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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  Longtime Ford driver now in a Tacoma 4x4 - 2011 Toyota Tacoma
  By zzbluecomet - January 12 - 10:17 pm

  First, Ill say Ive driven Fords most my life and some imports. I tried the mini-SUV route and had a Ford Escape for 7 mos. I was in need of a truck, but not a full-size. The F150s are very nice and a natural choice for me but the Tacoma really has fit my needs. The build, detail and quality of this truck is very nice and very solid. I have the Off-Road pkg in Super White and it turns heads and gets lots of comments. I can see why Toyota has run most the other midsize/compact trucks out to pasture - I had a Ranger as my last truck and the Tacoma makes hit look completely out of date.

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  Great Basic Car!! - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Matthew - January 12 - 6:16 am

  Driving by myself it has plenty of pick up to get thru traffic. Load it down with wife, kids and luggage and it tends to slow it down to a craw. Great gas mileage (32 mpg adv). Great interior and exterior design. The radio isnt too good and the seats are not so soft. I need to take it to the dealership to because of the dashboard vibrates pretty loud. But with that said, if you are looking for a basic dependable car that gets great gas mileage, the Corolla is hard to beat for the price.

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  Bullet proof - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By GAB - January 11 - 4:20 pm

  Virtually trouble free for 70 K miles, mostly in the city. Quiet, comfortable, great gas mileage. Only problem is the rear brakes which shudder occasionally. Would definitely buy again.

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  Very, Very, Very, NICE!!! - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By bmwgoz - January 11 - 3:53 pm

  Its only been a week, but it was the right choice and gets better everytime I get behind the wheel. The wife wasnt involved with the purchse, but was flat out amazed and excited. Took a short trip today and highway cruzing was incredible. I highly recommend adding this vehicle to your list of test drives, it might change your mind. As american as any large sedan I have been in. My high reliability rating is based on it being a Toyota at this point, but I havent heard of mechanical issues with 2005, mostly cosmetic stuff.

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  2006 4runner limited - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By rick - January 11 - 1:13 pm

  Excellant SUV, no problems

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  Efficency with Utilitarian Style - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By john - January 11 - 1:03 pm

  The 2009 Camry hybrid is my first Toyota. It drives like my old BMW 528i, and has decent acceleration but not mind blowing speed. The economics of having a hybrid are the selling point. If you think gas will hit 5 $/gallon and you drive a lot, then this is a car for you. The looks are those of a non snobby Camry, so you wont feel guilty like in a new Mercedes. It seems to me the workmanship is the same as a German car. I tried the Matrix and found that it was more flimsy, and not worth the price.

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  Amazing drive - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By cabldawg - January 11 - 7:46 am

  My company sent me to work about 4.5 hours away from home. I bought it for gas mileage but I was amazed at the performance of the small motor. I put a K&N filter and cruise control on it and have been very happy.

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  Love this car - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By lucy - January 11 - 4:06 am

  We purchased a Yaris and Scion 5 months ago. Loved the cars. My Scion got totalled by someone not paying attention 3 weeks ago - the car did great at keeping me safe, just bruising where the seat belt and air bag got me. I went right out and purchased a Yaris like my husbands as the Scion wasnt available in the color I wanted. The Yaris is fantastic. Gets great gas mileage, easy to see out of to reverse, great acceleration. Id recommend it to anyone willing to listen. Thanks Toyota!

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  We love this car!!! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Debbie D. - January 10 - 1:30 pm

  We traded in our 86 Camry for the 06 Corolla LE. Looking for a family car with great gas mileage, we initially didnt consider the Corolla because we thought the back seat would be too small for 3 kids to ride in comfortably. To our surprise, the back seat is as roomy as our old Camrys, and the Corolla has more trunk space. Weve only had the Corolla for a week, but we got 30 miles to the gallon on the first tank of gas (30%town/70%hwy) and have found this compact to have the solid feel of a much larger car. A little more leg room would be welcome, but then it would be a Camry and wouldnt get 30 miles to the gallon!

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  yes - 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By yr56e8967 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  i love this car its the best thing ever.I love how it drives and the awsome looks