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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  I love my Sienna - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By Leon - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this van for over a year. I just love it! Ive had more than 20 cars before this one, and this is the best Ive ever had! And I will stay with Toyota! I routinely have the maintenance done by dealer. Had many long trips (16 hours non-stop drive), yet it never gave me any problem. I dont know the problems with those guys, but its probably the dealer who gave you the hard time and you in turn blamed on Sienna? Anyway, I just love this car.

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  Looked at everything - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By Physco - May 19 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I looked at lots of options, attended car shows, read available information and spent 1.5 years before making our decision to buy our Avalon. Since we keep our vehicles longer than 10 years, we are careful when making our decisions to purchase. Our 2nd place choices were the Acura (much less interior room) and the Lexus RX300. We are certain this was the best choice considering the cost of ownership and our tastes.

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  2002 Camry XLE, 4Cyl, Auto - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By - May 19 - 10:00 am

  My 5th Camry and the best one ever.

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  beast - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By wilson - May 18 - 7:46 pm

  love the truck. First truck since our old sr5 first gen truck. Truck changed my Grandparents (long time gm fans) mind about the tundra. My paps even asked how much it would cost to trade his 2500hd for my tundra. pretty impressive truck to say the least.

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  Second 4Runner - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By pilot - May 18 - 6:40 pm

  I traded in a 1998, which was a VERY good car. This one is more refined, less truck like, and bigger. It gets about the same miles per gallon (19 in mixed driving, 24 on the highway at 55mph). No repairs after 6 months.

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  2008 Corolla S- Black - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By silverspank - May 18 - 11:05 am

  Picked up the car from the dealership when purchased and the car was making a ear piercing noise coming from the wheels. Ended up being the brake shields rubbing the brake rotors. When the car was delivered on the transport, they strapped the chains too close to the shields bending them. The Toyota dealership took the car back and gave us a piece of crap loaner with no air or radio and was about 10 years old. My wife was very upset since we just traded in our fairly new LTZ Suburban. Once we got the car back and took it home, I checked the tire pressure since the tire sensor monitor was on. There was only 18 psi tire pressure in the tires. Of course I attribute all this to the dealer.

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  Better than expected - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Larry - May 18 - 3:40 am

  This car is an engineering masterpiece. It is quiet with almost no wind noise at highway speeds. It has plenty of room. I enjoy driving it on a daily basis more than our RX330 or 740il. It is a great commuter car.

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  Love Toyota! - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By MAS - May 17 - 10:46 pm

  I previously drove a minivan and wanted to downsize as well as switch to a SUV. After researching online and test driving for months, I finally decided on the Highlander. I love that it drives like a car, not a truck. It handles extremely well and has great pickup. Im currently getting about 20 mpg in the city which is more than what is advertised. So far, couldnt be happier with my decision. The one thing I do not like is that it does not have automatic door locks. This would be a great safety feature at very minimal (or no) cost.

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  Love this car! - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By bfantastic - May 16 - 10:50 pm

  My 2006 Highlander is still going strong, without any problems. Its been a fun, reliable, and totally worthwhile ride. Were getting ready to retire a 1989 Corolla, and the plan is to get another Highlander.

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  Yes! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Jewls - May 16 - 7:06 pm

  I have just gotten my Yaris and I love it. It looks so stylish and is so comfortable, with all the great handling that all my Toyotas have had. My first car was a Tercel and I recently had a Tacoma. But this is way better than the Tercel. I have quickly adapted to the center console. It just makes sense.