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:

• 

  I love my truck - 1997 Toyota T100
  By High School Brat - March 11 - 10:00 am

  this truck is such a great vehicle, i have yet to get stuck and i got hunting, four wheeling and everything through the snow, rain, sleet, hail, and everything. i love my truck...i have been in a couple bang ups in it, and it still runs perfect with the dents and no repair. the seat belts work a little too perfect though, they always lock...which i guess is a good thing. i got the truck for my freshman year of high school and it has been with me through my graduation year. this year. and i will continue to take it to college. its a smart buy.

• 

  Celica GTS 2002 - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By CelicaLicious - March 11 - 10:00 am

  This is a GREAT car, even though for the 2002 model they lowered the fuel cut off from 8300 to 7800, making the car about .7 seconds slower in the 1/4mile. a lot of people have been complaining about it to car & driver, and other reputable magazines.. hopefully toyota will recall all 2002s and update our ECUs. but overall this is a great car! but if you plan on forced induction you are better off with the GT model, the GTS has a 11.5 compression ratio, and thats way too high..

• 

  totally in love! - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By lilcavey - March 11 - 10:00 am

  I am so in love with my new car! Not only is the Corolla totally redesigned for 2003, it is so much fun to drive! The performance of my vehicle so far has been great, especially in high volume traffic.

• 

  Toyota gets it right with Sienna. - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By kjo - March 11 - 4:13 am

  This car is smooth as silk over the road and probably the quietest car Ive ever driven. The 8 way power drivers seat with power lumbar is the best Ive ever sat in and Im 6 tall. All the gadgets and controls are easy to navigate. The transmission shifts are so subtle, the only hint that it is shifting is the change in RPM on the tach. The fit and finish of this car is very nice and the quality is very good.The engine is plenty powerful for any task. The brakes are very good with just a slight pressure on the pedal, our van has 4 wheel disc, I highly recommend. The JBL sound system and DVD player is icing on the cake. The kids are plenty occupied on a trip with their wireless headphones.

• 

  05 Tacoma DC-LB 4x4 - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By jknutson - March 10 - 1:00 pm

  This is my second Tacoma (first was a 97 ext. cab 4x4), and WOW what a machine! The 97 was rock solid, and so far, the 05 has been just as good. The ride is smooth (w/ long wheelbase), the 4.0L and 5spd tranny is awesome, the 4x4 system works flawlessly, the interior/exterior styling is so much better than the competition IMO. It is everything you would expect from a 28K truck. The only minor complaint I would have is some wind noise at speeds of 65+. MPG is very good for a truck this size (18-20 mpg). Would highly recommend any Tacoma truck!! Tacoma = workhorse.

• 

  Best Car Ever - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By finch13 - March 10 - 10:39 am

  at 49 I have owned many car brands but this solara has been the best ever. Bought it 3 years ago with 82km and now have 171km and it runs like new. 3 weeks ago I hit black ice and went over a bank and almost cried at the thought that it may be totalled. It was repairable and will get it back this week. Regular maintenance & new timing belt, water pump is all Ive ever done to it. Plan on running it until it literally falls apart. Only thing I would trade it for is a newer one with less miles.

• 

  2014 Avalon - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By Dave Schropp - March 10 - 7:53 am

  excellent car. Quality and performance well obove price rnge.

• 

  All around too good - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By bsedgal - March 9 - 2:43 pm

  I got this car with 88K miles a year and a half ago and now have 100K miles. No issues whatsoever. Just great car with great gas mileage. I get 45mpg in the summer and 38mpg in the dead of winter. This is definitely not a fix it yourself kinda vehicle which is sorta a con for me. First of all there is absolutely no working room under the hood. Its extremely compact I get claustrophobic just looking around. Second the hybrid system is of course full of unique electrical parts and highly technical work. somewhat dangerous as well. If it ever has problems I will be completely at the mercy of the dealer and Im sure they will gauge me all the way to the bank. But again, so far no problems.

• 

  Cant Beat the mileage, sold me! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By skopinitout - March 9 - 12:10 pm

  Traded in a 04 Dodge Stratus for a new Corolla and not disappointed a bit. With gas prices soaring at all time high best move i could have made. 32 miles in city and I havent put it on the highway yet!

• 

  Great Van - BAD NAVIGATION - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Great van - Bad Nav - March 9 - 9:00 am

  This is a great van! The quality is great...Toyota. The layout is comfortable. The only negative about the van is the GPS navigation system. Many secondary roads are not on the map. You cannot use the controls while the vehicle is moving. Toyota says it is because of safety, however if you have a passenger along, you cant find a hotel or a place to eat. A real pain. Dont get the GPS, buy an after market model that works on the move. The Toyota GPS is not user friendly and has a poor map (that you pay a fee to update). I have a hand held Garmin that is far superior. Again, great van that I really love just dont waste your money on the poor navigation system.