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:

• 

  Very good, but a few minor complaints. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By JF - February 7 - 10:30 am

  Ive had no significant transmission problems. There is some hesitation when starting quickly from a stop (if there is a fix for this, I will likely have it done). Other than that the tranny has been very good. No reliability problems of any kind thus far with nearly 18K on it. My mileage averages 25, but it easily gets 30 or over on the highway. Overall the smoothness, ride and handling is excellent. Power is adequate for a 4cyl, and just about what I expected.

• 

  Nice Car - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By run 22 - February 7 - 2:00 am

  its a very comfortable and powerful car. I think it has a killer engine. Its very fun-to-drive car.

• 

  nice... - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By idacosmo - February 7 - 2:00 am

  the only thing i regret is why i didnt buy the trim with leather and rear spoiler..and why it is silver instead of black?? (they should make more black cars) my mistake..othrwise,a dream car for the money. dealrship was not helpful/professional at all,they failed my test.i will buy toyota again,but never from the same people.

• 

  Awesome - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By Mike Catlin - February 7 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is awesome. From the first time riding in it, I fell in love. Styling is great, it steers like it is on air. Im 6 foot tall, and it is more comfortable than my dads full size car. So many little things they have done to make you feel great about your purchase.

• 

  Not too shabby - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By lauren - February 7 - 2:00 am

  This car is my first sedan, and I am impressed. I really like driving it and after almost a year absolutely nothing has gone worng. Its fun to drive, but could go a little faster on an incline. The gas mileage could be better but its acceptable. Overrall, I love my car, but I definitely get the egg smell at times, too.

• 

  Sassy - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Captain Minivan - February 7 - 2:00 am

  Excellent handling and performance. Great features and reasonable price. If you have to buy a minivan, this is one to consider. Drives like a car, and with available AWD, it is as capable as an SUV. Should be the benchmark for all other maufacturers.

• 

  04 Sienna - 1st impression - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By mssisson - February 7 - 2:00 am

  The Toyota Odessey - I mean Sienna seems in perfect Toyota form. Excellent drive train, excellent features(finally)& the right size (finally).

• 

  Best Buy! - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By MSL - February 6 - 10:56 pm

  Couldnt be happier with our purchase. Third row seating available while avoiding a minivan is great! Gets along great in the winter - a real bonus when wife and two children are commuting in Omaha winters! Gas mileage is so far better than sticker estimates (25.75 highway - 24.5 city)!!!

• 

  JBL Premium Audio System with 10 speakers - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By KJordan - February 6 - 10:53 am

  The Toyota Entune JBL Premium Stereo System with the 10- Greenleaf speakers is terrible! Absolutely no bass whatsoever, no matter what you do to try an achieve it. When you fade all of the volume to the rear of the car, there is barely any volume. When you look in the trunk, you will see that Toyota left the passenger side large speaker housing empty. For a car that stickers for around 35K, you would think you would get a stereo that would be impressive. This is definitely not the case. I get so frustrated, I just turn it off. Toyota needs to fix this for their owners!!

• 

  Awesome vehicle - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Jeff - February 6 - 9:26 am

  Rides like a car and extremely comfortable on trips. Wife drives it to work daily and loves it. No comparison and test drove a lot before settling on this. Like it a lot better than the 2 4Runners I owned before. Plenty of power and good gas mileage. All in all a great vehicle that I plan on keeping for a long time.