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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  Toyota T 100 SR5 extended cab - 1997 Toyota T100
  By Dick Klocko - April 14 - 4:02 pm

  Purchased new

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  Toyota cover-up tactics - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Paul - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 2009 LE and from the start I felt that there was something wrong in the brakes. A booster valve was replaced twice, but the pedal remained soft and many times when pushed, went to the full extent of my leg. I constantly needed to pump the brakes to get firm response. Toyota brought their big gun techno guy to the arbitration, along with engineering specs. I was the dumb consumer. ALL testing that they did to determine that my Camry was fine, was done out of sight. After buying many other Totota models over the years, I am very disappointed in their tactics.

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  LOVE My Prius! - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Gigi - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Been a Honda driver since the 80s and decided I wanted something different. The lease rate was so great on the Prius that I just couldnt pass on it. Its so quiet that you cant hear it running, it looks so high tech and the gas mileage is fantastic. Im averaging 50 MPG and you just cant beat that! Keyless entry is also a great feature. I hate digging for my keys. Now I just leave them in my purse. I have plenty of room for my 62" husband and my two dogs. Love the hatch back styling. I use it like a wagon, always hauling stuff. Im spoiled! I can never go back to a non-hybrid car.

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  Like the circus clowns in the car - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By keepsdad - April 13 - 3:46 pm

  How does Toyota do it? SOO much truck for so little money. 4 door cab is extremely roomy and comfy. V6 mated to the 5 speed auto is more than ample power - truck will scoot. Ride is unblievable for a truck. My wife (who is not a truck person) compares the ride to a car. Shes right. Very stable handling. mine came with the limited slip diff. and on a recent long distance, high speed trip in TORRENTIAL rain it was stable as a rock. No wheel spin, no traction loss at all. Stereo is killer - sounds better than the one is my expensive sports car. Back bed liner is tough - BUT slippery for my dogs. easily fixed with rubber bed mat. Fit and finish is typical Toyota - tops. Paint is lustrous.

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  A Great Choice - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By John - April 13 - 10:26 am

  We needed a vehicle with a large enough rear seat for a child seat and an infant seat and easy to get the kids in and out of. This RAV-4 is the perfect choice. This vehicle seems small on the outside, but it has unbelievable space inside. The cargo area (without 3rd row seats) is huge and the 2 storage bins under the floor are a bonus. Rear seats truly fold flat unlike many others. This one is a V6 Limited with all options except navigation. This thing is very fast and the fuel economy is pretty amazing. We get 24-25mpg on local driving and weve seen 32 mpg on the road. A very versatile vehicle for an active family.

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  Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By myprius - April 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is extremely fun to drive and very quiet. Perfect for listening to music in or just relaxing. Exterior noise from other cars is cancelled out nicely and you can enjoy a smooth quiet ride. If you practice at it, you can learn to drive a certain way to increase fuel economy and get better than the posted avg of 60 mpg. However, in the winter months my fuel economy has dropped and Im not sure why but assume it is due to the temperature drop. The car works well in all conditions, but you do have to be careful on wet and icy roads because of the small wheel base.

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  Hybrid Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Tim T - April 11 - 8:30 pm

  This is a blast to drive. The body style is outstanding, we added the Toyota rear spoiler, and get lots of positive comments from people. Right now we are getting combined City/Hwy 41 miles per gallon. The car drives smooth- has plenty of power. I was crusing on the Hwy yesterday at 70 mph and geting 42.5 miles per gallon. The ride and handling are outstanding. Everytime we stop someone walks up and wants to know how we like it, when we tell them we are getting 40 plus it knocks their socks off. This car makes driving fun again and economical.

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  WOW Awesome SUV - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By PAT - April 11 - 12:56 am

  This is an awesome SUV. I wanted an RX330 but glad I chose the Highlander for its looks, reliability and performance. Feel like a dream when I drive this SUV. It is spaceous, comfortable and floats on air. Love it!!

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  Almost Perfect Sedan: Long Range Machine! - 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  By sonomabear - April 10 - 7:52 pm

  Other than 2 interior minor problems due to cheap materials, this car has been perfect! I average 39+ MPG without babying it. I leave it in "Eco" mode unless in the mountains -- then I put it into "Sport" mode and have a great time shortening the winding roads! "Normal" & "EV" modes are worthless. Why I left Mercedes E Class: The limited Avalon has more safety features tan Mercedes even offers yet is over $20K less out the door. Front facing RADAR makes driving extremely comfortable. I arrive relaxed after a few hours of California Interstate Insanity... set the RADAR cruise to 75 MPH and have satellite music playing softly. Six thousand mile trip was flawless.

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  So far I love it - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By NikkiB - April 10 - 1:26 pm

  I got my car in Feb. 2006, so far I have had no troubles with it. The price was good and it had all the basic features that I wanted (I have the LE). The driver seat was a little hard to get used to at first and the back seat head rests are a little high for me to see over sometimes. I like how the radio/CD player are up high on the dash, I dont have to look down while driving to change stations. I love how the lights are automatic. One feature I like, but dont like, when you unlock the car and dont open the doors it will lock up automatically after a few min. Like, in case I cant remember if I locked it, dislike, keys could still be inside.