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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  Saving money and time - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By L C McClure - November 23 - 8:03 am

  This vehicle has served my transportation needs admirably, since the first day of ownership! Maintenance and performance records have fulfilled my ideals of auto ownership frugality - in time saved and money well spent. This car has proven itself to be an adequate replacement for the Chevy Geo, which is no longer produced. I expect it to "run" for a full one hundred thousand miles + !

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  Love Love Love - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Pickles - November 23 - 7:33 am

  Ive had my car since May 16th, 2008 and just love it. Its Everglade Metallic, beautiful green color, it does look silver sometimes. I love the moonroof, didnt think I would, nice to watch the rain. Back seats have lots of leg room. We seem to get good gas mileage, havent been on a long trip yet though. I love the inside door handles, very neat looking and the bluetooth is great. I also had to get dealer to help me with that. I had a 2000 Rav 4 and this is much larger and still easy to drive and park. I did have a Nissan Murano that was totalled in October.

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  Great Trip Van - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By wil12345 - November 23 - 2:34 am

  We purchased our Sienna 14 months ago and have driven it 19k miles. We still have our 2001 Sienna with 135k miles on it and the new van has improved in every way. Didnt like the van at first because of the ride, but replaced the run flats with normal tires and it now rides and drives like a luxury vehicle. We get about 20 mpg in town and 25 mpg on the road. So far, we are very pleased.

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  Nice Truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By Sidney - November 23 - 1:46 am

  Excellent to this date. I have replaced the oil every 6000 miles, brakes as needed along with the air filter. The spark plugs were replaced at 120,000 to be safe. The Toyota is better than my smaller Nissan truck in gas mileage and comfort. It is worth the price difference.

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  Preliminary Review - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Mitchell - November 23 - 1:40 am

  Purchased LE V6 with only floor/trunk mat accessory.This is a lot of car for the money. Fit and finish are superb, both inside and out. Vehicle ride is extremely smooth, compliant and quiet - very close to Lexus quality (I own a Lexus) for thousands of dollars less. Plenty of leg, seat and headroom. Fold down rear seats with trunk pass through is useful feature. 268 HP V6 with 6 speed auto transmission is very responsive and smooth. Power is unobtrusively transferred such that one could be cruising on 80 (or above) and not even realize it. Probably unmatched value for the money. I like the new bodystyle. Thats personal however.Will get back after we have put a few thousand miles on it.

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  Toyota ECHO - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By kneisl1 - November 22 - 8:23 pm

  I have owned this car for 15 months now and have had absolutely no trouble with it. It is an EXCELLENT small car, probably the best small car built in terms of quality, price, performance, and comfort.

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  Owning a Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Carol - November 22 - 2:00 pm

  I enjoy driving this car, and even more so now that gas has gotten so expensive. The interior design is such that there are plenty of storage areas... about the only thing this car lacks, which I would choose to have, is a sun roof.

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  WE LOVE IT! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By jjrigadoon - November 22 - 4:30 am

  My husband & I are in our 60s and it took a day to get used to the center dash and now we much prefer it. No lights glaring in your face at night, handy glovebox at all times. We had a Volkswagon GTI which my husband loved for its power and handling. If this had the power, it would be as much fun, however, it has plenty of power for the size and gas usage. No trouble getting up to speed to merge on interstates, which was a concern.

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  Blue Streak - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By musky - November 21 - 11:43 pm

  I purchased the 2008 Version 4 cylinder model I drove the 6 and the 4 and decided on the 4 because I didnt sense much of a difference. I seem to choose cars that end production the year I buy them. I had a great Celica. I am more than pleased with performance. Mileage stated on the sticker was 21 31 and so far after about 3000 miles I am getting 28 39 , so I am very pleased with that. Rides very smoothly. No problems at highway speeds. Rear seats fold down so along with the roomy trunk there is plenty of storage room.

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  Cincinnati - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By kw - November 21 - 10:53 pm

  Confortable for short and tall.