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:

• 

  Its More Than A Gas Saver - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By cleanair - March 29 - 1:23 am

  I love this car! This car is fun to drive, has incredible room inside for hauling stuff, gets an average of 50 mpg for my travels, has a great sound system and is comfortable on long trips. You "learn" how to use the gas pedal in a different sort of way that enables you to control the mileage you get. My only complaint would be the upholstery. I got the black (best looking) with tan interior. The upholstery gets dirty very easily and doesnt clean up well. I also chose Prius because I trust Toyota.

• 

  Hurrah for Gen 4 - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Doug - March 28 - 11:42 pm

  The fourth generation of the Prius is a winner! First week I had the car we drove from OC to Yosemite to the Northern California coast experiencing city, mountain, and open road environments. Handled "The Grapevine" with ease, capturing lots of energy on the downhill side. Acceleration was surprisingly good, and the ride was much smoother than previous generations due to the suspension upgrade and good support in my cloth seats. Navigation was accurate with excellent alternatives provided when I decided to explore some other roads. AC kept us very comfortable in 100+ degree weather. 1066 miles on 18.3 gallons of gasoline!

• 

  Best Vehicle Ever - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By oldsfun - March 28 - 9:06 pm

  I am not a minivan person, but after driving the Sienna, I was converted. It is the best riding, handling, and roomiest vehicle on the market. The price is higher, but you get what you pay for. I drove all of the GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and Kia. The Toyota was the best! The overall vehicle is the best minivan on the market. This is a Camry with a lot of room!

• 

  Prius Owner Loves the car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Chris - March 28 - 5:06 pm

  After 6 months of ownership I have figured out how to drive the car and I am averaging 48 MPG in the City. Much better than the 12 I was getting with my double cab tundra truck. I dont miss the truck as much as I thought I would. I hauled 38 bags of mulch home from the store with the back seats down. Everyone loves to ride in it and it is very dependable. I highly recommend the car.

• 

  Smartest Car Ever Made! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By gary41 - March 28 - 10:26 am

  After 3 years of waiting, finally picked up my Prius a couple of days ago! Gave my 2006 BMW 3-Series to my wife - the Prius is more entertaining to drive. Getting mileage as expected - low to mid 40s, but will go up once car is broken in. Love almost everything about it - only thing I would change is the seats and driving position. Tons of room and cubbies.

• 

  Very Impressed! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By new highlander owner - March 28 - 4:16 am

  We bought the 2008 Highlander - upsizing from a 1999 Honda CRV. Needed more space with new baby and 2 dogs. It is great! Very comfortable, gas mileage is decent - about the same as my Honda but this is a larger vehicle and a V6. The V6 is impressive. We took the Highlander to the mountains for the first time and hit a patch of ice unexpectedly and started to slide. It reacted quickly and self stabilized, with the added kinda distracting feature of warning noises.

• 

  Excellent Truck - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tim Henriques - March 28 - 3:36 am

  I love this truck. Have had it for 2+ years, bought at 50K miles and now have 80 and not a problem. Handles all weather, lots of room, actually is quick from 0-25 mph due to torque, very comfortable, good visibility, great reliability.

• 

  No buyers remorse here! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By 1st time SUVer - March 28 - 2:00 am

  I am so glad I bought this SUV. The ride is silky soft and the cabin is quiet and comfortable. I considered a Tahoe and an Expedition, but I questioned Tahoes reliability and did not like Fords style. So after reading mostly favorable consumer reviews, I decided to test drive the Sequoia. During the test drive I began to believe those seemingly suspicious rave reviews because I was hooked on the spot. I thought Id have some sort of buyers remorse, but so far there is none. I love having and driving this SUV!

• 

  well made car for the size and money - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By Route19Drive-In - March 28 - 2:00 am

  i have had this car 3 months now i bought it used and im very pleased with it it handels well has good pick up lots of space to store things very roomy interior i have a 2001 Echo 4dr it had 4000 miles on it when i got it it has alumin wheels am fm caseette with cd and many other options i love it and would recomend it to anybody

• 

  4runners are the best suvs ever - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By T - March 28 - 2:00 am

  This was my first car and my parents liked it so much that they wouldnt let me drive because they wanted too. I drove mine really hard when I first got it and it kept working fine. Its the best looking suv and Ive put a lot of time and money into making it something very unique and special