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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  My Lucky Little Car - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Silverchild - May 21 - 1:23 am

  I had absolutely no interest in this car when I went car shopping. Now that I have it I could not be happier! The car is both fun to drive and reliable. I purchased it with 30,000 miles and have had no problems whatsoever despite the high mileage. The seats are comfortable and thats saying something with my awful back problems! The dash is beautiful and easy to read, the gear shift is set in a position that is both natural and comfortable, visibility is supreme with few blind spots and cargo room is fantastic. The back and passenger seats have hard plastic back covers for protection when toting large items, the passenger seat folds down as a table top and the car has 3 power plugs!!

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  TASHAS RAV4 - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By cameron - May 20 - 4:30 pm

  So far put 8600 miles no problems to report to date, Awesome fuel economy for the type of vehicle avg 26mpg. Typical Toyota fit and finish and quality. Previous Toyota had 180000 miles without breakdowns and parts from the factory are very reasonable certainly cheaper than our Honda, also lot easier to maintain, dont have to take half the dashboard apart to change the a/c filter like our previous CR-V.

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  Cannot beat it! - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By fastlif - May 20 - 3:26 pm

  Purchased the Limited, could not be more happy. Ride, comfort, style, features, quality all cannot be beaten by anyone for the price. Love the keyless ignition, the a/c, stereo. We are only in our 30s and Toyota got us to buy it, the new styling, more room, and its a safe car. If you are in the market for an Avalon, you will most likely come across alot of people trying to put it down. There is good reason, Toyota has done it again, building a car that is above average, higher resale value, safer, and some really cool features that NO one else has. So yeah, its good to be the king.

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  New Rav4 - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By smllfry1 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Just bought. Fun to drive..Very good looking Have only one question. I hear a squeal at low speeds, with the window down. Is this normal., or should I be concerned. Email me anyone with help Otherwise wonderful car smllfry1@aol.com

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  Great car... - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By suel99 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  We bought this new in 1999 and currently have 67000 miles. This has been a very reliable car for us. It drives nice, the trunk is big and it gets decent gas mileage. The only problem I had was with the rear retractable seat belts. Both left and right broke within a week. With two kids in carseats, thats NOT OK. And of course it was just past the expiration of the warranty so it costed $270.00. Mechanically, it has been problem free. I replaced brakes for the first time at 60K and tires not much before that.

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  im lovin it! - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By sandman91b - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Since my wife and I are both 63" and have 3 children we have been thru the ropes with Ford and Chevy both. After owning my Malibu for 4 months I swore Id never own another Chevy or Ford product. I did get wrangled into test driving a Trailblazer EXT. During the test drive the 4WD went out and the side window got stuck in an open condition. That was the end of that. I did alot of review reading on several vehicles and it took me to Toyota. I went out to the dealer and test drove the Highlander(way too small for 5) then the 4Runner(just a hair to small) then we climbed into the Sequoia. It was a match made in heaven. My dad has a Camry..300,000+.

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  Podkas evaluation - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Podka - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This is the right car at the right time and at the right place. I have owned this car for 12 months and have enjoyed the performance and comfort and reliabity it offers. Gas mileage is great. I have noticed that mileage is effected by the terrain you are negotiating. I live in a hilly area and that drags my average surface street mileage down to about 42mpg. However, traveling on the freeway, at speeds of 70-80 mph, I usually get 54 to 62 mpg. All in all, the Pruis is a very reliable and economical form of transportatlion. I love it more everyday as I check fuel prices!!

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  I love this suv - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By ld2993 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  We taste drove another suv brand and it did not compare to the Toyota 4Runner. It is so comfortable. My husband loves the way he sits in it and hes truck guy. We are so happy we got it.

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  awesome - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By armus - May 20 - 10:00 am

  you feel safe driving this kind of car. the best suv ive ever driven. the moment i started driving it i know its the kind of car i was looking. highly recommended!!!

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  great vehicle - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By jorj - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I like the ride, and it is comfortable for all. I have the CE and it have everything I need. It is deffently up graded from the CE we have from 1997.