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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  Sequoia - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Tami Spencer - December 23 - 11:23 pm

  I was looking for a smaller SUV, having previously owned Suburbans. The room in the Sequoia is great and with the three seats, any place you sit you have a lot of room, unlike my Suburban.

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  Excellent! - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By w. Gross - December 23 - 4:06 pm

  Ive owned Avalons since 1995. For the money, its the best car made. The difference between the Avalon and the Lexus 430 is $30,000, but the qualitys the same. Ive never figured out why Toyota doesnt push it more.

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  People who dont like this car have never owned one! - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By mani_o - December 23 - 8:29 am

  I considered all the usual suspects before my purchase- Accord, Sonata, mazda6, Optima, Altima and one by one they all fell off the list and the Camry was left because of its comfortable interior, quality and good looks. I bought a 13 White Camry SE and everyone said this car looks great. My friends and family look the interior and say the outside looks good with sporty lines. Do not listen to the haters! Im glad they are talking so much smack about how "dull and boring" it is. Well for the people who drive BMWs and Porches everyday you might be able to complain. You have got to be really spoiled not to like this car. I got the car i could afford and for the money this is the best!

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  11 years and going strong - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By njohnsonga1 - December 23 - 8:19 am

  I have had this car for 11 years and 217,960 miles. I drive a lot. This car has never broken down on me and never had any major mechanical issues. I have always gotten the oil changed on time and kept up with things such as new brakes, tires, ect. I have never had any issues with it, and if I could buy the exact same car again I would.

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  surprised - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By mcruzen - December 22 - 9:39 pm

  I am an official car nut, bought a new prius 4 in December of 2010 to commute 20 miles to work. Thought I have to sacrifice fun and comfort for the fuel economy. I have been pleasantly surprised. In 7.5 months we have put over 15,000 miles on the car and coordinate all of our travel around the availability of the prius. Performance has been amazing, mileage terrific and its fun to drive. I really wonder why household doesnt have one in their garage.

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  Compact, Economical, Great on Gas - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Ken - December 22 - 5:06 pm

  It helps the environment and my wallet to drive an SUV that utilizes fewer resources than most other compact SUV out there. The RAV4 is reliable, fuel efficient and economical to own (parts are fairly reasonable). I recommend this to anyone who cares about reliability, the environment and the price of gas today. Keep more cash in your wallet... drive a Toyota RAV4 people! Some may say it is not a cool car for guys to drive. I have heard it described as a "females" car. Well, if this is the case, then those "females" are some very smart people on this planet. They happened to stumble on a money saver!!

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  Nat bad for the money - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By barlo - December 22 - 10:00 am

  This is a very good car for the money. Handling ist bad. Good pick up with the 5 speed. Not bad looking inside and out. When the back seats are down, it has almost as much if not more cargo room than some mid sized SUVs. Plenty of passenger room in back seat. Their knees wont hit the back of the front seat. For the money and compared to whats out there. You wont find better. And its a Toyota.

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  My Favorite New Car - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Mikiejon - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Great suv/car. lots of room between back and front seat. The Highlander looks good especially in the Limited model. Gets up to speed on the freeways very quickly. Love the automatic climate control..just set the temp and forget about it!Lots of storage space all over the Highlander. Its just a great family ride!

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  the best choice you can make - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By loyal - December 22 - 10:00 am

  I was very careful in making this purchase and thank god edmunds was there to help. I owned a ford (fixed or repaired daily) 00 focus before this and it is a motorcycle compared to this car. The dealer was fair in the price and what can i say, when you shut the door, its a quiet, comfortable ride with a zoom zoom that beat out the noisy mazdas i test drove. And on top of that it also beats the small honda civic by far for its class. Buy it, the money is well worth it and the car will give you the peace of mind your looking for. Well built, nice body style with the ground effects and fog lights, and you get what you pay for.

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  Best mpg EVER!!!!! - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Ken - December 21 - 3:50 pm

  Went with the Eco to get the extra mile or two. So far I have 4k miles and have just finished a 250mi road trip avg 62mpg.... mostly highway. I commute 100mi a day and usually get around 55-56 doing 70-75. Anything over that kills the mpg. From 45 to 60 is the sweet spot. Im starting to like construction zones on the highways due to the slow down;). Still has enough get up on the highway if you need to move. insurance is crazy cheap. my 08 Hummer cost an extra $100 every 6months.