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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  Some Problems . . . - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By KathyME - June 11 - 10:00 am

  In good weather, I love this car. In rain, sleet, snow, or icy weather, I HATE this car. I slides all over the road,and nearly blows OFF the road in the wind. I live in Michigan and we have HARD winters. I have never been so scared when driving in bad weather as I have been with this car. Furthermore, the plastic trim is all falling off!! This car is cute, is very economical and fun to drive, but I wouldnt buy another one . . . .

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  Best Value in the new car market - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By tankfrank - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Quiet, roomy, well built, reliable, a solid performer. My first Japanese Designed car and I love it. No more GM cars for me.

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  Overall best truck Ive had!!!!! - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Eddy - June 11 - 10:00 am

  The 2.7 Liter could use some more power but the TRD supercharger, it feels like an 8 cyl. I also have a V-6 crew cab which it is really strong, powerful, and fast. Hoping to supercharge it soon!!!!!!

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  Get the v6 - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By john - June 11 - 3:40 am

  Great truck in every aspect except I purchased the 4 cyl. It is my only regret. It took some getting used to, since I traded in a loaded 4x4 tahoe for this truck, but now I like it a lot. I highly recommend this vehicle. Make sure you get the v6 if you tow anything.

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  61.1 MPG - 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By ssood - June 10 - 11:54 pm

  I commute 40 miles a day. Traded in my 2010 Camry SE I4. for a mid-size hybrid under 25k. Test drove Optima hybrid, Sonata hybrid and the beautiful Fusion, sadly they couldnt keep up to their EPA estimates. Bought a Camry hybrid LE. 185 miles on the ODO and I am currently averaging 55-61 mpg. 67% city/33% hwy. I dont care about the looks but some rattles are unbearable. The sound quality is good. Seats dont support well but hey, I dont get to work tired..

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  NO GOOD BUILD QUALITY - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By DSANCHEZ - June 10 - 3:40 am

  My first SUV, good fuel economy, good comfort & easy to drive. But in my opinion no good build quality, the brakes have been replaced twice, the first time was in Dec. 2007. The dampers has been replaced once. Noise in the back started six months ago, finally the last month Toyota Shop found the cause of the noise: one large screw of the left damper support is damaged!!!

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  Average at best. - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Mike M - June 9 - 3:42 pm

  Handles poorly on corners and is very noisy at freeway speeds. JBL Sound System is terrible. Volume fluctuates from too load to you cant hear anything. Navigation system is a joke. Cant even find its way down major highways. Your better off with an after-market sound/nav system than paying extra for theirs. Its a great little car for town and work driving but I wish Id bought something else for long trips.

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  Tough Truck - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By David B. Carlson - June 9 - 7:00 am

  For all the non believers out there, this is a good, strong truck to be reckoned with. If youre in the market for a new truck, do yourself right and test drive this one too.

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  great mini van - 1999 Toyota Sienna
  By Mr.T. - June 8 - 10:00 pm

  all I can say is that I should have bought a Toyota a long time ago. I purchased the van and decided to drive to Cape Cod. I didnt even think twice to drive it twelve hours straight. It went down and back up without any questions. the vehicle ran so smooth that at times I caught myself doing 90 to 95 mph and not even noticing how fast I was traveling. Have a blast if you get one...

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  So Far So Good - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Lee - June 8 - 1:03 pm

  Pretty good car so far. Nothing wrong with it yet. Great ride and roomy. Few things I didnt like was cheap plastic controls and no traction control for winter weather.