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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  Renumber the speedometer, please - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By PlasticMan - March 28 - 10:00 am

  The cars ride is remarkably smooth and quiet on a variety of road surfaces, but perhaps a bit too soft. It is very easy to speed in this car without realizing it. Better use the cruise control on the highway! Steering could be a bit tighter though. The 4 cylinder is quite peppy and I have not regretted buying it instead of the V-6. Gas mileage is excellent for this size car. Transmission shifts are very very smooth.

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  The BEST all-around performing SUV!!! - 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By razfam - March 28 - 6:36 am

  Amazing, we owned it for almost eight years. Put over 100k miles on it, bought it at 60k as a Toyota CPO. Unfortunately, it was totaled at 173k two weeks ago. Thing was amazing, we LOVED LOVE LOVED every minute with this car. We would NEVER have gotten rid of it. Performance, reliability, quality, comfort. What we loved? The ride. Ruggedness. Looks. Quality. Seats amazing. Everything. Loved everything. Few improvement areas like rear A/C would have been nice (they later did this). Just spent two weeks researching like crazy a replacement SUV. Drove everything, including MB GL 470, Audi Q7, Volvo XC 90, Escalade...What are we getting? Another Land Cruiser. 05 model, p/u this week!

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  Love It! - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By fourthrowe - March 28 - 3:16 am

  I recently purchased this vehicle with 67K miles on it. I love it. First, for a tall wagon it gets great mileage (I see 24 in reality, mostly city driving). It has cargo room enough to haul most practical loads. It is also very quick considering its a 4 cylinder suv. Brakes, steering, suspension all very responsive. Not great for stop and go traffic because it makes almost no power below 2500 rpm. Took me a while to not spin the tires on startup. Very practical vehicle with few compromises. The perfect cargo loading height means no rear bumper though.

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  Love our Camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Bigg E - March 27 - 7:40 pm

  My wife and I love our car. It gets great gas mileage, rides smooth and has just the right amount of power. We both like the sporty look. We would never have bought any of the other bland looking Camry models. Im a big guy and I am very comfortable driving this car. We have not had one problem with our car. Would definitely recommend.

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  Great vehicle - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Ron - March 27 - 2:20 am

  We went from a 98 Acura RL that we bought new to a 09 Camry Hybrid and went from Premium fuel at 22mpg to regular fuel and 36.2 mpg. even higher on the road. The Camry has been great with no complaints. Ride is smooth,power is ample and service is what you expect from a Camry. We are pleased and will probably add a 2nd Hybrid when we find what we want.

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  Great 4X4 I LOVE IT!! - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rider - March 27 - 12:53 am

  My 4runner is a very reliable truck, gas mileage is about 20 miles per gallon but is fun and I love it everyday. Great truck!!

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  So far we like it - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Ray - March 26 - 8:56 pm

  Bought it in Nov 2006. Two years is too short a period to rate but so far we really like this minivan. We had check engine light once but at dealership they told us that we accidentally cut a wire under the seat and they fixed it for free.

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  06 Limited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Dennis in Wisconsin - March 26 - 3:06 pm

  Great Automobile. Only one item I would like to see improved. The flip up door for the front cup holders, the way it is positioned it is not real user frienly for the driver. Smooth to drive, quiet with adequate power. Really like the push button start.

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  Tundra - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By Roberto - March 26 - 2:40 pm

  I had my Tundra in Mexico for 3 years. All we had were dirt roads and since we were on the beach, there was a salt spray problem. This truck is outstanding. It runs just like new and has no rattles.

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  Corolla review - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By Janice - March 26 - 1:59 pm