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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  Reliability in unbelievable - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Kim - March 16 - 10:53 pm

  I have had my 4 runner for quite sometime now and have paid it off now. Out of all cars I have owned, including a BMW M3, reliability is outstanding on this vehicle. It has never, ever broken down on me. I put synthetic oil in it, and it purrs. I love my 4 Runner. A good choice for women who know nothing about vehicles, it never breaks down.

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  Couldnt be more satisfied - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Frugal - March 16 - 5:06 pm

  Incredibly, the Prius was a replacement for a Mitsubishi Evo 8 that I had grown tired of. I have now owned the Prius for almost three years and I couldnt be more satisfied with it.

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  My Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By David - March 16 - 4:10 pm

  I purchased my Toyota XLE V6, five speed automatic January, 2005 and have been very satisfied with the car. The car is very responsive and the fuel mileage has averaged twenty four MPG around town and thirty one MPG on the highway. Toyota should improve the quality of the AM-FM/CD Receivers and speakers in the car. I have the JBL without the Nav package. The radio has very poor reception and the speakers arent very good in reproducing a quality sound. The radio and the automatic heater digital readout are a very dim green color and are hard to see in the bright sunlight. Please change to Blue color. Overall I will certainly buy another Toyota again.

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  I love it - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Bob Hardy - March 16 - 3:46 pm

  I traded in a Town Car to purchase the Prius, and havent missed it at all. With a total of 26650 miles I have had no problems. Averaging slightly over 45 MPG for the entire 26M miles. It has a very functional design with lots of room for 6 footers. I have taken a couple of trips of around 1300 miles each. The car was comfortable during the trip and I had no problem maintaining inter-state speeds even in the mountains while the car was fully loaded. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for good, reliable and economical transportation. This is the first time I have recommended a car, and I wouldnt do it if I wasnt sold on it.

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  My 1st. Prius - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By nik34 - March 16 - 3:26 pm

  I have the car one week and it runs great; adequete acceleration and very good fuel economy. With prices now at $3.25 and going up it is comforting to have a car that gets 40+ miles a gallon.

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  oo laa laa - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By robert phaneuf - March 16 - 1:16 pm

  great car

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  Best car so far - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Bill-B - March 16 - 10:33 am

  Acceleration is to slow. Very good car. Best car ever for around $20,000

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  Troublesome - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By roadking218 - March 16 - 2:20 am

  Love the interior and truck size. Hate the mileage. Extremely poor for a small V8. Poor workmanship. never expected a recall from a Toyota. Tire wear was excessive.

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  Nice Cheap Truck (Inexpensive) - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Glen - March 15 - 9:33 pm

  I was planning on buying a new Tacoma this year, I just happened to get lucky with the restyling for 2005. The truck looks as good as any truck out there, and looks like a "real" truck. Before making my decision I looked at used trucks of all kinds...outrageous prices for somebody elses high mileage monster. I was pleasently surprised to find I could buy a brand new Tacoma for around 16 Grand (people are selling their used Tacomas for more). I got the PreRunner 4 cylinder because it was cheap and so am I, and I get the added benefit of good fuel mileage. Of course before receiving the truck I was concerned about H.P. envy, the truck has pleanty of power and drives great. No envy.

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  Buy This Car!!! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Lou - March 15 - 3:23 pm

  I went from a Land Rover Discovery to a 2007 Prius. I never saw myself in a hybrid. The Prius is the best vehicle I have ever owned. It is very comfortable and with 50 mpg average you cant beat the savings at the pump. The technology in this car is amazing. If you can get the navigation and rear view camera buy it, it is well worth it. The bluetooth enables you to recieve and make calls from your steering wheel. The keyless entry and ignition puts this car over the top.