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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  As reliable as mom - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By shar - February 18 - 6:13 am

  This corolla was more loyal than my dog, as sure as death and taxes to start up and run like a top. It never once stranded me. I feel stupid selling it, but its getting embarassing to drive. It drinks a quart of oil every 2 weeks for the last year, but adding it is no big deal.

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  White Elephant - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Sanjeev Gupta - February 18 - 3:20 am

  Good vehicle. Comfortable driving but defeats the purpose of buying it. Mileage 49 for the first year, 46 for the second year, 44 in this third year. Recommended Tires very expensive ($108 against $60 for regular one), headlight HID bulbs burn out fast- Ultra expensive ($771.43 +Tax). Car can only be serviced at dealership and they charge a lot more than a regular service at Walmart. I do not see any savings.

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  We love our Prius - especially w/ $4 gas - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By tim - February 16 - 11:56 pm

  We love our Prius - great hauling capacity with hatch and flip-down rear seats. We are especially glad that we own it since gas is now over $4 a gallon.

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  Great Car/Poor Interior Cloth Choice - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Scott Bui - February 16 - 5:13 pm

  This is definitely the best car I have ever driven in my life. This is an extremely fun to drive, quiet, head- turner. We live in the hills in the suburbs of Los Angeles and get about 43-45 MPG with the A/C on and around 48-50 MPG without the A/C. Trunk space is amazing with the 60/40 split from the back seats. Im probably the only one in the U.S. using the Prius to pick up CARGO SHIPMENTS. Normally pick up around CARGO boxes (up to 8 boxes 400 lbs) from LAX to my office.

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  Gotta Lemon - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Gotta Lemon - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Paid Sticker for a lemon. Since I have purchased my Sienna - I have had a new Radiator (mine split open), the inside hinge the driver door broke off (when I got this fixed, the annoying rattling went away), one of the speakers crackles, and ALL of the rear seatbelts need to be fixed - the fixtures around them are broken. Thank God the DVD player still works. Tried to trade it, but I would have lost my shirt.

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  very nice and a good value too - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Harddrive9 - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Drives good, comfortable and quite at highway speeds. car feels classy but could use a little more convenience ergonamicly. fuel economy is decent. this car feels very safe to drive. I find visibility good too. trunk is big enough for good size luggage. Im looking forward to Toyotas reliability. I plan for a few road trips for the near future to really get a good feel for this car. I have only owned it for about a week now. Im glad I purchased this car. I feel comfortable and secure driving it. it does feel more expensive then it really is.

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  dojos - 2010 Toyota RAV4
  By Anonymous - February 15 - 9:56 pm

  Searched for several months for an SUV, needed a larger vehicle than my old sedan also considered the 2010 models equinox, Honda pilot, Toyota Highlander and 4runner. After test driving all of them, narrowed down to the rav4 and Highlander. Loved the 4runner but it was over my budget, the 2010 highlander had a huge visibility issue when looking through the rear window but to opt. For backup cam was a 2grand price jump and bad body lean on curves, came down the offramp and I felt like I was gonna fall off my seat. Rav4 had the same v6, fully loaded around 32k so got the rav4. Visibility is great didnt really need the backup cam. Mpg is averaging 21.5 city not bad yet to get highway mpg. 1000 miles driven.

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  2006 Tundra double cab - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Don - February 15 - 3:13 pm

  I am very happy with Toyota build quality. (Camry = 240K 4Runner = 85K) I like almost everything about this vehicle. The ride is excellent. It is smooth and quite. It has plenty of interior room. Rear seat has more room than my Suburban rear seat. Plenty of power for the engine size. Cruises well on the interstate. Pulls and hauls well. The truck came with just the few options I wanted. I wanted a truck not a limo. After shopping I found this vehicle for just a few hundred more than a Chevy with the same options. Everyone that rides in it comments on the ride quality. Radio/CD is OK but not great. Need a football field to turn it around. Parking is tough. It sits a little too high.

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  Reliable gas saver - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By John B. - February 15 - 8:56 am

  Excellent car if you enjoy filling up your car with gas knowing it will last a lot longer than that MEGA size SUV next to you. This is an extremly reliable little car with a fairly roomy interior and decent trunk space.

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  Practical SUV - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Veldboom - February 13 - 7:16 pm

  The height and size of the doors enables easy entry and exit. Forward visibility from the drivers seat is excellent. A short turning radius is helpful when parking. The power seat and tilt & telescoping wheel help to gain a comfortable seating position. The ride is stiffer than a car’s ride. It seems like a 5-speed transmission would be helpful also for the 4-cylinder engine. The RAV4 is quick and does not have the usual 4-cyl engine noise at highway speeds. There is a transmission clunk on the first engagement of ‘Drive’ each morning.