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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  Greatest Car!!! - 2002 Toyota Avalon
  By my review - December 12 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the best cars out there... it is comfortable, luxurious, nice exterior/interior, smooth, and has a lot of leg room in the front and back...

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  Sienna XLE - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By Woody A - December 12 - 2:00 am

  A smooth-riding, tightly built, versatile travel machine. Great leather seating and the Camry engine make the best value.

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  Driving enjoyment - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Muffin - December 12 - 2:00 am

  Quick, quiet with responsive handling. You can have a normal conversation at any speed, top up or down. A joy to drive.

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  Comfortable, perfect size and yet sporty - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By csimons23 - December 12 - 2:00 am

  I love my car. I had a Toyota Corolla, and then purchased the Solara. It is very comfortable to drive, sharp and full of class. Not too big, not too small, just right. I highly recommend a Toyota Solara!!!

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  Thats a winner - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By Relentless Research - December 12 - 2:00 am

  After 8 months of research and debate between Honda, Mazda and Toyota settled on the T despite initial distaste with the exterior appearance (98 percent of the time youre inside it, right?). The $2,500 rebate from Toyota to move the 03s before the updated and admittedly superior 04 hits, sealed the deal. So ended up with a top of the line XLE for the same price as the Honda and with way better reliability and more features than the Mazda.

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  hk - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By hkrha - December 12 - 2:00 am

  I drove this car over 1000 mile in one week. I like the quietness and driving comfortness. Best part of this car is $2000 rebate which cost me less than $19000 with the 2nd row captains chair.

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  Most FUN SUV ive ever driven - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By JasonErickson - December 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is the most fun SUV ive ever driven, its one of the most easy motor vehicles to drive ever. Excellent handling. VERY FUN!!! Performance is adequate, especially for an SUV. It gets about 28mpg in the city!!!!! Its really nicely styled too. Great car, id recommend it to ANYONE!

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  Would Recommend Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By J David - December 12 - 2:00 am

  Comfortable and Reliable, would recommend a test drive.

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  Great SUV/Car - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By RichTeg - December 12 - 2:00 am

  Never having owned an SUV I did a lot of research. Edmunds.Com was very helpful. I was able to get a good prive via the internet, then offered my local dealer a chance to match it, which she did. The purchase process was very smooth and delivery was within a few weeks. The vehicle was in excellant condition upon arrival. I love the feel and overall package.

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  Expected Much More - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By whale2 - December 12 - 2:00 am

  I probably shouldve test drove the car a couple more times and I probably would have realized that while driving the foot pedals are not in the most convenient location...maybe its just my height--6. Its just not as comfortable driving as I wanted. The most disapointing though has to be the gas mileage. We only get 20 city and 22 highway...(should be 22 and 27). Took it to the dealer and found out that is within their specifications somehow and basically have to deal with it. Quite unfortunate and very disapointing.