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:

• 

  Best 4Runner Yet - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By Rich - January 1 - 11:53 pm

  Ive had my 4Runner for 6 months and am extremely happy with it.... except for two things. Running boards should be standard and there should be a locking gas door or locking cap offered. Handling is outstanding in the Limited which I attribute to the x- reas suspension. Brake modulation is also excellent.

• 

  Great Green SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By JE - January 1 - 9:56 am

  I have had this car since Dec 2007 and love it. Ive been averaging 25.5 mpg (through winter, spring, and summer driving). Its been great for my family of four with plenty of space. I bought the base model but added leather (through a 3rd party), nav, bluetooth, iPod connectivity, DVD interoperability, a rear DVD player and heated seats. These additions probably saved me approx $5K over getting them through Toyota on the Limited package.

• 

  Toyota Matrix still moving forward! - 2011 Toyota Matrix
  By fijiman - January 1 - 8:05 am

  Neat exterior design, but could use the upper rear spoiler like the 2010 Matrix XRS model before it. But vehicle is still rather stylish! AWD S model definitely has the upgraded 2.4 liter power of the previous Matrix XRS, the Scion XB and the previous Toyota Camry models. With 16-Valve/Dual VVT-i & 4 cyl in-line type auto transmission. Common features that are now standard with almost all of the new Toyotas are traction control, vehicle stabilizer control, ABS, EBT, & smart stop technology braking system.

• 

  Great Car! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By RainaRaina - January 1 - 7:43 am

  I have had my Yaris for a year now and I still love it. Gas mileage is great, and I can finally parallel park! It also comes with a bunch of hidden storage in the dash and an iPod jack.

• 

  Perfect A-B car - 2012 Toyota Corolla
  By John Burke - January 1 - 2:25 am

  Bought the car new in may 2012. She is a red Sport model with a 5 speed manual trans. The manual trans def helps with lack of power and fun factor. Yes the car is slow (132 hp) but that doesnt bother me. Bought her for fuel economy and reliability and she has been perfect. Currently has 32k miles on it which is considered low miles. Last 2 years have not been driving her too much since i have 2 other cars now. But when i first bought her racked up 20k miles in first year and half. Would do 400 miles a week and go on road trips. Took to AZ from NJ and back no issues what so ever. Thats 5k miles just there. typically get around 30mpg mixed. Best I got was 36 mph highway. I do all the maintenance myself and change oil every 5k instead of 10k. 10k miles is too way to long. Did the air and cabin filter at 25k. Other then basic maintenance thats all i have done. Tires are starting to get low but thats not the cars fault. There cheap tires from the factory. Bridges tone Turanzas. Going to switch to something different when there bald. Again very happy with car and will have for a very long time.

• 

  Should have bought a Tundra long ago - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By Rod2012 - January 1 - 1:03 am

  I am very pleased with the truck. The last new truck I bought was a Dodge Ram and Chrysler did everything they could to avoid paying for anything. Toyota owns up for its Recalls and steps up to fix it. Handles great, comfortable and power! As for the so called noises in the back of the truck, the only noises I hear in the back are the trucks left behind at the light.