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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  A slice of life - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Wanless - March 31 - 2:00 am

  The 7th gen Celica is certainly a welcome change from the previous model. Following the recent trend, new high-revving, powerful, yet efficient (excellent fuel economy!)engines have made this car a blast. My GT is pretty quick, but the Celicas selling point has never been its speed alone - its the handling! This car handles like a go cart! Whats great is that you get all of this with Toyotas typical reliability and quality attributes.

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  You get so much for the price - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By jrays - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Solara for 2 years now and I still get a thrill each time I drive it. Its a perfect combination of sportiness, luxury, reliability and price. A car cant be all things to all people, but this one fits me perfectly. Its very comfortable to drive and the back seat can easily hold 3 people. The sound system is great and the automatic climate control keeps the cabin very comfortable. In 2 years, all Ive done is routine maintenance to my Solara.

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  Tundra 2 Dr Longbed - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By shell910 - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy my Tundra Longbed because its a basic pickup with no frills with just excellent quality in everything. Toyota interior design and ergonomics are great. Its a good long distance vehicle also with great pulling potential and long bed capacity.

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  Dont buy if TALL - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By ztnalb - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Just purchased the standard cab,Tundra w/ bench seat a week ago and have developed serious pain in rightleg and knee. I figured I was buying a full size truck and need not worry about leg room. I was wrong! Im 65" the truck has plenty of head room but lacks leg room. the bench seat provides NO support for my right leg, I use a pillow to support the leg which helps for the accelerator but not the brake pedal. The brake pedal is the worst! You lose almost another inch when applying the brake because it sits higher. Unfortunatly my test drive was mostly on the freeway in this postion Im relatively comfortable, but city driving is painfull when applying the brake.

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  Jay Z - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Jay Z - March 31 - 2:00 am

  A pleasure to drive albeit it has the L upgrade package.

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  good car but expensive and unattractive - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Murisa24 - March 31 - 2:00 am

  My mother purchased a white 2002 Camry LE V-6, the inside did not look as nice as it did in pictures from magazines and the seats arent very comfortable, but the sound system is very nice. The car was very peppy, smooth and has been very reliable so far (only about 3000 miles on it) I dont really like the front and rear headlights, the front headlights are too sharp and not matched with the dull bodysize and the rear lights are too big and looks as if it is placed too high...We paid more than 25,000 dollars and did not even get a sunroof and power/leather seats...Overall...it is a nice and roomy car but I think there are better alternatives.

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  Wondering about the mileage - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By rmclemore - March 30 - 5:03 pm

  Ive only put a thousand miles on my Corolla. Been keeping careful track of my mileage. While the car is hardly broken in yet (1100 actual miles) I have never gotten more than 24.9 mpg. This is generally city mileage. I was expecting better, but maybe as the car loosens up it will improve. The steering wheel is a bit far, as others have mentioned and the the drivers seat a bit short. I am replacing my old Honda Accord Wagon with this car, and expected less space but I was pleasantly surprised about having a better view as the Corolla is a taller car than the Accord. Some minor quality problems, a tiny warp in the windshield, but the car will hopefully be a reliable appliance.

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  Fun to drive - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Rizzo - March 30 - 3:50 pm

  I really enjoy driving this truck. I highly recomend the Tacoma truck. It drives great and is affordable. My new quad fits perfectly in the back. Good quality.

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  First time owner of a Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Kerri - March 30 - 1:06 pm

  Ok, this is the first time I have owned a Camry and I gotta tell ya it is very nice. I did have a problem with the transmission but took it in and they reprogrammed the 2 computer chips in there and WOW what a difference that made. I cant even feel my car shift anymore. I bought it with 30k on it. I do not see where there is wear on the tires like others have stated on here. I did get the "diamond gloss" put on the paint from the dealer and wow that is a great thing to have. It does protect you paint and the uvb rays and you dont have to wax your car for 5-6 yrs. It is well worth it. Bugs come right off too and ti will also protect I the salt when it snows. Best thing I ever did!

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  Bullet-proof car - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By reid - March 30 - 10:10 am

  I bought this car with 30,000 miles in 1997. It now has 221,000 miles and has never failed. The car burns no oil and has no oil leaks. I keep thinking about buying a new car, but this one wont die. The only defective item was the electric antenna that died at 110,000 miles. Used replacement was expensive at $100.