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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  Solara - 2nd half life better. - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Gene - October 4 - 10:00 am

  Brought this special order 5-speed new. It was a good car for the first 5 years. Excellent wear and tear, great mileage (32 mpg on the highway), solid build, and sporty but smooth ride. However, an irritating noise in the suspension was a little irritating. After a recall of 4 door models for a suspension issue, finally Toyota investigated my complaint. They found I had the same issue, fixed it for free, now it is even better.

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  2000 4 runner sr5 2wd - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By matt riley - October 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this truck about 3 years ago, Because it was roomy and looked nice I had no idea I would love this truck like I do. It runs great not bad on gas, Only problem I have is the center cap with an S in the middle is gone cant find one any where,other than that I will never buy anything else but a 4 runner, Maybe a 4wd next I think the 2010 is the best looking SUV on the road, other than mine, though in the ran sometimes the back end is a little slippery but nothing you cant handle. I would point anyone in to buying 1, Great family car, Great daddy truck. Go and buy 1.

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  Best Value in the Car World Today - 2009 Toyota Avalon
  By carlupi - October 4 - 10:00 am

  The more I drive my 2009 Avalon the happier I am that I bought it. This is the best car for the money on the market today. I hope Toyota replaces it with a similarly high value product in 2012, when the new model should come out.

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  My First Experience with a Hybrid - 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By GPF - October 4 - 10:00 am

  This was my first hybrid purchase, and I must say Im most pleasantly surprised at how well it actually performs. The Camry Hybrid is as comfortable to drive as any Camry, and the mileage has been phenomenal, even at the low miles so far. I think Im getting about 40 MPG in mixed driving. The EPA rating does not do justice to how fuel-efficient the Camry Hybrid actually is. Although more costly than a gas-version Camry, the difference will more than pay for itself when gas prices go up (as they will surely do). Its more practical than the Prius, I would think, for the majority of people. And its definitely more practical than pure electric vehicles, which have the long charge times.

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  We Survived - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By StLou - October 4 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy the road handling and acceleration of this economical joy. What I want to share with you is the accident experience I had; a front end accident on highway of stopped traffic. I was traveling about 60 mph and saw traffic stopped. I signaled to change lanes, but no one would move over. I slammed on brakes and impacted going 45 mph. I had the entire front hood and front suspension system rebuilt. You cannot tell we had the accident. Auto body staff said who ever built this car knew what they were doing. I was surprised the air bag didnot inflate, but I was safe and the dollar savings was significant. Additionally storage in trunk and access to passengers continues to impress me

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  Great car bad headrest design - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By cl - October 4 - 4:33 am

  Great car leased a Camry se v6 with every package. Love everything about the car with the exception of the headrest which pushes my head to far forward. Outstanding dealership power Toyota of Irvine ca. Great price and very helpful.

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  Awesome - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By mopra - October 4 - 4:29 am

  I wanted to buy sonata or altima then decided to have a test drive of camry2012 , I was surprised by the handling of the car on curves and its smooth drive a notch above its older version.I bought the car same day and it is 1 1/2 months I am loving it every day.I get 30mpg in city.love the Comfy seats, we had 6 inches snow today , it drove through snow with exceptional handling .

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  One helluva car - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By Carl ventura - October 3 - 8:53 pm

  I absolutely love this car. Reasonably priced, a solid built car, handles great, a very tight turning radius, nimble. Great, great MPG. Plenty of interior room.

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  Ive got the Pooooower baby! - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Ricky - October 3 - 7:46 pm

  Wow! This truck is impressive. Had a Silverado before. This truck is as smooth ride wise but that is where the comparisons end. This truck is like a giant sports car! (smile) I agree with a comment made in another review. This truck is indeed pure fun. As far as gas mileage. Hey its a truck! If you are worried about gas mileage get yourself a little jetta. Ill stick with my Tundra thank you :) One word to describe this truck: Power. This truck is what other 1/2 ton trucks want to be when they grow up lol If youre thinking about getting one, go for it.

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  Glad we bought it - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Eldo - October 3 - 6:30 pm

  Initially wanted an Enclave, but the Highlander Limited proved to be better for our budget while retaining all of the features I wanted. Fuel economy has been as good as advertised. Third row bench is easy to put up and down.