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:

• 

  Its on the name - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Jorge - October 22 - 9:23 pm

  Feel good when driving and it feels safe also I feel lot better when I know my wife and my little girl are safer when they are driving.

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Layne2008 - October 22 - 8:36 pm

  This car has been great so far. The gas mileage is exactly what the sticker says. 16 city and 24 highway. I have averaged 20mpg since I purchased the car. Remember you are driving a car/suv that seats 6/7 people. This not a small vehicle do not expect 30 mpg? The Highlander is very roomy and the second row is great. The captains chairs are awesome. XM have the dealer do it or if you want to save $100 bucks buy the parts from the dealer, then take the parts to a stereo shop for installation. Just came out of a Sierra snow storm and the highlander performed well. AWD works well and the snow button softens your throttle inputs. Toyo A20s are wearing quickly. Had dealer make a note of this.

• 

  Dicks car - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Richard - October 22 - 6:35 pm

• 

  The Hybrid for 2008 - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Jaxn - October 22 - 6:33 pm

  Top quality as expected from Toyota. I am tracking 54 mpg in the city and 47 on the highway. 70/30 respectively. Comfort, turning radius, amenities, vehicle handling and most importantly fuel economy make this the only choice for todays car owner.

• 

  Celica GT-S - 2005 Toyota Celica
  By John - October 22 - 4:33 pm

  I have a 2000 Celica and it it is one of the funnest sports cars that I have driven. It has great handeling and is fast and fun to drive with the 6- speed. If you do get it with the manuel transmission you have to like to shift because it has a close gear ratio.

• 

  Luxury mini-van - 2009 Toyota Sienna
  By Eugene Coles - October 22 - 3:30 pm

  Just purchased my new mini-van yesterday. What a blast. I only have about 30 miles on the van at this point. The location of the instrument panel is ergonomically excellent. The option package is awesome, but requires some study to operate with aplomb. The interior looks Rolls like in quality; and fit and finish. The exterior styling is good but no match for the interiors Rolls look. The engine is more than adequate and powerful, and matches the transmission which is smooth as silk. I was really surprised by the tight turning radius of the vehicle. When driving this van, I automatically think I am in a luxury automobile costing tens of thousands more than the actual cost.

• 

  Great Value Vehicle-Terrible Bluetooth Instructions! - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By hysteria - October 22 - 12:28 pm

  My wife and I both love this vehicle. Weve taken it on 2 very long trips and it perfoms great. We get over 26 mpg. Our only gripe is that the bluetooth instructions in the owners manual are complete garbage! Ive had to take it to the dealer 3 times to get the bluetooth working. The rep at the dealership (who told me she had to "go to school to learn how to program phones for Toyotas bluetooth technology) had major problems trying to get our phones synched up. It took her over 40 minutes to get it working. She also stated NOT to follow the owners manual instructions. What should be an easy application made difficult by Toyotas good for nothing instructions.

• 

  toyota 4runner - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Anastasia - October 22 - 10:00 am

  i love this car

• 

  Hatchback review from Sydney - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By SydneyGirl - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Hi guys, after reading that the US dont have Hatchbacks I thought I would post my own review up, I have a silver hatchback Echo, 4 door, 1.3L engine that I purchased in July last year. It is an excellent car, I was trying to decide between it and the Daihatsu Sirion (both were same price, but the Sirion had electric everything + CD) but ended up going with the Echo for its solid construction. I havent regretted it, great car, very fun to drive, handles well, reliable and you can pack so much into it.

• 

  A perfect investment - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Will up North - October 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car used with 28K on it. Now it has 130K and still going. Only problem is the brakes squeak but they work. ABS light comes on but brakes still work. A perfect investment and very reliable.