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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  Love it - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Robert Murray - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Im very happy with my Camry

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  2011 Toy Highlander V6 4WD - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By jonjon111 - June 7 - 6:18 am

  Excellent vehicle overall. Excellent alternative to a van. Previously owned vans for the past 10 years (Sienna & Odyssey). It was time for a change. We shopped around for the best mid size replacement as an alternative to a van at our price point. Our biggest concern was loosing the versatility of a van, which will always be there. We drove the Ford Edge, GMC Terrain, and Toyota Venza. Of the three we ruled out the Edge & Terrain. The Venza was the best of the three. We then realized a must for us was a 3rd seat to accomodate additional passengers as needed. We realized we had to increase our price point & test drove the Highlander. We immediately realized this to be a perfect fit.

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  Very nice ride - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By manya - June 6 - 6:40 am

  I am very pleased with my new Venza. This is a very thoughtfully built vehicle. There are several holders for my phone, ipod and other stuff. The ride is smooth although it does not pick up very quickly. The bluetooth pairing and setting up the garage opener was easy. Manual explains everything. I have the normal speakers and they work just fine for me.

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  I like mine - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Teenage driver - June 5 - 6:16 pm

  My mother bought this car for me last year. I commute everyday to school since in Montana we hav a lot of rural places. this car has awesome gas mileage and it has a smooth ride. The stock speakers are nothing special but I replaced them with JBL speakers i found in another Toyota that was wrecked. Oh and I also get lifetime oil changes. During the winter just get a sand bag n put it in the trunk these cars tend to slide their tales in a turn as I experienced a couple of times. Would recommend to anyone the manual is awesome skip the automatic I test drove one and it was pathetic.

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  Is it OK to love a car? - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Dan P - June 5 - 2:36 am

  The Camry Hybrid is a marvel of technology. Toyota has done a fantastic job! Ride is extremely quiet, the smart key technology is awesome, luxurious feel with decent options, very safe for family. I can go on and on. The bottom line is that I am smiling ear to ear when driving this car. I hope Toyota brings this technology to all of their cars and makes this standard equipment. It truly is awesome!

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  Land Tank - 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By darko - June 4 - 4:56 pm

  Waited 10 years to buy this. This SUV is simply amazing. Go anywhere performance and enough class to hit the clubs in Scottsdale. Ive driven in 3 ft of snow, deep mud, rock fields and through streams... never, ever been worried about getting stuck. It is still as rattle and squeak free as the first day I drove it home. I plan to hang on to it for many years to come.

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  High on the Highlander - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Ron Rago - June 4 - 6:24 am

  Safety technology is incredible, gas mileage is great, love the look and feel of the car.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By PL3828 - June 3 - 3:06 pm

  I am so impressed with the reliability and performance of my Toyota 4Runner that I dont think I will ever buy any brand other than Toyota. Its nice to know that every morning when I leave for work that I will not have to worry about my vehicle starting and getting me where I need to go in comfort and style. I have owned American cars in the past and they just cant touch Toyota in terms of reliability. Have driven over 45000 miles in less than two years and not had ANY problems. I drive about 55-60 miles per hour on the highway and average 25- 26 mpg.

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  First Toyota I have owned - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Joyce - June 3 - 9:16 am

  This car is a wonderful piece of machinery. The handling in marvelous, along with the comfort. Many people see the car, and think it is new. I have nothing negative to say about this car.

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  Years and years of trouble-free driving - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Pat - June 3 - 6:36 am

  Brakes, tires, gas and oil are all this car has needed for 10 years/150k miles. It just keeps going, so my only complaint is boredom. The car is the most dependable I have owned and gets you from point A to point B, without much excitement along the way. I eventually had some front-end and suspension work done so that I can keep it as a second car. It feels like it still has several more years in it.