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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  Our 2004 Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Butterfly - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Changing from a 13 year old smooth riding Buick sedan, the Prius was a new adventure. The learning curve was definitely stressed for us but we are very happy with the mileage, comfort, soundless ride. Even on long drives, the seats are very comfortable.

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  engine sludge - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Little Johnny - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Be very careful when buying a Toyota V6 because of engine sludge problem. Other than arguing with Toyota to fix the problem, the Avalon is treating me nicely.

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  rav4 L - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Noelle Lawrence - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Terrific in snow and bad weather. Great get up and go. Lots of storage space. I like the rubber coating on the back of the seats, protects from dirty little feet.

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  Lots of good; some bad - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By JoshB - October 29 - 2:00 am

  The Matrix is a good car if you need headroom - Im 66", and it fits me perfectly with room to spare. It is an economical, reliable, relatively capacious car. It gets great mileage (low to mid 30s) and has not had any mechanical problems after 32,000 miles. It has decent cargo and passenger room. I would prefer that there be more lateral space, but its a compact car, after all. The interior build quality is VERY poor - the dashboard rattles everywhere. The exterior paint is VERY easy to scratch. The stock tires (Continental) are rubbish.

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  Toyota Avalon XLS - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By chuchi - October 29 - 2:00 am

  So far it is excellent

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  this is my third avalon - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By s leonard - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Had a 1996, 2000 avalon and now this one. Enought said, GREAT CAR!!

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  My Tundra Experience - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By fsjr1982 - October 29 - 2:00 am

  This is the second Toyota Tundra I purchase and I really enjoy it very much. It is very comfortable and roomy for my own use, and I can really depend on it. I have never had any mechanical problems with it or has it had anything break on it. Take in mind you need to follow manufactures maintenance schedule.

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  Nice try, but disappointing - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By BrewsterX - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Fits in the short side of my garage, tows 7000 pounds, and is a true off roader. Its a lot more fun to drive on the road than my RX300 was. The X- REAS shocks help, and the torque (and the sound) of the V8 doesnt hurt, either. The fit and finish match the RX300, and the leather seems less fragile. The road noise isolation is extremely good, but there is too much wind noise. There is also a vibration in the steering wheel at around 1700 RPM, which becomes extremely annoying in 5th gear. Instead of fixing the problem, Toyota is calling it "characteristic of the vehicle." Also, so far Im getting no better gas mileage than on my Suburban.

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  great van! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By bobred - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Lots of room and lots of power with plenty of luxury features. Great on long trips and around town. Id prefer that the second row seats fold into the floor but overall a great family van.

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  We love it !!!! - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Sharon Wierschke - October 28 - 10:43 pm

  We spent the last couple of years reviewing which SUV we wanted...we have test driven almost every small and mid size SUV out there. We liked this one the best... the option of the third row seats pushed us over the edge (not to metion the second baby). This SUV definitely is good value for the money. Lots of std options on the base model.