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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  Solid and Stylish - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By acek27 - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Solara SLE V6 used and have put on approximately 4,000 miles. I have no regrets whatsoever. Its solid, comfortable and reasonably stylish. The Toyota build quality is outstanding. At 62,000 miles, the cars still solid as a rock. The V6 provides ample power and the ride is extremely comfortable. So long as you are not expecting BMW responsiveness, you really cant go wrong with this car.

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  Happy RAV4 owner - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By keen43506 - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my 2004 RAV4 for about 2 months and have 1100 miles on it. It is well built like my prior toyotas and I have not yet found even one defect. Gas mileage is about 24 mpg in mix of in town and short trips, havent been on a longer trip yet to test highway mileage rating. I have the L package which adds some real style to the base RAV4. Seats are comfortable and interior room is greater than it first appears. Solid feel and handling.

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  excellent - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By fred mueller - June 14 - 10:00 am

  we are getting up in years and find it hard to enter and exit our solara which is in automotive talk can be considered a cream puff we would like to trade up to a rav4 if this is economicaly feasible

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  Toyota = QUALITY - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By harmsfarms - June 14 - 10:00 am

  After a ten year hiatus from owning a truck I decided on the Double-Cab Tacoma w/ the TRD package and 4 cylinder engine. I feel the transmission is a little notchy at times, but overall a fine machine. Toyota has refined this platform to near perfection and it will continue to extend this level of buyer satisfaction through the next several decades.

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  Nice Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By SamZ - June 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a well built car for the money you pay. I am upgrading from a 89 Camry LE with 100000+ miles. Toyotas are quality cars, and the 05 is no exception. Quiet interior, good audio system, excellent handling, smooth ride. I got the inline 4 automatic transmission with side curtain airbags. Comes with full size spare. Keyless entry a plus.

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  Camry SE is Perfect!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Debbie S. - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I love my new Toyota. It is the perfect car for me. I wanted something sporty, reliable and practical. It fits the bill on all accounts. I have a fairly long commute to work and find it very comfortable. The gas mileage is much better than I hoped. I am averaging about 30 mpg. The 4 cyl. engine has more than enough power for me. The interior of the SE has satin nickel accents and looks great. All controls are easy to reach. The cabin is so quiet you may not know the engine is running! The stereo is fantastic. The only complaint I have so far is that the dashboard material is rather rubbery and seems to attract dust easily and is hard to keep clean.

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  2005 Toyota Tundra TSS Series - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Catherine - June 14 - 4:53 am

  We initally test drove a tundra in 2004 and after test driving all other brands of trucks, we kept coming back to the Tundra. We love it. It is a very comfortable ride and quiet. Very roomy for the family and friends.

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  2012 Prius - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By kellybokc - June 14 - 4:08 am

  Bought my 2012 Prius hatchback 5, 2 weeks ago and love it! They took $5000 off sticker and I got zero percent financing! Im getting on average 49 miles per gallon and it cost me $27 dollars to fill up the gas tank! Used to pay 70 to 75 dollars a week!

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  My Sienna 2000 - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By martin - June 13 - 10:06 pm

  I have had the Sienna almost 7 years and it has 100K on it and I still dont want to give it up. It has never had mechanical/engine problems. At 70 mph the engine purrs.

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  Not what expected - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By PH Hark - June 13 - 9:33 pm

  Weve had Toyotas in the past and been happy, not with the Camry. Acceleration hestitates and then kicks in and jerks forward, its not a safe feeling. We had it in four times for dash board rattles, and twice for an annoying brake squeak. They ended up replacing the brakes because they could not fix the problem. There was a strange high pitch ring in cold weather that came from under the car, they could never figure out what it was. We recently replaced it with a Volvo. Hopefully well have better luck.