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:

• 

  Evelyns Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Evelyn Smith - November 27 - 8:16 am

  This is the most comfort for a fuel efficient car that I have ever driven. I tested many different makes before purchasing and I kept going back to this model. The handling is excellent on the road. I feel very safe traveling in my Avalon.

• 

  New RAV4 owner - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Ming - November 27 - 12:03 am

  Im very impressed with the V6 engine. This thing just takes off! I love the looks of it. Of course there are a few things here and there that can be a bit better, but overall, I love this SUV more and more everyday! I just sat in an 07 4Runner today, I swear the RAV4 has more rear legroom than the 4Runner!

• 

  Great SUV - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Fred H - November 26 - 6:43 pm

  Our Toyota Highlander is the best vehicle wes ever owned. Its comfortable, gets good gas mileage and can haul heavy loads of gifts for our grandchildren. It seats seven and we love it.

• 

  Love It - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By tmason - November 26 - 2:53 pm

  I bought this truck to commute to school (1/2 hour) and twice monthly to northern VT from RI. I take it on the beach with no hesitation and cant wait to drive it in the snow. Surfing the secluded spots wont be a problem anymore. My truck has 201,000 miles on it and it feels like a newborn. I highly recommend buying a used tacoma. Ive spent many nights in the back of it camping out on the beach. Its just a romantic truck.

• 

  Couldnt Be More Pleased - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Keith - November 26 - 2:36 pm

  I replaced my 12-year old Geo Prizm LSi with this car and I couldnt be more pleased. The 2.5L 4-cyl offers plenty of power and mileage is decent (only filled up a few times and getting around 24-26 mpg combined. I anticipate getting better because weather is so cold right now. This car is quiet, smooth handling, and great for me to drive as a car to work and run errands in, plus fine to carry the wife and 3 small kids in as well. I would definitely buy one in the future if Toyota continues to make these!

• 

  PaZaZZ - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Outagas - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the car new, excellent vehicle with great reliability. Best car we have ever owned, we will keep it for our grand kids and their kids. Car is getting to be a classic with excellent body lines, still looks like knew. The black flaked paint is awesome and people stop and ask about the color. Just a super car!

• 

  202,000 miles and going strong! - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By smrheinhardt - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I would have loved to have given it 10s across the board, but it is a minivan! I bought this van from the original owner just over six years ago with 65,000 miles. He was very meticulous with maintenance as am I, and it has really paid off. In my time of ownership I have just done my second timing belt, a new battery, starter, brakes, tires, struts, and wheel bearings. All a reasonable amount of work for 200k, and all preventative. Nothing has ever actually broke on it! The catalytic converter is starting to go finally, and will be $650 to replace when it does. I will happily pay this, as the van still runs as smooth as the day I bought it!

• 

  Great car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Carl - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I have a 2008 odyssey, which i have determined is too large for city driving, but great for the long haul as we run up and down the coast from Savannah to Cocoa beach. As a result i purchased a 2009, 25,000 mile Yaris sedan to tool around town . Great car, turning radius, great fit into parking lots, easy to maneuver, and an average of 33.7MPG in the city. (mind you, not a metropolis city, but more like long island. This also removes the wear and tare from my Odyssey which i reserve for the relaxing long haul, especially since my wife likes to drive!

• 

  Wow. What a difference. - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By SoCal Marine Family - November 26 - 10:00 am

  We bought our Sienna as a replacement for our 2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L. Our Honda was a great van, and with a large family (5 kids) it was time to find another mini-van. We looked at the upcoming 2011 Honda Odyssey and felt it was a "step backward" in its design, not very appealing. We liked the way the 2011 Sienna looked and once we test drove it, we knew this was it. At that point it was just a matter of which trim level to buy. Since my wife would only compromise on one color (Blizzard Pearl White), we had to buy the Limited FWD. What Mommy wants, Mommy gets. And I have to keep Mommy happy. If you do the research, you can save A LOT of cash on a purchase. Do your homework!

• 

  Sensible and Awesome - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By Jon - November 26 - 2:33 am

  I love my Yaris. For such a small, zippy car, there is a lot of room! I can fit my bike with the seats down (with the front wheel off) but it still fits! It gets great mileage, 36 mpg normally, with 38-40 mpg if I drive it nicely around the countryside. In carmine red, the yaris is very handsome looking and gets lots of questions and compliments. The seats are firm but comfortable. The climate controls, simple and straight forward, are very easy to fool with while driving and are very smartly laid out. The doors feel very sturdy and not cheap at all. My friends corolla feels cheaper. The center dash doesnt bother me at all. To sum it up- zippy car, great on gas, & comfortable. Check it out!