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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  Solid truck - 2000 Toyota Tacoma
  By icyhotstunna87 - August 5 - 10:00 am

  ive always liked toyotas because of their quality, and this truck has continued my trust in toyota with its reliability, comfort, and quality!

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  Love at 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th...sight! - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Fairway Green - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a used car for my mom at the Toyota dealer when I first saw my Solara. It was an SLE, fairway green with the gold package. I was taken by its looks and elegant style. To this day, when I approach my car from the front at an angle, I stop to gaze at her. I LOVE THIS CAR. Routine maintenance has given me 40K trouble free miles. The JBL audio, with the help of a 10 Bazooka, silences any want of more from a sound system. Toyota combined looks and reliability to match my sense of style and fiscally conservative personality perfectly. Owning this car has raised my level of expectations of what a car can stand for.

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  Dealer - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By Dottie White - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I love my 4 runner. The dealer has ignorant sales people that are only interested in making money. They do not care about what happens after the sale.I was thinking about buying a new 4 runner and I was told specifically what do you think you can buy a new vehicle every six months. I was planning to trade because the color is dark green and is hard to keep clean.

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  Best Experience - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Ramon - August 5 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is one of the best cars I have ever owned. The fuel economy was a surprise to me. I was expecting it to consume a lot of gas but surprisingly it doesnt. Drives very smooth and has good acceleration for a big SUV.

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  All good except rear window defroster - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Farshid - August 4 - 6:50 pm

  It is a Toyota so it is quite, comfortable and has low maintenance cost. The only negative thing that I found is the rear window defroster. It is not as powerful as it should be (even in compare to my previous car, Prizm 99) for Michigan weather to melt frozen water on rear window quickly. By the MPG in city is about 21 not 24.

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  A+ for Prius 07. - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Z - August 4 - 4:30 pm

  Bought his Car 2 weeks ago. MPG are amazing. First week to fill it out was $20.00. I ran about 400 miles with a full tank combined with city and highway. I have no complaints at all. Great Car. I shouldve bought it 2 years ago.

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  Matrix XR - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Special J - August 4 - 8:10 am

  Bought the Matrix because of an expected addition to the family. I am personally not the family car type of guy, but this car is awesome. The exterior styling is great, with the sports car edge to it. Tons of room inside, plenty of leg room, and plenty of rear storage space. Only drawback is it needs a hair more pep.

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  Prius to go - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By benjamin franco - August 4 - 2:43 am

  bought used w/22,000 miles, satisfied w/performance even on steep inclines contrary to expectations of sceptical friends. Like all the built in maintanance features: oil, brakes, etc.

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  my Solara - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Fred Sanchez - August 4 - 2:03 am

  Love the car. The visibility factor is of some concern. Car design has a "blind spot" that requires care after a near-miss. Overall, however, a sweetheart.

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  A car for all occasions - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By car expert - August 4 - 12:20 am

  Just got the new highlander - wonderful car. Works well and has enough room for 7. Contrary to beliefs, and reading many reviews, the highlander does have PLENTY of room for a full size adult in the 3rd row. In addition, the highlander can move the seats and contains much more room inside.