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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  Best car Ive owned - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By M. lawlor - August 12 - 4:00 am

  There are two types of people. Those that are amazed by my new car and those that act unimpressed. The latter are just plain jealous. The Prius has all the coolest techy gadgets, amazing gas mileage, drives great and is quite comfortable. No wonder its the best car Ive ever owned.

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  Great car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By kathleen - August 11 - 4:53 pm

  Great car, fun to drive! Looks good gets great gas mileage. A lot faster than you would imagine with a little four cylinder. Have had absolutely no problems with this car. Toyota is the only brand I have had that I can make that claim.

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  My awesome new Tacoma - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Edward Turpin - August 11 - 12:40 pm

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  Like the RAV4 - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By David Emrich - August 11 - 12:38 pm

  I was always more of a Honda guy. Had a 1996 Civic Dx coupe manual transmission, am/fm radio, no ac, crank windows for 273,000 miles, 8 years. Liked it. Always wanted an Accord, got 2015 Accord Sport sedan, 6speed manual, liked, techy, slightly cheap plastic. Toyotas are sleepers, in my opinion. Had 2010 Prius III, just after the redesign, 2011 Camry Base, 2014.5 Camry LE. Liked them all, but in a different way than my Hondas. Easy to live with. Prius wasnt fun to drive. Seat angled weird, like you were pointed toward the central gauges, but you body was traveling straight. Weird. Camrys were solid. Comfortable. Easy to live with. This is easy to live with. I like it. I like sitting up high. I have the LE AWD. Came home to find frozen into 2 feet of snow at jfk after having been in southern California, no problem. Rocked it back and forth a couple of times, drove right out. Impressive. Very peaceful. Doesnt rip around, so I drive it slow, and it works for me. Very well balanced in many ways. Fabric on seats in Accord was shiny. Fancy. Like an executives car. This is basic. Perfect balance between comfort, and durability. Doesnt advertise itself, "Hey, look at me!", just gets the job done in a very nice way. Keep it in ECO mode, get advertised milage. Satisfied with MPG. Without ECO button on, takes off a little too quick in first gear, in my opinion. Had 2014 Kia Sportage LX, was a dog in ECO mode. Sporty, and tight handling otherwise. This gets better feel economy, and feels more satisfying, overall. The Kia felt less satisfying to drive with time. This got better with time. Toyotas reliable, too, good to do business with. I got a great lease deal. Paid out of some negative equity I had after trading a lot of vehicles in a short time. This allows me to pay that off, plus lease the vehicle, get a fresh start at the end of the lease. Surprised Toyota would offer it. Recommended.

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  Great little SUV - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By tnboy - August 11 - 5:12 am

  We wanted a smaller SUV with a V-6, maximum room for the class, and a moderate price for the class, and this fit the bill perfectly. We compared others, and none had the combination of our four main wants. We also considered the Lexus RX350 and the Volvo XC60 but didnt see $15-$20K worth of quality differences ("prestige" in a vehicle was not one of our needs).

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  Nice value - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Bryan - August 11 - 4:33 am

  We bought the 2007 Camry CE after trying the Honda Accord LE, CRV, Toyota RAV4, Matrix, Prius, Subaru Forester, and Legacy. Hands-down, the Camry was the quietest, most comfortable car; although the Prius was cool, but overpriced. Auto transmission is smooth, 4 cyl. engine is strong enough for everyday driving, handling is crisp with a good feel for the road, fuel economy is great. Many safety features are standard this year. We have only put about 200 miles on it so far, but we like it! I would definitely test drive one if you are shopping for a mid- size sedan. We even started out looking at small SUVs and found this gem. :-)

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  Starting Issue - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By caboz - August 11 - 3:53 am

  4 times in the last 2 years the vehicle would not start because the brake pedal was locked and not moveable.

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  sequoia - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By rosehill - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Great on highway travel, comfortable, responsive, easy to control at cruising speeds. Travel on back roads- -dirt roads during winter with lots of snow and ice this year has been very easy and safe. Traction outstanding even on icy hilly terrain. Only complaint is rear visibility. Roominess for transporting is asset.

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  Toyots Prius - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By Cael Zander - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoy this car, in the city or on the road. I do get the reverse of the estimated milage (50/53 mph on the road, 46 in town). The trunk is amazingly roomy, the seating comfortable for four.

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  underrated car of the year - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By slick rick - August 11 - 2:00 am

  The Echo doesnt get much publicity-- watch any Toyota ad on tv and you will see plenty of Camry, Tundra, Corolla footage, but nothing is ever said about the Echo. Too bad, because this is one heck of a car. Gas mileage is incredible, as is the ride quality and interior design. Great stock sound system. Interior is just plain cool with all the storage spots for your gear. All this for a decent price and the Toyota family name.