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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  Truckn awsome - 1998 Toyota Tacoma
  By dave - January 9 - 1:50 am

  This truck is rock solid and a blast to drive. Its like a sports car with a truck body. The sr5 v6 is a performance machine. Its a little thirsty though. Fun comes with a price. Cant wait to but my next. If I live that long.

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  I love this car - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By linda - January 9 - 12:43 am

  I bought my car about three weeks ago, and just love it. Doing lots of freeway driving in southern california, I was a little nervous that I would be run off the road by the suv hogs. But these fears have proved to be unfounded. Its not as quiet a ride as my old lexus, but I didnt expect it to be. The car is the topic of conversation everywhere I take it. Almost everyone is interested in the technology, mileage, etc. Its been pure joy.

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  A smooth ride - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Hunter - January 8 - 9:03 pm

  As my BMW 330i lease was coming to an end, I learned that a second kid was on the way. I knew I needed something bigger, but I did not want to give up sportiness, power, etc., completely. I checked out a lot of vehicles, including the Charger, Altima SE-R, Azera and Maxima. Bottomline, the Avalon Touring easily offered the best combination of things I was looking for in a new car. It has power, acceleration, decent handling (you can take moderate turns aggressively), room, comfort, good gas mileage, Toyota reliability... and, the interior of the Touring is sporty. I hate fake wood trim and probably would not have purchased a different trim if the Touring did not exist.

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  Best Luxury Buy on the market! - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By Bruce Allen - January 8 - 9:36 am

  The Avalons ride is superb, but it still retains excellent handling, performance and braking. Fuel consumption is very close to "as stated". The Avalon is the best kept secret in the industry; it is a superb luxury car with great fuel economy, performance and excellent resale.

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  Its a good buy - 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By Jassim - January 8 - 7:50 am

  The Toyota Land Cruiser is one fun car to drive. I just recently purchased one and i could not be happier about my decision.

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  great family van - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By tech_art - January 8 - 6:30 am

  my first mini van, and love it. 2K mile so far, no problem at all. the braking is not as good as cars, and doesnt drive like a porsche, so save me from getting more tickets. dont know AWD yet, will wait until winter.

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  Amazing - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By George - January 8 - 5:50 am

  It over all is a pretty damn good, safe, reliable, comforting car.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By Erin - January 8 - 5:36 am

  I have driven this car for two years now and I cant imagine myself driving any other car! Its one of the safest out there, I can personally attest for its front impact safety, Im still here and thankfully my car could be completely fixed and its as good as new! I love it, and recommend it to anyone out there! Its awesome for college too! Traveling back and forth on breaks all the time its easy to fit all I need in this car, its the perfect size!

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  Easy being green - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By LRS - January 8 - 2:16 am

  Moving from a Mercedes Benz to a Hybrid was much easier than I thought. I dont mind giving up the German weight and ride as this Japanese import is so much fun to drive in such a different way.

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  Paradigm Change - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Hybrid Happy - January 8 - 1:40 am

  Im a high mileage driver and am saving nearly $300 a month on gas alone over my last car, an Infinity FX35, not to mention the much lower scheduled maintenance costs. This vehicle is in a class by inself and with over 20,000 miles in 7 months it gets better and better every time I drive it. The great interior room for such a small exterior size cant be beat by anything out there. Hard to understand why everyone isnt driving one of these. As gas prices continue to raise Toyota is going to put the big hurt on the BIG Three and the day will come when valets and car wash guys wont even remember when you turned a key to start a car instead of pushing the button.