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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  2014 Avalon - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By Dave Schropp - March 10 - 7:53 am

  excellent car. Quality and performance well obove price rnge.

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  Not as good as I thought I was getting - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By molly1206 - March 10 - 4:07 am

  Used to LeSabre. Avy does not have as many features, has a motor whine, and windows stick; trunk whams when closing. Overall ride is smooth, gas is good. Info display very limited. 1st and last; back to Buick. More bang for the buck.

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  Amazing on icy roads - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By BIll McCabe - March 9 - 11:26 pm

  Ive always driven big cars like caddys, Lincolns, and even a 24 Lincoln stretch. The vehicle I turned in off lease to buy my Yaris was a 2005 Saturn Vue with a 3.0 6cyl and all the bells and whistles. I bought a baseline 2009 Yaris and was skeptical as to how well it would handle the roads and weather where I live. Today we had ice everywhere. In weather like this my Vue was useless but the Yaris handle the ice and the hills like a plow I swear never slipped once or even felt like it was going to. I will recommend this car to anyone who will listen I still think its a shoebox but man what it handles like a half track in bad weather.

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  161000 miles a I find I building a new fj!! - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Jim sauerheber - March 9 - 6:01 pm

  I have a 2007 FJ and I had to replace the following torque converter, break system and rear end. I put a Lemon on the antenna!

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  All around too good - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By bsedgal - March 9 - 2:43 pm

  I got this car with 88K miles a year and a half ago and now have 100K miles. No issues whatsoever. Just great car with great gas mileage. I get 45mpg in the summer and 38mpg in the dead of winter. This is definitely not a fix it yourself kinda vehicle which is sorta a con for me. First of all there is absolutely no working room under the hood. Its extremely compact I get claustrophobic just looking around. Second the hybrid system is of course full of unique electrical parts and highly technical work. somewhat dangerous as well. If it ever has problems I will be completely at the mercy of the dealer and Im sure they will gauge me all the way to the bank. But again, so far no problems.

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  accelerations terrible but you dont need it cuz - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Disappointed - March 9 - 12:30 pm

  I turn on my GPS and then I use my phone Google map to make a game out of the fact that the navigational system in this car will take me completely in the wrong direction is only funny because I have an option otherwise its not very funny cuz I paid for it

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  Cant Beat the mileage, sold me! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By skopinitout - March 9 - 12:10 pm

  Traded in a 04 Dodge Stratus for a new Corolla and not disappointed a bit. With gas prices soaring at all time high best move i could have made. 32 miles in city and I havent put it on the highway yet!

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  The Echo Is Great! - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Bert - March 9 - 9:16 am

  The Echo is fun to drive, has plenty of room inside with super storage, has fantastic fuel economy and unparalleled realiability.

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  Great Van - BAD NAVIGATION - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Great van - Bad Nav - March 9 - 9:00 am

  This is a great van! The quality is great...Toyota. The layout is comfortable. The only negative about the van is the GPS navigation system. Many secondary roads are not on the map. You cannot use the controls while the vehicle is moving. Toyota says it is because of safety, however if you have a passenger along, you cant find a hotel or a place to eat. A real pain. Dont get the GPS, buy an after market model that works on the move. The Toyota GPS is not user friendly and has a poor map (that you pay a fee to update). I have a hand held Garmin that is far superior. Again, great van that I really love just dont waste your money on the poor navigation system.

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  The Echo Is Great! - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Bert - March 9 - 8:43 am

  The Echo is fun to drive, has plenty of room inside with super storage, has fantastic fuel economy and unparalleled realiability.