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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  Perfect - 2003 Toyota Tundra
  By cp - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck I can do anything with it.

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  Nice but.... - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By David M - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Nice truck. Ive only been driving it for 800 miles now. Ride is a little bumpy, but having said that it is a pre- runner. Build quality very good. Interior look is called "dated", but go and compare it to a new Nissan. If the Nissan is more "current", Ill live in the past thank you. They a very proud of them, so negotiate hard to get a good deal.

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  7 - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By abbas - July 31 - 2:00 am

  This is a nice car but LE with 15" tires are not conveniant to drive when the weather is windy, wet or snow. The reason is; you almost can not control the car. Vehicle scid control must be standard in all LEs. After paying 19.000$ or plus, everybody ecpects a perfect driving experience.

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  Dances in the Wind - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By yara - July 31 - 12:13 am

  Loved my Yaris. Cute, small, easy to park anywhere, and easy to drive. Fit a very tall family of four fine. Only problem was that it got blown all over the road when it was windy. Not a problem in places with little wind, but here, especially in snow or ice with wind, it was a problem. It was totaled this weekend (hit in the front driver side tire at about 30 mph), but I (the driver) was not injured.

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  LOVED BUT LOST - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By CRANFIELD - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I LIKE THIS CAR ALOT, BUT WHEN I REARENDED ANOTHER CAR IT WAS TOTALED. LOOKED LIKE THE SLOPPED FRONT END OF THE CAR WENT UNDER THE REAR END OF THE OTHER CAR. MESSED UP THE RADATOR, AND FAN. AIR BAGS CAME OUT --- IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE THE BUMPER WAS OF ANY USE. I WAS NOT GOING THAT FAST AND NOW THE CAR IS TOTALED.

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  Great except for Brakes and seats - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Toyota in Tucson - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Im a Realtor and drive constantly. Between 25-30K a year. Love the car except Ive had to replace the brakes about every 10,000 miles. Ive talked with 3 brake stores and all say that is a problem on this year and model. Something to do with the brake caliper not releasing all the way and constantly rubbing. I just take it back every few months for my new pads (under lifetime warranty) new calipers to fix it are around $1,000. Seats for sure and uncomfortable. Terrible adjustments. Other than the brakes I run this car in the ground and it just keeps going.

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  My 2nd yota - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By NAD - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Decent power for a 4-banger, although I wish the V6 was offered at this trim level. Comfortable ride quality, superb ergonomics, solid build, and Toyota finally put some 15" rims on its 2WD trucks. Handles great with a load in the back, no noticeable change to braking characteristics. Transmission very solid, this thing feels like it could easily handle a V8. Second gear is way too high, especially compared to the fairly low-geared first. You can tell that the build quality is much cheaper on the 2002 compared to my 1986 yota, yet it is still very solid compared to anything else. Gas mileage a bit lower than expected, 21 mpg street, 23 mpg highway. Nice truck, worth the money.

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  We love our Camry! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Fireman - July 30 - 10:00 am

  They really have made a very good car better for 2002.

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  Better than expected. - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By Jessica - July 29 - 12:03 pm

  Maybe because I had a Nissan XTerra prior to my RAV4, I feel like the RAV4s driving experience is very much like a car, not an SUV (which is fantastic), and theres no truck-like feeling. The cornering is fairly tight for an SUV and the acceleration is phenomenal with the V6... I have no problem zipping into small spaces. I love the fuel economy, too (averaging 22.5 mpg in Central NJ). The keyless entry/ignition is so so so convenient and awesome, too.

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  06 Toyota Tundra - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Carlos - July 28 - 6:46 am

  I have driven the truck 500 miles so far, mostly city driving. Excellent truck, very poor gas mileage, 12.5 mpg so far, hope it improves.