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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  Great SUV - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By ALiais - March 2 - 10:00 am

  THe 4RUnner By far is the Greatest SUV every made by Toyota.

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  Forget the others - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By seavet - March 2 - 10:00 am

  When I need to replace this auto, it will be another Sequoia.

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  Suppercharged Solara - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By xxxxxxx - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I would encourage anyone seeking more power on the v6, 3liter engine to speek with Toyotas TRD (Toyota Racing Division)group, for about $5,200 I had a Toyota dealership install TRD supercharger, upping HP from about 200 to 276, sport suspention-springs and struts which lowers the car about an inch and a half, short shift making for a sweet short through and lastly a sport exhaust, throw in a K&N filter and Im the sleeper no mustang GT, regular BMW or Boxter expected to meet. All this and maintaining the Toyota warrenty!! Have Fun.

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  Great Avalon - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By WAH RE - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This is a near perfect car from Toyota. I love everything about the car; a better Camry with more room for my large build family: all men 6 feet tall on a trip & we love the back seat. Didnt have GPS on 01 but I think 03 has it now.

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  Needs much improvement - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By Barry - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Truck is a 2000. Many quiet recalls. . Wrong dip stick, Replaced rear shocks, CD player. Trans shifting, security system, and rear door problems. Really bad brakes. Still not fixed after 2 + years. Weak low-end torque. Fair fuel economy. Too soft a real work truck. Not designed for recreation either. Useless rear seat. Weak bumpers. Trans is cold blooded. Up shifts too soon when cold. Too much tappet noise for a new truck. Rear door mechanism needs work. Not a serious truck. Dont be suckered in by resale figures, or reliability ratings, or sales hype. Buy one of the big three or a Tacoma would be a better choice.

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  Terrific Tundra - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By dsakers - March 2 - 10:00 am

  As an owner of several other trucks, my experience with the Tundra has been excellent. The ride is smooth and quiet, the interior is comfortable and well designed. The build quality of this truck is excellent in all aspects. Only gripes are that turning radius is fairly large and requires some planning for U turns etc. The rear seats could also use a few more inches of space. My Tundra has been getting very close to the rated milage for both city and highway. The engine is responsive with plenty of torque. I test drove Ford, Dodge, Nissan and Toyota (Tacoma) trucks before selecting the Tundra. Good Choice!

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  Needs much improvement - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By barry - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Truck is a 2000. Many quiet recalls. . Wrong dip stick, Replaced rear shocks, CD player. Trans shifting, security system, and rear door problems. Really bad brakes. Still not fixed after 2 + years. Weak low-end torque. Fair fuel economy. Too soft a real work truck. Not designed for recreation either. Useless rear seat. Weak bumpers. Trans is cold blooded. Up shifts too soon when cold. Too much tappet noise for a new truck. Rear door mechanism needs work. Not a serious truck. Dont be suckered in by resale figures, or reliability ratings, or sales hype. Buy one of the big three or a Tacoma would be a better choice.

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  First Birthday - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Carol1460 - March 2 - 10:00 am

  My silver Auto 2WD 2002 RAV4 is celebrating its first birthday next week with 19K miles. About 3 weeks after I purchased this SUV, it developed the infamous rattle in the dash. Ive had it to the dealer twice, but it was never fixed. I was told to turn up the radio. After about six months, the rattle had become less annoying (perhaps Im getting used to turning up the radio) and intermittent - seems to be worse in the cooler weather, but disappears when its hot or when the heater is on in the winter. Other than this annoyance, Im happy with the RAV4.

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  Awesome! - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By AHS - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This is one big SUV! Toyota makes a great product. When deciding between the Ford Expidition, Yukon, and the Suburban there was no comparison. The build quality, resell value, and overall comfort won out.

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  I had the bad one - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By hong wang - March 2 - 10:00 am

  At the begining, I was really happy with the SUV. And two weeks later, I noticed my garage floor had fluids.Went to the dealer and they found out the transmission fluid was leaking and replaced seal. A few months later, I drove the car with sun roof little open and it was raining. A few hours later, water started dripping from inside right above both driver and passanger windows. Dealer found out the drainage pipe was broken inside of the car. I also installed the hood protector. If I drive the car over 45mph, the wind noise is so high that it hurts your ear. Finally I have to use tape to seal the gap between the protector and the hood.