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 Car but..... - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Steve Cebu - September 10 - 7:56 pm

  I Love the car! I think its the best Prius so far. I opted out of the 2009 Prius because of the bladder fuel tank problems and lack of power. The only problem I have with this car is I cant drive it! For some reason the seat presses on my back in a way which causes me back pain. I only discovered this after buying the car. The seats felt good at first but long term driving over 3 hours caused my back to act up and I got a pinched nerve. So really try it before you buy it, if you have a bad back like I do. Other than that the car is amazing I really like almost everything about it. Sadly I will be selling mine because of the seat problems. Toyota had no suggestions.

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  Our Environmental Duty - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By pruistom61 - September 10 - 3:20 pm

  As soon as I saw the Prius v in the showroom, it peaked my curiosity. Having been the previous owner of a 2005 Prius and the current owner of the 2011 Prius, I knew this model must a be a winner. The test drive proved my feelings correct. The mileage so far is in the 40s and the cabin room and comfort surpassed my expectations. Coming from a Volvo XC70, I didnt realize how much rear leg room we would gain with the v. I have read and viewed most reviews prior to the purchase and went with the three version providing with the GPS feature and am very happy with the purchase. Test one for yourself. Like the slogan says, "Once you get you hands on a Toyota, youll never let go!"

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  Satisfied - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By D D - September 9 - 4:20 pm

  With 137,000 miles I have yet to make any repairs. My mechanic told me to keep it well serviced which I have been doing, and it will last me almost for ever. Three days ago it was badly damaged when some one ran into the side. I felt like crying. The car has been very reliable and so good on gas especially since I do so much driving. If it cannot be fixed I will definately be getting another Corolla. It has served me well so far. If I was given the opportunity to change to another car I would not. I love my Corolla.

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  great truck - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By George - September 8 - 9:03 pm

  Toyota you just keep doing it!!!! I really enjoy driving this truck. low end torque is head snapping and as far as towing, it laughs at it load you want it to tow. If I must have a shortcoming about this truck I would say fuel economy at 14 miles to the gallon I wasnt much impressed. But dont let that stop you from owning one.

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  0-60, who cares? - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By wvcorolla - September 6 - 11:26 am

  We just bought this car to replace our minivan. We have two kids and realized that we dont need the that big of a vehicle and wanted to save gas instead. Who cares about 0-60 performance? Who buys a family sedan to drag race it? For us, the 1.8 liter performs perfectly fine around town and on long trips. The gas mileage is fantastic and, compared to our minivan, was worth the price of admission. So if you want a good, comfortable, reliable, safe, and economical car to haul your family around this car is the one for you. If you want a sports car then buy a sports car.

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  50-60 MPG? - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Indiana Driver - September 6 - 2:00 am

  Very dissapointed in MPG so far. Have put 5,000mi on and the best so far is 47mpg. Seems colder weather affects MPG. Only get to about 380 miles on a tank before low gas warning starts to flash and then find out tank only takes about 8 1/2 Gl. to fill. Seats need more adjustment features, and leather would be nice. In town driving does not meet expectations.

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  Rav4 Notes - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By kennedydh - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Still a little under powered for starts and occasional towing.

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  Nice but. . . - 2002 Toyota RAV4
  By Roe - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I just bought the RAV-4, I think the car is cute and great to drive. But on long drives the seats are very uncomfortable.

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  Good but not Perfect. - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By stEEvE - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Its alright. Its pretty powerful with the 2.2 engine and all but it could definately use more horsepower than 133. Its a family sedan but it still could be fun to drive. It doesnt accelerate too fast but its a smooth ride. Id recomend this car to a Family man who wants to set a nice example to his children but has fun with the car when the wife and kids arent around. Overall Im satisfied with it for what it is.

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  Good all around car. - 1995 Toyota Corolla
  By gps_junky - September 5 - 5:20 am

  Great car. Sad to see it go down the road. But my clutch has slipped away. Not the most comfortable car for a 6 foot male. My knee was always rubbing the middle radio area, or cup holder thing. I think they could have made it a tad bigger. Good gas mileage all in all. Had over 230,000 miles on it and still seemed to be good on gas. My back seat back rest seemed to come loose over time. Not sure what thats all about. You can still sit in it and its still safe, just couldnt figure out how to put it back on.