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:

• 

  Engineer - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By upkar - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Camry XLE is fully loaded luxery mid size car.

• 

  Cant ever go wrong with a toyota! - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Adam Turner - May 20 - 7:26 am

  Toyota Corolla will be the only car you will ever need! EXCELLENT Vehicle! Toyota builds them with superior quality, and dedication. I recommend buying any Toyota product no matter what your looking for! I have driven the cobalt, focus and malibu, and they cant compete! I love this car!

• 

  Great Car - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By kph1983 - May 20 - 2:12 am

  Had a Toyota Camry SE V6 as a company car for three years (97,500 miles). Thoroughly enjoyed driving this car. Car combines great performance from V6 engine with good gas mileage. 70% highway driving yielded roughly 26 MPG. Strictly highway trips around 29 MPG. Camry accelerated well and handled like a smaller sports car. Comfort of cloth seats was not excellent but nothing to complain about. Extremely reliable as no other maintenance than oil changes and tire rotation. Would recommend this car to anyone!

• 

  Great ride. - 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By jax290 - May 19 - 7:32 pm

  This is my second FJ Cruiser, so Im already partial to this vehicle. Ive taken my 09 hunting in eastern Nevada, and I was very impressed with its 4wd ability. I took this rig through areas quads had problems with, and it performed. I have no doubt that the 14 FJ would do as well. Im amazed that Toyota is discontinuing this model after this year. These are great. I love both of mine, and wouldnt trade them for anything comparable. My 09 is a manual transmission, and the 14 is an automatic.

• 

  Prius 4 Touring a treat! - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Bryn James - May 19 - 4:25 pm

  Read all the specs before shopping. I spend 10-12 hours doing research but it was worth it. The Prius is not one car; there are many models and one more is forthcoming by the end of 2016. In the beginning I was confused. Prius C, Prius Persona, Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Three Touring, Prius Four, Prius Four Touring (my choice), Prius V. This car was purchased for my 18 year-old daughter who is in college in Marin County California so her priority was mileage. The Prius cant be beat in this category. I wanted safety included so I chose the safety features of the Prius Four Touring. The lane deviation warnings and the breaking features. The internet has charts comparing the features so be sure and find out which model is best for your needs. The car gives you a tutorial after you drive it. My first drive from the lot was from 4 miles to 6 miles. The lesson: you can get better mileage if you dont accelerate so quickly. Ouch! Lesson learned. The trim lines of the car and those unique tail lights that stand out at night on the 2016 model are classy. We also bought her the tire and wheel warranty, Cilajet coating and the maintenance plan. Check the prices of options with the finance manager. That increased the price about $4,125. We got a $2,000 credit and 1.9% 5-year financing. The paid for price includes all options, sales tax, license and processing fee. It is the out the door price. The MSRP was $32,964. By the way, my daughter loves her new Prius. She has some wheels to go with that 3.7 GPA. The father is a happy man.

• 

  Great Small Truck! - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By MHadden - May 19 - 3:23 pm

  I owned a 2001 Sonoma years before buying this truck. There is no comparison. This truck feels like it has a V6 (only a 2.7L 4 cyl) and has an awesome ride while not being too harsh. What takes the cake is the great gas mileage. I didnt buy this truck for mileage, but Im averaging 25 mpg with about 40%/60% city/highway driving. Not to shabby. The composite bed is nice, Im sure it saves a few pounds off of the weight. I was bummed that it doesnt come with a tow package, but I did buy the OE hitch system for it. The man. trans is awesome, even when pulling a load. Keep your mud flaps on, the paint chips easily along the rockers; I found out the hard way.

• 

  Like this car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Candy - May 19 - 10:06 am

  Ive changed cars a lot over the years. I plan to actually keep this one. I like the way it handles, looks and the gas mileage. Its comfortable and just the right size. Small enough to be easily manuevered into parking spots but nicely fits up to 4 adults and a child.

• 

  Go green and love it! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By colleengreen07 - May 19 - 6:10 am

  I have a history of driving cheaper cars and replacing them every 2-3 years. I loved the idea of the hybrid with great gas mileage and environment friendly. I have only owned the car for 5 weeks but love it. I have 2 co-workers who now want to buy one. The mileage is not as high as advertised but I do average 48 mpg and no other car comes close. I live in the Phoenix, AZ area and the fact that I get to use the carpool lane is definitely a plus.

• 

  78 year old woman is loving this car - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By 78 year old woman is loving this car - May 18 - 9:56 pm

  This will probably be our last car. My husband is 85. The both of us love this car. I am always the first one out from a traffic light. The car handles beautifully. I drive mostly on city streets but occasionally I do drive on the Southern California freeways. Over 55 years we have had quite a few cars including a Cadillac and three Mercedes. This car beats them all. The only problem is getting into the car. My husband is 511" and I am 54", and we both have trouble getting in. But I just say, "Hey, its a sports car. What do you expect? Someone complained about the colors. It only comes in white, blue and black cherry pearl. We got the black cherry. You never miss it in a parking lot. And since Toyota made only 8,100 of them you probably wont see it very often. We bought the car through Costco.

• 

  78 year old woman is loving this car - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By 78 year old woman is loving this car - May 18 - 9:56 pm

  This will probably be our last car. My husband is 85. The both of us love this car. I am always the first one out from a traffic light. The car handles beautifully. I drive mostly on city streets but occasionally I do drive on the Southern California freeways. Over 55 years we have had quite a few cars including a Cadillac and three Mercedes. This car beats them all. The only problem is getting into the car. My husband is 511" and I am 54", and we both have trouble getting in. But I just say, "Hey, its a sports car. What do you expect? Someone complained about the colors. It only comes in white, blue and black cherry pearl. We got the black cherry. You never miss it in a parking lot. And since Toyota made only 8,100 of them you probably wont see it very often. We bought the car through Costco.