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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  forget civic - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By motown - November 30 - 2:00 am

  The new design on the corolla puts it head and shoulders above other cars in its class. From the rear it resembles the near luxury lexus is300s. The drive and handling are excellent for an economy vehicle. The reliability of Toyota vehicles has never been in doubt...what sets the toyota apart from the second best car in its class (in my opinion) the honda civic, is that 2003 corollas standard features would cost several thousand dollars

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  Great Car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Chi - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased 03 Camry SE and I love every thing about it. Although it could use more hp in 4 cyl engine, like Altima (175 hp), engine is very refined and quiet. Its a bit rough ride than the regular Camry due to its sport suspension but overall, its very well built and I can count on its reliability.

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  The best of the best - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Deragobian - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Very well manufactured, fun to drive, and a very quiet engine

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  Great car the Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By JohnP - November 30 - 12:13 am

  I have a 2005 Prius and could not ask for a better car. After 26 tanks of gas last year I averaged 53 miles per gallon. The only thing I would suggest to Toyota is to make the seats a bit more comfortable. Im in real estate and this is the car to have if youre an agent.

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  Brooklyn Rav 4 - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Gary - November 29 - 8:02 pm

  I love my 2002 Rav4, HAVE 159k miles. Had the tranny ECM issue a few years back, Toyota replaced ECM for free(car had less than 100k miles ansd was less than 10 years old at that time. Replaced from struts and got spring strut assembly(about $300 TOTAL) took about 1 hour to swap out on lift. I plan to keep Rav another2-4 years and see no problem getting over 200k miles.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By xyz - November 29 - 2:36 am

  Excelent suv. NO problems

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  Love my Camry Hybrid - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Estela Prieto - November 28 - 9:13 pm

  I love everything about my Camry Hybrid, so far the only issue has been the "check engine" light, but that was also an issue on 2002 Camry XLE and the trunk is too small, maybe can be improved in the future.

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  Rookie Truck Owner - 2012 Toyota Tacoma
  By truckrookie - November 28 - 7:05 pm

  I bought (and reviewed on here) my 2009 Audi TT Convertible which has been and continues to be a blast. At 85K miles, I decided to let it be my weekend car and get a truck for the first time. I had always been in love with Tacomas. This October I got a 2012 Pre-Runner Xtra Cab and couldnt be happier. The interior has been upgraded and has a stylish, sporty feel. There is plenty of storage and plenty of room without feeling like you are driving in the middle of a cavern. The 4 CYL engine definitely provides enough power, and the Pre-Runner look gives the appearance of a 4x4 without the drawbacks on MPG.

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  A Great Family Vehicle - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Herbert - November 28 - 5:00 pm

  This is a great vehicle for family. Roomy, comfortable, smooth and quite ride, excellent details such as grocery hooks, handles and reading light for every seat except the middle 3rd row seat (understandably). Excellent stereo sound. Really fun to drive (its not a sport sedan of course). Excellent reliability (ok, I only have 4,000 km on this van, but from my previous ownerships of 12 years for a Previa and 9 years for a Camry.)

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  I will sorely miss this car! - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By Judy - November 28 - 3:53 pm

  I bought this vehicle new in 1997 and never regretted a day of driving it. Sporty little number that always turned heads - Ive had several people want to buy it but of course I turned them down. I kept it maintained but in the end (July 2008), I didnt pay attention to oil leakage and the engine died. I went to several auto mechanics (personal friends) and was willing to pay $2500 to get another engine but decided after driving it for eleven years that I didnt want to take the chance (on expert advice) that another engine could fail in six months. Annoys me that had I paid attention, I could still be driving it another five years!