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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  2006 Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By L. Larsen - December 19 - 9:06 am

  The car is fun to drive and has very good mileage. It makes me proud to drive it as I know I am doing my part to help the environment and using as little gasoline as possible.

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  Proud to Own My Rav - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Bill - December 19 - 3:33 am

  I own a 2008 RAV Sport V6 with 4WD. I love my new vehicle and hope that it will be as reliable as I have read. Full economy is currently about 21.5 avg MPG to 24.5 MPG. This is driving gently while trying to avoid quick starts and hard stops. I would like better fuel economy but the RAV is still a best in its class. I had body moldings installed as I was worried that the unprotected doors would get dinged to easily.

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  Good Overall Value for a Family Car - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By RichLeja - December 19 - 12:20 am

  We bought this new with a roof rack, cruise, rear AC, and the tow package. We liked it because it drove the most like a car compared to other MVs and for the Toyota reputation. We had a few problems (fuel injectors - fixed on warranty, sticky sliding door button, etc), which werent big issues. During the 130K miles, the only major repairs (on us) were to replace the brakes (including drums/discs) twice and a new timing belt. Other than that, this has been a really good car for us. It has served us well, even with the abuse from 2 little boys. It is roomy and rides great. On several long trips, it got great freeway mileage (25+), even towing a small jet ski trailer.

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  Awesome car - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Prius2x - December 18 - 6:40 pm

  I think everybody should consider this car. At least ride in one and see all that it can do. Comfortable ride, quiet, great seats and new adjustable-for-height drivers seat (with lumbar support if leather, also heated). Tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Good sound system... wish it had standard iPod connectivity, although it has an Aux input in the console. A great highway cruiser... I feel like Im driving a luxury car!

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  Whats not to like! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By PJC - December 18 - 3:50 pm

  I have always had fast sport cars and performance, quality and style were always important to me but I grew up and gas got expensive so I had to find a car that I could compromise with. The Camry fit that bill. Its not a fast sports car but the 4 cylinder has good performance for what it is. The style is sporty for a 4 door. Its not built like my Mercedes and I dont expect it to be for 45K less but it comes close enough for me to enjoy the car. We just put some nice wheels and tires on the car and that made a big difference in appearance. I now drive the Camry more than my Mercedes because of its fuel economy and I dont mind it a bit, its a fine automobile.

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  A very fun and reliable SUV - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Diego - December 18 - 6:53 am

  Purchased in Nov 2007 and simply love driving my new 2008 RAV4. Im amazed at how agile and fun this thing drives. Its like driving a peppy little sports car that sits high off the ground. The vehicle is well engineered and the traction control and 4wd provide impressive handling in the snow. The only downside I see to the vehicle is somewhat lower mileage than I had hoped for/expected. I get around 23-24 mpg on mixed city/highway driving.

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  Terrific car - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Keith Johnson - December 17 - 1:26 pm

  This car is everything they brag it up to be. It is not the prettiest car on the road, but is very roomy and comfortable on the inside. I drive it to get the most milleage, which means no gunning it at a green light and coasting up to a red light. I honestly get 50 mpg and better all of the time. I have only taken it on one road trip and that was from Phoenix to Las Vegas, about 650 miles round trip, I averaged 51.8 mpg on the entire trip. I would recommend this car to everyone.

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  Fantastic Avalon XLS - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By Mark - December 17 - 3:53 am

  Fantastic Car, tight as the day I bought it. Great gas mileage, quiet, comfortable, reliable. I am looking into buying a new Avalon and giving this to my son. I have had no problems other than new tires, brakes and normal oil changes. Toyota quality at its best. I bought an 03 Highlander based on my experience with this Avalon. Cant think of a better car for the money. If you are looking for a reliable car with no worries I highly recommend an Avalon. My friends comment on how well it rides, how quiet and comfortable it is on long trips. I will have this car in the family for years.

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  I LOVE MY MATRIX - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By PLANTGIRL - December 17 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS SUCH A GREAT CAR! I LOVE ALL THE SPACE AND THE WAY IT LOOKS. HONESTLY, THIS IS THE IDEAL CAR FOR ME...GREAT GAS MILEAGE, AFFORDABLE, SMALL CAR WITH LOTS OF SPACE. I COULDNT HAVE ASKED FOR MORE!

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  No Matrix pun/ movie tie in here! - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By spaceacealpha - December 17 - 2:00 am

  This is an excellent car for its price range. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would do the same and get the XR. The XRS has a more powerful engine, only at 5500RPM. Below that it has the same HP as the others, even the base model. It doesnt have as many aftermarket accessories as the XR either. You can add the currently available engine accessories to the XR and get just as much power with a full powerband over the RPM range. IE: A supercharged XR with CAI can beat a stock XRS. This has been proven on the track. I love my XR and I cant wait to start hopping it up with custom accessories!