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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  Venza - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By price-6 - July 15 - 10:40 pm

  We bought the Venza to replace our Durango. I absolutely LOVE it, Handles great, kids have lots of room. Easily fits our infants rear facing car seat. Key free is fantastic, so nice to be able to just grab the handle and open the door. Electronic push button tailgate is superb.

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  Everything I expected it to be - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By wooddorker - July 15 - 8:00 pm

  I waited 6 weeks for my ordered Radiant Red V6 4x4 Access Cab with TRD Off-road and towing. I dont have a single disappointment with this truck. My last Toyota gave be 300,000 miles of smiles. I expect nothing less from this one.

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  Very Pleased - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By daigs - July 15 - 7:33 pm

  I could not be more satisfied with my Corolla. Sharp exterior looks and a decent interior. Not the highest end interior but not offensively cheap. The best part of the car has to be the excellent fuel economy. I average between 36-39MPG regularly. The the manual transmission, power is there when it is needed. Is the car a racer? No. But for good, reliable, economic transportation that youre not embarrassed to drive, the Corolla is your car.

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  Go 4 cylinder / Forget hi-$ hybrid - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By JMcVicker - July 15 - 9:56 am

  My wife and I have gone down to Florida, averaging 25 mpg with this 4 cylinder Toyota Highlander. The torque ratio is amazing and this SUV has good power on demand. We never felt threatened while on I95 dealing with the 18 wheelers. Were not anti-green, just anti-premium. Why pay over two thousand dollars for the hybrid when you can get close to the same real milage from this four? Wait until they come down in price. One mans opinion.

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  Our second Sienna! - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By kj - July 15 - 9:23 am

  This is our second Sienna. Lots of improvements from the first one. We take lots of road trips and have thoroughly enjoyed our time in the van. We love the interior design, cargo space and roll-down windows in the second row. Front seats have lots of leg room, great road visibility and dashboard is easily accessible. Our kids love all the spaces to keep their stuff!

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  The Bomb - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By D - July 15 - 9:23 am

  Just purchased today and I am very impressed thus far. The black limited I purchased is refined and luxurious, I have yet to learn all of the gadgets. I had to get use to the bubble head lights and taillights but once I got past that I viewed the vehicle as a very refreshing change from the 2003 thru 2009. I owned a 2002 and liked that body style but the 2010 (Limited) is the Bomb!

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  A Great Hybrid Wagon - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By jeffthezombie - July 15 - 2:09 am

  I purchased a Prius V to replace a totaled Ford Escape hybrid. With the Escape hybrid line discontinued, the Prius V was my best choice for a hybrid with cargo room. Comparable in size to a Mazda 5 (but with no third row seat), the Prius V is more like an oversized Matrix than a traditional Prius. Its roomy and comfortable to ride in, but it lacks the power and handling of the old Ford Escape Hybrids. The fuel economy is fantastic for a car this size (I average about 40 mpg) and the whole package exudes a sense of cutting edge technology.

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  Horrible front seats rest is great - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Rienolf - July 14 - 11:56 pm

  Nice SUV, just finished breaking it in. Front seats are really bad though, especially on long trips. Cant lay back comfortably, sitting up you get a bad neck ache. Best friend refuses to ride in it unless a figure out some fix for the seats. Could ride better on pavement. An option of touring non-all terrain tires would be nice, the A/Ts are overkill for me, bit loud. Very flexible engine, though MPG suffers at high altitude in the mountains. A fine daily commuter aside from the seats. Could use better speakers also. With just the regular CD player they are overwhelmed.

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  I traded my Saturn for this? - 2012 Toyota RAV4
  By lgreeny - July 14 - 9:28 pm

  Ive had the car for a week. Its the most uncomfortable vehicle ever and Im regretting the purchase. I traded my 2008 Saturn Astra for it. I needed something bigger with 4 wheel drive.

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  2001 Echo - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By john harper - July 14 - 6:40 pm

  This car has been good for 45,000 miles and five years. I plan to get another five cheap years out of the car. The car is reliable.