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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  Im Happy - I Think - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By SqueezeMH - October 3 - 7:03 am

  Overall experience has been positive. Its a comfortable car to drive and quite luxurious compared to my old Camry - which was a great car. Gas mileage is not quite what I had expected but I live in hilly terrain so that may be a factor. I like the interior and exterior styling and the room in the car. The car has a rattle coming from a seat belt assembly and is not as tight as I would have expected. Power is great but transmission surges easliy and shifting of transmission is somewhat crazy at times.

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  Why did i wait? - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By foothills - October 3 - 12:46 am

  The 5.7 motor in this truck is years ahead of the others. It is smooth, quiet and the power is unreal. I am getting 14 mpg, and don;t care because it is so much fun to drive. The truck has the TRD dual exhausts and sounds great when you get on it. The limited slip diff is great for gravel roads and snow. I do not use this as work truck, just weekend warrior stuff and commuting. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and practical vehicle.

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  Almost There... - 2001 Toyota Sienna
  By First Toyota Van - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Being hard to please, I find this vehicle worth owning. It is our first van and Im glad we have it. We have two children and an 80lb dog that fit just perfectly. If my family were larger, Id probably go with something larger. Im still trying to figure out why people dont like the look of this vehicle.

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  Great Car to drive - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Suren - October 2 - 10:00 am

  The PLush out look and neatly placed interior are unique in TOYOTA styling. Also incirporating all major features as Standard in pricing has made deciding the price more simpler and can easily be compared with other simillar vehicles. After taking a test drive one is convinced about the Toyota name backing its quality proucts

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  good car with a few minor problems - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By ps - October 1 - 4:30 pm

  Overall a good practical car that I would purchase again. Gas mileage is greatly reduced in cold weather and on short trips. (motor need to warm up) Remove the rear center head rest so you can see better when backing up. Heater is not as powerful as with my other Toyota.

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  Great car - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Keven - September 30 - 10:10 pm

  Loved this car. Bought it brand new. There was no other compact sedan as stylish as this at the time. Car felt much more expensive than it actually was. I totalled the car less than a year after having it. Ran head on into a telephone pole due to road conditions. Airbag deployed, I was completely fine. From inside the vehicle you would have never known it was wrecked (except the airbag and cracked windshield). Very solid!

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  4 runner, 2wd, 4cyl - 1996 Toyota 4Runner
  By wup - September 30 - 5:13 pm

  I bought my 4 runner new in 1996. It now has over 230,000 miles. Other than change the fluids and filters, and replacing the brakes, its only required one repair; a cracked exhaust manifold at 190,000 miles. The 4 cylinder lacks power, but it gets good gas mileage (25 mpg highway). It will cruise at 80 on the highway as long as its flat. The paint started fading after about 10 years. It also had two rust spots under the roof rack that I had to repair, but Im not complaining since it sits outside, a mile from the ocean in South Florida.

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  a good reliable car - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By sjones - September 30 - 10:00 am

  i recieved thhis car from my mother and the mileage was already high(97000). this car has given me no problems so long as i kept the required maintenance done,...trans, tune up, iol change, wipers, tires. shes getting up there but can move with the best of em on the highway,..the interior is durable, she climbs hills well,the ride is good and it turns on every morning, heat, defog or air needed. you wouldnt be sorry,......we are 134.000 strong,..its a tru love affair

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  98 Avalon XLS - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By jad0110 - September 30 - 10:00 am

  We have 146,000 miles on our Avalon and we have enjoyed every mile. The car is very solid safe, my wife was T-boned at 20 mph in the center of the doors and there was NO frame damage. We especially enjoyed the high quality materials of the interior - a Lexus for less $. The back seat is limo spacious, but at the sacrifice of some trunk space. Overall, a great car if you value luxury over sport. Just keep the oil changed every 3,000 miles (very important!) and expect years of reliable transportation.

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  love toyota - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By bambam - September 30 - 10:00 am

  love this suv. perfect and has a lot of pep.