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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  Seqouia - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By carlos williams - June 16 - 10:00 am

  Very Good SUV, Beautiful ride, roomy and wide, drives better and more solid than other premium SUVs

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  Great Car!!!! - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By summer25 - June 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is wonderful, no matter how many times I crashed it, it always ran like it was new. I couldnt ask for a more reliable car.

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  awesome truck - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By pilgrimknob - June 16 - 10:00 am

  Best truck I have ever owned! Everything is top notch quality. Performs like a sports sedan. Tows my big boat. I love it!!!

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  A great choice! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By lobeck - June 16 - 10:00 am

  We had looked at all similar cars and were pretty sold on the 02 Passatt. After leaving the VW dealership, we passed a Toyota dealership and thought wed test drive the Camry just to see if our minds could be changed. Boy, are we glad we did! The XLE-V6 is a fantastic car! The only options we didnt get were the spoiler and the navigation system, and it was still about $4K less than the Passatt. Id definitely consider the Camry...

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  MY VENZA 2011 - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By flakers30 - June 16 - 7:17 am

  MY venza is great so far, I love the intnerior. The leather seems to be an upgrade from my camtry XLE loaded, except for no nav. This vehicle is just about as high up as a truck on the inside, pluus the power steering feels better than the carmy. I love the wood grain interior and My gas mileage so far HAS BEEN averaging 24 MPG with a mix of city and highway. Highway gas goes between30-40 MPG when on cruiise control at m65-70 MPH. I needed room in the back for my work stuff, and there is plenty of space and the cover for there is a god ideA. there is a good idea to put the tint inside the glass & I can see out through the tint at night, no more opening windows so I could see,

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  My new Avalon Limited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Kathy from NCarolina - June 15 - 6:00 pm

  Im finding it a very fun car to drive. Mine is all tricked out with Laser Cruise, and voice DVD navigation, VSC, 6 disc CD changer.

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  A Good Option - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Baudilio C - June 15 - 4:23 pm

  I have owned this car for almost two years now, and so far no problems. I am getting from 29-31 mpg when I drive it more than 90% of the time on the highway. The car is very spacious inside and the radio system sounds pretty good actually. I have the A/C on the minimum all the time and I live in Miami; thats how cold it is. Right now my Camry has 50K miles.

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  Reliability, Style and Sport - A list - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Warren - June 15 - 4:00 pm

  After owning a Camry for 185,000 trouble free miles, I committed to the next Toyota model up, the Avalon. The ride, handling and mileage has satisfied my appeal. What has grown is the appreciation for the design. It sleek and complements the interior proportions perfectly. I could not have wished for a better auto to drive, enjoy and admire. I expect 100,000 plus trouble free miles and look to my Toyota service department to help that happen. Couldnt be happier.

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  Best car Ive ever owned! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Nancy Green - June 15 - 12:00 pm

  My 07 Prius is getting well over 50 miles/gal, and I chuckle as I drive past the gas station! It is without a doubt the best car purchase I ever made. I like having the key fob rather than a conventional key to open & start the car, and appreciate the feature that will not permit you to lock the key inside!

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  New age for an old man - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By koy - June 15 - 2:06 am

  I am a 78 year old male who loves autos, trucks and suvs. Our hylander hybrid is a great vehicle.