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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  GOOD VAN, GOOD PRICE - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By PJ - November 9 - 10:00 am

  MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT OUR SIENNA TWO WEEKS AGO. I DONT REGRET IT A BIT. I LIKE THE PERFORMANCE AND THE LOOK. IM NOT BIG ON ALOT OF AMENITIES SO THE CE MODEL WITH THE EXTRA VALUE PACKAGE IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE. THE RIDE IS GREAT AND THE MILEAGE IS PRETTY GOOD. 19 IN TOWN AND 24 HIGHWAY IS DECENT FOR A MINI VAN AND YOU CANT BEAT TOYOTA QUALITY. THE ONLY THING I DONT LIKE IS THE NOISE THE AIR CONDITIONER MAKES WHEN THE COMPRESSOR CYCLES EVERY MINUTE OR SO, BUT THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS NORMAL AND WOULDNT HURT ANYTHING. IF YOURE LOOKING FOR QUALITY AT A GOOD PRICE, THE SIENNA CE IS A GREAT CHOICE.

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  Love the New Solara - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By skd8433 - November 9 - 10:00 am

  First Solara Ive owned. Fun, flirty, elegant, practical and efficient to drive. Good placement of controls. Excellent looking interior and exterior.

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  2003 AWD MATRIX - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Sandy K. - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely thrilled with the 2003 Matrix. It is very comfortable to drive, excellent versatility with the large cargo space, and has more bang for the buck as compared to other 4wd models. Also very impressed with the high quality.

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  New RAV4 - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By chickenlips - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Very fun to drive, especially with the 5-speed manual, but under-powered. Handling is superb, as are the brakes. All-in-all, a nice vehicle. Could use a larger engine. Sterio sounds tinny. Same as Camry. Needs better speakers.

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  LOVE IT! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By petrn - November 9 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love the car! The ride is smooth and sure. I feel safe and comfortable when driving. The dealership was great although when I went to get the inspection sticker I was told an hour and a half wait was required. In fairness though, when I objected, the car was immediately inspected. I test drove many SUVs before deciding on the Highlander and I made the best choice by far.

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  2005 v64wd highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By anna - November 9 - 12:36 am

  I bought my highlander after considering size, saftey, gas milage,and reliability as compared to other suvs. The size is perfect for me-not too big, not too small. There is plenty of room for hauling-took 2 kids to college in it. Its very nice to drive, but the transmission is sluggish when starting out. Also, I previously had an explorer, and the seats in it were much more comfortable. Its a pleasure to drive- its very quiet and smooth-sort of like gliding through the air! It handles very well around bends etc, and is easy even for me to park!

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  disatisfaction - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By mfbernier05 - November 8 - 1:09 pm

  I bought my car brand new back in April 2013. I paid for leather and heated seat. Since I bought to car everything I drive it I have chronicle back pain. the discomfort is behind description. It was the biggest mistake of my life. In addition, the dealer where I bought the car was in my opinion, the worst of all.

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  Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Ghamm - November 8 - 11:13 am

  Love it. Gas mileage is 46 combined city/highway. Most driving is suburbs. Did get some paint damage on front from road stones.

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  I LOVE my Yaris! - 2010 Toyota Yaris
  By pawsplus - November 8 - 9:36 am

  This is my 6th Toyota, and my first- ever NEW one. I have only had it a week, so I cant comment on reliability, but I fully expect to have the car through 300K miles. I have the 5-speed, and its a darn zippy ride! Smooth shifting and peppy. The center odometer/speedometer doesnt bother me a bit and its nice to have the extra glove box so close to the driver. The car is ABSURDLY large inside compared to what you would think--a ton of room for both driver and passengers or cargo. I feel as if its roomier than my Corolla.

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  Fantastic Camry! - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By French - November 8 - 9:23 am

  We bought our Camry new. Other than regular maintenance it has been wonderful. We had good luck out of the factory tires, 55k before they needed to be replaced. I will admit I wanted the Altima first because I thought the styling was more sporty but all it took was a test drive and I was sold on the CAMRY! The ride is so quite, plus there is no motor noise. I bought my Camry for fuel economy and Ive never been disappointed. My daily driving is a combo of city/hwy. I average 28-29 mpg. If I hit the hwy on a long road trip it is nothing to hit 36 mpg. We drive the wheels off- great ride, drive, fuel - NO COMPLAINTS! Ive now owned my Camry for 3.5 yrs - I will own another one!