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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  Cant beat it! - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By doug - March 16 - 1:06 pm

  Just got rid of this 4 runner. Bought a 2007 4 runner LTD. Bought new 5-2001 and traded 3-2007. Only problem was power antenna chain broke in 1-2007. Still running original Dunlop tires and factory battery. I have owned about 40 vehicles in my life and without a doubt the Toyota 4 runner is the best of the bunch! The 2001 was a little too tight in the front seats for a guy over 200#s. Shoulders were broader than seat bolsters. 2007 is wider for my size. Whoever buys this 2001 is going to get a vehicle that will probably still be going another 10 years!

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  Rav 4 - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Steve - March 16 - 11:37 am

  This is my first suv. VERY Impressed with the quality and road handling. First snowsorm will be the true test.

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  Dissapionted - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By ben makowski - March 16 - 7:03 am

  After owning many imports and just traded in a 07 HD Chevy, I am very unhappy with my purchase, so much so I may trade it in for a F-150. Numerous minor rattles and sqeeks but onl 1000 miles makes you wonder about long term ownership. After owning many Toyota products i do have to say, sadly, i am dissapointed. I think detroit has listened and has caught up

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  "No Problem!" - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By NWTrader - March 16 - 6:33 am

  I have always been impressed with Toyotas quality and resale value. When they moved into the 1/2 ton market with their original offering, however, I was not impressed at all. No head room, no shoulder room, no leg room, small bed. The 2007 Tundra fixed all that and then some. The reason I chose the Tundra over the GMC Sierra (my 2nd choice) was the 5-speed and 6-speed transmission offerings versus the old 4-speed in the GMC. Have had the truck now for ten months. Not a single problem. Very nice truck and a very nice platform to build on. Good job, Toyota!

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  Great starter car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By mking - March 16 - 4:30 am

  Ive had my Yaris for about 3 months now, and have had absolutely no problems. I love it. I live in DC and it handles like a dream and is easy to park in a notoriously hard-to-park-in city. True it doesnt have a ton of features, but I wasnt looking for that. This isnt a starter car for me, but I would recommend it as a first car for anyone. I wanted something economical, but didnt want it to look or feel that way. My friend got a Honda Civic the same week I got my Yaris, and all of our friends like riding in my car better. :)

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  New Kid on the Block - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Doug Tachi - March 15 - 1:13 pm

  As a tow vehicle the engine, with 401 ft. lbs. of torque coupled with a six speed transmission and 4.30 final drive ratio, is a lot closer to diesel performance than I had expected. The other surprise is general acceleration. Right off the showroom floor, typical stop light to stop light runs leave many "performance" cars struggling to keep up. The seats and seating position are very comfortable and except for the interior design of the dash, Toyota engineering has raised the bar for trucks in this class. So far its been a win-win situation.

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  Love my Camry - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Carrie - March 15 - 10:03 am

  I have had cars from Mercedes, Porche, and post divorce, a corolla. I loved that Toyotas have cost pennies to maintain. I had my Corolla for 5 yrs, put 98,000 miles on it, only changed oil.Changed front brake pads once. Had Camry for one year. Drive it like crazy cause its roomy. I take it back and forth from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Gets about 470 miles to the gallon so I can get there on one tank of gas and dont have to stop.

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  Tacoma - 1997 Toyota Tacoma
  By tacoaLX - March 15 - 8:13 am

  Great truck, very reliable and good on gas. Also has off road features, 5.5" lift, Rhino lining bed spray.

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  100% satisfied! - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By JBL - March 15 - 7:00 am

  This is by far the BEST vehicle I have ever owned. So far, with 40K miles, the vehicle has performed flawlessly! The best mileage I have obtained so far was in the summer of 2006. I averaged 35.2 over 576 miles! So it can be done - the vehicle is capable of beating EPA estimates! Had I been more careful, the mpg would have been even higher. This was without extreme driving techniques, but using only gentle driving - no hard acceleration or braking and included several steep hills, up as well as down & mostly highway. This is not the norm though as the avg. is 28-30 warmer months and 25- 26 in colder months. Dont blame Toyota for Federal EPA mileage flaws. ALL vehicles are usually LOWER.

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  Almost Perfect - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Fred Fischer - March 15 - 7:00 am

  The Toyota Corolla gets about 36 miles per gallon whether on the highway or driving around town. The inside is very large; especially the back seat and you sit higher than other sedans on the road. The seats are very comfortable. The engine and transmision operate flawlessly. It holds about 12 gallons of gasoline so filling up costs about $20. It is very quiet and feels sturdy.