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:

• 

  Northern reliability - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Polar trucker - December 2 - 6:53 pm

  This vehicle is driven north of the 60th parallel. From -50 to +35 it has proven its worth many times over. Up here our roads are so rough that it seems like your off roading every time you pull out of the driveway. Did I mention that the City of Yellowknife only does snow removal once a winter (7 months long) and never plows on a pro-active basis.

• 

  53 MPG - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By lraisch - December 2 - 3:50 pm

  After one year and a total of 70,000 miles, this car has had zero problems. Gas mileage averages between 50 and 53 mpg. Anyone who expected to get the old EPA estimate of 60 was naive. The car comes with an amazing amount of equipment (mine is package 4) for the price and has been a joy to own. The hybrid performance is almost totally transparent to the driver and the power is adequate. This is not a sports car and handling is not its strong suit, also the car is nervous in cross winds. These are minor issues though. Comfort, quiet operation, high tech goodies and great mileage. I drive the car for service calls all day and couldnt be more pleased. Thanks, Toyota!

• 

  Great Truck for the Long Haul! - 2001 Toyota Tacoma
  By Leon - December 2 - 1:20 pm

  Toyota makes a great truck with an actual 4 door area for seating or carrying itmes. The mechanical durability is great, not one problem in over 105,000 miles! Inside seats could use a little more cushioning, but the power, gas mileage and reliability make this truck a winner. I will keep mine until it reaches 750,000 miles in ten years.

• 

  Getting What I Expected - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By mallard - December 2 - 2:43 am

  This is probably the best car I have ever owned. I bought it for fuel economy while providing luggage capacity for my fishing trips. I feel it delivers in both areas. Mileage is in excess of 46. I have only two significant problems. One is rear visibility. I anticipated this problem and purchased the navigation package which includes the rear view camera. The camera does help with the problem when in reverse. This is what I expected. However, the rest of the navigation does not, in my opinion, compare with the $170 after market Tom Tom I had in my previous car. While the display is superior, other features are lacking and the data base is inferior.

• 

  best car ever. - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By gabrielle - December 2 - 2:00 am

  this car is so so so fun to drive. i suddenly love my hour commute to school. its very utilitarian and economic, all the compartments make a great use of space and the gas milage is outstanding. i love how the seats sit up high, being 5 ive felt kind of lost in many of the cars ive driven.

• 

  Love the gorgeous red color! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By RedDevil - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Just came out of a Lexus IS300. I was thinking of getting the Honda Accord coupe until I saw a picture of the Solara in a car magazine. When I saw it in person, I just had to get one, especially in the amazing red color! It looks like the SC430 from the back but is much more roomy and a lot less expensive. I think that it is the most comfortable car Ive ever had. I love it!

• 

  2004 Tacoma Xtracab 4cyl 5-spd - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By DaveJ - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Superb build quality. Everything fits, everything works. Quality materials used throughout. No squeaks or rattles. Interior design marred by absurd placement of clock. Interior cubby-hole space is minimal. Adequate power, excellent transmission, easy to use clutch, strong brakes. Fuel economy is very good for a truck, but noticeably worse than cars with similar size engines. Six-speaker audio system better than expected. Easy to drive, with a fairly car-like ride. Insurance less than the Honda Accord we traded in. Buying experience at this dealership was actually quite pleasant; neither a battle of wits nor an endurance test.

• 

  Love this Car!!!! - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By blueboy - December 2 - 2:00 am

  My First Toyota, a 2004 Corolla CE. I LOVE it. Very Nice Driving Experience. Very Responsive and Quick Engine and Acceleration. Quiet and Smooth Ride. Steering and Handling Effortless. CD and Radio Excellent Sounding. A Quality Built car. I am Always finding Excuses to take a Ride Now. A Little more leg room for the driver who has longer legs than mine would be a nice upgrade. I will always look at Toyotas first in the future. I also had a very Nice experience when purchasing this Corolla. The sales woman was patient and very knowledgeable.

• 

  Smart engineering - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By guye - December 2 - 2:00 am

  As our family is growing at the request of my family I decided it was time to to get a minivan. I looked at a few on on the market and bought the Sienna. The seating throughout is very supportive & comfortable. The flexibility of the interior layout is unmatched, attention to details (in & out) is very clever and the finish and quality is rock solid. The car is comfortable to drive, performance is very good. The new Toyota/ Lexus 3.3 liter mated to the 5speed auto transmission is extremely smooth in its power delivery. The suspension/steering is comfortable yet gives you a true feel of the road. Definitely a "10" in the minivan category.

• 

  Worth the money - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Terptracker - December 1 - 9:00 pm

  Excellent compromise of quality, design, performance and fuel economy ... goes when you need it too, comfortable on trips. Excellent acceleration for a family sedan and gets upper twenties in combined driving, over 30 on long trips. Controls are mostly large and easy to read while driving. Could use memory seats, but its a minor complaint. Steering has minimal road feel, but it still grips the road fine. Brakes are responsive and have a secure feel. On occasion, would like a fold-down rear seat.