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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  Owning Toyotas since 1991 - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Frank - March 29 - 7:56 pm

  As always Toyota has come through. Exceptional build quality inside and out. Much improved over the well received Highlands of years gone by. I bought the Limited AWD with all the bells and whistles and couldnt be happier. If youre in the market for a good looking vehicle inside and out with exception reliability then you should look no further than this vehicle.

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  Awesome! - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By Robert LeBlanc - March 29 - 10:07 am

  Went from a 11 year old F-150 super crew to 2017 Tacoma DC Long bed, because I wanted the sporty looking Tacoma, with a functional bed size.

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  More than a Toy - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Susan - March 29 - 8:53 am

  I have thoroughly enjoyed my Prius. I drive about 50 miles total every day to and from work with combined city/highway miles. Currently (Apr. 2005) I am getting 55.4 mpg and loving it. It makes me feel good that my car releases so few pollutants and is still a VERY practical car to own and drive. I would recommend anyone who is looking for a new car to at least consider a Toyota Prius. Its roomy inside, stylish outside and a whole lot of fun to drive! Its dependability is "Totally Toyota".

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  Worth Every Penney - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By dbatten - March 29 - 7:26 am

  Well, Ive owned my Tacoma for almost a year now and its time to review it. I had wanted one for about two years and when I found out they were changing the style for the 05 I went in and bought an 04. Ill let Toyota work the bugs out of the new design before I give it a try. Toyota is good, but not perfect and the 04 is basically the same truck they have been building for 9 years. Theyve had lots of time to get it right. So, what did I get for my money? I got a vehicle that I can take my wife and 3 kids in to get groceries or I can take a few buddies and enough gear to go camping for a week. Its smaller size and high ground clearance allow me to go places where others cant.

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  Happy so far - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By redrobert - March 28 - 5:16 pm

  This is an outstanding car and excellent experience in my first Toyota. My XLE 2007 is both responsive and quick to a fault. The dealer told me I should buy the 4 but I wanted the V6. The V6 was too much power, but with the gas mileage difference of less than 2 MPG. So far so good. I do recommend this car!!

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  Over 200k and still going - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By carissab92 - March 28 - 1:11 pm

  My Corolla is just reaching 244,500 miles and is still going strong. So far, the only thing Ive had to replace is the normal; oil filter, air filter, tires, and brakes. I absolutely love my car and Im glad its lasted this long.. I know the day will come when old Rollo retires, and it will be a sad day indeed.

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  FABULOUS - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Cher - March 28 - 9:56 am

  This car is like driving a luxury car. Styled like the Lexus es 330 ! Priced much LESS! Wow what a BARGAIN! Youll think you are driving a EXPENSIVE LEXUS and people will have to look twice! GREAT CAR TOYOTA!

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  Llights on alarm - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By frisbee - March 28 - 4:16 am

  I have 500 miles on this car and am very happy with it. The only problem I have is the warning chime for lights on and key left in ignition. Its virtually inaudible. Brought to the dealer for repair. They told me nothing could be done under warranty but for 180 dollars they could fix it. Left a bad taste

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  Randys Blue X-Runner - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Randy - March 28 - 3:10 am

  I am very impressed with the build quality and the design detail of the Tacoma. It seems that each time I look at the truck I notice more lines in the exterior design. One thing that I can not get over is the amount of attention I get in the Tacoma X-Runner. No matter where I go people come up and ask about the truck.

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  20K service miles review - 2011 Toyota Yaris
  By girlcarbuilder - March 27 - 12:35 pm

  We usually buy 3 dr hatchbacks and use as two seaters with a lot of storage/cargo room. Even with the back seats down this model compared to older hatchback designs like the 89 Mazda 323 or the 86 Toyota Tercel lacks such in room. On the other hand, the driveline punchs quite a punch in power compared to the older models. We have pushed up the gas mileage to 40 mpg so far by reverting back to 14 inch rims with 175/70r14s by toyo. The OEM bridgestones drifted too much, but the toyos glued it to the road and bumped the gas another 3mpgs! Make sure you install an air filter in the a/c system. For some reason the car does not come with one from the factory. We also added body side molding.