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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  Evans Toyota - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Evan R Wernecke - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I think that this truck is one of the best vehicles that I have owned in my history of driving. If you would like to have a vehicle that is fuel effcient and is fun to drive then get a new toyota Tacoma today

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  Reliable, Comfortable and Roomy Sedan - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By S.T. - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is American made Lexus 300. I saved $10,000.

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  I love this car!!! - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By asrebnack - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I just got this car and I absoultely love it! It is so cute and so fun to drive! I did have a 2001 Alero which was a lemon. I am much more relieved to be in a Toyota. These babies run forever. I get so many compliments and am so glad that I chose this car!

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  Better Than a Prius - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By DB - September 26 - 4:46 am

  My Yaris gets 42 mpg on average and no problems. I have 20k miles on the car. The bad thing about the car is my wife loves it so much because its fun to drive, carries all her stuff, its zippy around town, easy to park and she looks great in it. I have to plan the time when I can use it. We are purchasing a 2009 5 door in January.

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  My Toyota Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By cinnamonbay84 - September 26 - 12:33 am

  I love my new car, it is very spacious inside and considering I cant handle small spaces it is wonderful.

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  2005 Toyota Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Eleanor Hare - September 25 - 11:23 pm

  We bought this car because we wanted to drive a car that did as little damage to the environment as possible. It has surprised us by how luxurious it is (compared to our last car). The seats are really comfortable. There is leg room for both front and back seat passengers. We have another car that we will be replacing in two years. As of now, we are planning for that car to also be a Prius.

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  Chevy owner turned Toyota - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Marty - September 25 - 9:13 pm

  After a month of thorough research I narrowed it down to the Frontier and Tacoma. The Tacoma was roomier. It does have some spongy brakes that need to get used to (TRD 4x4). Interior is an A+! Good power and ride. Very comfortable seating. I have owned Chevys all my life. This is the first Toyota that I have purchased. Sold my 04 Colorado Z71 crew cab. This blows it away hands down. Even though I bought the fully loaded Colorado, it just feels cheap to drive when compared to the Tacoma. Great job Toyota! Some additional lighting for the 4x4 and various other switches would help. Also, I had to order a cabin filter. Toyota makes the slot for one but does not place one in there? Cmon.

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  Best Car EVER - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By R. Backer - September 25 - 12:30 pm

  Without a doubt this Camry is the finest machine Ive ever owned in more than 50 years of driving. It gets 33 miles per gallon on trips and has cost nothing beyond the routine, and even that has been minimal. Reliability is 100%. I put 104 thousand miles on it so far and will probably end up giving it to my grandson although Ill probably keep it til I die. Outstanding car period! (Not a speck of rust on it despite being outside for 13 years.)

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  Iceberg 2012 - 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By John Whitten - September 25 - 4:12 am

  While the blind spots are real and the gas mileage is not why you buy this ...I am loving every minute of owning it so far.

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  Best Car Ever! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Niki - September 24 - 10:57 am

  We have absolutely no complaints about this car. This was the family car, until my oldest child was old enough to drive to school. Thats when I handed it down to him. Its now on its second teen driver, and still going strong. In October, itll be handed down to the 3rd. We were rear ended two years ago HARD in the rain, and the car did exactly what the crash tests tell you its gonna do - protect the passengers. Over 220,000 miles, and all weve really done (besides wreck repair) is put tires on it, replace a bulb every now and then, changed the oil until this week, when we needed to replace the valve cover gasket... at 220,000+ miles. I dont think thats a bad deal at all! Leg room is awesome... weve driven it on several long road trips with my son, who is well over 6 tall and an additional three 5.5-ish tall passengers plus our luggage with no problem. The trunk is a cavernous space, much bigger than you might expect. We get a couple of snow storms a year here, and this is our go-to car when we have to leave the house. The car handles great in the snow with no extra equipment/chains required. The stereo system is awesome, and we dont have anything special in there. If I had to pick a car for a family, or a first time driver, Id pick this one again every time.