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 SUV- Beware of 18 in. wheels - 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By tomalf123 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  All around a great SUV , my daughter loves the dvd feature. The GPS works great in the lower 48 but not in Alaska (im hoping some new software will include Alaska). Comfortable ride. Nice on screen controls for climate, audio,etc. Beware of the 18inch wheels if you live in a snow climate. There are no snow tires(blizzak,etc.) or even all season tires to fit these wheels!!! They come with high performance tires that are not good for cold climates!! Alt. wheels only avilable from toyota and they are very expensive!!

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  Best car ever owned - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Ed Zeb - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Flawless reliabilty, no maintenance other than scheduled work. Fun to drive - can burn rubber by heavy downshift at most speeds under 65 mph. Good handling for accident avoidance several real occasions. Up and down shifts undetectable in normal driving. Extra trimpackage makes it look like a Lexus.

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  High tech sleek gas sipper - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Kevco - March 26 - 2:00 am

  The Toyota Prius has the most seamless powerband I have ever had the opportunity to own. The second generation of Prius is the best yet! I have been averaging 51.5 mpg, with my first tank ! A little tip for getting better mpg... is to get up to speed and then let it go into electric mode. (for city driving under 40mph) I feel so lucky to own this Hybrid.

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  New but excited - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By golfandjan - March 26 - 2:00 am

  We have had it only one week, but love it so far. It handles very well and has plenty of power (although power is a relative thing, and its always fun to have more). The gas mileage is great although I dont think it will ever be close to the 60 mpg in town that its rated. We have it loaded, so the Navigation system, cell phone through the car system, controls on the steering wheel etc., are lots of fun, and work well. We havent needed to use the vehicle skid control yet. Im looking forward to owning a hybrid van.

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  Rav4L - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By Lonnie Wright - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Great car, safe and fun to drive. Very good in all types of weather conditions.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By fin - March 26 - 2:00 am

  We love it! It is so comfortable and runs smooth. It has so much room and fits eight people veryn nicely.

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  Love the Avalon - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By lloyd70 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  The car is as comfortable or more so than any Cadillac or Mercedes I have owned. It is more fun to drive and I love the gas milage. On a trip to Colorado, we averaged 32 on several legs of the trip. Power is adequate but could be increased.

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  Oh What You Do For Me! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By jrklasalle - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Drove this Solara to Reno from Sacramento, the power is awesome; flattens the grades, no problem. Has more power than my 99 Solara, before I added the TRD Supercharger, also corners better. Seems like it has a different, tighter suspension. Mileage was 27mpg for first trip, but I was pushing/testing it from time to time. My 99 gave 29-30mpg on same trip w/supercharger. Cant wait for TRD to add the SC to this engine.

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  Its a Toyota - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dave Grammer - March 26 - 2:00 am

  You cant really go wrong with Toyota, and the safety that gos with it

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  transmmision - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By bell benson - March 26 - 2:00 am

  hard to shift griding gears.stiff replaced oil special oil better