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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  Reliable - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Greg Fernandez - April 7 - 12:37 am

  Excellent comfortable mid size

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  My Echo - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By aeroterremer - April 6 - 11:43 pm

  What can I say? I just love my Echo! Ive never owned a car that I was so proud to drive, and this is just my third car in 25 years. Ive had her 3 years now and every day still brings joy and excitement. Although Im retired and dont put in the long miles, she still gets excellent mileage. I would highly recommend the Echo to anyone who wants a no-frills reliable, cute car. If I had to do it again, Id do it in a heartbeat. I love this car so much my sister said my idea of Heaven would be to have only Echos up there. :)

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  Perfect vehicle for us - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Nicmo - April 6 - 4:06 am

  Owned 1 month. So far this car is perfect for our needs. Has plenty of power, big nav/back up screen, good stereo sound, quiet ride. Waited 3 yrs for the 2010 RX 350 and finally saw it at the SF Auto show. It looked essentially the same as the old version, which we didnt care for, only slightly bigger. While at the show checked out all the Xs (MDX, RDX, FX, EX) but for the money there was no comparison, at least from a tech side and sitting in the showroom, plus this runs on regular gas. The next weekend we test drove them all except the 2010 RX which is available in Feb and found the all wheel version of this car to be as good as any of the others.

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  Big mistake - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By aaa - April 6 - 3:40 am

  First of all, I am an experienced mechanic. My wife wanted this car for the kids, she likes it. When I drive this truck here are the things I find wrong with it: right rear blind spot, you have to fold down the right rear seat to see your blind spot and to reverse, brakes issues (2 sets of pads & rotors in 1 year) suspensions is very poor, interior is cheap, as far as engine and transmission goes Toyotas quality is there. Other than that I would rather buy the Yukon or Tahoe, its a much better quality truck thank the Sequoia any day. If you have the money to spare, then buy the Landcruiser of which Toyota put a lot of quality and its day and night compare to this piece of junk Sequoia

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  The perfect car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Sam - April 6 - 3:33 am

  When gas started top go up in price earlier this year, I decided to get an economy car. After test driving a Camry, Matrix and a Prius, I decided on the Prius and never looked back. Gas mileage averages 53.1 MPG, mixed city driving along with an 80 mile round trip commute evenly divided 60MPH and 45MPH speed limits. Excelent handling, very comfortable and now that I have learned to use them, the GPS Navigation and cellular Bluetooth are indespensable and would not like to learn to have to do without them. After a weeks of driving, I have to fill my gas tank, and it usually takes less than 9 gallons. Doesnt get any better than that.

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  Great vehicle to own & drive.!! - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Madscot - April 6 - 3:10 am

  Ive owned this 4 runner for 8 months now & have enjoyed every minute of the driving experience. This is the perfect vehicle for me as I love to camp/fish,etc so theres plenty of room for all sorts of equipment. (Ive only used the roof rack once.) This vehicle performs great on mountain roads,on dirt tracks & in wet/snowy conditions, giving confidence to the driver. Very dependable too, Ive had no problems thus far with just basic "do it yourself" maintenance. In my humble opinion,you could do a lot worse than buying a Toyota 4 Runner.

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  TheProfessor - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By TheProfessor777 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  The best INVESTMENT I made in the last 9 years.

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  would not buy it again - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By Pudtat - April 6 - 2:00 am

  From the very first week the car has had a vibration. Paint scracthes easily. Has a mildew smell from the A/C. I was told by the manufactuer rep that the vibration was normal. Not happy with this car at all.

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  the best truck made - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By kevinbalitski - April 6 - 2:00 am

  best truck we ever had

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  New Owner - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By chip618 - April 6 - 2:00 am

  The truck has less road noise than any other I have driven. I have always been an American car person only, but after a test drive the Tundra was so superior to the American counterparts I had no choice but to switch.