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:

• 

  1Rav4me - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Olga Miramontes - May 26 - 10:35 pm

• 

  Love my camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By JB - May 26 - 8:26 pm

  I have been a honda owner for 20 years but purchased this Camry new in 2004 due to price, features and Toyotas reputation with manufacturing quality automobiles. I have not been disappointed. This is an excellent car. It handles well in all types of weather. It is comfortable and reliable. I didnt expect to have to do anything to this car other than other than routine maintenance and oil changes and it has not let me down. The only thing I would change if I could buy the option to apply clear coat paint protection when new. My car is deep blue and as always, people love to bang their doors into a new looking car, creating door dings that the door guard doesnt always catch.

• 

  Too Americanized - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By viztor - May 26 - 8:13 am

  Great car except for driving. Poor handling, steering imprecise at highway speeds, shifting into 5th is clunky, visibility out of vehicle poor (thick door posts, headrests block lines of sight), bigger blind spot than my old car. Our old 1978 or 1981 Civics would eat the Yaris alive and spit out the pieces. Driving is now a chore, not an enjoyable experience. No ash tray (good for storing insurance card, etc.), no external antenna (degrades reception), speedometer needle hard to see when wearing sunglasses, have to check proper operation, but rear seat seat belts seem to be obstacles when the seat is down.

• 

  Fuel efficient - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By subarudavis - May 26 - 7:29 am

  30k miles on the car now, running strong. I like the car, it has good audio, comfortable seats (not electric though), roomy, and most of all its economical to run. My insurance gives me a break because its a hybrid, I pay a lot less for gas, and it is reliable. These features save me money but I am a little angry at toyota for making it so hard to change headlights, I had to bay a few hundred because the whole front bumper needs to be taken off to get to the HID lights on the touring model. No mechanical issues, one electrical issue with cd player not working, and the GPS is horrible. Not very fun to drive and not powerful. I get about 45mpg overall.

• 

  Fantastic Little Car - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Marcuss - May 26 - 2:00 am

  I have never been so happy with a car. Ive owned Accords, Maximas, Pontiacs, and more, but this is my favorite car yet. It corners like a hatchback, it performs in the snow like an SUV, its fun to drive with the top open in the summer, and the rear space has allowed me to move TVs, coffee tables, and more that would never fit in my Honda or Maxima.

• 

  Matrix XRS - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Tanamoor - May 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car because it was so much fun to drive and had a lot of acceleration. But at 11,000 miles, the transmission had to be replaced. Ever since then, there is not as much acceleration and you have to fight with the gears (sometimes cannot get it to go into the gear). I am very disappointed. This is not the car I bought. I have been to the service department and they say there is nothing wrong with it. I would not have bought this car as it drives now.

• 

  2004 Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By gsmith - May 26 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car partly because we are environment-conscious and due to its features. So far we have not been disappointed. We have driven it about 200 miles. Great car, fun to drive. Good design, ample leg space and cargo space. Better mileage than its competitors in its class. However, mileage is ranging around 42-45 mpg in city driving conditions, much less than the EPA estimates, may be because of winter and the break-in period. The car is quite smooth and except during acceleration between 10 and 30 mph. External road noise from other cars is quite audible especially on highways. Need to improve sound insulation.

• 

  Great SUV - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By sam1960 - May 26 - 2:00 am

  This SUV has won my heart over any vehicle I have ever owned. The smooth, quiet ride and handling are very impressive. Its comfortable, roomy, easy to drive. Does not have that "truck" feel most SUVs have. Provides a large amount of cargo space and the seats fold down with ease. The AWD works unbelievably well in slippery/snowy conditions. Solid vehicle. The standard VSC (vehicle stability control) and traction control combined with the ABS and EBD (electronic brake force distribution) are wonderful features!

• 

  my corolla - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Stingray1950 - May 26 - 2:00 am

  Due to very high headrests in the rear seats, rear visibility is extremely limited. This seems to be a trend will ALL car makers this year, as there is the same problem with Hyundais.

• 

  Almost a Lexus is300 - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Leeyore - May 26 - 2:00 am

  The 2003+ Toyota Corolla is bigger, more stylish, and more comfortable than its predecessors. The difference in size and aesthetics is astounding. Better yet, park it between a VW Passat and a Volvo S40. HP is a drawback. The Corolla doesnt provide much punch. But if youre worried about HP, why are you looking at this car? I have to point out 2 other things: no power seats option and a little more sound-dampening would be nice. Obviously, these items would drive the price up. And then it would be the higher-priced Lexus is300.