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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  Big, Comfortable Van, dont call it mini. - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By banerz - September 10 - 8:40 pm

  We purchased this VAN (its no mini) to upgrade from my 04 Corolla (loved it) as expecting family to grow soon. It is huge!! Very comfy for passengers, but very vague for the driver! Rolls during cornering with soft tuned suspension and soft brakes. Interior is very quiet. Great for cargo haul - has shopping hooks for grocery. Folding console in first row gives driver mobility inside the van. Gas mileage is 20-22 in town; Toyotas great build quality, but wish was slightly smaller and more engaging. Need to adjust to its gas guzzling habit during pick up. Toyota give a Hybrid option to help its pickup without compromising mileage.

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  Great Buy For the Money - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By PG - September 10 - 7:36 pm

  I own a 2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan with 62K on it and has been very reliable thus far. I purchased the Yaris when fuel went up to $4.00+ per gallon. Overall, it has exceeded my expectations in regards to reliability and value. This vehicle averages anywhere from 32-34 MPG per tank with normal city/hwy driving. The MPG does drop a bit in colder weather due to fuel additives put into the gas, youll lose around 1-2MPG. If youre doing strictly HWY driving, this model will allow you to drive 370-385 miles per tank before re-filling. The return is 37-38.5 MPG, before the fuel light flashes quickly meaning you have 1.1 gallons of fuel available.

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  BEST 4X4 - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By ALEX - September 10 - 10:00 am

  Toyota 4Runner best suv on market.

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  JUST DRIVE IT!!!!!!!!! - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By JAREK - September 10 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS THE BEST SUV EVER. LOOKS GREAT AND DRIVES EVEN BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2003 Toyota Matrix Base - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By hazelnut323 - September 10 - 10:00 am

  I have mixed feelings about my Matrix ... its definately an attention getter(8/10 scale Lexus RX300), somewhat fun to drive, very practical and fuel efficient ... on the other hand its relationship with Pontiac Vibe is rather apparent ... Dash is very tasteful, but its a chore on the sunny day, cheap GM, seats are too soft and covered with something that would look appropriate on inside 1984 Celebrity, not XXI century Toyota.

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  Toyota Quality??? Yeah Right - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By neveratoyota - September 10 - 10:00 am

  Biggest piece of junk ever produced. Wish I had driven it longer than the test drive. Nothing but problems. Underpowered, overpriced, holier than thou attitude at the dealer. Conned into buying one because of claimed reliability. Traded it in for a Saturn Vue V6 AWD a far better car in every respect.

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  Great Car - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By mhs - September 10 - 10:00 am

  We bought a 2003 silver LE with side airbags and anti-lock brakes in June 2002 direct from factory after waiting ~6-weeks. We paid about ~$17500 including everything. We had compared it to the Civic but the Corolla is much better. It has a smoother ride and much less wind/engine noise inside. After driving for ~ 4500 miles now we constantly get between 37 - 42 mile/gallon fuel economy which is great! Pick-up is just fine and does not cause any problems. At first I wasnt too impressed with the exterior styling but I have gotten used to it.

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  Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By jrmulch - September 10 - 7:26 am

  Quiet, comfortable, reliable, good on long trips for driver and passengers. Interior items such as sun shade mirrors, tape player have been problematic. Power roof extremely reliable concerning leaks, operation, etc. Gas mileage in town not good but acceptable. The best large car I have ever owned.

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  YaY For Yaris!!! - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By yaris fan!!!! - September 9 - 8:56 pm

  Ive owned a Yaris for two years now, just upgraded to a 2009. I love it. There is so much space in the back seat, friends never complain, storage everywhere, I love the center console area , cup holders positioned perfectly. AMAZING gas mileage. Low cost maint. Because the car is so light weight it takes off quick even when getting on the free way. So no complaints about power. For the price its worth it. The value of the car held on great. Its a great Car. Compare it to other cars similar to it and it stands out in price, style, comfort, and reliability.

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  Great mpg and comfort for the long commutes - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By boelke - September 9 - 8:14 pm

  Purchased one because of a 150 mile daily commute to and from work. Exceptional gas mileage averaging at 52 mpg on mixed highway traffic (I-5 & 118). I am pleased with our decision and it was definitely worth the savings over driving my Z3 daily.