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 truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By jesse - December 11 - 12:20 pm

  just bought my truck at the begining of March. Great truck. looks much better than the competition. I love the power and the size of the truck. Not too big, not too small.

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  2006 Corolla CE (CE stands for Christs Evangelist in my case) - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By dougiedouglas - December 11 - 2:40 am

  Im a musician for Jesus and travel all over to preach and play. Lots of room in the back, seat goes down, can carry all my equip. Rides nice, mileage is great (beats the heck out of my Dodge Caravan) I get alot of compliments on the color..."sea foam mist." Audio is good. Im really glad I got blessed with this. I bought it at 44,000 miles and at 49,000 miles the serpentine belt started squealing from having cracks in it. They normally need to be replaced at 50,000 miles and up so thats cool. Gault Toyota replaced it reasonably and I got a shuttle ride home and back the next day. Id love to get a prius next or a toyota convertible. Peace, in Christ...Dougie Douglas

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  Great Value - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By wedgeman - December 11 - 12:03 am

  I had a Sebring for 5 years, which I traded for this car, and drove a Mustang convertabe a few times, and this blows them away. You would have to spend 15k more to get a comparable car. It is smooth, quite, and has all the features you would expect. The only draw back is the boot. It is very clumbsy and hard to fit. But the car is quiet, has plenty of room for a rag top, and I would expect Toyota reliability. It was hard to find in my area, and the dealer stood firm on the price but at this point it was worth it. A stylish, solid , and quiet convertable for the price. Looking forward to the spring!

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  Great value & lots of fun - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By FQuinn3868 - December 10 - 9:56 pm

  Have that the coupe for 2-weeks now. Long enough to confirm that I made a good decision- this car offers so much value and fun for the dollar. Compared to Nissan Altima, Honda Accord and VW Passat the Solara is more distinctive and has a more luxurious look and ride.

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  Good compact SUV - 2005 Toyota RAV4
  By Fortune cookies - December 10 - 8:46 pm

  I have owned my RAV4 for over 2 months. I have been comparing RAV4 with CRV and finally got the RAV4 due to the outlook and the safety issue (CRV engire fire scared me!!). Its running great so far. one complaint I have is the car seat not really comfortable due to the headrest leaning forward and back support is not curve enough to support my back. I have to shop around to find a back rest to put it on my car seat :(

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  Cool Truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By MikeyG - December 9 - 11:23 am

  This is a great looking truck inside and out. I like the ground clearance and have good visibility. Im 63" and there is plenty of head room inside the cab. Its comfortable and has a good amount of storage inside. I havent had any problems with my Tacoma. Ive only had to do the regular scheduled maintence. I would highly recommend the Tacoma to anyone in the market for a quality pick-up. I also suggest that you go with the V6 over the 4-cylinder.

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  2001 Toyota Solara Convertible - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Rich Janes - December 9 - 2:00 am

  A typically well designed & engineered Toyota product.

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  04 Prius-Great Car but could be Better - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Raines1 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  The 2004 Toyota Prius is a pleasure to drive, it turns heads & begs for people to ask questions & to look inside. But a few caveats. 1st-The cruise control is attached to the steering wheel (not the column). I cant find it when turning a corner. 2nd-We have both hit the drive control knob by accident and shifted into dynamic braking mode (doesnt hurt the car but I wonder about the car suddenly slowing while going 70 mph with a semi on your tail). 3rd - With light rain/Freezing temps, the gas access door froze shut & no way to easily open it. I hit the access door to free it then used a ball-point pen to wedge it open. Its not really winter yet!!!

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  Red Beast - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By Sam Gibson - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Removed all of the name plates. People pull you over to find out what it is. Wild design.

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  Best SUV Ive had - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By JCon - December 9 - 2:00 am

  I love this vehicle. I bought the SE and the ride and handling are surprisingly good, the V6 has ample power, the interior is comfortable and stylish. Bar none the best vehicle Ive owned. I dont want to get out from the behind the steering wheel!