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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  Rav 4 s are cool for short women! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By rav4 girl - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Rav 4s are build for us shorter people. I can see great form where I am in the car. Especially in the Drivers seat, thats where you see build for 5ft and under people.

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  Sequoia Limited 4wd - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By braindeadmomma - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I love my Sequoia! The three rows are fantastic, especially since they all fold down for when I have to put "stuff" in it. My two boys are in football, so we have all the practice equipment and everything. We bought the car a day before we drove to Florida, and had a great! experience. I tell everyone I know how much I love it. I will never buy any car other than a Toyota.

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  04 Solara V6 SLE - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Angel1122 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I shopped against Honda Accord coupe and Infinity G35 Coupe and selected Solara for its smoothness, refinement, better ride, excellent low end power (esp. compared to Honda)...

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  camry97 - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By tomnlorna - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I loved my 97 Camry. Unfortunately, I lost it after an accident on I-90 when I was rear-ended by another 1991 Camry. I was hit at 65mph+ on my left rear bumper. I was impressed by how much damage the car absorbed and was almost driveable. The bumper was pushed up to the rear left tire after such an impact. I will definitely buy another one because of its structural durability & safety features.

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  I love my 4runner, worth every penny! - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Titan - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I thought my old 4runner was amazing, but the 2004 model is spectacular, gorgeous inside and out, performance youd expect from a sports car. I am more than thrilled, I love it!

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  Solid SUV gets better - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Chiapas Chupacabras - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I had a 98 4Runner for 3 years. Returned it because the lease expired and drove an Integra for 2 years. I couldnt stand the small car and had to go back to my trusty SUV. The 98 4Runner was a very nice car, but Toyota has really refined this SUV over the years. Im still getting used to the exterior design, but everything else has been improved. Power is excellent, interior is more spacious, the old cupholders have been destroyed and replaced by a much more intelligent design. A little more headroom would be nice and those panels above the wheels still look weird, but Ive got no complaints about anything else.

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  Loving my new suv!!! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Bullseye - May 28 - 10:00 am

  The Highlander is a pure crossover suv. It has the body of an suv, but the smooth ride of a car. The Highlander is also $10000 less than the Lexus RX300. I received my suv with a quick order package and extra options for about $24000, which is a bargain.

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  My Highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By santino - May 28 - 10:00 am

  My Highlander is the 3rd Toyota I have owned in twenty years. I love Toyotas reliablity. I very much like driving this car, the only disappointing thing is that I cannot ride with the window down because the car has a warble type hum that bothers my ears.

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  Awesome Car!!! - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Holly426 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Corolla S type for a month now and I love it. I get tons of compliments on how my car looks and it zips around like it owns the road. I had a 1997 Corolla and traded it in, this style has alot more room and features.

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  Great Car! - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Hermosillo - May 28 - 8:06 am

  Great car, have had it for almost 7 years now, 120,000+ miles on it, not a single repair, no squeaks or rattles, still running as smooth as its first year. I have put many miles in Mexico on so so roads with no problems. Friends cant believe it rides so smooth and how good it feels and looks after 7 years and more than 100k miles. Have had all the services done at the dealer. Great for long trips, very comfortable, good mileage. Ive driven the car from No Cal to Central Mexico, on rain, snow, desert, still running strong!