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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  Still loving it. - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Don Ray - November 28 - 4:36 am

  I have now put 2,000 miles on it and still loving it. Best tank of fuel got me 20.10 mpg. Put A.R.E. bed cover and stainless steel side bars, flow master 3 stage muffler, stainless steel tip. Looks and sounds great, Love this truck. traded my 2002 for this 2006. Went fourwheeling and climbed everything I have the guts to climb.. The sport model has limited slip and it is the way to go.

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  2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By blake stevens - November 27 - 10:30 pm

  What a dream car. Ride is nice, interior very comfortable and gas mileage is stunning. I am looking forward to the reliability of my wife and daughters Toyotas. High tech dash, sound system and navigation are intuitive and fun.

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  nice, very nice - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By john - November 27 - 10:03 pm

  I would like to see 24mpg avg. i get 22 most of the time, Should have illuminated the garage door opener buttons. The exhaust tip is always full of gravel. I wish Toyota would recognize synthetic lubricants.

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  LOVE IT!!! - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By N5K191 - November 27 - 7:33 pm

  We took it on a cross country trip and was great! The ac is better than on our caravan(2005) and is more solid. The interior is Lexus like and they could sell this truck as a Lexus anytime. No time in the shop, exept for a squeal above 2500rpm. Is definately a fuel hog even with weaker engine but is more refined. I would recommend this or the Titan.

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  Evelyns Avalon - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Evelyn Smith - November 27 - 8:16 am

  This is the most comfort for a fuel efficient car that I have ever driven. I tested many different makes before purchasing and I kept going back to this model. The handling is excellent on the road. I feel very safe traveling in my Avalon.

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  A Definite Upgrade! - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Michael - November 27 - 7:23 am

  I purchased a 2013 Prius Three for work a few years back, which I really enjoyed. Traded that one last year and missed it, so I purchased a 2016 Prius Four in March, 2016. Wow! Loving this car. My 2013 was not super comfortable, especially on long-haul trips (which I did on a weekly basis). I purchased my 2016 (black exterior, white interior) about 10 hours from home and had a very comfortable drive back - the vehicle feels stable on the road, and the seats are more comfortable. Add the safety sense package into the mix and my long drive was downright enjoyable; I love the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist and would definitely recommend splurging on it if you can. I also got the upgraded JBL audio system, which sounds 1000% better than my last Prius (some may not care, but its important to me). Another improvement is the touchscreen - In my 2013 Prius and 2015 Tundra, the touch screen does not do well in sunlight - I would always have to shade the screen to see. This is not an issue on the 2016 Prius. I have only a few gripes to date. 1) The sun visor - it does not extend, so when the sun is hitting you from the side it is quite annoying. I will be ordering an attachment on Amazon to fix this problem. 2) Not enough front seat storage. My 2013 had a larger middle console and glove compartment; 2016 model is lacking in these areas.

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  New RAV4 owner - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Ming - November 27 - 12:03 am

  Im very impressed with the V6 engine. This thing just takes off! I love the looks of it. Of course there are a few things here and there that can be a bit better, but overall, I love this SUV more and more everyday! I just sat in an 07 4Runner today, I swear the RAV4 has more rear legroom than the 4Runner!

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  Fun little car - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By al0751 - November 26 - 9:05 pm

  My parents helped me buy this car used when my truck started costing too much money for inspection each year. While I started out a truck man, and still am to this day, I love my car to death. It is very fun to drive. I get excited to drive it even several months after I bought it. The 5 speed is nice, however there are a few quirks with mine. The clutch pedal squeaks (quite loud when the windows are down and at a standstill), and the shifter also squeaks when I am shifting into first and second gears. Also, sometimes the back window rattles when the radio is on (volume and bass are both not very loud and it still vibrates). Overall, I love the car and will keep it until it dies

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  Great SUV - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Fred H - November 26 - 6:43 pm

  Our Toyota Highlander is the best vehicle wes ever owned. Its comfortable, gets good gas mileage and can haul heavy loads of gifts for our grandchildren. It seats seven and we love it.

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  Love It - 1995 Toyota Tacoma
  By tmason - November 26 - 2:53 pm

  I bought this truck to commute to school (1/2 hour) and twice monthly to northern VT from RI. I take it on the beach with no hesitation and cant wait to drive it in the snow. Surfing the secluded spots wont be a problem anymore. My truck has 201,000 miles on it and it feels like a newborn. I highly recommend buying a used tacoma. Ive spent many nights in the back of it camping out on the beach. Its just a romantic truck.