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 Little Car - 2004 Toyota Echo
  By gjben - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is perfect for the type of driving I do. It is almost exclusively city driving and the ECHO is economical beyond belief, rides well, handles easily and is a great little car.

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  Sad to See It Go - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By herzogtum71 - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I have done nothing to this car except routine maintenance in almost 10 years. Over 110,000 miles it has averaged just under 35 miles per gallon. If they sold a new Corolla wagon in the US as they do in other countries, I would go for it. (The cargo area in the Matrix that is sold here is not as big as these other Corolla wagons.) I need to trade this one because of new drivers in the family -- need an automatic transmission and new-generation airbags.

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  2004 Solara SLE V6 - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Roadrunner - II - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a 2000 SLE V6. This car had the same sticker as the 2000 did but comes with many more features that were only found on the Lexis back then. This car is smooth, quiet, comfortable, powerful and fun to drive.

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  MY 4RUNNER - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By 4runner34 - December 24 - 2:00 am

  MY 4RUNNER HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD TO ME, I HAD TO GO TO THE DEALER ON MONTH AFTER I GOT IT BECAUSE THE SUN ROOF RAILS NEED REPLACING BECAUSE THEY WERE RATTLING.....OTHER THAN THAT THIS SUV IS GREAT!

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  Mas review - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By MaMa - December 24 - 2:00 am

  comfortable ride handled nicely on wintery roads this morning with snow/ice

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  Still room for improvement - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By shawn chen - December 24 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle I think in overall is good and better than the 2003 version. However, compared to the 2004 Nissan Quest SE 3.5, it doesnt have enough standard equipment.

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  Fifth, but Last ,Toyota Pickup - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By red rider - December 24 - 12:36 am

  This is my fifth Toyota truck. It is not as reliable as the other four. Delivered it with a badly warped disc brake rotor. I had the front rotors replaced. I also had the recalled ball joints replaced. Now, at 18,000 miles, the outside of the right front tire is worn bald. The auto-dimming rear view mirror and the Homelink circuits have been repaired twice.

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  Great Van and Smart Move - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Rich - December 23 - 9:50 pm

  Traded in a gas hog, this vans great, loaded all the grand kids and went christmas light looking. Ride is smooth, handles great. Middle seats are tough to get out and put back in. Lots of room.

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  Buy Toyota - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By tfgg - December 23 - 8:23 pm

  I always wanted a Land Cruiser. The FJ is an LC lite. Downside: premium fuel, 19 gallon tank, poor rear visibility. Upside: take it anywhere off road in complete confidence. Sexy, speedy, reliable. Love driving it.

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  Could be a fun car - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Bernhard - December 23 - 7:00 pm

  The Venza is a nice car, but ours has a flaw, that might be typical for this car. When the transmission is in drive and the car is at an incline, then it rolls back. The transmission does not catch the car. The dealership told us this is normal for Venzas and Camrys So it is either bad engineering or bad customer service. The car is somewhat fun to drive, but Toyota quality is not what it used to be. Some parts in the interior do not fit together appropriately. This indicates assembly problems. In addition, all Venzas are now affected by the pedal recall. It took Toyota about 6 months to admit that problem. Again bad customer service. My next car will not be a Toyota.