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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  Great Car! - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By selby - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Our 2000 Toyota Sienna has been a great automobile. We have just over 60000 miles on it and all we have had to do to it is replace the battery and brake pads. It is dependable, it gets good gas mileage, rides smoothly, and has been great for our realestate business. We our contemplating buying a new 2002 or 2003 because of the low interest rates and no down payment. We highly recommend this automobile to anyone.

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  Reliable and Fun - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By TSD - March 9 - 10:00 am

  My husband and I bought this vehicle in June. For the last month I have been driving this truck. He cannot seem to pry it away from me!

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  Worth Every Penny - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Acemenod7 - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Fully satisfied. The car is quite and comfortable. More room than a honda. Drives like a lexus. Looking to buy the Sienna now.

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  Toyot at its best - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Edgar - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Great car! It has everything I would want from a compact at agreat price (mine was 13,000) w/ air and CD, and all the basic needs. Much more creative and innovative design than the concervative Civc, and great fun to drive!

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  2003 Toyota Camry LE 6V Auto 4 Dr Sedan - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Ryder - March 9 - 10:00 am

  2003 Toyota Camry LE V6 Auto - 4 Door. Being a long time Chrysler/Plymouth owner and advocate, this is my first experience with a Toyota. It is impressive. The Camry is very well designed, engineered and constructed. Dashboard devices are reachable/obvious without driver distraction. The ride is straight, quiet and smooth - forward and side driver visibility is excellent. The vehicle feels sure- footed on highways and secondary roads and corners/turns without tilt or sway. The V6 engine provides plenty of power for hills but does not overpower the vehicle. All in all the Camry handles very well.

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  Rav 4 in time for the SNOW - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Coon - March 9 - 9:43 am

  Look online and figure out everything you want in and on your car. Talk with sales people from multiple dealerships and then make your choice. We tried all makes and models and narrowed our search. We live in the land of snow (average 30 feet a year, not stacked up). the Rav 4 handles awesome in the snow, icy roads, and the subzero temps.

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  4th Camry and LAST! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Karen5555 - March 9 - 3:46 am

  I have had 3 other Camrys all were great, the 07s and up are junk..... I had a 05 Camry and I loved it, wish I never traded it in. This 07 Camry has been nothing but problems. I went to a car wash and the cheep paint came off the bumper, the trans has had problems, shifts weird, I have has 4 radios, and the power seat is broken. The dealership was no help at all, I had the car for 8 months with only 65k on it, traded it in for a 09 Honda Accord EXL V6 and Love it, I will NEVER buy a Toyota again!!!

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Joanne Rossman - March 9 - 1:26 am

  As a former Lincoln Continental owner,I found the Toyoto Camery has all the bells and whistles, get and go, smooth ride, plus great gas milage, that I could ever want.

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  Fun to drive - 2002 Toyota Celica
  By Janus - March 8 - 8:23 pm

  quick. responsive. good handling and good gas millage.

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  Finally got my Tacoma - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By CPB333 - March 8 - 1:30 pm

  I have been wanting to purchase this truck since they redesigned it and I finally got it in June 09. I am very happy with my purchase. The truck rides great, handles well has plenty of storage and hauling ability. I got the TRD sport model fully loaded with every option I could add. I really like the JBL stereo but the sub in the back seems to vibrate the plastic interior on particular notes but overall it sounds great and was a good upgrade. The v6 has plenty of power and acceleration to merge on the freeway or pull out into traffic. I loaded the bed up the second day we had it with a heavy reclining sofa and couldnt even tell it was there when driving.