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 Applicance - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Red - February 20 - 7:33 pm

  This car is a great appliance, the lease price was so cheap I could not believe it, 218 per month with nothing down, literally the first time I paid anything was 30 days after I bought it and the price is unbelievable.

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  Ugly car runs well - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Evan - February 20 - 4:23 pm

  The interior of this car is great, the dashboard has improved. The exterior rear light are ugly. The entire exterior rear end is ugly. The sea-glass green looks like a giant insect from the back.

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  From Zoom Zoom to Sip Sip... - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By moondog12 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a 2009 Mazda 6, that I loved, for a 2011 Prius III. It darn near broke my heart to do so, but I did it because of my 70 mile + daily commute into the DC Area. I had a friend with a 2010 Prius and she couldnt recommend it enough, so I finally gave in and started calling dealerships once gas prices hit $3.50 a gallon. I got my Prius as an end of year special and I must say, Im impressed. While it certainly doenst Zoom Zoom like my last car, it has umph in Power Mode! Dont let the ho-hum of the hybrid nature fool you. These cars *can* be zippy. If youre on the fence, go to a dealership and test drive. After 10,000 miles I went from 45 mpg on average to 53! Fantastic!!

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  2000 4wd sr5 Tundra - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By toocents - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Great truck! Very few problems with this vehicle, and those were fixed by the dealer under warranty. I would highly recommend this truck to anyone interested in a full size pickup. The 4Wd works great I have never had any problems with it.

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  8 months of experience - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By gueniverre - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I got the silver Toyota Rav4 Limited Edition as a graduation present in 2003. It`s a great car overall. The drives are smooth too, despite the potholes in New Jersey. My dad recommended it to me since it tends to snow in our area. It`s a great car for all seasons. I remember ramming up a huge hill of snow. You feel under control. The sunroof during the summer makes it look sexxxxxy.

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  Very Poor Fuel Milage! - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By MyToyTac - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I have been looking at the Tacoma for a while now. I loved the look and I test drove several Pre-Runners. I got it about a week ago. I didnt know that it would get such poor gas milage! I am NOT hard on the thing, never driving it over 70mph on the HWY. I even put the cruise control to try to stabilize the fuel econo, we shall see how it works. Over all I love the look and the feel of the truck! Hate the gas milage! Im only averaging 16mpg, HELP!

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  My Review - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By me - February 18 - 3:46 pm

  It is a great car.

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  The Shoe Does Not Fit - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By BB - February 18 - 9:16 am

  The Venza is a solid vehicle hampered by a few glaring defects. The fuel economy is good, but could have been improved by putting on 17 or 18in tires. I have no idea what Toyota was thinking when they mounted 19in tires on the 4 cylinder and 20in tires on the 6 cylinder. Replacement tires for the 19s are currently limited to the original tires. I can only hope Toyota received a great kickback for these terrible tires. I truly hate them. As a tall driver, I find the wideness of the center center console impedes my comfort. The good thing for Toyota is that these items are resolvable.

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  Heres our honest opinion. We like the car. - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By ericells - February 18 - 3:06 am

  Weve had the Toyota RAV 4 Limited AWD since May 2013. Going from a Honda Pilot to this car took some getting used to. We havent owned anything other than Hondas since 1987. We test drove Hondas, Hyundais, Mazdas and we settled on the new RAV 4 as being the most practical vehicle for the money. We didnt spring for the extra $1100 for navigation. Our phones can get us where we need to go for no extra charge. All in all, we like the car and would recommend it

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  Love my Avalon - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Sharon40 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  This is my first experience with a "non- American car and I couldnt be happier. I love to drive this car. I feel safe and very comfortable. I love how it looks and handles. My husband liked my car so well that in 2001 he bought himself a Toyota Tundra which he also is very happy with. I have 31,000 miles on my car and 0 problems. Again, great CAR!