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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  Excelente - 1996 Toyota Avalon
  By Carqueen - March 9 - 12:26 am

  I bought my Avalon this year and it was 13 years old with 186,000 miles already on it... I just love it... Ive had some major repairs but they were no more than 3000 bucks... Which is cheap for a car that is that old with such high mileage... I would recommend this car 100%... I just love my Avey... Its roomy... all my "big" friends can fit in it comfortably and that was a huge concern for me because Im not small myself... this car is just perfect... but it is a toyota...

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  So far......well you know - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By llhoops - March 9 - 12:23 am

  The Camry meets all of my expectations. It is a solid, dependable, good looking vehicle that has proven itself to be the best value in its class. I treated myself to the navigation with bluetooth capable telephone functions. Combine that with the adjustible heated leather seats, smartkey entry and starting, and the traction control and you have a damn nice car (lexus like) right at $30,000. But, it does not turn heads (although the the new body style is not as soft as previous years). There are a billion Camrys on the road yet I still feel special in mine. It is a safe choice.

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  Love my 4Runner, but ... - 2000 Toyota 4Runner
  By DebbyEva - March 8 - 11:56 am

  I bought my 2000 4Runner new and have loved it. It has been so reliable, great in snow and safe! I really want another 4Runner, but have waited 10 years for Toyota to improve the gas mileage on current models. Sadly, I give up.

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  Toyota Sienna is great so far! - 2007 Toyota Sienna
  By barry taylor - March 8 - 10:10 am

  Very pleased with mileage on highway. Handles well and has a short turning radius. Seats are difficult to remove and replace. Power window on driver side is hard to regulate.

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  MPG Drops a lot in Winter - 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By AB01002 - March 8 - 7:33 am

  This is a great car, but I live in New England. We were getting 35-38 MPG before winter. Now we are getting around 25 mpg. (Our Suburban gets 16 mpg!) I love our Camry but wonder if I would have bought it knowing the winter mileage is so much lower. We have a long winter and I wish I had known about the drop in MPG in the cold weather. By the way, I researched this and it is a normal characteristic of all hybrids.

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  BE CAREFUL IN HEAVEY TRAFFIC - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Rick in Atlanta - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car fo a year. Good looking car and happy with the build quality. Interior comfort is great and has a lot of storage. Had the car back to the dealer 4 times for the brakes with no resolution. They are soft and undersized for the car. Mileage is not near what they claim.

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  my next car will be a toyota - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By p.p. - March 7 - 10:00 am

  1 battery 1 set of new tires ,new front disc pads. of course new wiper blades & filters. other than that im very happy! I now compare all others to toyota quality.

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  Reliable SUV - 1999 Toyota 4Runner
  By Erica B - March 7 - 2:00 am

  4Runner is a beautiful car. Its enough room for five people, but small enough to take places without it being a hassle, in comparison to these oversized SUVS such as the Expedition or Suburban.

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  Safety First - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By Mr. Mike - March 7 - 2:00 am

  We were hit by a chevy truck going 40 MPH square on the front passenger door. Our vehicle was totaled. But sitting on the inside you would hardly know it. One window shattered, otherwise, the interior held strong! We were hit so hard, our vehicle was pushed 20 feet sideways, and pushing another car at the same time. We are replacing it, with another Sequoia! Safety first.

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  Over the "ooh & aah" of having a hybrid - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By Mike from Delaware - March 6 - 11:53 am

  Ive had the car from 3 months now, close to 5,000 miles on it. Not that Im over the initial "ooh & aah" of having a hybrid, what I have is an excellently running, gas saving vehicle, but a little on the boring side. This is not a sports car by any means, and I realized that when I purchased. However, the interior just seems to bland and dull to me and the ride is way too soft. Come time for new tires, I will look into adding on the 18-inch rims and the TRD suspension to "sport up" the ride a bit. I didnt want the nav system because of not being able to program while car is in drive, so opted for cloth seats, but got everything else with it.