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:

• 

  owned a short time, but quite happy - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By carbuff50 - September 22 - 8:54 pm

  We purchased a four with sunroof, and added the 17 inch wheels to it. Drove one with the 17 inch wheels and it made a wonderful difference in ride/handling. Mileage so far is 51.9 avg.. The car is truly a tech. marvel. The inside is a little noisy but I think some of that is due to the standard toy size 15 inch tires that come on it. The sunroof is terrific and well worth the money. This car does not feel anything like our prior older Prius which felt like a much more base/utilitarian vehicle. We also have a high end MB and I am finding myself driving this more than it-because it is fun.

• 

  Great car - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By tg - September 22 - 1:53 pm

  Just bought a month ago with ABS and side airbag options. Couldnt find one at dealers with ESC. Great car so far, approx. 30 mpg combined thus far. Very quiet, good backseat and trunk room. Considered a hybrid, prius or civic, but went with the Corolla for the price. Only negative is the drivers seat position related to the radio and steering wheel.

• 

  You need to drive one yourself - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By stephanie - September 22 - 11:50 am

  This is my first car, I bought it about 2 years ago and am in love with it. Ive had to deal with maintanance (tune up, tires, oil, brakes) and what not, but for a 12 year old car that is expected. It is SOLID and drives smoothly. In the snow, it holds its own and you feel safe in it. The v6 engine is awesome and I hope Ill never have to descend down to a v4 ever. After driving one, you wont be able to part. The appearance could be better, but it looks ahead of the game with a late-90s look. Dependable, reliable, simply common sense.

• 

  Big Surprise - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By J.Bal - September 22 - 11:33 am

  I bought this truck out of necessity. My old truck had broken down. I have been very happy and surprised with the Tacoma. I am getting 20 mpg with the A/C on and hauling as much as 1100-1500 lbs. of payload. At first it was a truck I needed not wanted, but I like it more everyday.

• 

  buy prius over honda - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By jabass - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I have nearly 22,000 miles w/o any problems to date......I average about 70 mi/day commuting.....what the reviews of this car (as compared to Honda) dont tell you is that Toyota covers your preventative maintenance for the 1st 37,500 miles of driving...and goes a step further than Honda by warranting all hybrid components for 8 years/100,000 miles...and the power train is for 60 months/five years....honda doesnt come close......... Great commuting car...and has a good, solid feel on the road......

• 

  1999 TRD - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Icepuck72 - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Excellent Toyota Quality. My truck has over 95k miles on it and has never seen the shop. I am still on the original clutch.

• 

  Oddyssey strikes again - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By mjsohel - September 22 - 10:00 am

  The Sienna is a terrific car really. Its just that its nut as great and fun to drive as the Town&Country and the Oddyssey. The Sienna lacks quality in the areas of comfort,convenience,price,and driving/ride experience. Other than that its as good as the Oddyssey. Toyota could make their minivan good by maybe fixing the style, adding comfort and more convenience feature like power liftgate and a navigation system like on the Camry and the Land Cruiser and maybe roadside assistance and the Onstar* system like on the Gm cars. In summary the Sienna is a great minivan, but lacks some features.

• 

  Super Sequoia - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By bbgunnman - September 22 - 10:00 am

  A WONDERFUL vehicle the only drawback is the gas mileage (which for this type of vehicle isnt really that bad)

• 

  A Mini Land Cruiser - 2012 Toyota 4Runner
  By ixuonrahm - September 22 - 4:51 am

  Owned vehicle for 3 weeks. So far no problem, hope in future too. Like its tall trim, off-road capabilities and features. The cabin needs some improvements though - stereo isnt as good as my previous Audi A4s one, a little too much of plastic. The navigation screen is way too tiny, yet useful. Entune is a great feature, yet needs to be filled with more usefull apps. Bluetooth iPhone integration is another nice feature. The leather trim is very comfy. 2nd row provides plenty of space for passengers. 3rd row will also be needed one day, so its good to have it. Very happy with it, so it wont disapoint me in the future.

• 

  Very Quiet Ride! - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
  By bobkath - September 22 - 4:40 am

  Just returned from a 1300 mile trip to CA from AZ one wk after purchase. Very quiet, comfortable, and a sweet ride. Plenty of power from the V6 and no problems passing the slower 65 mph cars. Impressed with the mileage of 25.2 overall. Two-thirds of the trip were on the open road. Awesome Bluetooth and easy to use. Trunk is huge and more than enough room if you remove the boot cover. Slight shaking at low speed on a bumpy road. Hard to see sound sys. display in daylight wearing sunglasses. Looking for reasons to drive this great car. Not many of these on the road. You will love this car. Built solid.