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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  I love My Matrix XRS - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By tiffyJ - September 10 - 3:23 am

  I fell in love with this car when it first came out. I saw it when I went to see a movie on the pre-movie commercials and fell in love and several years later I was still in love with it. I traded in my 99 4 door civic and I am so glad that I did!

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  Big, Beautiful & Fun to Drive - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By ssyates - September 9 - 4:00 pm

  We just bought this "mini" a week ago and so far havent found anything we dont like. It is very responsive; finely tuned engine & transmission and grabs the road. It seems especially competent as we still have snow and slush on the road after 3+ feet of snow, with most of it still on the ground over the past two weeks. The cabin features and comfort leave little to be desired. My first tank of gas got us 21+ MPG with a balanced mix if town and highway driving. Our trade-in; a 2005 Prius typically gets 43MPG for the same kind of driving.

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  Awesome Ride! - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By maxac - September 9 - 3:56 pm

  Just Love it! The color stands out and the 4wd has gotten me out of plenty of sticky situations. Great for the money.

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  My Tundra - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Pduckman - September 9 - 8:53 am

  This is my 3rd Toyota truck, the first two being Tacomas. My first impression was how smooth and quiet the ride was, almost as good as our 2001 Avalon. The front seats are much higher (almost chair height) than the Tacoma and thus more comfortable on long hauls. Even my 6.5 foot bed is huge with approx. 66 cubic feet of room. The interior controls are very big and easy to turn while driving. Love the fact that like my Tacoma the rear door windows go all the way down when opened. And the guy that came up with the tailgate assist should get a raise. Also the standard Tire Pressure Monitor system is a plus. And did I mention standard VSC, ABS, TRAC, EBD and the huge (13.9 in) front brakes.

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  Great car! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Mike - September 9 - 4:23 am

  Bought new Oct 2006. Now have 13,500 miles on it. Zero problems. Extremely quiet, very little motor or wind noise. So quiet you tend to speed. Great, honest gas mileage. Freeway at 75 mph I get 34 - 36. Combined city and highway at lower speeds I get 36 - 38. Comfortable seating but "wings" on drivers seat dig into my back; could be softer. Steering wheel too far away!! Im 62" and have my seat pushed back. Good ride, especially on highway. My only complaint is that the Bridgestone tires are very noisy on coarse pavement. Big trunk, roomy backseat for a small car. The LE is nicely appointed, a mini "luxury" car. Its a great car for the money.

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  Awesome for the soloist - 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By starchilds - September 9 - 2:00 am

  This wasnt your family car and never was ment to be. If you know and except this then your in route to an awesome reasonably priced fun-machine. For those of you who might love to travel and enjoy the occasional road trip keep your baggage light and the sky is the limit. This is simply put, an awesome cruise around convertible. Not a care in the world, I carry no baggage to hold me down type automobile.

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  Great car - 1998 Toyota Avalon
  By Bill-NJ - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Solid and reliable car. Comfort is exceptional. Just returned from vacation, driving 18 hours straight with 5 people. Rear seat comfort is as good as front. Averaged 30 mpg.

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  Love my YoYo - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
  By YoYo - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Within 1 year I bought a Chevrolet then an Oldsmobile and spent more time in the service department than driving. Decided to splurge and go for the Toyota. Almost four years later, Im still loving it. 43,000 miles later and never been in the shop except for regular maintenance. I leased the car, but decided to buy out the lease after 3 years. Will drive it until it cant go anymore and then plan on burying it in my yard with a marker "Best Car Ever Made".

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  Gotta love it! - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By liftnwt - September 9 - 2:00 am

  So far my experience has been very positive. While I do a fair amount of highway driving and the Prius gets better mileage in stop and go, Ive been averaging 45/48 mpg (less than the 55mpg that is advertised). When I go to fill up after driving approx. 350 miles and only put in around 7 gallons, Im a happy camper.

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  Reliable workhorse - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By ncng - September 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my first car that I bought in 1999. It has been trouble free and very reliable ever since I bought it. LOVE IT!