooth until some asshat hit & totaled it. It was even pretty good in the snow! If anyone is looking to buy a Solara I would highly recommend it--and trust me Im not a "car guy". My family was always American car owners. Now everyone owns a Toyota. Well, except me, I bought a Lexus w/ all the $ I got for its high resale value!

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  Great vehicle - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By ravgrl - January 10 - 1:06 pm

  I just purchased the rav 4 and it is great. I am 52" and it is the only small SUV that I drove and felt comfy in. It handles really well with great pick up and steering. It does take getting used to if you were used to driving a sedan as it is top heavy, but the rav4 doesnt lean as much as the other models I drove. I love the sporty look and the interior gauges are easy to read and fun to look at.

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  Awesome vehicle, great value - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Geri C. - January 10 - 7:03 am

  I just took delivery of a 2006 Solara and it is awesome. My previous vehicle was a 1999 Solara, which was a great car. I didnt think they could improve on the car, but they did! The new Solara is so quiet, it has great acceleration and the JBL audio system amazing.

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  Lovin my Toyota Sequoia - 2006 Toyota Sequoia
  By Sherry Parker - January 10 - 3:43 am

  I pick up and deliver dogs in my Toyota Sequoia for my dog grooming business and it has makes my job much more fun and easier..it is easy to get the animals in and out with the 3rd row seats removed and the second bench seat made down--however, I do wish that the second bench seat could be locked while in the fold down mode--I have had the seat fall during a curve or sudden stop and it could be dangerous if a small dog happened to be in its way. I tuck a blanket around the seat securly and that does help hold it up but it would be better if it locked in position.

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  A bit disappointed. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By rainier1975 - January 9 - 8:03 pm

  This my my fourth Toyota and I am sad to say thats it has been a bit disappointing. The car comfort, looks, performance and fuel economy are great but the paint is a disaster. As I was washing my car to remove the bugs at the pressure washer that I have always used when I began to see my bumper paint washing away like it was chalk. I then started looking at other new Camrys to realize that most are missing paint chunks on their bumpers. The dealership tried to patch paint my bumper which made it look like someone spray painted it with a spray paint can from Walmart. Factory window tint was peeling off a week after buy etc. Too many issues.

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  a perfect ten - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By tom giambra - January 9 - 3:50 pm

  I was looking at the fit and did not feel like waiting a month or longer plus paying a nine hundred dollar premium .Iam glad I bought Yaris drives like a big car 38 mpg first fill up mixed driving

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  Built to Last - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By SJ Dave - January 9 - 1:36 pm

  I had bought the Highlander brand new for my wife back in 2004. It is one of the best of all the vehicles we had ever owned. Back then we paid for an extra extended 7 yr. warranty which paid for it self in two visits. Two yrs. ago the stereo system stopped working since it was covered, they repl. the whole unit for free. Then in this past Dec. we took it in for service, they noticed it leaking around the water pump, it was covered so it was repl. for free. Other than that we only have done regular service, brakes & the tires were repl. Ive driven it to Virginia from NJ and its still a pleasure to drive. We still get great gas mileage from this SUV.

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  09 Corolla LE - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Rick - January 9 - 7:30 am

  Just bought the new 2009 corolla and am impressed with the leg room, and just took a highway trip to check gas mileage, and got 41.3 MPG with a automatic, Very impressive. And have noticed a big improvement on torque going up hills without it having to down shift. I highly recommend the 09 Corolla.