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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  Best car ever - 2017 Toyota Sienna
  By H. E. - February 7 - 8:07 am

  I had many cars and few minivans and this is absolutely the best vehicle I ever had. Lots of space and greats performance to it size. AWD works greats so this huge minivan feels like a SUV

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  Truth about the Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Tundra 226 - February 7 - 4:46 am

  The Tundra has a clear advantage in looks, engine, towing capability, and certainly rear seat room. We have two kids, one a growing teen and most other vehicles dont have near the room in the rear seat. It makes a tremendous difference. You will not find a better engine in my opinion. 99% of the time it is quiet and well mannered until you need it and then you can unleash the incredible power that makes you truly appreciate what Toyota has done. The transmission is excellent as is the 4X4. Fuel economy is 18mpg or better if you try. I dont tow heavy but it is nice having a vehicle capable of it with the big brakes etc. that go with it. I would highly recommend this truck!

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  save the world - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By L van Roden - February 7 - 2:16 am

  Love this car! Cant understand why everyone doesnt have one. 44 miles to the gallon! Love it!

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  Absolute peace of mind - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Lincoln Weber - February 6 - 8:36 pm

  This car was given to me at 60,000 miles by my grandmother. I was young, did not know the value of having a car. This car survived the most rigorous trials a immature teen could put it through. Never failed through the abuse. Only thing that I can say I did correctly was change the oil at every 3-4K miles. I am now a more responsible, loyal owner to my Corolla with 110K miles on it now. It still runs like new. I will preach the value of this car to any and everybody. You simply cannot beat the craftsmanship that was invested in this vehicle. I love this car, and will drive it for a million miles!

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  I love my Solara (except for one thing) - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By MaryM - February 6 - 6:03 pm

  I love my car. I am pregnant for my third child so I probably will have to sell it *crying inside*. But Im going to hang in there with it until it gets unbearable. It drives wonderful and has the get up and go I need. It only gets about 16 mpg city but it doesnt matter I love it still. The only problem I had with this car is with the trunk release. This has quit working on me twice already. It does not have a way to open the trunk besides the inside release (by the gas door release) and the keypad on you keyring. This is the only thing I dont like about it. At least give me a place where I can stick my key in to open the trunk! With that said the car in perfect to me!

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  Got Skunked! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By jcngang - February 6 - 1:33 pm

  Our FJ is black, and with the white roof we nicknamed it the Skunk... we just added tint to the windows all the way around and love the change it made in the look and feeling inside. I originally considered a Honda Element, Nissan Frontier, and Xterra, but after driving them and then finally seeing and then driving the FJ there was not longer any doubt which one we wanted. We had to drive 600 miles round trip to get one, but it was worth it. Im a photographer and need versatility.

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  2010 Tacoma, V6, Blue, Dbl cab, Lg bed - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By 2010 Blue Tacoma - February 6 - 5:13 am

  There is a reflection from the 3 sliver rings, and the radio that reflect off the windshield, weather itÂ’s cloudy or sunshine, which is distracting and a minor road hazard. For me being 6Â’ tall the reflection is about even with the top of the center of the rear view mirror. The dashboard L.E.D. lights are orangeish red, are hard on the eyes at night. Engineer that specified this color had to be color blind. Once the warranty runs out, I am replacing this awful color. The fuel warning light goes off when there is about 3-1/2 to 4 gallons left in the tank (just under 1/8 of a tank), and at about 20MPG, thatÂ’s 80 miles, way too early. Being 6Â’ tall, the adjustment for seating is tight.

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  Best pick for overall efficiency - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By sadaya_rose - February 5 - 5:43 pm

  I bought this car with 108,000 miles on it, but as we all know that is just getting one of these babies broken in. I have had zero probs with mine, just an oil change. Car runs great, great design, excellent gas mileage, I will not own anything other than a Toyota!

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Tom - February 5 - 4:26 pm

  My wife and I had been shopping for a truck for quite some time. We do a lot of weekend projects renovating houses and needed a vehicle that could support our growing family on trips to home depot and family vacations. My mind was set on the Chevrolet Silverado but my wife had looked at the Tundra and insisted that I take it for a test drive. Being a good husband I promptly did so, and was blown away. The amount of space in the truck is amazing. Others have talked about bed bounce but I have yet to encounter it and I have taken several long road trips in the truck. My only problem so far is when I first purchased the truck I had a defect in one of the tires. Dealer service was horrible.

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  Matrix owner 2002 - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By R - February 5 - 2:00 pm

  Fun to drive although they can put more HP for this car. Sleek interior and nice exterior. Not the best fuel economy though.