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:

• 

  BEST LOOKING COROLLA!!!! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By ANNA - February 9 - 6:20 am

  THE 2003 COROLLA TYPE-S HAS A GREAT NEW LOOK!! MY MOTHER HAS A 2000 COROLLA...DOESNT COMPARE AT ALL! THE NEW 2003 HAS MUCH MORE SPACE, SEEMS TO BE BUILT STRONGER (I FEEL MUCH MORE SAFER IN MY CAR THAN MY MOTHERS) AND THE SEATS ARE HIGHER AND A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE..NOT TO MENTION THE NICE SPORTY LOOK IT NOW HAS. I USED TO OWN THE 2000 ECHO AND I REALLY LIKED THE FUEL ECONOMY AND WAS HOPING THE COROLLA WOULD BE THE SAME.....SO FAR IT HAS BEEN!!

• 

  Great gas mileage - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By SOLD! - February 9 - 3:56 am

  Other reviewers commented on the gas mileage being far lower than the sticker. I have had the car for a couple of weeks now and I have not been below 51.5 average commuting. I guess if you drive conservativley, you will get better mileage. The car is very smooth and fun to drive. It has plenty of get-up-and-go if you need to pass. I came from driving a full size pickup (rough and terrible mileage).

• 

  1999 Camry V6 Auto - keeps running - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By tnt12 - February 8 - 10:38 pm

  similar to my 1995 Avalon, my Camry has 225k now. Still running strong.

• 

  This is KISS car - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By ARY - February 8 - 9:33 pm

  The less features the less failures, keep it simple. My manual Echo does 41 mpg and accelerates faster than almost any V6. I carry 8 scuba tanks and two huge gearboxes in it. I can park two Echos on one car spot. Now it is over 90K and i never experienced any problems. Front wheel drive is safe and lightweight body can be easily pulled from mud if you occasionally adventured into dirtroad driving. It is certainly the best buy for $13K i spent on it.

• 

  Best Car owned - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Joel Nuno - February 7 - 6:40 pm

  Ive owned Fords, Chryslers, VWs, Audis, and I can tell you, this is the best car Ive owned. I have a fully loaded hybrid Camry, I am proud for what I am doing for the environment and also very pleased with the money savings. The car itself is beautiful, quiet, comfortable. With this transmission you cannot tell when it is shifting, sometimes you think the engine is not running, it is sooo quiet. Suspension is great, comfortable. Brakes are also very good. Interior is roomy, comfortable and packed with amenities. This family car is in fact very fun.

• 

  Great SUV - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jday - February 7 - 3:06 pm

  Test drive and you will buy. This is my second Toyota in two years and I like the build quality, overall sturdiness of the vehicles and high resale values.

• 

  beautiful car but... - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By L - February 7 - 1:26 pm

  I have had my Camry since August 2003, beautiful car, smooth ride, but the air conditioning had a leak inside the car 1 1/2 yrs. in and flooded the carpets, Toyota replaced the part but did nothing to repair the wet/ moldy smelling rugs. I had to pay a detailing company to clean and restore the interior of my car. The bottom of the car scrapes speed bumps at under 5 mph, and low driveways. Even with brand new tires it does very poorly in the snow, slides all over the road at very low speeds, cannot even back up off my flat driveway in a 1/2 inch of snow. Very scary to drive in winter weather.

• 

  Exceeds expectations - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By MOMAN - February 7 - 6:26 am

  Purchased Tacoma 2WD 4 cylinder access cab in April. I like driving it as well as my 05 Solara XLE. Power acceptable, comfortable and fun to drive. With less than 2,000 miles on odometer, consistently getting 25+ MPG. Quality of interior is exceptional. Traded in a 2003 Dakota with 17,000 miles. No comparison between the two vehicles. Access cab doors are great! Sound system rivals the Solara sound system. Seating is very comfortable for the "long drive." If you want luxury, economy, convenience, utility, comfort, and safety; this is your truck.

• 

  I Love It - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Geo. - February 7 - 3:16 am

  I have driven only 1300 mi. On vacation a pick-up left turned in front of me. I had to swerve into the left lane to aviod him and quickly back to aviod another vehicle behind him (50 yards or so) I was going about 50. I do not know if the stability control engaged. The car handled it perfectly.

• 

  My Little Runabout - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By N. Peddle - February 6 - 2:46 pm

  I have been loving driving my small car. Its fuel efficient and Ive already logged on 30,000 kms in just a little over a year. I drive 38 kms to work one way each day and am just as comfortable as I was in my previous car, which was slightly larger. I am so thankful I went to such a fuel- efficient vehicle now that gas prices have skyrocketed. I laugh at the gas guzzlers passing me each day. I love my little car. I made the right choice for my lifestyle.