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:

• 

  Absolutely Love this Truck - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Dave - February 25 - 6:43 pm

  Just purchased this truck and absolutely love it. Traded my PreRunner TRD Off Road version for it. Wasnt really looking to buy, but once I test drove it, I was hooked. The power is amazing and with the SR5 and Sport package this truck is a real looker. Toyota has hit a home run.

• 

  Floor it everyday since 1999 and it still runs - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Jesse bull - February 25 - 12:02 am

  It just keeps running and I abuse the car daily. I always floor it and it just holds together. 3.0 liter 6 has decent power and great mph. Decent in snow with good tires. I keep telling myself Ill get a new car when this one dies but its still alive and fun to drive at least for me it is.

• 

  Floor it everyday since 1999 and it still runs - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Jesse bull - February 25 - 12:02 am

  It just keeps running and I abuse the car daily. I always floor it and it just holds together. 3.0 liter 6 has decent power and great mph. Decent in snow with good tires. I keep telling myself Ill get a new car when this one dies but its still alive and fun to drive at least for me it is.

• 

  Toyota is not my mother - 2010 Toyota Sequoia
  By MSP3304 - February 24 - 5:33 pm

  This 2010 Toyota Sequoia is my 4th new Toyota purchased. My platinum has every possible option available. I am very happy with the vehicle overall. However, Toyotas legal dept is ruining Toyota. The Navigation and factory remote starter are useless. As soon as the vehicle is in motion the NAV locks up so that not even your passenger can enter a new address or search for fuel or food. So basically you are forced to pull over into the break down lane (which is not only illegal but dangerous) to update your NAV. Also the RADAR cruise control does not work when the windshield wipers are activated. Give me a break Toyota, I know how to drive in the rain.

• 

  Great Car - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By nick1936 - February 24 - 3:44 pm

  Love this easy to operate I drive mostly with cruise control and i am getting 55+ mpg only had the car for a month and have already saved $350 in gas over my old van.I will continue to put the difference in gas savings in a saving account for a year to see what the total saving areand subtract them from my sales price including tags and taxes which was $ 22,245 a think was a great buy.

• 

  Toyota Avalon - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By JOHN - February 24 - 12:23 pm

  This my second Avalon was very pleased with first car even more pleased with cutrrent Avalon.I drive from FL to NJ round trip four times a year.. very enjoyable trip.. driving is effortless & extremely comfortable. Comfort of the seats.

• 

  If you choose a Hybrid, get a Toyota - 2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Adrian Stepp - February 24 - 8:19 am

  Toyota has a long history of producing high quality hybrid vehicles. The Camry Hybrid is a really nice, upscale hybrid. The XLE trim level is hard to beat. Yes, the Honda Accord Hybrid has more bells and whistles on their equivalent model. But good luck getting it serviced properly if it has major malfunctions with the hybrid drive train or lane departure and assisted braking systems. The interior of the Camry Hybrid XLE is extremely nice, especially the heated leather seats. The power seat function would be nicer if it had memory for adjustments for different drivers, but it doesnt. The entertainment system is nice. The JBL sound system is great. But the Scout GPS navigation system that works with your cell phone is still buggy. And if you are using the GPS on back roads and lose your cell phone signal, youll need your mapquest directions if you dont know where you are going. Garmin is still the best system for GPS. Why didnt Toyota interface with them to allow voice and maps over the Entune app system? Thus far, the driving experience has been great, and the gas mileage has been right at 39 to 40 mpg as advertised. As I write this review, I just passed 1000 miles. So its still too early to judge realiability. This car is primarily driven by my wife. I was worried that it might not be comfortable for me on a trip. We took our first trip last weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. I drove the entire time and did not feel any driving fatigue. The seat remained comfortable and I arrived without a sore back!

• 

  Nice Truck - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By William - February 24 - 3:56 am

  This has been one of the most dependable, reliable and maintenance free vehicles I have ever owned. All I have done is new tires and new battery. Toyota dependable!!

• 

  Nice - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By rburnham - February 24 - 3:43 am

  Extremely comfortable ride. Interior is well appointed and makes sense. Fit is adjustable to anyone. Engine is far superior to the rest of the field. Gas mileage is 23 to 28 depending upon how hard you accelerate. One of the best cars I have ever owned.

• 

  Very impressed. Good job Toyota - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By JP - February 24 - 1:00 am

  I bought this truck new (3 miles on it) one week ago today. Had really been looking at Colorados but after seeing how sharp the black Tacoma w/Rugged Terrain package looked, reading lots and lots of reviews, and doing extensive research, I was hooked. I am glad I spent a couple thousand extra dollars to get too many extra features to count over the competitors, not to mention Toyota reliability. The truck rides smooth, almost like a car, but can turn into a mean mud-flinging machine off road. I have had it in the mud once and I was really impressed with the off-road ability, even in 4x4 high. The 4.0 liter V6 is amazing... extremely powerful throughout the power range, tons of torque.