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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  The best car I ever owned - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Jim G - April 21 - 1:40 am

  Its fast, its sturdy and its a joy to drive. Ive had zero, nada problems in the first forty thousand miles. It has handled the highest passes in Colorado and scoots in and out of traffic in Louisiana with ease. One small issue is the advertised gas mileage. The best I ever achieved was 52.5 but mostly average about forty- five. Still not too bad but no where near the sixty MPG promised. Im 65", weigh 300 pounds and have no difficulty with its roominess. Plenty of head room and seats four comfortably. My big Lincoln sits garage, where it shall remain until gas prices become reasonable again.

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  Cheap interior - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By PenneyPearl - April 20 - 11:50 pm

  Cute, cute vehicle, which is why I bought it. I use it for business, paid cash, and can write if off. I will probably be trading soon. The plastic dash is so very cheap, as is the upholstery. For what sure be a rugged little truck, the interior quality is for little old people, who dont move much, or drive much.

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  Well built car - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By shyam - April 20 - 8:40 pm

  Well built car. Very smooth and responsive. Has sufficient gadgets inside to play around. This car is worth the money.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By excellent quality - April 20 - 7:56 pm

  Bought my v8 4 a year ago and it is the best vehicle we have owned! 129,000 miles and still runs and drives like new! No problems at all and the 4 wheel drive works great in snow! Toyota knows how to build them! Strongly recommend this vehicle!

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  I love Prius - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Val - April 20 - 5:51 pm

  Peppy smaller car w great mileage back storage is surprisingly good fun car to drive

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  What a car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Jimmu - April 20 - 1:30 pm

  I really wanted a car with very simple features and not too complicated to use. This is the car that I have been looking for. I have test drove Acura TL and Lexus ES330, but I have found Avalon to be the car that fits my taste. Simply you dont need to read manual to operate the vehicle and it is that simple to use.

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  After MUCH exhaustive research... - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Yankee - April 20 - 7:13 am

  We needed an SUV for our 3 greyhounds and something to tow our 7500 lb travel trailer - a minivan or a "crossover" were out of the question, so after considering loads of other candidates (Suburban, Durango, Expedition EL) it came down to the Sequoia. With the high gas prices, you can really swing a sweet deal on an SUV, even one of these. Sure a minivan beats it in outright interior space and gets better MPG, but theres no substitute for true V8 power, torque and brawn when you really need it. Very smooth and quiet with more than enough power to handle just about any situation. Right now these seem pretty exclusive - you wont see yourself coming and going like you would in a Suburban.

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  Love my Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Selma Lieberman - April 19 - 11:30 pm

  Was surprised at how well it handled and how much room there was inside. It had more power and pickup than I expected. And all my passengers are amazed at the space and comfort of the interior.

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  Prius Pride - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Lane Garrett - April 19 - 9:40 pm

  We are proud to own a Prius since it answers part of the oil supply and the global warming growing crises. The instrumentation and human engineering are supurb and quicky help train a driver for maximum fuel economy. We are now considering a second Prius. I only wish that Toyota would add rack and pinion steering for better wind stability. A larger battery with plug-in capability should be added for the next generation!

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  Awesome!! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By markmine - April 19 - 9:20 pm

  I purchased my Camry XLE with 2.5, 4 cylinder engine about 5 months ago and clocked about 8k miles since. This car is rock solid! I was hesitant about the 4 cylinder but really wanted the gas mileage. After multiple test drives, I couldnt see spending the extra cash for the v6. No regrets, the 2.5 has plenty of power, is very smooth, quiet and I am consistently getting 30.6 MPG combined. I also really like the interior and the JBL sound system. The nav works great, but Im not very happy with entune, its a little buggy with my Samsung s3 phone. I shopped online for the car and paid 27.5k including 100k mile toyota warranty. All this with 0% financing.