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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  I Love My Toyota - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By Neva Rogers - November 3 - 10:00 am

  My car lacks cruise control. It does not have ABS. I have had very small problems. I take my car to the dealer and treat it like a baby. It is my joy.

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  Money in the bank - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Freedom1 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  As a 1st gen hybrid Toyota has done a superb job. If you are curious about the other manufactures reports check out the Dept of Energy web site and compare the notes yourself, Toyota leads the others by 10yrs in development this car has been operational on the roads since 97 in Japan and available in the US since 01. Seating 5 pax and an excellent commuter, I would recommend this car to anyone who loves to save money with an 11.9gal tank I got 485 miles on one tank, and average about 40.2 mpg my last 3000 miles I have driven. Given that I drive hard and fast that’s great for a lead foot, the car maxes out at 101mph.

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  My car - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Joe Moe - November 3 - 10:00 am

  This car has been excellent in regard to driving pleasure, reliability, gas mileage, comfort, size and looks.

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  Its Been Great! - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By Bamagirl - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Sequoia for over a year and so far its been a great vehicle. We had a Ford Expedition before and we liked it, but we love our Sequoia! You cant compare the comfort & smooth ride that the Sequoia gives. It has a great look to it as well.

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  I Love This Ride! - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By AllenEli - November 3 - 10:00 am

  We just bought this Sequoia after looking at them for over 6 months. Its hard to find them, they are very popular and they really hold their value. We couldve gotten a 2001 Ford Expedition for about $8,000 less, but the Sequoia is superior in every way and you cant hear the depreciation fly out the window like its competition.

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  rav4 s model - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By benny68 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  The rav4 is a great suv for the driver whos looking for fuel economy and car like handling. I bought the sports model and love the way it looks.

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  Excellent Buy - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By anoop - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I bought this toyota as a demo model and loved everything about it from the way it drives to the gas mileage and lots of other neat features. It has never given any problems so far. Has about 30k miles on it and hoping for it go many more.

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  03 prerunner double cab - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Clintsparks1 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  Love it more every time I drive it!!!

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  Best car made by Toyota - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Santiago Lopez - November 3 - 10:00 am

  This ts the perfect car (no other car can march it)

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  Sienna makes minivans cool! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By RLC - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I took a big mental leap and went from a volvo wagon to the 2004 Toyota Sienna this past July. "Life-changing" might be too subtle a word. Now the (3) kids have tons of room, can watch movies on long rides (I got the dealer to throw in an extra pair of wireless headphones -- who buying a minivan really only needs two pair anyway???) and Im getting over that "Im driving a mack truck feeling" and my husband has stopped waving me into the driveway like Im parking a plane on the tarmac. All in all, Ive been totally happy with my purchase.