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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  Not better than I ever expected - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By San Diego - January 20 - 10:13 pm

  I can admit that Sienna is one of the best minivan in the country and had fun driving. When I drove this car at first, I thought I was driving in heaven, but that does not last long. Why? The performance of this car seemed lower than before, but not bad that much. What made me feel upset was the poor quality sound equipped with my LE 8 passenger car. Comparing with my Accord EX, its hard to say I have no complaints on it. Its unbelievable that Toyota has such a poor quality sound system with 6 CD changers equipment in it.

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  Toyotas Reliability - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Rough13 - January 20 - 1:56 pm

  This pick-up is exceptional, it rides great, has the right power for my use, has an above average payload, can tow a boat easily, is very reliable. I havent had it for that long, but from owning previous Toyotas, I know Toyotas reliablility is their trademark.

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  What a difference!! - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bo in SoCal - January 20 - 10:03 am

  I have owned my 06 Tacoma for a nearly 3 weeks now and absolutely love it. The truck is the perfect size and the design is awesome.On of my friends bought a newer Silverado and I was amazed that the Tacoma was just as tall and long, STOCK! It rides much better than my old Dakota and is definitely more solid. I have no complaints with this truck!!

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  Best Car I have ever owned - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Jason - January 20 - 7:26 am

  This is by far the best care I have ever owned for the price. It is both efficient for my long commute, and fun to drive.

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  My opinion - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By LSC III - January 19 - 8:23 pm

  Great automobile, fun to drive, mechanically solid, looks great, worth the time.

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  Really fun car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By C2 - January 18 - 9:23 pm

  I bought the XRS 2 1/2 years ago. Its a great, fun car for a real value. I wasnt excited about buying a Corolla until I found out about the XRS - then I had to have it. As soon as I test drove it, within minutes, I knew I had to have this car. Really fun to own and drive.

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  Features of Toyota Avalon - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By John M Clark - January 18 - 1:10 pm

  My Avalon is a pleasure to drive in particular on long road trips. The response of the car is great as well as the comfort. Excellent gas mileage at approximately 29 mpg on the highway.

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  Incredible Car - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Jeff - January 18 - 10:36 am

  My Prius has surpassed my expectations. I just put in my second tank of gas since I bought the car and was surprised that I had got 55.6 mpg (per my calculation), the on board computer reported 54.9. My first tank I got 51.5 mpg. I was not expecting the mpg to be this good since the press always states that actual Prius mpg is less than that stated on the window sticker. It may help that I live in very flat and warm Florida. In all other respects this car is very pleasing to drive.

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  Highlander drives great/holds a lot - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Jim - January 18 - 8:06 am

  Fun car to drive and very functional with a large payload when you fold the middle seats down.

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  Another satisfied customer. - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By M. Crosby - January 17 - 2:50 pm

  This is our 4th Camry and the second SE that weve owned since 2002. We have been impressed with the quality and reliability of the Camry product. No major repairs on any of them, just routine maintenance. We took this new 2016 on a 1,600 mile vacation with no problems and the car handled very well. This years SE rides smoother than our 2013 SE, maybe because of the 17 inch tires. The cab is quiet too. New features on this model include the back-up assist camera, which is a nice feature. The interior is nice and the finish materials are a step up from recent models. We are happy with this 2016 Camry SE and plan to continue to purchase Toyota products.