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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  Great Vehicle - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By John Sharp - December 30 - 10:00 am

  What a great vehicle! The Sequoia is very roomy, very quiet, and has plenty of towing power. It is extremely comfortable and very fun to drive. Along with all of these great features, it also gets suprisingly good fuel mileage for a vehicle this large.

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  BEST THING EVER - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Snowman0415 - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE this car! This is the best thing I have ever bought! It is so much fun to drive and gets awesome fuel economy. I deliever pizzas and travel alot and it is still running strong it has never let me down! I recommend this car!

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  Toyota Seqouia 2004, excellent vehicle - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By Zombie - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Just bought this vehicle and really love it. It is extremely comfortable and fun to drive. The front visibility is very good and its so quiet you sometimes have to check thats running. It looks rather large from the outside but amazingly doesnt drive like it. I am an avid Toyota fan and have bought many of them. This vehicle doesnt disappoint.

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  Unbelievable - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Willyb - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Recently purchased. Excellent ride and comfort on 1000 mile highway trip. 4 cyl had plenty of power for 80-85 mph cruising and passing. Unbelievably quiet at highway speeds. 33+ mpg is hard to beat

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  ramblers of russellville, ohio - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By sportster - December 30 - 10:00 am

  We have had this car for 6 weeks or so and it is great!!Red and hot!!

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  quiet and smooth - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By gop_reptile - December 30 - 10:00 am

  The 4 cyclinder is responsive and quite powerful at high speeds when passing. While not as fast as the V6 the fuel economy is about a third better. Handling in the corners is great. Even at high speeds (80 mph +) the ride is very quiet and smooth.

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  Nice Car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By RealtorKen - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Peppy, great gas mileage

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  2003 Camry LE - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By yesname - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Rides beautifully and its very quiet. Dealers at this place lead a lot to be desired, however. Dont let them stand in the way of buying this car.

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  This van moves!! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By ando0307 - December 30 - 10:00 am

  This van has excellent fuel economy on regular unleaded, quiet and fast on the highway! The engine and brake performance instills driving confidence. My kids and spouse love the comfort. However, the younger one (3months of age) cries in it sometimes because it is too quiet. He prefers our older, noisier car.

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  All it claimed - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By lumberjack - December 30 - 8:46 am

  We just returned from a 500 mile trip with two small kids. There was tons of flexibility and average gas mileage for mostly highway driving was 25 mpg. I cannot begin to compliment Toyota for thinking of so many little things to make the car more comfortable. We upgraded from a sedan and it will be worth the small drop in mileage to have the space and flexibility.