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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  best truck i have ever driven - 2010 Toyota Tundra
  By exf150owner - January 1 - 2:33 pm

  bought new in 2007. Traded in a new F150 that had engine/fuel injector issues after 20k miles. The ford dealer fixed every time but after being stranded 3 times I had to find something reliable. Towing 7klbs with the F150 was frightening, with the crewmax it is amazing how well/safe this vehicle is. 60k miles now and no problems at all.I tow over 10,000lbs regularly . The Tundra has bigger brakes than a F250! I drove the Chevy,F250 and the Nissan. The Nissan was a close second, but i wanted the 6speed trans and 4.32 rear end that comes stock in the Tundra. Do not buy into negative hype about Toyota, there is a lot of lies out there. Just drive the Tundra, or ask someone that owns one.

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  Good Car for the Money - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By fatvette - January 1 - 1:01 am

  Bought car new and currently has 82000 miles on it. Overall this has been an exceptional car for the money. Average around 25 mpg. It is the base model so it lacks some of the more refined features. With that said there are some annoyances. The slight steering shutter at highway speeds. You press the accelerator but there is a short delay then the car takes off. Uses around a 1/2 qt of oil between changes (5000 miles with Mobil 1). Blind spots. Base model is a little noisy at highway speeds. Original tires were awful. New Goodyear’s are much better.

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  recommend to everyone - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Jalexa - December 31 - 9:53 pm

  My husband and I have crossed the USA from Georgia to British Columbia with 2 dogs and have found no problems with the car (round trip 2 times). The cost of fuel is minimal compared to the SUV I had before.

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  Love this vehicle - 2014 Toyota Highlander
  By pinner72 - December 31 - 7:56 pm

  I have the XLE AWD and in its first 5000 miles the vehicle is all I could ask for. It is a pretty SUV, it is quiet, and it delivers good mileage. I have had four 4-Runners over the years and this truck trumps them all. We recently towed a boat into Canada and my truck was loaded with gear and friends and we got 20.7 mpg on the trip. I have the captains chairs and that made for a very comfortable ride for the back seat boys. We took turns driving and to a man they all expressed the notion that it was a remarkable SUV.

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  SMT works - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By BXG - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Economical sports car that handles like a dream. I use it as often as my wife will let me.

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  Great Buy - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By Travis C. - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I am not one that takes very good care of their vehicle and performs the minimum maintenance. I have treated my Corolla poorly and it has always performed great and has been as dependable as can be. I have had not one single problem with my Corolla and I have wrecked it and ran over parking blocks by accident and do not rotate my tires or anything. I take it in for an oil change about every 6000-7000 miles and other than brakes and tires I have spent no more money on it.

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  Buy XRS if you can!! - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Calshu - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Although I am very happy with my white Matrix, I am not used to 130 Horse Power (HP) after driving V6 Maxima for many years. Dont get me wrong. 130 HP is good enough, but more HP could of have been better. I should of pay a couple more thousands to get XRS model. Remember XRS comes with 180HP and 17 inch wheel vs XR only come with 130 HP with 16inch wheel. I havent seen any White Matrix. White is much better than silver. Toyota silver are ugly! Get either Cosmic blue, or red.

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  Great Car - 2003 Toyota Avalon
  By aj60 - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I went in looking for a Toyota Highlander (own one) and came out with the Avalon. I purchased the ES model with only option being power seats . The dealership, price, But more importantly the Car sold me.

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  Slightly neurotic but great car/fun - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By okmatrixxrs - December 31 - 1:23 am

  Unbelievable gas mileage. Amazing power from such a small, naturally aspirated engine, and Toyota quality! Who could ask for anything more!

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  I Cant Believe its a Camry! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By pepdoc - December 30 - 11:13 pm

  I really love this car. I wanted something that handled well, went fast and was sporty, with cool stuff. This car is cool. The engine is sweet, it accelerates beautifully, and it is smooth and quiet. I often dont know it is running. I have a bad back and was worried about comfort in the seats. It is just great. I LOVE this car.