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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  Exteremly Happy - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Eve - June 23 - 7:23 pm

  I have had a Saturn Vue for several years, and I hated it. The MPG on the Saturn was 19. When the new style Highlander came out, I dragged my husband to the dealer to test drive it. I fell in love with it. I has everything I could want in a SUV. Its the best investment I could ever ask for. And the gas mileage is great. I am getting between 24 to 26 MPG.

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  Nice Car - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By zachj7 - June 23 - 3:42 pm

  I really like this car. It looks really nice from the outside and looks good on the inside. The fuel economy is nice. It turns eyes. It is very reliable. The only thing I am not cray about is that it feels like you are driving a bus sometimes. They should have tightened up the steering. It really drives like a grandpa lexus and I knew that going into it. I had an audi before this and nothing compares to the audis AWD, however the solara does pretty well in the snow. Overall, very solid car that looks really good.

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  toyota sequoia - 2001 Toyota Sequoia
  By ralfynika - June 23 - 12:40 pm

  It is a very reliable SUV. it is fun to drive and when you push it you can hear that iforce 4.7 v8 roaring down the street. This SUV can last you year and it not a very high maintenance car. This are made to be off road and right now i got 20 inch falken rims and when i bring it on the grass or dirt it preforms like a monster.

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  Lost confidence in toyota - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Linda Zimmer - June 23 - 11:26 am

  After owning my camry hybrid for not even three years, I have totally loved it until recently. My gps screen went black and I cant open my cd player but everything else works on it. Now Toyota is telling me they wont help with this expense even though its under 3 years old. Lost my confidence in toyota.

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  Do Not Buy - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Do Not Buy - June 23 - 11:13 am

  From day one anything that could go wrong did. Replaced battery in 3 months, brakes and rotors at 28K miles, tires 30K, miles, door hinge broke, sliding door hinges rattled, seat belts locked up, struts and mounts replaced @ 60K, transmission and torque converter problems start at 45K, at 94K are terrible, still have extended warranty so of course Toyota can find nothing wrong with it. Have also replaced fuel speed sensor, rear air vent goes on and off by itself. Toyota wont fix that either. (guess I have to wait until the extended warranty is up) Windshield whistles??? Very, very, frustrating. Lets not forget replacing the spark plugs 35K miles too soon. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!

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  Fun Car to Drive - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Daniel Honzik - June 23 - 9:10 am

  I just bought this car last week, so I dont have too much experience with it yet. I love the way it handles and the futuristic display. The navigation system is top rate and I would recommend this car to anyone who evironmental aware and wants great gas mileage.

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  Cant give it up - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Kristen - June 23 - 8:33 am

  We just wrapped up a 5500 mile summer road trip from Texas to Canada, through the north east, down the east coast and back. We are a family of 4 and we couldnt have done this without our Sequoia. We took out one of the back row seats & folded up the passenger side middle row seat. The kids were in two different rows and we had coolers for food & drinks. The truck is roomy enough for all of us to spread out for the long haul. Awesome. PLUS, we have never, ever had an engine problem. We replaced the back window motor, but thats it. GREAT truck. Cant imagine having another vehicle.

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  THE BETTER CHOICE! - 2013 Toyota Sienna
  By drumndan - June 23 - 4:46 am

  I test drove the Grand Caravan, Odyssey, and Sienna before buying. The Dodge felt cheap & rough, the Odyssey was good, and the handling was tight, but it felt like a sports car - transmitted every little bump thru the suspension in a violent way. Also, as I test-drove a 5-speed Honda, the Sienna had noticeably better acceleration. The Honda had less comfy armrests, and no available center console on the base model. For the same price as the base Honda, I got a Sienna LE with power seat, power doors, a nicer ride, satellite radio, and a better reliability record. Only complaint for the Sienna is the drivers "dead pedal" area on the left is too close for comfort. Awesome car & purchase.

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  Great Year for Camry Solara! - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Solara Luver - June 22 - 11:13 pm

  I bought this vehicle new for less than $20K. Its a four cylinder automatic with alloy wheels and a few bells and whistles. Nice looking car even after all these years. I now have 155,000 miles on the clock without ANY major repairs! My goal when buying this Solara was 200,000 miles, now Im thinking 250,000 will be easy. I have been sold on Honda and Toyotas for about twenty years. Their reliability, fuel efficency and design simply bury the competition. If you follow the scheduled maintenance you will not be unhappy. My next car will definitely be a Solara. Maybe the convertible!

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  Great Car - No Major Repairs - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By Angela - June 22 - 11:03 pm

  I have had this car for about 8 years and the only things I have had to do is oil changes and new tires. Nothing else has needed to be repaired! It also gets great gas mileage. Best car in the world!