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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  Wont Look Back - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Mr Jolly - September 27 - 3:36 am

  After trading in My Chevy Tahoe I thought I would miss the luxury of a big car. The new RAV4 is luxury, ability, agility and so much more. The car rides smooth, steering is tight and it commands power when needed. I am blown away by its sheer acceleration power. Lots of room to make up for its smaller size.

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  One Great Truck...... - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Doc Hollywood - September 27 - 2:10 am

  I like the power of the comfortable V6 this truck is dynamite ... the style and class it provides I get lots of stares even from the Tundra Drivers

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  Great car - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By elizabeth farb - September 27 - 1:55 am

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  Love mine - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Z - September 26 - 9:00 pm

  This is a great car, fun to drive with the sequential shifting feature. Very good pick up. (Being a true stick man, I wasn’t sure if I would like it but it does really add to the driving experience). Nice exterior styling, bodylines, and 17 inch wheels. Powerful stereo with the 6-disc changer and subwoofer. Our dealer was great to deal with; we got a great price for it being a 06. Love the cosmic blue with the black top.

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  My dream come true - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By chris - September 26 - 6:16 am

  Hands down the best truck ever invented. Not too big but definitely not small. I can fit 5 people in the cab comfortably and a stack of surfboards in the back. This truck is PERFECT.

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  Great Investment - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Allen - September 26 - 5:30 am

  I have put about 1400 miles on this car so far and love it more each day. It has a lot more power than I expected for a gas saving vehicle. Plenty of power to pass. Very stable on the road. 44 to 50 mpg with more aggressive driving. More room inside than it looks. Ive also road as a passanger in the back, even with the front seats all the way back there was plenty of room. Handles great on wet pavement and taking corners fast. Very smooth ride and feels like it has control of the road. Plenty of room in the hatch back area with additional underneath, also has a cover to pull over to hide it all from view. Plenty of compartments for cups front and back, sunglasses up front.

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  2007 HiHy base model - 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By tswill2 - September 25 - 10:40 pm

  This vehicle is co-operated by my wife and I. She gets about 28.5 mpg on short shopping trips, and I get about 33 mpg on longer jaunts without special driving techniques, and recently for 40.3 mpg on a 45 mile trip! That was being "almost" as careful as I could. We really like it. Id give it a 9.5 overall rating.

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  Cant go wrong - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By tim - September 25 - 10:20 pm

  I owned 1989 Toyota pickup, 20 years later Toyota still out does it. Interior lights sharp color orange, all controls easy to see. Timberland ica new color for 2009, show stopping color, style is sharp to look at. Windshield nice and large to see road.

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  Love it - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By love it - September 25 - 3:16 pm

  Love this Tacoma! Thinking now of selling in order to get better fuel economy (steady 20 mpg now) great, reliable vehicle - only negatives are placement of the clock (behind the steering wheel basically) and interior picked up scratches on plastic too easily. Wish gas mileage was better and I could keep it!

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  Would buy it again in a heart beat! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By lance hunter - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Good value...should be able to get a limted for $37,500 if you are a patient buyer and shop around (use the web).