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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  Like it so far - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By limited1 - November 5 - 2:23 pm

  First Toyota Truck purchase. Lots of good engineering in the engine design; Double overhead cams, variable timing, composite intake, decent cold air intake, less restrictive stock headers that Ive ever seen. However, theres still room for improvement. I question decision to use the plastic door handles but I guess people that live in extreme hot areas like it. I havent quite figured out why there are so many cup holders??? theres a total of 8 in the truck that seats 5. The turning radius is not very good but I wasnt surprices since it is 222 inches long. The Wheels look great. A set of bridgestone tires come stock. I would have rather seen goodyears instead. Overall, I love it so far.

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  2016 Highlander - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Lee V - November 5 - 12:59 am

  Shop around before buying. Different dealers have slightly different promotions and pricing.

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  Happy so far - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Jagannath - November 4 - 3:46 pm

  Its about 2 weeks now since we got our Prius and we are pretty happy with it. Many features; we are trying to figure out many of them. Bluetooth setup is acting a little weird-not recognizing our iPhone. Mileage in the city is yet to be really tested. We took it on a little drive (180 miles) to test it on the highway and was very happy with the handling-braking was stable and though lacks the punch in acceleration, am not going to cry over a compromise. Got 48.5 mpg! Thats what I signed up for and hopefully will stay that way. Is comfortable,6-CD changer+JBL is awesome.

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  I LOVE IT - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By NORTHRIMRN - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE IT. IVE HAD SO MANY COMPLIMENTS ON WHAT A GOOD LOOKING CAR IT IS. THEY ALL ASK WHAT IS THE MAKE OF THE CAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADVERTISE THIS CAR MORE. I WAS A NURSE TRAVELER WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NEEDED A CAR THAT I COULD MOVE AROUND IN. THE TRUNK SPACE AND POWER OF THE ENGINE OUT DID EVERY OTHER MAKE OF CONVERTABLE THAT I RESEARCHED ON LINE

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  LOOKER - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Vitaliy - November 4 - 10:00 am

  GREAT LOOKING CAR. 2 DR. LEXUS FOR TWICE LESS MONEY. ENGINE IS POWERFUL AND SMOOTH. NICE INTERIOR MATERIALS. UNLIKE REGULAR CAMRY, DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A MIDDLE AGE DRIVERS CAR.

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  GREAT CAR - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By PATTON - November 4 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS A FUN CAR TO DRIVE, WITH ITS GREAT LOOKS AND SMOOTH RIDE. YOU DONT HAVE TO SACRIFIC RIDE AND REFINEMENT FOR THE SPORT HANDLING.

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  I am so glad I bought this truck! - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Tedzwife - November 4 - 10:00 am

  I got tired of my mini van and decided to get an suv. After days of research, test driving and comparison shopping, I finally found it! The body is nicely contoured. Not too rugged. The interior is driver friendly, everything where you need it and sleek. The safety features are a major plus! the break assist and anti skid protection make me feel safer driving in poor weather.

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  Awesome truck! - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By joebob - November 3 - 10:06 pm

  This is a truck, not a truck on a car platform like the Ridgeline. I like alot of what reviewers dont like about it. I like the high step in - 20 inches...which means it will get through the snow drifts at the end of my long driveway. Its a smooth ride as trucks go. The bed is deep, where the Ridgeline is shallow. The instrumentation display is much better than the Chevy/GMC IMO. Sure you sit with your legs a bit straight in the front seat, but once again, I know it will get through anything without bottoming out. The resale value, and reliability are a the top of the segment. Its a blast to drive. Sure it can be a bit sluggish if you are trying to maximize the MPGs merging on the freeway, but all you have to do is either press the ECT button, or push harder on the peddle to overcome it. My 16 year old did that and actually improved the MPG. Go figure.

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  2005 Solara V6 Coupe - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Joby Randrup - November 3 - 5:10 pm

  I have had absolutely no issues with my Solara at all. There are no rattles regarding interior components or moldings, the fit of both interior and exterior panels are perfect. I can drive it conservatively and get 27 to 28 miles to the gallon with 91 octane fuel. Even if I decide to push it a bit harder, I can still get 25 to 26 miles per gallon. I have gotten many positive comments regarding the exterior styling of the vehicle. I had this Solara built so have all of the sporty upgrades but none of the fluffy upgrades (I didnt need a mirror that told me which direction I was going). The tuning upgrades have not affected the comfort of the ride as far as I can tell. I researched vehicles for 1 year before I bought, looking at Volvos, Mustangs, Hondas, everything that compared. This vehicle is the best hands down. I love this car!!

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  Love this car! - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By oxamanduhx51 - November 3 - 4:20 am

  When I was looking for at this vehicle at first, I love the style of it! I almost bought one without driving it first. Lucky for me, one of my customers happened to have one and he let me drive it. I fell for it! I read a lot of reviews that said it lacked in the driving, they said it wasnt fun to drive, I feel the total opposite! I am a Toyota person, my 1998 Camry has 365k on it and still on the road today. I was spectacle of the quality of the newer Toyotas and that of the 3.5 V6 (ticks on start up like a sewing machine) which is why I went with the 2.7 4 cylinder. I have literally no complaints about this Venza at all!