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:

• 

  A good reliable car - 1996 Toyota Corolla
  By Dan - July 10 - 4:16 pm

  I purchased this vehicle off the lot brand new, never had any major problems just regular maintenance and general upkeep changed a few batteries, timing belt after 100K and struts on the 150k mark it needed it. When it was paid off I just used the money I saved over a year and spruced up the engine. This car has become my favorite and of course well cared for still classy (did I mention Paid for). I started sprucing it up now everyone wants to buy it - sorry no sale here. I tricked it now its completely mine. Have to thank TRD Japan for its good supplies in the Asian Market for this vehicle. USA did not supply the 93 to 96 corollas well... stylish gas saver and good ole lil car

• 

  Absolutely love it - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Ashley - July 10 - 1:46 pm

  I had a Mustang before my Corolla and always felt so unsafe driving it. With my Corolla, I feel SO safe. It is an excellent car and I hope to keep it for as long as it will run for.

• 

  Near-Luxury XLE is Outstanding! - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By tcarstar - July 10 - 4:26 am

  Our loaded black XLE has been outstanding. The XLE is a near-luxury car, with a very quiet and comfortable ride and too many luxury features to list. The Camry is the most luxurious ride in its class. (If you want a sports car, buy a sports car. If you want a comfortable ride, buy a Camry.) The safety features are excellent: curtain airbags, vehicle stability control, great crash ratings. The fit and finish of our Indiana-made XLE has been perfect. The XLE is loaded with everything we could want for the price and a great value

• 

  Toyota as usual - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By J James - July 10 - 4:06 am

  Smooth ride, plently of power, 3rd row seat is almost a waste. Usual Toyota great build quality

• 

  The best! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Wow! - July 9 - 5:10 pm

  What a fantastic car! WeÂ’ve had it for about 2 months now and are really impressed with the quality and the technology built into this vehicle. It drives soooooooo smooth and is so quiet. Is it because of the CVT? Possibly. It makes you want to drive more. Terrific mpg which is competitive to that of the smallest conventional engine Toyota cars (I think only Yaris has a comparable mpg with the Camry Hybrid). True, mpg not as good as the PriusÂ’s but the Camry is a much heavier and better car, IMO. We bought for it safety (7 airbags plus all the other safety features you can find) and comfort but we also end up saving gas and helping the environment!

• 

  An Unbiased Review - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By Mitch C - July 8 - 8:40 pm

  I have had my AWD RAV4 for four years and put almost 90,000 miles on it. I could not be happier. I have never written a car review before but this car deserves it. I just came back from the dealer for routine maintenance. I was told that it needed nothing. I have only put gas and oil in this car and have had no issues whatsoever. It drives new and looks (minus normal wear) excellent. Build quality is outstanding, no rattles. Everything works like it should and you can see that this car gets driven a lot. The noise problem that has been commented on improves 100% with better quality tires (comes with TOYO tires new). The AWD works excellent in real conditions (black ice, snow storms, etc).

• 

  Wake Up, This is the future !! - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By John B. Crain - July 8 - 4:03 pm

  This is like driving a dream! I really bought the car because of the clean burn, the gas millage was just an added benefit! I had been asking around for many years about this car. I went in cold without even a test drive. I was convinced that the damage done by the emissions of our internal combustion engines was going to kill us all after it destroyed our enviorment. I own a 96 Lincoln Town Car and a 94 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I use as a tow vehicle for my 26 sailboat. The Prius outpreforms both of my Cars!! I covered the Lincoln! I do use the Jeep in snow conditions. Im 74 and I guess you would call me an aggressive driver- I have never owned a better car!!

• 

  My First Sedan!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sara - July 8 - 12:36 pm

  It hasnt even been a week since the purchase, but I have to say I am satisfied. I love the exterior body and color (Aqua Green). The interior is extremely comfortable, and spacious. Great standard features like the side airbags, and 6 speaker MP3, am/fm radio. I love the lighting on the radio controls, and the material on the interior, very soft and stylish. The one and only complaint I do have so far is the cruise control. We do quite a bit of traveling, and the fact that it pulls that way on certain parts of the road (uphill mainly) is not very convenient, but overall, good run for the money.

• 

  BEST TRUCK FOR THE MONEY - 2014 Toyota Tacoma
  By bajataco - July 8 - 4:43 am

  I have owned 3 of the the Tacoma product as well as an FJ and a Land Cruiser. I looked at all the choices out there when it came to spending approx $40,000 on a new vehicle. I ended up wiht a 2014 Tacoma TX Baja Access Cab in white. $37,605++ This truck is a whole lot of bang for the buck. The ergonomics are very well thought out from a drivers perspective. The seating is very non fatiguing on trips. The footprint is really what attracted me to this again as its a truck you can hop in and park anywhere, even a Trader Joes parking lot. You can also find and access a whole lot of trails a full size truck can not. the weight is such that you wil not get bogged down off road. TX Baja = Smiles

• 

  the best hot little car - 2004 Toyota Celica
  By celicababe - July 8 - 2:00 am

  ITS AWESOME, STYLE,PERFORMANCE,FEATURES!!! I LOVE IT WILL NEVER CHANGE. I have driven American cars but will never go back to them.