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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  Love My Yaris - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By technadyne - August 17 - 9:20 am

  My 2007 Toyota Yaris has CA license Plates "My Yaris" if you see me, feel free to say hi! This car is fantastic. Its a fully loaded 4 door automatic sedan that connects not only to my iPod but also any other MP3 player. ITS AWESOME! This is a great car, but I cant wait for the 2010 Yaris because Im sure its going to only get better with the progression of time. I cant wait for my Yaris to have satellite navigation like the one in the UK! CHEERS!!!!

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  2013 Rav4 Limited - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By desertgolfer - August 17 - 6:59 am

  I have had this vehicle since August 2013 and have had absolutely no issues with it. I was somewhat surprised at some of the reviews in this thread as I have owned many Toyotas and have never experienced a problem they could not fix. I live in Arizona and we may have smoother roads than some of the cooler weather states, but I have found the Rav4 ride to be exceptional for this vehicle class. The features available on the Limited are outstanding, everything works perfectly and I love the versatility of the transmission. Heck, you can treat it like a manual and in Sport mode that is fun.

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  What a gas! - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By WarmGlo - August 17 - 4:03 am

  Bought the Prius 1/16/06 and already have 2k miles. We traded an A6 2.7t manual trans for it so the transition has been interesting to say the least. Very cold weather seems to be keeping the mpg down to 43. We havent reset the average yet and it reads 42.3. W/ pkg 7 weve been thoroughly entertained. Great NAV, Bluetooth, JBL audio. Kind of hard getting used to the front drive stability control and WATCH OUT if you have to back down an icy driveway - Ive slid all the way down ours and into the road twice. The ABS doesnt work when rolling backwards. The 1st time I was taken by surprise but the 2nd I was careful and still couldnt stop it. Still though, we love it.

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  Toyawesome! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By MARK - August 16 - 7:40 pm

  Do you want to get at fuel manufactures? Yaris is the answer. Two days ago,i traveled 525 miles with one tank. To fill up, at fuel price $2.48 at costco. Total little less than $28.00. Wow!!!... The wife and i bought last one at the dealership. Salesman, told us, that the dealership can not order them fast enough. As soon as they come in,theyre gone. Highly recommend it. If your a camary owner, leave your camary at home. Use your camary for the weekends,and your yaris for commuting. Get yours right now,before theyre all gone. Sell your mercedes, and buy a yaris for each member of your immediate family. Have fun enjoy the savings with your yaris,and spend the extra money wisely.

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By AH - August 16 - 9:56 am

  Almost bought the 6-cylinder but, opted for the four. Fantastic gas mileage! Packed the car for a weeks trip and it was loaded...no problem going up the hills to the mountains! With gas prices the way they are we felt we couldnt go wrong with the Camry. The trunk is spacious and held lots of cargo. Very happy with our purchase.

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  Fun to Drive - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Gary Kaleta - August 16 - 6:07 am

  The Venza with the V6 is a fun to drive crossover SUV. It has sporty good looks and its low profile (for a SUV) and large 20"wheels give it great handling for a SUV. It has a large cargo area and the seats fold down very easily from the liftgate area. The Smart Key system makes getting in and out, locking, and start up effortless. The six speed transaxle shifts smoothly both up and downshifts. Although the car has TPS sensors and will warn of low pressure in the tires there is no readout to provide the actual air pressure in the tires. The power liftgate is easy to operate and guarantees the gate will ALWAYS be fully locked before driving away. All in all I am very happy with this vehicle and expect to keep it for a long time.

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  this is a sportscar w/ a truck bed! - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By deltawhip - August 16 - 4:53 am

  The fit, finish, and materials are very good. Ive had no issues with workmanship or performance. This thing really moves! Handles great, brakes great, and the looks and stares I get driving around in the X are just priceless! Very good machine that needs that TRD supercharger to make it really shine. MPG not too shabby either at about 19 with mixed driving.

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  Matrix XRS - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By DennisM - August 16 - 2:00 am

  Very nice vehicle. Lots of room.

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  Best SUV Ever Built by Toyota - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By White - August 16 - 2:00 am

  Sold my Jeep Grand Cherokee (too mnay problems since I bought, may just unlucky or what). I went around dealers and looking for a new SUV. Finally looking at the new 4Runner. Wow...What a big improvement and the greatest SUV ever. Bought it on the same day. My Thanksgiving gift. Now I can drive distance.

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  Finally, your moneys worth! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By chelled - August 16 - 2:00 am

  I finally got what I paid for!! Maybe a little more!! Roomy, comfortable, slightly more fuel efficiant than most SUVs (4cyl), classy, and affordable. Six months and havent found anything I dont like. Thanks Toyota!