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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  Love my rav4!!! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By MYRAV4 - October 9 - 4:06 am

  Traded in my smaller Corolla(which i loved too!) for something with more storage and head room for child car seats. Also appreciated the AWD! Wanted something with the similar features to my corolla and i got better!

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  great car! - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Laura - October 9 - 1:10 am

  After doing lots of research and test driving, I decided on the Corolla, and its been amazing. I love the way it handles, the manual transmission shifts very smoothly, and other than routine maintenance Ive had no mechanical problems at all. The warranty is hard to beat, and fuel economy is fantastic--anywhere from 32- 40 mpg! Im short, so the size is perfect, but tall people might feel as if the drivers seat doesnt go back far enough.

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  Love my 2005 Black Convertible with Nav! - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By James - October 9 - 12:03 am

  This is ONE fun car to drive, this is my 2nd convertible (had 99 Mustgang GT) and excluding the engine and performance I LOVE this car! I looked for a car and for the money and features no one touches the stlying and quality of this Solara SLE! It is comfortable, quiet and when you drive by people turn and look when the top is DOWN! They need to just change the logo to Lexus and sell it as a lexus and can add $10k to the price and it would sell!

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  Great SUV - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Lamont - October 8 - 11:40 am

  This is an excellent SUV for the pricing, I chose Toyota because of the reliability that I have with my Avalon for last 4 years. This SUV exterior is designed very well and with full tank of gas and five family members the 6 cyl never misses a beat in its performance. However, the third row seating could have been designed better with a split 3rd row seat. After a 1000 miles there are no problems to report.

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  Not bad - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By MelSpags - October 8 - 10:00 am

  As a college student the echo is ideal for my needs. The great gas mileage and dependability are outstanding.

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  Engine will out live the body - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By mathis30240 - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Although Im a truck guy, I cant kill this car. I needed a reliable car to get back and forth from work, and this is it. I got the car for $800 from a friend. It needed the LF Hub replaced (additional $100). Cars been great. Taught my son to drive stick in this car. It took a beating, but the car survived!

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  Proud to Own - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By powner - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Bought head turning red SLE on 8/27/2004. Extremely happy with ownership. Feels like slow moving beauty even at 55 mph

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  GREAT VEHICLE - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By GOSIENNA - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding vehicle no issues just drive and go. The kids dont asks are we there yet! The issue now is do we have to get out!

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  SINCE 1990 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Anthony pa - October 7 - 4:12 pm

  Ive owned eleven Camrys since 1990. My Family and Friends ask me all the time, why another Camry? Dont you want something different? My answer is always the same. The car fits my lifestyle in looks reliability and in value. Its simply the best. I also must say my new 2016 Camry SE is one of my all time favorites. So while some people might think I am a bit boring and predictable, i think i am very very wise.

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  WOW Value - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By WinATL - October 7 - 6:16 am

  I bought my 2010 Corolla S for an incredible price with automatic, spoiler, power package and 16 alloy wheels. I also looked at Mazda3, Kia Forte and Honda Fit. Toyota beat them all on price to my surprise; I suppose the Toyotathon helped! It drives very well for a small car and the 4cylinder auto is responsive and eager to go. Its not going to win a drag race but cruises at highway speeds very quietly and economically. Looks fairly sporty with the rear spoiler, but again its not a corvette. Very quiet at highway speeds and rides very smoothly!