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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  Best Value for your money - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Darryl Wheeler - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Good value and ride. Dealer played typical games of bate and switch made process a bit flustrating.

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  Love the car - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By loveit - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I just got my car a few months ago and I love it. I am a college student on a tight budget and was pleased with the price. Its a wonderful to drive, handles wonderfully. I have never had trouble with the handling of it in bad weather (not yet anyways). Great car for a first time byer.

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  Sometimes you go with your gut instinct! - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By echooooooooooooo! - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 2002 Echo and I concur with all of the other previews. This car purrs! Im gonna give mine a cool look this summer (03) Im gonna give it a new stereo (double din video touchscreen with cd changer which will fit nicely with the Infinity Kappa Bass Link amplified sub-woofer I bought which only takes up the right side corner of the trunk. Some nice 205 "15 tires like the dude above did to his. A front mask. Tinted windows. And sime nice interior and exterior neon lighting. All in all this is one heck of a nice toy. I guess thats why they call them TOYotas because theyre so much fun to play with! Peace and safe driving you guys :0)

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  Great commuter car - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By paul a - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I have driven the Echo for 22 months. It is a great vehicle for local driving & short trips. Local gas mileage, with auto, is 30 MPG & on the road 40-42. Great visability,head room, easy to enter & exit, more height & room than my Cherokee, a huge trunk, & a surprising amount of storage space with the rear seat pulled down. Acceleration is barely adequate & cornering is poor, also high winds demand slower speeds & greater attention to the road. No problems so far after 14,000 miles.

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  Decent Car!!!! - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By marvito - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Hey, I have a camry and its weird because not many people my age have these kinds of cars. I dont know why but I think these camrys are terrific. The only thing is that the damn insurance will cost more than the entire car...... thats sucks.

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  my first 4runner - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By victor tsung - November 5 - 2:00 am

  the 03 4runner is a perfect car for me. the car had never been in my shopping lists before untill the v8 showed up. for suv i came from toyota 94 LC, 97LC,98LC,01ML55(the worst suv i experinced),& the currently i drive the 01MDX 02RV4. i got all the things i want for a car and the things i dont need such as 3rd seat big cargo room. in fact i wish the double deck shouldnt be there. it serves me no purpose. did i drive the luxrious cars? a few of them for years. with 4runner i dont miss them.

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  2002 Highlander Limited - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Rowdy Fred - November 5 - 2:00 am

  My first Japanese-built vehicle and I love it. Having owned only North American-built vehicles in the past I am delighted by the overall quality of the Highlander. Add the convenience of AWD and car-like ride and handling and you have the perfect vehicle for use in Northern climes. Definitely not a serious off-roader, but certainly a nice compromise between van-like utility and 4WD functionality.

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  Big Bang For The Buck - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By David - November 4 - 4:43 pm

  Our goal was to find luxury under $40k. We compared and drove the Cadillac CTS and STS, they are overpriced and have smaller interiors surrounding the driver and passenger. The Buicks are also getting smaller and just looked like plastic cheapos inside. Lincoln LS is also small inside and overpriced. Lexus is great, we drove the RX and ES. The RX is roomy has all the bells and toys but had some road noise from the rear tires. The ES was the best for a quiet ride with all options, not real big inside but we could settle. The Avalon was out last test and it met all our criteria, roomy, pretty quiet, lots of toys and a deal at $35,287 (our negotiated price) Lexus was 1k more.

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  High maintenance - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Stephanie - November 4 - 4:00 pm

  I purchased this car new. I have had the oil changed every 5,000 miles and it sits in my garage when not being driven. At 34,000 miles the car started making a screeching sound like a belt was bad and it began shifting roughly. The dealer said I needed the transmission fluid changed and a new belt. $312.00 later my car seems to be ok. I have had a Ford and Pontiac in the past and never had to make these types of services until 100,000. I am disappointed with this car and feel that the quality that Toyota is known for is slipping. Will never buy another Corolla.

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  Why sacrifice XYZ - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By rcaron - November 4 - 2:20 pm

  Significantly LESS headroom compared to my last Sequoia and the seats cant adjust down. Sunglasses on my head hit the ceiling. They also dropped the gas tank cover lock from the old Sequoia... why??? And they dropped the side moulding strips to protect vs door dings. And the gas mileage is much less than my old Sequoia, and much less than advertised. It is a great truck and very comfortable but I might think twice about keeping my old Sequoia. Dont get caught up in the hype!!