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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  04 sienna - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By hamra - July 4 - 10:00 am

  best minivan out there

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  2008 Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Bob & Emily - July 4 - 12:36 am

  Very pleased with all aspects of this car. Gas mileage exceeded our expectations, getting 25.5 mpg on a recent 600 mile trip. We got just under 28 mpg on the way back. So far we seem to be averaging 20 mpg around town. Kids love the room and the third row seat. Great ride, quiet and comfortable. Were glad this vehicle came with the back up camera without having to get the nav. system. We looked for a long time and at lots of different cars, this easily was the best car for us.

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  Camry Hybrid - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Herb - July 3 - 11:46 pm

  I was not sure if I wanted to buy a camry hybrid after coming out of a lexus but now that I did ,I am glad I purchased the car. It has all the bells and whistles and it is comfortable to drive. I recommend this car to anyone.

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  Best half ton ever made - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By xgermx7 - July 3 - 7:40 pm

  I have had this truck for 4 years and 84,000 miles and I still love it. It is still just like the day I bought it, minus the fact that I have just about scrapped all the paint out of the bed. It is smooth, quiet, roomy, and fast like a luxury sedan, but tougher than any other half ton that I have ever driven. It gets 17-18 mpg on average. Thats a good combination of city, highway, and interstate. It can get as low as 14 mpg if you have a heavy foot.

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  This is a great car - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Walt - July 3 - 5:03 pm

  I just got back from a cross country trip and I am extremely happy with my new Camry. The ride is exactly what I want from a car. I checked out the Accord and the Altima and the Camry is so much quieter than those it is unbelievable. The only extra I got on mine is the JBL audio system which lets me make hands free calls. This should be something standard on all cars. Also, the sound of the stereo is by far better than anything Ive ever had in a car. Love the smooth quiet ride. I highly recommend this car

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  Love My Limited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By trawler4 - July 3 - 9:13 am

  30 mpg avg 75 mph for 12 hrs, very comfortable, great interior, exterior growing on me. Nav system little complicated, but that may be just me. Dont care for laser cruise control, but easy to turn off laser feature. Overall great car and previous was an S mercedes, like this better (also 50000 less!).

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  Love this car! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Jack Herbon - July 3 - 6:26 am

  I purchased my Toyota Corolla in September 2005. I chose the silver mica color and have no regrets. This color always looks clean even during the winter. I wanted a car with real good gas mileage and the Corolla has not disappointed me once bit! If your looking for a car that will not eat into your wallet then make sure you check out this car. Very fun to drive and good pickup.

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  We Love Our Echo - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By Newt - July 3 - 3:16 am

  We have had nothing but good luck with our Echo. We get an average of 38 miles to the gallon and we have kept track of it since we bought the car. It is great! It fits my 65" father in the back seat no problem and let me tell you there are few cars that can do that. You feel like you are attached to the road which is something my husband and I really like. It has great turning radius! It is just plain cute! We live in a very snowy state and it hasnt had any more trouble than other cars. We feel like we are doing our part to reduce gas use. I wish more people would do that because we do have a hard time finding our car in the parking lot with all the huge cars surrounding it.

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  Best Car Ever!! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Charles - July 2 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. I bought my car in June of 2007 for a job I got that was 90 miles away. I was driving from Germantown, MD to York, PA every day. My avg mileage for the warmer months was 53-55 mpg, and during the colder months I avg 45-47. The car really fits my driving style and is fun to see your gas per mile go up instead of down.

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  A great mid-size - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By JDW - July 2 - 3:10 am

  Comfortable, handles great, and tows the 20 boat without a bobble. Mileage so far runs about 18 around town and 20+ on highway, and it does it on regular gas. No problems with knocking or missing using the lower octane, although the manual says for optimum performance use hi-test. The 5-spd auto shifts smoothly and quickly. The performance of the V6 is outstanding, if just a bit noisy. Motor Trend gave it their Truck Of The Year Award, and its well deserved.