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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  My XMAS gift to me! - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By TLR - October 15 - 4:26 pm

  I just drove my first Echo home! I bought it for $300 because it had a fender-bender and the driver-side strut was bent. Ill repair tomorrow for about $70! So much cheaper than my 1990 F-150. I rated it all excellent expecting great things from this car. The last small car I had was a 1986 Nissan Sentra. It was a fantastic car other than the rear wheels leaned in (weird camber design). With the way economy is going I am just so darn happy now to be a member of the Echo Family!

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  Good Vehicle - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By JM42 - October 15 - 3:33 pm

  So far everything has been good. Had some rail dust on the back gate but that is being taken care of. Does lack some features that are in higher-end vehicles but theyre not too big of a deal. I have not really had any issues with sliding or driving in snow in SD. I just think some people should slow down. Very comfortable and smooth ride. All auto windows would be nice along with memory seating. A USB port would also be nice. In the summer we get about 22 mpg and winter is 18. 24 mpg highway. Do not like the cruise when going up hills or resuming and the speed is greater than 5 mph off. Kicks into low gear to catchup and that is annoying.

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  Love it! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Jess - October 15 - 11:26 am

  Had mine for 6 months, and its a great car. Easy to drive, and sits high enough in the interior so I dont feel like Im driving a small car. Ive taken it on one long distance trip, and it was very comfortable for 4 people. Im averaging about 33 MPG commuting in the city. Lots of fun to drive, and parking is a breeze. People constantly stop to check it out, and Ive been surprised at the amount of cargo it can hold with the fold-down seats. I traded in my Camry for the Yaris, and dont regret it for a second. Its simply a fun little car!

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  Best of the trucks - 1998 Toyota Tacoma
  By jbi - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Great overall truck!! Crash tested twice and walked away unharmed both times. Would buy again.

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  1997 4RUNNER LIMITED 4WD - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By cmlcml - October 15 - 10:00 am

  EVEN WITH 112,000 MILES ON MY FORERUNNER, IT STILL FEELS LIKE NEW. VERY RELIABLE, EXCELLENT INTERIOR/EXTERIOR QUALITY.

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  Most Reliable Truck Ive Ever Owned - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By Freckles - October 15 - 10:00 am

  This is the fifth truck Ive owned, and my second Toyota truck. The first was an 88 which ran reliably for 12 years. My 99 Taco has almost 80K miles on it and is still going strong. It travels 90 miles every day getting me to work and back plus it goes off-road in my free time to get me to some of my favorite canoeing and kayaking spots. Other than regular maintenance it has exhibited no mechanical problems and continues to perform flawlessly. Ive also pulled a 2200 lb camper up through the White Mountains with no problems. Only had to drop one gear pulling Franconia Notch.

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  2003 toyota avalon xls - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By rule - October 15 - 10:00 am

  Great automobile to drive. Good comfort and very quiet on the road. Excelent quality thruout the vehicle.

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  I love my Truck - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Susi - October 15 - 10:00 am

  A solid build, fun to drive truck. It has about 16K miles and absolutely no problems yet. It has a few minor quirks mentioned below but overall I highly recommend it. Doing most of the maintainace myself I know that this truck is relatively easy to work on.

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  Glad I test drove it - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By phandy - October 15 - 10:00 am

  I looked at various cross-over and small SUVs for a year and thought the Subaru Forester was the one I wanted till I drove it. Didnt feel comfortable for my size. Then there was the Honda CRV, but it seemed kind of blah inside and the dealer didnt budge on the sticker price. Fortunately I kept looking and tried the Highlander. I love it and am so glad I kept test driving different models till I found just the right one. Had it for 5 months and am looking forward to taking it on vacation this summer,

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  Love it!!! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By BevK - October 15 - 10:00 am

  We love this car. I cant keep my kids out of it. They beg me to go sit in the car even though we arent leaving home. We all love the rear audio the most. I can listen to the radio up front and they can listen to their kids tapes/CDs in the back. Toyota really paid attention to the details on this car. I recommend it to all!