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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  Two fatal flaws on a great car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By William2005 - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Extremely Quiet and Smooth. Corners and brakes much better than expected. Steering wheel is too close to dash and RUINS the seating comfort for tall passengers. Mileage is nowhere near Canadian brochure estimates. Extremely gentle first 1200miles, 80% on highway... 23MPG (US).

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  WOW!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By jay lenn - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Great car, excellent handling, less road noise, great value

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  Great SUV. - 2007 Toyota RAV4
  By Bright - October 23 - 9:10 am

  I have just been driving this RAV4 2007 for one months and I love it. It is fun to drive. Smooth and quick acceleration. Smooth ride though a bit more shake on flat roads than my Camry. Gas milage is lower than expected 21mpg. only 19MPG in my first 2 tanks (mostly city plus some highway). This make the small gas tank (only 15.9 gal) more inconvenient. I have to fill gas every 200 miles.

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  Zoom zoom zip away I go - 2009 Toyota Tundra
  By Danny - October 23 - 5:27 am

  Had this truck for 4 months and love it handles great off road is great turn the traction control and airbags off it it will do some awesome things fuel mileage is a little less than good but it is a 4x4 truck I have towed a 15000 pound bulldozer with no problems owned fords and Chevy trucks and even a dodge or two but my Toyota trucks are here to stay 2009 tundra 4x4 with rock warrior trd package is on tough truck

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  Best Looking Mid-Size SUV - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Brian - October 22 - 10:50 pm

  Love my 4Runner. Hate the gas mileage. Have to say though, I put a lot of miles on a vehicle and this has been, hands down, the absolute easiest to maintain. I have almost 60,000 miles on it and have not yet had to have the brakes replaced - you cant get that with a Honda. My only complaint is the terrible smell when the rear window is even cracked open - Toyota has attempted to correct this problem, but whatever they did only corrected the problem for a week or so.

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  Great car... but - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By J. Zito - October 22 - 8:50 pm

  The Solara Convertible is a well built, nicely styled car. The interior is both beautiful and functional, while the exterior is eye catching. Road noise and bumps are well isolated.

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  Had to have it. - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By joerdie - October 22 - 7:43 pm

  Test drove the Prius and had to have it. The Civic has nothing on this car. So far, I have spent most waking hours thinking about it over the kid that I have on the way.

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  Excellent Gas Mileage - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By ToyoYari - October 22 - 9:53 am

  Traded in my gas hungry SUV for a blue Toyota Yaris Liftback. Trips to the gas station have not been as many. The little bars that indicate the amount of gas that is left move down very slowly. Inside it does not feel as small as it looks on the outside. The sound system is more than enough and there is even a jack on the lower console to plug in an MP3 player, pretty awesome. The back seat is kept folded down so there is always plenty of cargo space to toss stuff in the back. The engine is fairly quiet for a small car with plenty of pep to make it move in city traffic and on the highway.

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  Luxury pocket rocket! - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By gunnerjo - October 22 - 1:10 am

  I looked at the Mercedes 300, BMW 5 series, and the Lexus for my next car. I couldnt justify the pricing points of the German ubervehicles with the amentities they offered and, being in the mountains of New Mexico, was uncertain of the service quality I could expect. I looked at the Avalon on the way to the Lexus dealer and that, as the song says, . . .was all she wrote. I chose the Touring model for its firmer ride, larger tires, and different shift points and havent been disappointed. It is simply awesome to take a 35 mph mountain switchback at 60+. And to arrive at your destination without the usual aches, stiffness, and tingling nether regions.

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  Excellent Ride - 2013 Toyota Avalon
  By col411 - October 22 - 12:51 am

  This car made me double take. I saw the new design and finally toyota is targeting a younger demographic. I have the Moulin Rouge with the black leather interior. The handling is great, good acceleration to get around traffic on the interstate. The seats are very comfortable. Entune is nice, the navigation is easier to manage than my 08 Sequoia Limited. I dont have the phone charging plate which is a head scratcher. The side mirrors should be power folding.But other than that I would highly recommend the new Avalon for anyone shopping for a large sedan. i commute 160 miles round trip to work and i love driving now.