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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  Greatest car Ive owned - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Rider - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Car has style and power. It handles with so much ease. The ride feels very strong and sturdy. Toyota makes a great product and I am so glad this car came in a 2 door. The styling of it still looks new. I have never had any problems with this car after putting on 60,000 miles. Its got 98,000 and still going strong. It still rides and drives like a new car.

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  Best Truck on the Market - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By redstar24 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Great truck, I havent put any money into since Ive owned it, other than oil changes. I have it serviced by Waite Toyota in Watertown, NY. Unbelieveable service Dept., I think finding a dealer like this makes owning a Toyota the please that it is. Ive averaged 22 MPG with this truck, which is good considering I have 265/75-15s for tires.

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  Love this car!! - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By MBDawgs - February 5 - 10:00 am

  My corolla has been the best car for my needs. Im headed into my second year of college and it has enough room to move most of my stuff around in and is small enough to fit into tiny parking spots. The trunk room is incredible on such a small car. The backseat is on the small side, but Ive never had complaints from my passengers! Its the perfect college car!

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  16K miles and still happy - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By trixfan - February 5 - 10:00 am

  This is a great all-around vehicle for carrying lots of stuff or people, especially for long trips. It is very peppy around town. The interior has lots of space and headroom to spread out without feeling cramped. I love the seats; it has a much more spacious back seat than any other hatch. There is body roll in tight turns, but the suspension is very tenacious. If you check Edmunds six-car comparo, look at slalom numbers:it was within 0.3 mph of the Mazda Pro5, and handily beat everything else in the test! Yet it still damps bad pavement and potholes really well. SUV space with the performance, emissions, and fuel economy of a car and Toyota reliability.

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  Tacoma - Good Solid Truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Hundarion - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle to do general type hauling on the weekends for gardening & home improvement work. This vehicle is well suited for these tasks. I appreciate the fine lines on the body of this truck, especially the front end. I test drove several other compact trucks and felt the tacoma gave the best ride. The truck handles well with adequate power for a 4 cylinder. I do experience the whistle in my A/C that some other reviewers have complained about but no other complaints. This is the 3rd Toyota vehicle I have owned and I hope my Tacoma provides the same reliability and problem free performance as my previous two vehicles.

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  Shame on the Dealer - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Las Vegas Dennis - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Im very pleased with my "new" Tacoma truck. It had 710 miles and was represented as new. It was delivered dirty, after I asked to have it cleaned pryor to purchasing. The salesman was short with me at times, and the service department was worse. Several people in service were nice, but a few made uncalled for comment. Good Truck bad people.

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  Best Value in America - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Bike - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Recently purchased, 03 Highlander base model, I travel in sales and this vehicle impresses me more each day. My customers sem to like at well as I have benn driving to the golf outings almost every weekend. My wife loves it as well but, I dont let drive it too much. Great road feel, good acceleration and best of all lots of room to put all my stuff. Best vehicle I have ever purchased, and I have had many. Im 52 and busy.

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  best compact ever by max - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By maximus - February 5 - 10:00 am

  This is the greatest ever compact car made. I love the interior, fun factor and the superb fuel efficency. If you need a car Buy this one! GREAT CAR? YES!

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  too much fun - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By quickdraw - February 5 - 10:00 am

  overall quality is ex. handling is very good . performance is quite adequate for the size of the motor . roomy interior , i am 61" and had to pull the seat forward .

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  Affordable and Stylish! - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Dbrown1085 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  My very first car was a Toyota Corolla 24 years ago. After owning several cars during that time span, it was not difficult to return to the Toyota Corolla. Having access to the internet made my research much easier to determine which new car I would select. I wanted something that was affordable, yet stylish and a car that would turn heads at the same time. I compared my other choices side by side with the Corolla and by process of elimination, my obvious choice was the 2003 Toyota Corolla LE. I strongly believe that my decision to purchase my Toyota Corolla was a wise one.