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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  TRD Off road review - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Alex - December 25 - 5:53 am

  First off love the truck. It looks great in my opinion with toyota reliability. I really like the interior which feels simple but advance and stylish. I like the seat and steering wheel position. It does like to shift around but its trying to save fuel. If your driving a hilly around it has an overdrive type of switch to stay in gear longer but use more fuel of course. I have used crawl mode once to test it on a dirt hill. It did amazing and crawled right up. Friends 2010 wrangler got stuck in a pot hole on the hill right after and had to back out and get more speed. Overall very impressed with the truck.

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  19 years old and going strong! - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By kinkerdoo - December 25 - 2:43 am

  I am the original owner and while I hardly put any mileage on it these days (retired) at 88,000 miles, I would put it up against any new luxury car. One key--put decent tires on it and the ride is "better than my Mercedes" (a friend lamenting his non-Camry purchase). I was recently in a fender bender and am driving a 2009 Camry--NO COMPARISON!

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  Tims 2016 Prius Touring Review - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Timothy Piper - December 25 - 12:55 am

  Some people Ive met dont like the look of the new exterior design, the look of the wing tip rear lights in particular. I dont mind the looks but it takes some getting used to at first. It grows on you and I remind myself its not the main reason I bought this car. At least now it has its own identity from the millions of older Priuss out there. The white console and steering wheel appliques have way too much contrast against a black or grey interior. I insisted the dealer include the Black console applique and black interior. The moonscape interior is just too much for me. Besides from some little gripes on appearance, everything else is amazing. I traded in a loaded 2013 Prius and this car is so much nicer. The doors are solid and dont sound like tin cans, the engine electronics give you a noticeable gas mileage improvement. The Bose sound system is much better than the Bose system I had in my old car. The safety technology is very cool, the dynamic speed control is much smoother than my old car. The 2016 Prius looks different but it performs fantastic.

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  Purchased in Sept. 07 - 2008 Toyota Matrix
  By Tashadog - December 25 - 12:10 am

  I decided on purchasing a Toyota Matrix in Sept., after my new 07 Chevy Malibu was totalled in a car accident in August. It took me a little while to get attached to the Matrix, as I really liked the Malibu. Im getting almost 30 MPG (all city driving) with the Matrix. Its just a basic car - no bells and whistles, but its comfortable and, being a Toyota, Im expecting it to be around for a long time. Though it looks a bit small, Im actually able to fit my family of five in comfortably.

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  Love It ! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Best Bet - December 24 - 10:13 pm

  My second Camry and I love it. Has great acceleration, smooth ride, 5 star crash scores and Toyota reliability. Nothing compares.

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  New to me, happy so far - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By aguy8910 - December 24 - 5:53 pm

  I recently purchased a used 2012 Venza (3.5l, AWD) and am very happy with it so far. I am wagon fan and had a hard time finding a suitable replacement for you 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. Ive had many Subarus, but really did not feel like going down that road again and was very happy with what the Venza had to offer. The car is very solid, powerful and comfortable. The only issue I have so far is that my favorite coffee cup doesnt sit well in the oddly shaped cup holders... Also, the MPG isnt great, but I knew that when opting for the more powerful V6 version.

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  Great Truck, But... - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By kpri101 - December 24 - 10:20 am

  It looks great. Its fun to drive. Its not very comfortable. It gets awful gas mileage. It has junky breaks. It has cheap paint. It doesnt offer an Mp3 adapter...even 5 years after its introduction...come on Toyota, whats the problem? No sunrooof option, thats a no brainer. Ok, thats enough. I still like my truck but next time around Ill be a little more picky.

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  2007 Land Cruiser - 2007 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Dan - December 24 - 7:20 am

  This is our first Land Cruiser and we truly love it. The quality of this vehicle is amazing. We feel very safe driving it. While the gas mileage is nothing to brag about, the Land Cruiser offers so much more...luxury with flawless quality and dependability.

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  Add a luggage rack to allow longer trips - 2005 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Arts Luggage Rack - December 24 - 7:00 am

  As a long time owner of a TR-6, I became familiar with luggage racks. Therefore, when I purchased my 2005 MR- 2 I had the dealer install a luggage rack I obtained from my local British car parts dealer. This rack leaves plenty of room for engine ventillation and holds two (2) twenty eight (28) inch suitcases which can be secured with bungee cords. My wife and I can take 2 week trips in our MR-2 and enjoy Calilfornia and Oregon coast roads as well as mountain roads for which the MR-2 was built.

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  Very New - Still Learning The 2018 Avalon - 2018 Toyota Avalon
  By Pete - December 24 - 3:11 am

  This is my first car since a 2011 Avalon, and the technology is what is taking a bit longer. The various safety controls, e.g., blind-side monitoring, backing up guides, lane departure, etc., are new to me. The manuals provided are very detailed, but I am one who tends to read about new things like this Avalon from cover to cover. Ive had the car for three weeks, and I am definitely still learning.