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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  Review by B. Smith - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Bruce Smith - May 15 - 10:40 am

  I commute 60-70 miles/day. Never a problem. Fun to try to max out mpg using the display system. Very smooth ride. Feels like a more expensive car.

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  Best Truck - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Anthony - May 15 - 10:26 am

  Great truck, nice comfortable ride and quiet, 6 cylinders plenty of power for me. Driven 9000 miles in 3 months, no problems. Excellent Toyota quality.

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  Still simply the best - 1995 Toyota Pickup
  By judyv - May 15 - 2:00 am

  The 3vz-e has proven to be exceptionally durable. Due to strict environmental regulation circa-1990, the headgaskets produced by Toyota were redesigned without the use of cancer- causing asbestos. The headgaskets produced after early 1990 had a high failure rate, resulting in large numbers of headgasket-related complaints by 3.0 liter V6 owners. Toyota has a Special Service Campaign to replace headgaskets on 3.0 V6 engines. Toyota replaces headgaskets on 3vz-e engines produced after early 1990 regardless of the mileage. Check with your dealer if you have a head gasket problem!!

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  Smooth Sweet Ride - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By vdtrivedi - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Excillent Drive, Have had this car for almost 3 year, Hughs the road and drivs like a melting butter...Toyota Camry is the bomb

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  Rides like my Lexus - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By Bonnie Rag Doll Love - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Smooth, quiet, powerfull and great fuel mileage. Rear seat is very uncomfortable, seat back is straight up. Great tow vehicle, plenty of power and brakes well.

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  Rampent Consumerism - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By WiggyDinks - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Traded a 2000 4Runner for the new 2003. Wow, what an improvement! And I thought the 2000 was nice! There is so much more power in the new one. All the traction systems make it way easier to control as well.

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  awesome car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By stephan forrester - May 15 - 2:00 am

  i will never own anything but toyota;I never had any problems with the 3 I owned and I had a 1988 camry that made it to 500,000 miles.

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  Great Ride XLE pkg 8 - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Patrick - May 14 - 3:46 pm

  This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I have 2 children now and another on the way. We have plenty of room for the entire family. The DVD keeps the kids attention on longer drives and the 2 power doors and tailgate are true life savers at the supermarket, daycare, etc. Make sure to get both of these options....Hands Free ! I cant say enough about the comfort of this van. It is a true pleasure to drive. I did my homework on all minivans on the market and this is by far the best, even over 2005 honda. Do yourself a favor and pay an extra 2k for this vehicle.

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  Highly recommended - 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Dan - May 14 - 1:40 pm

  I am surprised these are not more popular. I traded in my 2005 4Runner and like the FJ better so far. The lack of gas mileage in my opinion is overrated...its not too bad at around 19-20 mpg for me. The back seat room is decent and the blind spot isnt THAT big of a deal too me.

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  Great small car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By hwbucky - May 14 - 1:06 am

  We recently bought our Yaris and are very pleased with it. It is important to get the armrest as an accessory though. The fuel mileage is great so far. About 38 mpg. This car does not feel crowded on the inside though, but it fits nicely everywhere. If you are looking for a fuel efficient, economical car, this is a great choice.