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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  As good as a Lexus - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By lakeside - October 2 - 5:13 am

  Have found the VENZA to be an excellent all around car. The looks are youthful and classy together. The inside (w/leather pkg, incl woodlike trim) is actually beautiful. Agonized over 4 vs 6 and am so glad I got the 4. While not a screamer, this 4 jumps like a rabbit from standstill, 40-60 and even passing at 60-70. Performance with the 4-cyl was a pleasant surprise, and hwy mileage of 29 (!) is fabulous for a car this big. Ride is quiet and smooth and handling is also very good, esp for a big wagon. Overall its got looks, quality and performance. The car reeks of quality. Put a big "L" on it and it could be a Lexus.

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  best used car! - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
  By john - October 2 - 12:20 am

  just bought a used 01 w/ 42k miles for $10k- good deal on a loaded v6se. When smogged, the tech said the motor on these are great. Looked at a new 05 model- cant see losing $10K in depreciation in 3 years though. So I found a nice used one that will now not depreciate. Love the int styling and handling. engine is so smooth you dont know its running unless you look at the tach.

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  Hi marks for Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By munchkin - October 1 - 9:40 am

  Coming from a minivan to a Highlander has been the best experience in my short car ownership-life. I get much better mileage and havent sacrificed too much space. I have not experienced any problems with the Highlander, as opposed to my experience with the minivan (not a Toyota).

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By GatorJeff - October 1 - 8:10 am

  Fast, roomy, great gas mileage, excellent look. This car has been great to drive and gets loads of compliments. I compared to the ES330 and the G35 and really felt the Avalon was the best in class. No other car has the mix of great looks, fuel ecomony and interior size like this car. I love driving it as it performance like a sports car but rides like a luxury car.

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  Nice Family Car - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Viva79 - October 1 - 12:00 am

  I have always wanted a Toyota Camry and I happened to come upon a great deal last summer. Now with a new family, it is just the thing. I still think it is a great car even after the minor problems I have already had.

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  Love em so much we own 2! - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By Mike Colley - September 30 - 11:33 pm

  We love our priuii :) and will probably not buy anything else again. We AVERAGE 50 mpg in cars that are very comfortable. Cargo space is pretty amazing, too - We have had several occasions when the home improvement store worker helping load has said, "No way!" and we replied - "Youll be surprised!" We have a 2012 and a 2015 Prius 3. Love em both! The 2012 has almost 100,000 miles on it. We would not hesitate to drive this car across the country. The ONLY negative things are the headlights have an abrupt view line on low beam and there is a really bad blind spot. Mirror placement helps.

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  Prius is amazing - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By diagonalmayhem - September 30 - 11:26 pm

  LOVE THE PRIUS. I had the top of the line 2004 Prius, whose only shortcoming was the lack of leather seating. This was all solved with the 2006, which we ordered the minute we could. I took delivery on the top of the line 06 Prius, and immediately could tell an improvement. They revamped the navigation system (and all the other displays) and also replaced the smooth plastic dashboard with "rhino-skin" which is very appealing and stays exceptionally clean.

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  Awesome - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Al - September 30 - 6:24 pm

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  Great Little Car - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Steve - September 30 - 5:30 pm

  Well, Ive only had the Yaris for about 3 weeks, but so far so good. It has great interior room, handles well, and has good power for a 1.5L engine. The gas mileage is really good as after 4 fill-ups Im averaging about 34-35 mpg. Most of my driving is highway and the Yaris has no problem going highway speeds and has plenty of acceleration to get up I-70 in the mountains outside on Denver. Given the looks, performance, comfort, and gas mileage that Im getting for the price I paid, this car was an unbelieveable deal.

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  2006 Toyota Avalon Limited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By golfscs111 - September 30 - 5:23 pm

  Ive had my Avalon for 3 weeks and I can easily say its the finest car Ive ever driven. The engineers at Toyota USA did a great job designing this car.