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:

• 

  99 Toyota 4 Runner Limited 4WD - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By joni in seattle - November 19 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle has met and surpassed my expectations. Purchased new it has had no mechanical problems up to the current 55,000. It is comfortable, classy looking and flexible enough to serve as a passenger car, a "pick-up" for larger loads and yet small enough to fit in most spots. This is a fantastic car!

• 

  Gotta Love It - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By volcom3006 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Since I have had my truck I have extremely pleased, but only had one problem; after hitting a curb, the rear differentials gears apparently got strained from that and the bent and cracked.

• 

  YOU GOTTA GET YOU ONEA THESE!!!! - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By lilredsmom - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Rides better than any vehicle Ive ever been in... and I can adjust the seat and steering wheel so that I can see over it!!! And the butt-warmer is fabulous!!!! Weve traveled from MO to NC... and the ride was so comfortable.. and the features. absolutely wonderful.. great stereo.. love that the kids can listen to their cds in the back while we listen to our music up front... driving and handling is a breeze.. and the ease of the electric mirror adjustments, auto lights, I cant say enough good about it.. and it cranks right up every time.. and the mileage for the vehicle is impressive..

• 

  Awesome! - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By bdpete - November 19 - 2:00 am

  An SUV without flaw...but expensive to buy and expensive to maintain and own....I love my $runner

• 

  The proud minni van owner - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By J Dunne - November 19 - 2:00 am

  we looked at all kinds of cars & suv but the only one that made real sense for the family was the sienna. the sienna came out on top for overall build,interior design and confort, Road noise is almost obsolete, controls are very user friendly. vehicle is the most confortable that we have ever owned. all seats are as confortable as drivers seat. with the middle row seats moved next to each other a full grown adult can sit in the back row with extrem confort and stretch their legs out. all seats recline with head rest adjustments total plus excellent vehicle.

• 

  Big step up from a Corolla - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Efishnc - November 18 - 7:16 pm

  I drove a Toyota Tercel and then a Toyota Corolla and this is a huge step up from both in both ride comfort and fuel efficiency. I have averaged over 50 mpg in a combination of highway/city driving versus about 35-40 in my Corolla. The only weakness is power going up moderate to steep hills. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

• 

  Good Truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Kdorwin - November 18 - 4:13 pm

  Excellent quality, fun to drive, improves with K&N cold air intake

• 

  Very good get to work car. - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Dustin - November 18 - 2:47 pm

  I am leasing this Corolla and I have been quite pleased with almost everything about it so far. It is super reliable! 20,000 miles and nothing put into it but two oil changes, tire rotations, and new wiper blade inserts. The cars acceleration for a 1.8L is what you would expect. I find you get the best pull between 3,000-5,000 RPM. The seats and comfort of the interior is what I would call, standard, for a vehicle in this price range. The trunk space is superb! The one thing I dont like about this car is the transmission. Nothing is mechanically flawed with it that I have noticed; but the rubber band effect is very much present in this CVT. In normal driving mode the CVT has a rough feel in stop and start traffic. It smooths out at cursing speeds and does provide me with 39.7 MPG, so it has that. If you keep the car in sport mode the transmission responds much better in all conditions but cuts about 9 MPG off your fuel economy.

• 

  Toyota...simply the best - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By S Font. - November 18 - 8:06 am

  I have been purchasing Toyotas since 1988 and I have to say they just keep getting better. There is not one thing I would improve on in my 2005 Camry.

• 

  Awesome - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By Morgan - November 18 - 4:16 am

  My Mom bought this car used in 1998, and puts absolutly hammered it with miles. We are now at about 205000 miles. But it has never had any major problems. It is a great car and I would recommend it to anyone. Especially with gas prices being the way they are. (27-29 mpg)