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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  Perfect fit - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By cpl8 - September 24 - 5:00 pm

  I came out of a 2008 Camry SE, I loved that car, it was totaled so I went with a 2009 Camry Hybrid fully loaded. Im 6 4" and its a perfect fit. Lots of room. The car shows 36-37 per gallons avg. never better then 37.6mpg

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  Family van - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By viennamicro - September 24 - 2:40 pm

  Excellent family van - great for trips with 4-6 adults, too. Plenty of passenger room, even with our oversized friend (280 pound linebacker) front and second row.

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  Best Car Yet - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By carl - September 23 - 7:23 pm

  I have owned is Avalon now for 2+ months and it has been a excellent car. I have had no service problems and the dealer and Tyota has been excellent in their folow up. The touring package makes this car fun to drive and I feel like its sports car with an excellent ride. The pick up is great and handeling and cournering is very good. I am very pleased and will give this car a high rating.

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  The minivan to buy - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By hmac - September 23 - 2:20 pm

  I test drove both the Odyssey and the Sienna and went with the Sienna at the end. The ride is more comfortable and quiet... you dont want to hear that wind noise and feel more bumps while driving do you? Performance is good, it has a lot of power in it, fuel consump. is about 24-28 hwy/18-22 city. Interior looks are great and roomy though there seems to be some cheap looking plastics inside. Handsome look from outside, not so square and bulky.

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  Love Everything but the Engine Light - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By JC48 - September 23 - 12:06 pm

  We are thrilled w/ the Toyota Camry Hybrid. We consistently get over 37 mpg. Its quiet and once you get accustomed to what all the dials and buttons do, you just have to love it! I am very proud of the gas conservation I am able to attain. So, Thank You Toyota! Ive been a Toyota owner for 30 years & Ive always had great performance. The only problem I have is with the Engine Light. It keeps coming on and I notice the gas cap loosens up. Im vigilant to tighten it when filling up, but it still seems to loosen. Im concerned, and I appreciate seeing others are having a similar problem. Ill email my dealer today. Thanks everyone here for your info.

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  Excellent car with minor gripes. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CRF59 - September 23 - 9:30 am

  A superb car for the person who wants practical utility with a dose of performance and refinement. A wonderful drivetrain with great power and smoothness. The styling does not say "Camry" anymore and the interior is mostly excellent - door handles are too hard and plasticky, some rattles especially when cold outside, not overly fond of the center console design. The transmission does occasionally get "confused" and takes a while to select the right ratio, but this does not occur frequently. Acceleration is sufficient to embarrass many true sports cars and I routinely can out-accelerate them in traffic (not that I break any laws - :) ). Replaced my 2003 BMW 325i and Im happy.

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  Great Ride Great Price - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By mpsmith80 - September 23 - 5:20 am

  This car is great. For the lower end LE Model it has a tone of features. It Comes with cruise, traction control, Heated mirrors, 4 speed automatic, Tells you how may miles to an empty tank. For 16,000 I am incredibly happy with what I got. Its a Toyota and it will last forever. The only complaint is the gas mileage. For a smaller car it gets 24 city and 34 hwy. With a small engine and compact size I would expect better.

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  My First Toyota - Quality Built Car - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Perfectly Built - September 23 - 3:16 am

  First the workmanship of this car is perfect.The telescopic steering wheel, the quality stereo system, heated seat, quiet smooth ride, easy operated convertible top to the stylish body makes this a perfect quality car. You cannot even hear this car running.

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  Toyota Venva Rollover - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By bluejaybird - September 22 - 8:05 pm

  My wife and I were involved in a 65MPH rollover in our 2009 Venza rolled over 3 time per wittnesses i walk way with only a scratch on my elbow my wife came out only 3 stitches on her hand and bruises from the overhead airbags just wanted to say the Venza is a very safe car we ordered a new one

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  TRADED IN CMAX AFTER 10 MONTHS FOR THIS PRIUS - 2013 Toyota Prius
  By tradedcmax - September 22 - 4:13 pm

  I had decided to buy the Ford Cmax over the Prius without having tried the Prius. I did so because I bought into the hype and I really did like the way the Cmax drove. I also wanted to do the buy American thing. After 10 months and nearly 15K miles, never going over 37mpg, dealing with the many build quality issues (lots of them) I stumbled upon the NHTSA recall for the safety crash thing and said it was the last straw. So I traded in the Cmax for the Prius. And I havent looked back. The first 3 fill ups were 49, 47, and 45. Already I got the MPG that the CMAX could not. So it wasnt just me. The Prius works great, is comfortable, and is an amazing build quality!