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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  Toyota Sequoia 2003 - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By cfm jr - May 27 - 10:00 am

  A great vehicle. Meets all our family space needs. Comnfortable and spacious. Very smooth ride. Mileage about as expected for a car of this size. A small negative is the occasional surging of engine performance when on hilly roads in cruise control.

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  Snub Car - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Dr. Rico - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Surprisingly fun and practical commuter. It can carry four but for two and luggage - no problem. a fully functional auto with no real compromises - unless you need to burn rubber

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  Review of the Toyota Corolla 1997 DX - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By florence walton - May 27 - 10:00 am

  No problems; battery needs replacement at this time. Small dent, hardly viewable, on right front fender. Car has been utterly reliable, easily driven, easy to care for.

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  Dissapointment City - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By kahnman - May 27 - 10:00 am

  This is a truck that is for people who are really not serious about trucks. It is not a full size turck but is more of the size of a Dodge Dakota. It is hard on gas, cramped and a poor imitation of the trucks that it tries to imitate.

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  I love the new Corolla! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By soccergurl - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I never liked Corollas until I saw the new 2003 models. I love my sporty S model and often think it resembles a Lexus when I see it in a parking lot! Oh... and it practically has the same engine as a Celica GT...but at a much lower price.

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  Not Bad/Could be Better - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By seriousmoodyblue - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I miss my V6 from my old GM AchievaS.I feel the difference in the power.I like the fuel economy;the large trunk is great;the interior is great-lots of leg room.I like the cup holders and leather -like accents in the car.I like the fact that if I leave on the headlights after turning off the car,the lights turn off automatically- no dead battery the next day!! All in all, I do feel safer in this car.

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  2004 highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Deb - May 27 - 9:23 am

  I bought my Highlander new.It has been an excellent car up till now @ 66,000 miles. Last week my service engine light came on also vsc and trac monitors were on. I took it to a Toyota dealership and they said my catalytic converter was my and it was still under warranty and it would take a day to repair. Now they say a fuel sensor has gone out and it has been three more days I am not very happy with my highlander now or the dealership

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  Fun but not really a family vehicle - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By agrizzaffi - May 27 - 1:40 am

  We purchased the FJ in April after husband fell in love with it. I too really like the vehicle but have found that the "suicide" type doors do not function well with a family. Getting in and out (especially in tight parking spaces) can be a real nuisance with kids. Also found that the sun visors are of little use because of the interior design. One other flaw that we have found is that the windshield is a rock magnet!! The straight up and down offers no deflection of rocks. Let me say again, we really love this vehicle, but are trading it in on a 4Runner simply because of the door issue which we thought would not be as big a problem as it was. If it came in a true 4 door wed keep it!

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  Meh.... - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By woesy - May 26 - 10:15 pm

  Currently leased 2013 Corolla LE. My wife had 2 previous leases 06 and 09. Both were better Corollas. I appreciate some of the new improvement s like USB port, but the older models were more comfortable and felt more nimble. That being said the lease was definitely cheaper than what I would have gotten for say a Focus, Cruze, or Sentra. If youre looking for a Corolla I would say look for 07 to 10 model used and dont worry about Bluetooth and USB ports. You can get by without. I think the model has regressed. Really dull ride. Unfortunately, I disregarded my kids 4,7 in the decision. No room in the back seat for them!

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  Barely a truck - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By jequines - May 26 - 7:41 pm

  Have put 50,000kms on now with not too much trouble. Stereo went dead within 2 months of buying it, dealership replaced. This truck is terribly underpowered, drove it through the mountains and I was down to 60kph in 3rd gear full throttle. Frame seems weak if I drive down a gravel road I can see the box shaking and twisting independant of the cab quite violently. Box wont hold much wieght, at 600lbs rear suspension is almost fully compressed. Truck gets awesome gas mileage and the styling is great.