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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  Why buy a Lexus? - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By 09corolla - August 27 - 6:40 pm

  Have all options available for the S trim. With urban freeway driving of 60 miles/day I avg. 38 MPG (calculated miles/gals not display) No problems with steering feel - much better than Honda Civic Hybrid. Good ride comfort, quiet, no wind noise.

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  Great little car that will last forever - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By Michael - August 27 - 4:10 pm

  One of the best little cars I have ever owned, the power of the little motor is very surprising, all features are great only one thing no cruise control, otherwise gas mileage and no timing belt makes this an excellent choice. easy to tune up yourself as well.

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  sequoia - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By dana wright - August 27 - 2:16 pm

  Love the ride, the interior, the stereo, the seats are much more comfortable than the 99 model

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  Smooth Sailing! - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mandy - August 27 - 1:33 pm

  I traded in my Dodge Neon, which was averaging 30-32 mpg, for a more reliable manufacturer, Toyota. I found the Camry Hybrid on the lot and almost died of shock - I thought there would a a LONG wait for a hybrid in our small town of 25,000 people. I test drove the model and FELL IN LOVE! It rides so smoothly and it is extremely quiet, even when the gasoline engine is running. I got 430 miles on 3/4 of a tank of gas - how amazing is that?!? Everywhere I go, I see heads turn due to the gorgeous body style and the fact that its a hybrid and still so roomy on the inside.

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  Best New Wheels - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Walt Bardua - August 27 - 5:53 am

  This is a vehicle whose time has come. It is exactly what I was looking for in 01 when I bought my Highlander. It is loaded with all the latest Toyota features and has all the utility of an SUV without the SUV downsides. If my test drive was any indication, Im going to really enjoy this vehicle. The fit and finish are superior (what we used to expect from Toyota). And it comes without the hefty price tag of the new SUVs.

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  Aggravated - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By John in Houston - August 27 - 2:56 am

  I was a big believer in Toyota quality until my Tundra experience. Auto door locks and remote wont function on the front doors and they tell me it will be $1,250 to fix. Since the key only works on the driver door, this is a big hassle. Why design locks so they are too expensive to fix? The lights on the radio panel havent worked for most of the time since Ive had the truck, so the button lights and channel indicator cant be read while night driving. Transmission replaced once, but then often jerked when putting the car in drive. Dealer tells me they just have this problem and he cant fix it. This is not the reliability and quality I thought I was spending my money on.

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  Great family vehicle - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Richard - August 26 - 10:06 pm

  Use this vehicle to haul 8 family members to vacation, fuel economy is surprisingly good, above 27 mpg highway, quiet and comfortable, nothing to complain.

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  Carolyns Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Gordon Peltonen - August 26 - 9:33 pm

  Our Prius is an excellent automobile in every respect. We have driven it on a long trip through the mountains and snow, city driving, hot weather, rain and it performed beautifully. On a long trip we never got tired of riding and were very comfortable. The engine has plenty of power and zip for its size, even accelerating up the mountains of Colorado. We are glad that we were patient enough to wait for it, eight months, it was worth every minute and cent we paid.

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  Good buy - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By boyboy - August 26 - 7:06 pm

  We had the car for 7 months drives well specially with use of sequential shift. The dealer give couples of thousand below mssrp+ apr and I get the car in 3 hours. Gas average 24 mpg not bad and I got free remote starter. Awesome deal

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  Cant go places with our new 2016 RAV4 - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Peter - August 26 - 10:47 am

  What had happen to Toyota? The quality is not there any longer... We own the car only for a month and had the whole headliner replaced as it was not correctly installed in the factory. Now the car makes whining sound and Toyota service is not very helpful to resolve the issue.