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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  a very good comprise - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Gene - February 22 - 1:46 pm

  You will find the ride a bit stiff and if you are a six footer you will have a reach for the steering wheel (if you sit with even pressure on the bottoms of the legs). Good vision all around, fit and finish is very good, mileage has been at 27 per with all types of driving. Tranny is as smooth as it gets; combine batt/engine gives more than ample power. Be sure to shop and compare.

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  Fun in the sun little car - 2005 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By 2fast4u - February 21 - 11:00 am

  Once a week I have someone coming up to me asking if its a Porsche, or what car is that? I have people taking pictures of my car with their camera when I stop at a light. My point? I get a lot of attention driving my little car. Granted, I have a few after market parts: TRD body kit and TTE dual muffler (which makes a nice growling sound like a V-8). This car is awesome around turns and curves. It is almost impossible to slide the car; it simply sticks to the round. It does so-so on a straight away--I estimate about 7.1 seconds from 0-60 mph on a 6 speed SMT, but who actually drives that fast anyway? When I do step on it though, the cars behind me disappears pretty fast.

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  Salright - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By ZeroNiner - February 19 - 8:20 pm

  The V6 Camry is a wonderful car to drive. I have driven it for nearly 4 years and am very satisfied. Fuel economy is decent, cannot complain. I gave performance a 5 because of the delay when the gas is pressed a bit much, but sometimes noticeable even with calm acceleration (somewhat annoys me).

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  Tire wear - 2009 Toyota Tundra
  By mike mahoney - February 19 - 1:20 pm

  i love the truck but the outside edge of the front tires has wore off at 15,000 miles and Toyota says theres nothing wrong with the front end. they have a problem with the tundra and they cant fix it.

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  new 2015 SR5 TACO - 2017 Toyota Tacoma
  By Was truckless in Clebveland - February 19 - 10:37 am

  Go Long Bed baby

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  Great MPG - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Stefan Constantino - February 18 - 1:24 pm

  I recommend this car with its great MPG and decent price for what you get in return. The seats are comfortable and the dashboard is fairly easy to use. The cargo room is big for a hatchback and the interior has a lot of room for a compact vehicle.

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  Love what you do for me! - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By HiMilesDriver - February 17 - 10:06 am

  I bought my 1997 Toyota Corolla from a rental car company. It is a 4-door automatic. It came with 24k miles and Ive put another 70k on it since then. I have had NO unexpected mechanical problems with it (other than the time my husband ran down the battery by leaving the keys in it all night!)I would still feel comfortable driving it on a trip. I would recommend this car to anyone, especially for a student going to college who will be driving back and forth a lot.

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  Prius Fantasy Gas Milage - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By harryn1 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Prius is an excellent car, but the gas milage is not what Toyota claims, especially when you have to use the A/C like we do in Arizona, most of the year. The on board computer is very optimistic, when compared to the manual way (fill tank, drive, fill again to see how many gallons used, divide miles driven by gallons). It probably gets no more than any small sedan with a 1.5- 2.0L engine. However, it is very well made, an 8 yr warranty, and heavier feeling than smaller Toyota models. It has an ugly front end shape because they made it very streamlined. The trunk is very small, but seating is good.

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  Tacoma Fun - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By tucked - February 17 - 10:00 am

  It is the best vehicle I have ever had! Its V6 is powerful, pulling my 8 trailer & ATV,no problem. The bed is short(ATV wont fit) but That is what made it appealing. Lots of rear leg room (more than our Rav4). Has gone anywhere that I have attempted. Winter driving is great in 4WD, but slides alot in 2WD. Couldnt get enough sandbags for 2WD. This is the only vehicle that Ive ever had for 2 years... and am still in love with! Oh yeah... the one thing that has been a problem; The front end is out of alignment already. Possibly due to the off-road driving that it has seen, but possibly due to Missouris CRAP they give us, and call a highway system.

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  A commuters dream car. - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By ilvsmcars - February 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought a RAV4-L with AWD and 5sp Man trans. I purchased largely due to interior comfort and driver space. Aestherics playes a role as well. Driving experience is very good. The car is very nimble, and handles road bumps with ease. Excellent brakes. Downside is a somwehat underpowered engine. The manual seems to make little difference due to the rather close gearing in the car. One could easily go from 2nd to 5th and not really miss 3rd and 4th. Torque comes in a very tight range of RPM and I find myself always dropping a gear or two to get the most out of the engine. Nevertheless, I have come to really enjoy how the car drives.