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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  Prius forever - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By My second Prius - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I took delivery of my 2004 Prius, package 7, in April and continue to be amazed with the mileage I can squeeze out of each tank. My best so far has been 524 miles averaging 59 mpg. To get the best efficiency out of the hybrid engine you definitely need to change your driving habits and allow the car to coast by easing off the throttle. The ride is exceptional especially when it kicks into electric mode, eerily quiet. I still look forward to each drive and only wished I had ordered the NAV system.

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  Best car I ever bought - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By priusman - January 23 - 10:00 am

  It has plenty of pickup.There is plenty of room in the trunk without folding down the rear seats. I am averageing 53 miles to the gallon.(90% turnpike driveing.)I have option 9 and the navigator is great. The air conditioner works great. They need to furnish a printout and better instructions for the voice commands. I am planning to by one for my wife. She keeps on takeing mine. She loves the keyless entry. Every thing in this car is well designed. This car is truely the car of the future.

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  Vroooooom - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Dreikalina - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Bought this in June of 2004. Get about 28 MPG in the city. Has nice grab on the road. Nice tight corners. Back seat is roomy. Love the fold down seats (including passenger front seat.) Sometimes the front passenger seatbelt has to be buckled to prevent the beeping-alarm from going off, if I have a package on the seat. For some reason when I locked myself out of the car, Toyota said they didnt cover the locksmith to unlock me, and after debating it with them for 10 minutes, they discovered they were wrong. Blamed it on the computer system not being accurate. That was fustrating. But it is a reliable car with good gas mileage. Id buy it again.

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  Great Truck - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By mbenecke1@aol.com - January 23 - 10:00 am

  The truck rides great and seems as though it could use a littl more horsepower. When you pay $30,000 for a truck you should get some floormats. Also your hood bug guard is astronomically priced at $165 just for the part!!!

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  Colorado to Alaska in Tundra D-Cab - 2004 Toyota Tundra
  By BadBob - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I bought the Tundra D-Cab from Longmont Toyota for several reasons: outstanding sales and incentives, easy to work with the dealer, and they bent over backward to make the sale. I put a 1600-pound camper on the Tundra and drove it 4600 miles back to Alaska with ZERO problems. The Tundra handling and performance with the camper weight was great. The cruise control handled the load just fine.

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  Satisfied Overall - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By firesire - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle feels very well balanced in turns and grades. Overall good quality. I may be somewhat biased because i have owned an 87 runner with over 300,000 miles with only 1 unexpected break down. This 04 runner has enough power for my needs.

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  Great Car - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Michaels - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I Was ready to buy the Honda CRV before test driving the Highlander. It is a little more expensive but it was much quiter and had plenty of power. The 4 cylinder engine is very powerfull. Im getting 23 to 24 MPG.

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  my SUV - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By magda - January 23 - 10:00 am

  1. Interior color is beige and exterior color is white- manufacturer lacks sense of color coordination. Interior should match white, such as gray. 2. The cost of fuel is high. The gallon/milage is higher in reality than advertized.

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  Toyota - Oh what a feeling (love it) - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By CMoore - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Camry XLE V6 in Aug 2004. Everything about this car so far is just phenominal. Plenty of power; performance is awesome; very smooth ride and the miles per gallon is easy on the wallet.

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  04 Camry - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Daniel589 - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Great, reliable, fun to drive.