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:

• 

  Best Truck I Ever Owned! - 2006 Toyota Tundra
  By Blair - September 21 - 6:16 pm

  This truck is excellent. Havent had it very long, but I love it! I have basic needs, but need the 8 bed, so I purchased the 2DR V6. Exceptional. Hoot to drive, looks great, responsive, very tight.

• 

  Geart SUV added info - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By DC CALIF - September 21 - 6:10 pm

  Hi folks... I wanted to update you since my last report. We just got back from 2350 mile trip, Calif, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada. The 4 cyl climbed up 8700 ft mountains no sweat. 29.1 MPG 75-80mph. Yes I did down shift a couple of times but no prob. Oh, my brakes got better as they were mushy before. Dealer checked breaks (OK) before trip. I really enjoyed the trip and the car.

• 

  Just What I Needed - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By twigster - September 20 - 11:30 am

  This is my "highway" car. Drove to NEPA Pocono Area with my electronic drums in the trunk. The July shakedown cruise to our yearly SummerJam proved the Avalons capability. I tend to travel fast (above the speed limit) and got almost 30 MPG while feeling safe and in control. Love the transmission and the steering and despite what MT may say about "steering feedback" I didnt find that a negative since I didnt want a "sports car" or want to "feel the road". Spent almost three weeks driving around the N.E.P.A. area roads that I grew up driving on (I live in Tampa), these are what we call "driving! roads". Again, the car made it a blast - it went everywhere like it owned the road.

• 

  very good car - 1994 Toyota Corolla
  By weiguo - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This is very good car.

• 

  All Around Fun Car - 2003 Toyota Celica
  By Holly_____ - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Pros: Wonderful Handeling, tight steering, excellent response, on-a-dime breaks, good arrangment of instruments, beautiful inside and out. Good gas economy-Toyota quality and service. Cons: Seat size. You must be a small to medium sized adult to fit comfortably in the front seat, and child-sized to fit in the back. Huge blind spot, spoiler doesnt help. Trunk is difficult to close. Needs more HP to be a true racing car. Low torque. Lowness to ground can make hard to get in and out of. Really a car for the young. I have been absolutley satisfied with this car...its amazing to feel the acceleration and precision of the response on the highway...

• 

  All Around Fun - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By MountainCool - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is sporty and looks outstanding. Has ample back seats for passengers, which is a plus. Appears that the Solara convertibles are hard to find but am glad I persisted. Almost bought a sedan but a test drive in this car convinced me to find one. Considered waiting for 04, but the convert wont be out til late Spring 04. Fun to ride. Drives smooth and quiet but still lots of power. Planning on having this gorgeous car for quite a while. Highly recommend.

• 

  love my new corolla - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By amber - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I am so thrilled with my new corolla. I just bought it recently and I am happy, because I got what I paid for. The car was very inexpensive and it is very reliable. It has a lot of inside space and is very comfortable to sit in. It is definetley better than the Honda that I used to own. I suggest that a lot more people buy a Corolla.

• 

  Best of the minni vans - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By this is it - September 20 - 10:00 am

  We just got our new minni van last month. It is fantastic. We love the great price, gas mileage, and all the new features. We just retired and will is great for all our needs. We were going to buy an upscale car but after test driving and checking out this new van, it was just as nice but also had so many other uses. love it and toyota products.

• 

  Just Like a mini-camry - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By car_fan3 - September 20 - 3:29 am

  Regardless of some of the reviews Ive read and peoples disappointments with the corolla, I say spend an additional $20k and get a Lexus. Because you expect to get a $40k Lexus with all the bells and whistles and performance for under $20k. Cant happen. And when I shopped for a new car Ive looked at all cars under $25k that exist American, Korean, Japanese, you name and although Toyota did have what I consider fabricated recalls, it still beats everyone by a mile for quality. My 2007 Camry was under-recall. Never-ever-ever an issue. Be realistic, comfortable ride, awesome fuel efficiency, perfect safety, very roomy ( very close to camry).

• 

  40k miles of great driving - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Jim Reed - September 19 - 6:03 pm

  Our 2004 Prius is our fourth hybrid. 03 Civic Hybrid 5spd, 02 Insight CVT,03 Civic Hybrid CVT. The Civic 5 spd was traded for the Civic CVT after a deer strike. All have over 40k miles now. The Prius is the best car we have owned. Rides better than our Mercedes or Volvo did. Very quiet except climbing mountains. Prius engine noise higher than our other hybrids while climbing steep grades. Excellent in snow on windy, hilly WV roads. Acceleration, power excellent, 92 mph passing on I-68 7% upgrade. Mileage: 61.7 (steady 55 mph 400 miles, 82 deg, in VA and NC), 55 mpg (2 tanks), 5 tanks 50 mpg in summer all in WV mountains. Winter avg is about 43 mpg. Lowest tank 38 mpg, heavily loaded in winter