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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  AVALON - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By ISELKARS2 - April 16 - 9:13 pm

  FABULOUS

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  Impressed - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By nixatnite - April 16 - 7:53 pm

  I was looking for an affordable commuter car since I drive 70 miles per day and this car is just perfect. The car looks small on the outside but feels big on the inside. Solid ride and great gas mileage (42 mpg) with about 75% highway driving. I love the aux jack for connecting my sirius plug & play into the stereo system. Center instrument display is great.

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  My Rav4 - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Dee - April 16 - 11:16 am

  I bought my Rav 4 Limited 4x4 in September, I have put nealry 4,000 miles on it already. I love it.

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  2008 Much Anticipation - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Garloo - April 16 - 6:56 am

  I was very impressed since the first test drive. The navigation system is a wonderful thing. Years from now well all wonder how we got along without them! The instant mileage review helps keep me in check and will serve to boost mileage overall by at least 5-10%. And the 30 minute tracking feature lets me know my driving techniques are affecting my overall MPG. Ive got almost 1000 miles and it looks like I may need to get my 2nd tank of gas in the next couple days... doing over 100 per day... WOW.

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  Kept me safe - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jamboree - April 16 - 12:33 am

  I am in the process of purchasing an 08. I was hit head on at about 50+ mph. and I walked away. The cab was totally intact. I loved my 07 and cant wait to get my 08. Fun to drive and travel in.

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  Wish I could love the Taco, just like it - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By TacoMan - April 16 - 12:06 am

  If it werent for the -terrible- tires and the dealers even more disappointing response to the problem (feels like out of round tires @ highway speeds), Id love this truck. I bought what I wanted and kept it simple. 2x4 Prerunner, SR5, 5-speed. Guess Im gonna have to buy new wheels/tires, cause at this point I think the actual wheels are unbalanced. Oh, well!

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  Best Looking Minivan - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By 8driver - April 15 - 12:03 pm

  We chose the Sienna over the Honda on price. We could get most the options on the Sienna that we wanted. It seemed with the Honda that it was all or nothing and not too many options. We like the people/cargo volume you get for the price. The van has a surprisingly tight turning radius, good for parking. I wish the power tailgate was an optional item. I would rather have that powered than the 2 side doors. The interior is pretty cheap looking and basically not pretty inside. The ergonomics of the stereo stink! The engine is kind of rough sounding at times if you listen for it and the transmission can be a little jerky in certain situations. The ride could better. Overall were happy.

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  Quantum Leap - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By SoGood - April 15 - 11:36 am

  From a 1997 Ford Taurus to a 2005 Camry. Well what can I say. We are not looking back. Just a rock solid car with a well thought out design. Matches or beats all the big three and has great resale value.

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  Disgust - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Charles - April 15 - 3:20 am

  First of all, I farm in ND and like thing simple. Recently I traded in my 2009 Camry for the 2010 model which will be my 7th Camry. Thus far I have been very happy with the Camry model, but recently I attempted to change the oil. When I crawled under the vehicle I discovered that Toyota has gone backwards in their oil filter design and type. The new "feature" is a canister filter instead of the spin on type. It requires a $50 tool just to remove the newer filter. I run 300 horsepower plus tractors and they went away from canister filters many years ago for simplicity sake, and so I see this recent filter change as a backwards step. I find this step to be both irritating and disappointing.

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  EGR valve - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By excamry - April 14 - 6:43 pm

  At 88,000 miles the computer analyzed a faulty EGR valve. Replaced the valve ($170.00). The engine check comes back on. I took the the vacuum connected little valve right next to it out and examined it. The top comes off and it contains a little 1" diameter filter inside. Replaced the filter and check engine light was history. Sorry I spent $179 when a little foam filter from the lawnmower did the trick. Otherwise the carry has been a gem never a repair in ten years. This is for doityourselfers to save some money