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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  Zero problems - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By dickthebutcher - April 20 - 10:06 am

  I bought my 2009 Prius new and have now driven it for almost five years. It has just over 70,000 miles on it, and so far the only maintenance expenses Ive had are oil changes and one new set of tires. It still has the original brakes and they still arent showing signs of wear. Im not sure why so many others find the car uncomfortable -- Im six feet tall and have no problems. Ive driven to Florida from Pennsylvania in it and was never uncomfortable. Minor gripes: The gas tank does not fill up willingly after its about 80% full. You have to coax in the last few gallons little by little. I dont love its looks, either, but accept that trade-off to average 47 MPG year-round.

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  Thinks its a Lexus - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By freindinthebiz - April 20 - 4:43 am

  I sell nearly every other Brand of automobile except Toyota. My wife has had a wealth of nice cars before and since our marriage. The 1999 Solara I am reviewing is the nicest we have ever owned. Smooth, quiet, roomy, comfortable and great value for the money spent.

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  PERFECT FOR EVERYTHING - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Justin - April 20 - 3:56 am

  Looking for an SUV with a little bit of everything; handling, fun to drive, tough, reliable, smart and gorgeous? Look no further.

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  Amazing auto - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By AMAZING - April 19 - 7:20 pm

  Have wanted a Prius since first introduced and am so happy to be able to buy what I consider the Cadillac of hybrids. Handles great, tight and responsive. Performance - its not as quick as some expensive sports cars but for 75 horses they can jump up and run!! The touch screen is sometimes very difficult to see in bright sun.

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  Fun/Zippy/Money saver - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By whatswhat1 - April 19 - 5:28 pm

  I have a 4 door hatchback and have driven it over a year. I also opted to add leather seats-great idea. Fun to drive, very zippy, can park anywhere, great turning radius (it still surprises me at times), wonderful to haul things in because of the back seat options, reliable and cheap to drive. I average depending on my driving style between 28-31 mpg city and 32-40 mpg highway. You will only get the 40 if you go 65 or under on a non windy day. Cons are that you hear the road noise and engine a lot, feel bumps because of stiffer shocks and the inside is more plastic than I would like...but this is not a sedan so what do you expect? A great, fun ride for the average cost conscious driver.

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  Class of its own - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By accelrviii - April 19 - 5:23 pm

  I drove mostly American made pickups while in high school. After driving one of these Toyota pickups, I will never own anything else. Its really a no brainer. Looks, performance and yes untouched reliability put it way above the rest. I have 135,000 miles on mine and no problems. Toyota will never have financial troubles when they make trucks like these! These trucks will be around for ever.

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  Former Jeep owner - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Mike - April 19 - 3:23 pm

  Totally shocked by the wicked gas mileage (45 hwy)! No lie! Almost two 20s to fill it for 4 days, unlike former jeep ($100) for four days! Rides like a Go-Kart! Sweet! Currently installing an aircraft mixture knob to lean it for more gas mileage. Havent calculated yet. Rat rod tires and a shrunken head foe a shifter. I love this car. I have 17000 miles and had no reliability problems.

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  its a love hate relationship - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By michelle1969 - April 19 - 1:01 pm

  Overall I love the car and it rides like a dream, but my car has 62k on it and my dash is melting and I have very odd shakes rattles and rolls going on. Is anyone aware of any recalls for the dash melting? Its really annoying, and for $15k (I just bought it 3 months ago). I dont think I should have a melting dashboard in a car that is only 5 years old

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  solid town car - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By greenie - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Interesting car that delivers promised economy. Very comfortable communter car with ample torque for local street and freeway driving. Navigation system is unnecessarily complex to use and is also quirky, frequently giving odd or inefficient directions. Averaging 45 mpg on mixture of freeway and city/suburban streets. Freeway milage much higher (45 - 75 mpg) than street milage (25 - 35 mpg).

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  RAV4 L - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By lbmcc - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle for the price. Great look inside and out. Good MPG. AWD a plus in Buffalo. Peppy engine. Could use a bit more room but keep it in the small category.