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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  Great Truck! - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By ocnfront - August 11 - 10:10 pm

  A bullet proof truck!! This is the best truck that I have every driven. I use it daily to drive to work and it always a great ride. The prerunner crew cab is the only way to go! My wife will drive it in a hot minute.

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  New purchase - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Rob - August 11 - 12:36 pm

  I currently own a 1992, Toyota, Camry, 4cyl, with 228,000 miles. My friends Camry has 530,000 miles. I recently purchase a 2009, Camry, se. I will let you know how I like the car. And no I do not plan to sell my 1992 Camry. It is in perfect interior & exterior condition.

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  Great Design and Reliable - 2002 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jon R - August 11 - 11:16 am

  Always liked the look of this truck, so I decided to buy a used one 2 yrs ago with 48K on it. Would have got a newer one, but didnt like the newer body style as much. Been driving this for 2 years now, and it currently has 59K (dont drive much). My expectations have been easily surpassed, and I really like this truck. Its design is very well thought out. I dont think the car has a blind spot (great visibility) and the reliability is unbelievable. I just change the oil and let it do its thing. Only thing that has gone wrong with the truck is the power antenna, which seems to be a common problem. Other than this minor inconvenience, the truck has been great and I highly recommend it.

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  A great vehicle, fun to drive, super MPG - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Greggus2K - August 11 - 9:20 am

  No complaints about this car, a real value. I read some of the reviews about sluggish performance...not so! Lots of zip. Great MPG. Front drivers seat position a tad tight at times, but comfortable.

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  get it youll love it - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Sean Shin - August 11 - 6:19 am

  Great visibility excellent gas mileage good ride comfort all control within reach spacious back seat large cargo area all safety feature(adaptive cruise control blind spot monitoring rear cross traffic alert) available like most competitor only available on high trim highly recommended

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  Great little car - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By John Anderson - August 11 - 4:04 am

  Great to drive by the gas stations. Plenty of zip to go over mountain passes in Colorado.

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  Nice experience - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By centauri - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Got my SE 4cyl in September after one month of waiting. This is my first new car after the old 1995 Nissan altima. It is very nice in the highway, but it is not very good in the city especially with the acceleration problem. Dont like the volume control on the wheel, it takes a long time to kill the volume if you have to get a call.

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  A Fine Car - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By twoofthem - August 10 - 6:48 pm

  This is our 2nd one (other is 2008 base level, 17k miles). Looked seriously at Ford and Honda hybrids (used to own a Civic hybrid). For us, climate change is real, and while it would be best not to drive a car that runs on gasoline, at this point, where we live, it is simply not practical not to. The 2010 is a step up from the 2nd generation Prius in almost every way. Got the V with navi. Handles exceedingly well, due in part to the 17 inch wheels and wide tires. It is comfortable to drive (61) and ride in. More than ample power. LOTS of space. Excellent sound system. The look of the car is a bit odd compared to most other cars but its shape should not obscure fact that this is a fine car.

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  Wonderful auto - 2011 Toyota Avalon
  By cnunn - August 10 - 1:28 pm

  We purchased our Avalon about a year ago. We love it. The gas mileage is great..drives and rides like a dream, sound system is perfect, quiet, great rear seat comfort, in short, for us, a retired couple in our mid-sixties it is the best car weve ever owned and absolutely perfectly matches our needs. Weve owned Toyotas for 30 years and we like this one the best. Would highly recommend this car to anyone who wants a comfortable, dependable, quality automobile.

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  Toyota Prius for 63 Male Usage - 2003 Toyota Prius
  By M. Connor - August 10 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I moved from the Philadelphia area to rural northern Berks to enjoy the green beauty. We have recycled and buy electricity from Green Mountain Electric that operates the Wind Generation Plant in central PA. This car is the answer to our prayers for an ecologically sensible and user friendly car. At 46 to 50 miles per gallon it is a joy to operate. My wife ran out of gas last week and drove to the gas station using the battery, no other can can do that. It has great pickup and high speed driving response and very short turning radius. Great car and is comfortable for my family of five.