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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  Mileage not holding up over time - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By gypsy2 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  After 14 months the mileage began to fall and the dealer claims to find no problem. Mileage has never matched what the computer says, off consistently 2 to 5 miles, more lately. I got consistent 46 mpg first 14 months, more on long straight drives, then it fell to 23 mpg for a month, then gradually climbed back up to about 30. Climate control also stopped working efficiently. Mostly I like the car, but will switch to Honda this year as the dealer seems uninterested in the strange drop in mpg.

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  Nice... - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By nickistner - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This is my second car (previously owned an integra) and i love it. Its not only nicer but faster than the integra i previously owned. Im currently in the process of adding performance parts to it. I have nothing to regret about buying this car.

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  Practical - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By ciara63 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is great for everything! Couldnt ask for a more practical car and fun at the same time.

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  Avalon - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By lgainer - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Couldnt be more pleased. Best car we ever had!

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  Great SUV - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By AL4runner - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had this suv for 4 years and never had one problem with it. It has 52000 and nothing has been replaced other then tires.

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  THERE IS NOTHING BAD ABOUT THIS TRUCK. - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By MAGIC74 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  THIS TRUCK IS THE BEST TRUCK IVE OWNED AND IVE BEEN THROUGH FORDS, GMCS AND CHEVYS,

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  What a Car - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Toy2me - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for 3 week, The drive is smooth and quiet. Excellent interior and exterior design.

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  Treynas Review - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Treyna - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Our Second Camry, quiet ride. reliable. full size spare, good for daily driving. Seats somewhat uncomfortable on very long drives. Average to good gas mileage, gas tank good be a bit bigger.

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  A good car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By cherry-kun - October 12 - 2:00 am

  My parents bought this car certified/used at around 30,000 miles or so because I needed a car for college. As a car enthusiast I was disappointed at first for not getting a sportier car but having this car for a while made me like it, because I rarely had any problems with it. So far after driving this car for about two years the only problem I had was an engine check light coming on, which turned out to be false, I believe. The standard stereo sounds all right. Highway ride had some noticeable tire noise when I had Potenzas but was better when I swtiched to some Michelin Pilots. Overall in many respects a pleasurable car to own.

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  Great Ride - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By sunsax - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in August and this is the most comfortable car I ever drove. This is LE/auto(2003) at a great price of $17600(all taxes and registration included). Ride quality is excellent. Lot of room, large trunk and great mileage. Most important it is flawless-no trouble and is very dependeable. Only one thing I feel which needs to improvement -that LE comes with 15 inches wheel- which seems to be small with such a large size sedan. If you need 16 inches wheel then you have to go to SE or XLE.