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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  Automotive Excellence - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Rambotx - June 4 - 10:00 am

  The Toyota Camry XLE provides the owner a wonderful driving experience. The fifth generation Camry design is stylish yet practical. It has a roomer interior that adds to the refined sense of the car. Everything inside is easy to master. The 2.4-liter, twin-cam powerplant with 157 horsepower provides smooth power. The interior is quite with little or no noise from the outside. Overall, it is a great value!

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  EURODATACAR - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Eurostar - June 4 - 6:53 am

  I got this car in Oct 06,, ever since just loving it, Im upgrading a lot of parts to this car, the car was built to be a tuner, lots of aftermarket parts for it. Its very easy and fun to drive, great performance and MPG for its class, and the best of all is that it looks very nice, stylish, European and sporty.

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  Love my Matrix - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By DramaQueen01 - June 4 - 6:40 am

  I love my Matrix and it is fun to drive. My son who is 19 was really impressed with the way it looks and drives, which surprised me. I didnt think it would be sporty enough for him. Handles great in the snow and rain. Visibility could be better as sometimes it is difficult to see something that is at the front/side of the vehicle when driving. But overall Its great to drive. Reliaiblity is A1.

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  Just my thoughts - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By neffster - June 4 - 1:23 am

  Where are the memory seats and mirrors??? Just one step away from perfection...

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  Stylish, sporty, & safe - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By saphyrefly - June 3 - 7:53 pm

  Ive only had my new 05 Corolla (S model, AT with extra value pkg) for a little over 24 hours now, but Im in love. Its an awesome compact car. Toyota has great reliability history. Its so easy and fun to drive. Gas mileage is great. Ive heard people complain of engine noise, but my car is nice & quiet. The interior is simple, but nice...and user-friendly. As for my cars sporty red exterior, I love it. The Corollas the way to go if youre looking for an all-around great compact sedan. The LE models were very nice, too, but the sporty S fits my taste better as a 22-year-old.

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  Great SUV - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By jjm_jr - June 3 - 7:18 pm

  I bought my Highlander about 1 month ago, and its a dream to drive. I am running about 19 mpg, taking it easy on the throttle. On trips she is a dream. I previously drove a 08 FJ Cruiser and loved it, but had enough with the noise in the cabin. The Higjlander is a Fantastic SUV, as it feels more like a luxury car no more road noise either.

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  A Pleasant Surprize - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By bbrimmer - June 3 - 11:32 am

  I was looking for an AWD vehicle to replace the FWD Toyota Camry Hybrid (great car). the winter travel in New England has become too tough without AWD. I searched hard and had considered Volvo, Lexus and BMW crossovers. The Venza won hands down with all the features of the competition and a price tag of $10-12K less. Personally, I have always had good luck with Toyota. The Venza is very comfortable and drives like a car. My only question had been whether to get the 4 or 6 cylinder. Better gas mileage won out (after all I was driving a hybrid) and I am not disappointed with the amount of zip the 4 cylinder has.

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  Retired - Long Trip - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Ottawa - June 3 - 10:10 am

  Over the past six weeks, drove to Florida and back. First car that doesnt aggravate my problem lower back, thanks to the power lumbar - great! Wife found the passenger seat to be very comfortable, even after 8 hours in the car on the first day with terrible weather in NY and Penn. She liked the cruise control, but would have preferred the buttons on the steering wheel like our Taurus had. I found the passenger seat could use power setup to get better sitting positions, although I had no trouble falling asleep. Probably because of the smooth and reasonably quiet ride. Came with Michelin Energys which are fine, but noisy in turns.

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  Love my new 2008 LC - 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By bulabarry - June 3 - 3:03 am

  Traded in my 2000 LC for 2008 LC. I also own a 2004 LC. I like everything about the 08 LC (including the new design). I tow a large boat that was a problem for my 2000 LC - not a problem with the 08! The 08 has better power, handling, off-road capabilities, more rugged, really sharp looking interior (and exterior). To me the 08 is worth every penny.

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  2006 V6 AWD RAV4 - Whats not to like! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Jack Ketch - June 2 - 3:13 pm

  Great small SUV with comfort, handling and plenty of power. The only think I do not like about this car is the front console cup holders which are too large. Other than that I am totally satisfied.