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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  Great Auto - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Florence - September 28 - 3:46 pm

  I really like the Toyota Corolla S. The vehicle has great pick up and drives very quietly. The features such as the clock, wipers, radio set up are very easy to figure out - therefore user friendly.

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  08 sequoia - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By mr08SEQUOIA - September 28 - 2:36 pm

  I purchased the 2008 Platinum Sequoia for family and weekend road trips. I test drove the Escalade ESV, Suburban, and Expedition XL. I chose the Sequoia with very little deliberation. The ride is smooth and the options are top rate. I love the interior space, the only two complaints I have are the lack of chrome accents for a model labeled platinum and the navigation and radio system. The resolution on the nav system is poor and the text limitation on the radio is just ridiculous for a product from Toyota. I know the profit margins had to be huge, because they did not invest a lot of money to impress customers or be competitive with $150 Nav systems from Best Buy.

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  My First New Car - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By t_mazzullo - September 28 - 8:22 am

  I bought the car from a Honda Dealership in Florida It had 42,000 Miles on it. Ive had it for about 3-4 months now and so far Ive changed the Oil and everything else had been checking out. Yesterday I noticed the Service Engine light on and today when I headed out to take it to Honda it was not on. Other than that no problems and this car is absolutly great. Ive never owned a new car before but im in love.

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  Dream Car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Camry-lover - September 28 - 1:53 am

  I bought the 2002 Camry brand new. I have driven this car for the past 6 years. This car looks very beautiful and drives so smooth. The pickup is good for even a 4 cylinder engine. Riding in the back seat of this leather interior car, is like riding in the business class of an airplane - it is that spacious and comfortable. In these 6 years this car has never let me down even once. Everytime I start the engine, it started and every mile it was problem free. This car is 100% reliable. I have not spent even a single dollar on maintenance costs except the scheduled maintenance / oil changes. Overall, a great car.

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  Best investment made - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Jon - September 27 - 9:46 pm

  The Prius is even better then the hype. The smart key feature is an added safety feature, especially for women drives and hanles very well, surprising pick up, only drawback, is that you do not get to meet your friends at the gas pump that often. very quiet ride

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  BEST CAR ON THE MARKET FOR THE $$ - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Mommi - September 27 - 8:56 pm

  I recently traded in my 03 Corolla S for an 05. I thought the 03 was outstanding! The 05 is even better! I love this car, it has power, space and style. I am 24 and have a 2 year old. When purchasing this car I took into consideration the safety, reliability and of course overall look. It has a sporty exterior with all the comforts of a family sedan. Plus the price cant be beat for the quality!! I recommend this car to anyone!

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  Enjoyable to Drive - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By john - September 27 - 6:56 pm

  I had a 2000 Nissan Quest before purchasing the Sienna and this van handles the road like a luxury car. I had 2 children and 5 adults in my van and it ride was smooth and roomy, best buy for the money.

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  Tacoma - all the way - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Bob - September 27 - 2:56 pm

  I have had this vehicle now for almost 3 months. Love it to death. Had a slight mishap in an off-road extravaganza and messed my rim up. What should have been a bent control and tie rods ended up with just a mere alignment jar. Amazing vehicle inside and out. I get comments from people who drive the F150,250, Dodge 1500, 2500, and Chevy seirra, they all like the comfort of the front seats. Now let me talk about performance, the off-road package is the way to go. Bilstein shocks, and a built in engine braker in the transmission. Great control. Going around bends, this vehicle leans less then my previous 2WD tacoma that was base height, not nearly as high as this. WELL BUILT!

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  Solid coupe - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By Matt - September 27 - 2:40 pm

  Solid sporty coupe, had it for almost six years now and the only maintenance Ive had to perform is changing fluids, tires, etc. It doesnt have massive amounts of power but with a manual its possible to extract decent performance out of the base GT engine. Turning is superb; the car handles like its on a track. The handling compares favorably to a Cooper S and is comparable to a Miata.

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  I Cant Beat This Car - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Bob Wozna - September 27 - 2:16 pm

  First, I should say that my present Prius is the 3rd Prius Ive owned, not because theres problems with them. Ive had NO problems. I avoid keeping cars too long. I take this car everywhere, on short trips and on long ones (even 1200 miles to Florida). My wife has a Camry which she likes but wants to take the Prius when we travel far because its comfortable and to save the gas (she gets about 29mpg and my average since I purchased it on January 2nd, ia 49.4. Thats the amount since I purchased the car because it gets less mileage in winter then in summer (as I suspect all cars do) and I wanted to see the average of both seasons, winter and summer. What more can I say--the car is GREAT!!