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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  TOOTHACRE - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By TOOTHACRE - April 18 - 10:00 am

  I OWN AN AVALON WITH O- PROBLEM,(90000),SO I CONTINUE WITH THE THE TRUNK. IN 8 MONTHS IT HAS BEEN EXCELLANT

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  excellent - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By erwin - April 18 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive, easy to handle, nice interior, ergonomically designed

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  Looks like a million dollars - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Ryanhenry - April 18 - 10:00 am

  I can say that when I first went looking for a replacement for my Bonneville I had no intention of looking at a Solara. Im young, only 23, so I have my sports car in the garage, but I need a daily driver. I go into the Lexus dealership to look over an IS300. I chat with the dealer for a second, then he mentions the Solara. I took it for a spin, came back and took it home. The design is flawless, and the quality used is excellent. Overall, I would say this is the best way to get the quality and style that everyone looks for in a BMW, but not the price tag associated with it.

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  Love my Taco - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By CXC2225 - April 18 - 6:10 am

  Had this truck for 2 months and I am in love with it. The ga she mileage is mediocre averaging about 17.5 in town and 22 on the highway but its a truck. Nobody buys a truck for its excellent gas mileage. Ive been off roading once and the 4WD system in 4LO got me through the local trail just fine but I did use the crawl control feature just to say I tried it even though its not necessary. The crawl control and Multi terrain select features are great toys to have for off roading which is one of the reasons I went for the off road over the sport model. Some have been complaining about the transmission shifting gears to often and I did experience it early on but now that my truck has 3k miles on it the transmission is more in sync. Once the truck breaks in its far more responsive. Im 61 and I fit just fine in my taco and my family members fit all fine in the backseat. I love my 2017 taco and I will drive her to the wheels fall off and dont care to own any other pickup truck on the market.

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  Family Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Jeanette - April 18 - 2:20 am

  Well built and fun to drive. Fits 3 car seats accross the back seat. A great alternative to the minivan. Large truck fits toys and strollers with room for grocerys. We love it and would buy again.

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  Best Car Ever - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Janet Paulk - April 17 - 11:23 pm

  I cant believe the quality of this car, but then it IS a Toyota. The ride is quiet and sound. The engine and drive-train perform flawlessly. Its tough to remark on how positive this car is as its tough to find any deficiencies. The only trouble we have it that it does so much. We are always going to the manual to find out "How do I ...". But this is something most modern cars and owners face. This is the best car weve ever owned and actually, ridden in.

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  IM AT IT AGAIN! - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Agnes Gibbs - April 17 - 5:56 am

  This is my (6) sixth Toyota Corollas and I bought 4 brand new ones from the same dealership. I dont know what dealership you bought yours from, but Lipton Toyota in Fort Lauderdale, FL has the best team pre-sale,and post-sale.

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  Works for me - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By flyguy - April 16 - 6:40 pm

  Great mileage without sacrificing ride, handling or sound proofing. 70 mph over the mountains on the freeway with no straining or screaming engine. Solid build quality with no rattles or squeaks. Hybrid system does its thing very unobtrusively - At 70 mph downhill on the freeway you glance at the display and see the gas engine is off, instantaneous mpg meter showing 100+ mpg. Base model well equipped. Didnt need the extra bells and whistles and you still get cruise control, alloy wheels (under the plastic covers), cd, aux audio input and more. Carries a lot of stuff with hatchback flexibility.

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  New 4Runner Fan - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By New 4Runner Fan - April 16 - 3:00 pm

  Ive had my new (and first) 4Runner for two months and just finished two long road trips in it. The first was to Idaho (1500 miles round trip) and the second was to Yosemite (700 miles round trip). What a great truck! Ive previously taken my Highlander and Camry on these trips, but the 4Runner is by far the most comfortable way to go. It has a great ride, plenty of room, and averaged between 20 and 26 mpg, depending upon the terrain I was driving in (Ive got the 6 cylinder). Ran the air the whole time since it was middle of summer, and no problems. I read all of the reviews here before I bought, and they were right-on with pros and cons, as Ill detail in the two sections below. Im a fan!

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  380 miles on 1st tank (~9.5 gal) - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Eric - April 16 - 6:50 am

  I got 43 mpg on my first tank - I use the car to commute 8+ miles (each way) to work - 3/4 of the daily trip is local, and ~4 miles are highway. The handling is great - the weight of the car is nicely distributed and you can really tell the difference when making tight turns. The start from traffic light is much faster because of the electric motor assist. Overall its much more responsive than a normal gas engine car, and I can really tell the difference when I switch to drive my wifes regular car.