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 car - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rridgwa - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Traded my Explorer for this car. I needed the towing capacity, but am completely satisfied with everything. Well built, comfortable and better mileage than the V-6 Ford. 21 MPG on the highway. Climbs gravel mountain roads with ease and havent seen a boat ramp it wont pull my 4000 lbs boat out of. Even my wife noted, this car will go anywher. Great car.

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  2004 4Runner V8 Limited 4WD - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By VWebber - March 18 - 10:00 am

  LOVE THIS CAR!! Has all the bells & whistles! Has the camera that comes on when you put it in reverse! Smooth ride, looks great, easy to drive!

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  Drive up into the mountains - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Rob - March 18 - 8:26 am

  I am very happy with this car! Fun to drive.Gorgeous interior. Plenty of pep. A fun little commuter car. 26 inch fully assembled mtn bike fits in back. My gas mileage is 30 around town, 37 on hwy. A\C nice and cold. Nice control layout and function. Car is very well sealed from outside air. Moderate road noise, not super quiet (recommend loud stereo). Some Corolla reviews I have read talk about the tires skidding on turns and other nonsense. This car handles beautifully. It is tight and responsive, but its not a dang race car. If you want to play Fast and Furious, buy something else.

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  Toyota another winner - 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  By woodsink39 - March 18 - 3:55 am

  I have been buying Toyotas since late nineties gave up on American iron. I love this car it is great! Wanted a hybrid and luxury this covers all the bases. The ride is excellent the interior is plush and quiet outside is aggressive and has presence. The fit and finish is top notch and was a great value. Shopped around several luxury brands Mercedes, Lexus, BMW and infinity. None could come close to the included items and luxury for the cost. The ride is supple and quiet acceleration is adequate for any driving situation. I commute 40 miles each way and use a mix of highway and mountainous secondary roads and this car eats it up with ease. All this and I avg 38 mpg. Would recommend highly!

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  The Most Reliable Car Ever - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By teamyaris - March 18 - 3:19 am

  First, a little about myself. I am a 55 year old male who has owned more than a dozen cars in his lifetime, including trucks, SUVs, minivans, and a variety of small cars including Hondas, Toyotas, and Fords, dating back to the 1970s. Without a doubt, this is the most reliable and lowest cost of ownership car I have ever owned. I bought it new for $12,000 and it is now nearing 100K miles. Other than oil changes and topping off the fluids, and changing tires, it is maintenance free. Manual transmission has been fun to drive, easy to keep up with the traffic flow at speeds up to 70 mph. Mileage is 38-42mpg. Who needs a hybrid? Headroom is fine and the hatchback is convenient.

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  4runner 4 Life - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Geraldine - March 17 - 10:42 pm

  I am approaching 202K miles on this Baby ! I have a rare 4 cylinder 2WD 4runner. It is great on gas and I have to select less steeper hills in San Francisco but so what, I still love my car. I just follow the regular maintenance for oil and spark plugs and its all gravy. I get many offers to buy my truck but I am saving this for my youngest son who is just 7. I am sure he will appreciate and love this truck as much as I do.

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  Technological Marvel - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By santhanr - March 17 - 8:33 pm

  It is very comfortable and fun to drive this car. I am totally sold on the hybrid idea. Toyota Engineers have made excellent utilization of the interior space. I was amazed at how well the GPS and Bluetooth feature worked, though the voice activation is so so. Lots of interior and trunk space for a car this size. Acceleration is just above average. I was surprised to see there wasnt a power seat option. Overall, an awesome car - a technological marvel.

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  Love my Corolla!!! - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Laura - March 17 - 7:46 pm

  This is a great car, I only had to replace the starter and battery so far. It always starts right up even on the coldest days of winter! I now need to replace the shocks/struts just from regular wear and tear. Its a nice looking car, but the back seat leg room isnt too good. Overall I am very happy with this car and would recommend it to anybody. It has 160k and still runs like new!

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Toyota Sequoia
  By Robman - March 17 - 10:50 am

  After looking at the Yukon and Expedition, and saw that the money I was going to spend, I noticed the Sequoia was a much better buy as far as the amenities included for the base price.

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  Big SUV without the stigma - - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By kevind - March 17 - 1:20 am

  I believe this SUV is in a class of its own. I wanted the 6000 GVWR tax benefit for my business but did not want to drive a gas guzzling General Schwartzkov type SUV that would loose $15k off the lot and make me regret ever buying it. This is it! A Land Cruiser but less money. The interior is fantastic; it drives like a dream and in my opinion is luxurious. I traded in a 2002 Explorer with 10k miles and felt a difference of night and day between these vehicles. No regrets here.