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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  Perfect - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
  By lammy - May 15 - 2:56 pm

  The Solara is extremely comfortable, very roomy, it rides very smoothly, and has a very classy look. What more could you want?

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  Major transmissin problem - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By ken - May 15 - 5:33 am

  My 4.6 litr. transmission acts like no other vehicle I have driven, it constantly is hunting for a gear and the gas pedal is not responsive to requests for a small amount of power to maintain a constant speed. When doing this, I apply pressure to the pedal and after an inch or more of down pressure with nothing happening, it down shifts. I tow a 5700 lb trailer and the poor response of the engine and lack of power on hills makes driving this vehicle ULTRA annoying. Toyota said the truck is normal, baloney!!!! If it responded like every other vehicle I have driven, I would not be writing this review. Ive been driving Toyotas for 30 years.

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  Great car for the ecomony and planet - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By craig opper - May 15 - 2:03 am

  I own the car for 6+ months and think the car is great. Good looking, very reliable and get great fuel milage. Averaging about 33.5 mpg and get over 45 on the highway at stead speed. Best highway milage at about 65 mph. No issues or idiosyncracies. Slightly louder than I would prefer on hard acceleration. Clearly fast enough if you are not a lead foot. Some writers for the major auto publications criticize the acceleration but they are generally younger people who arent concerned with the planet or their wallets right now. That will change as they age and even they will appreciate the technology in this vehicle. I look forward to the next generation of hybrids.

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  Outstanding car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Nick - May 14 - 11:33 pm

  This is my first new car and Im happy I went with the Camry. This car has plenty of pick up and go even with the in line four cylinder engine along with good gas mileage and handling. Not to mention the new body style is awesome. Overall everything is great and Im now a loyal Toyota owner.

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  I love my Toyota! - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By sfvguy - May 14 - 10:40 pm

  Best car Ive ever had. No problems in 5+ years and 75,000 miles! Would be hard for me to buy anything but a Toyota given the reliability and quality of this car!

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  Love my baby! - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By roziekitty - May 14 - 5:20 pm

  Traded in my Chrysler Cirrus and I loved that car. Didnt take long to love the Corolla. Ride not as smooth at the Cirrus and some of the luxury features are not there...but the other things have made up for it. MPG, temperature gauge and I like the simplicity of the inside controls. I am glad I bought it and have no regrets so far. I only have 108 miles on it!

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  Solid Car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By AJ - May 14 - 2:10 pm

  Overall, the car is great. For just over $16,000 brand new, there is nothing better on the market. Ive owned an Acura TL, RL, and a Range Rover before, and only the RL compares in ride. The tires do go fast, but nothing else has given me a problem. Ive already put 42,000 miles on it and it runs like new. Although it is somewhat weak, you cant really expect more from a 4 cyl. Overall, great car.

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  ToyotaLuvaLova!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By BobsandJ - May 14 - 10:10 am

  Sat in the cockpit of this of the V6 Camry SE 3 yrs ago, test drove and fell in love with it. 3 yrs later, still happy with the choice we made. I love the V6 kick, turning radius is to die for, very roomy interior makes for a great road trip car, do a 6 day, 40- mile/day commute plus some city, yet fill my tank twice/month, thats MPG!. Other than routine maintenance, havent heard a squeak from this car 30K later. Have had only positive experiences with this car, so no plans to sell or trade this comfortable reliable car anytime soon!

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  The Sequoia vs The Armada - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Gerald - May 14 - 2:26 am

  Went from a Previa to the Sequoia. We consider Armada a great vehicle with great acceleration (0-60 is 1.5 secs faster than Sequoia and fold away seats and bold styling. Armadas brake issue was troublesome though. Chose Sequoia last minute for the smooth, quiet ride and the Toyota reliability (despite a more conservatively styled exterior and 20hp less). Armada is great if you tow and have time to spend at the shop to remedy the brakes. The Sequoia is the ULTIMATE minivan substitute if comfort, dependability, gas mileage, and interior space/flexibility are paramount(rear seat splits while Armadas is one-piece). There are more things standard on Sequoia than the brochure indicates.

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  What a feeling-Toyota - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Carolyn - May 14 - 1:20 am

  Went from the 03 RAV4 to the 06 highlander needing a larger SUV-love the highlander almost as much as the RAV. Highlander very quiet, comfortable, responsive steering, powerful engine, gas mileage could be a little better but ok considering its AWD, no problems so far, had for 3 yrs. Looking to downsize so Im going back to the RAV4.