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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  Ultimate Rig - 2004 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mountain Biker - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Great Power, awesome handling w/xreas suspension, superb interior acoutrements, jammin jbl stereo, billy goat off-road performance, exceptional build-quality, industry leading reliability. Love the Stratosphere Mica with the silver accent roof rack and bumpers. Beautiful 17" alloys look great. Dials and gauges easy to read and operate, and light up beautifully at night. Rack & Pinion steering is precise and tight. 4WD system works extremely well on gravel roads and on steep, rocky descents w/low-range mode. 4Runner has the best combination of on/off road performance, reliability and build quality of any SUV-period.

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  Love My Camry!! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By julesm - August 21 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased my first toyota and I LOVE it! I will never go back to american built cars. It is so smooth riding and I cannot believe how powerful the 4 cyl engine is. My husband has a V6 engine in his car (not a toyota) and I think the acceleration is just as good, if not better, with my camry. The controls are simple and designed to be in good reach for the driver. It is very quiet and has a great sound system. I can get just over 500 miles on a tank of gas (mainly highway miles)I think I will be a toyota buyer for life!

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  car owner of a 2004 SE - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By nicole - August 21 - 10:00 am

  i like this new year i had a 2000 camry LE and did a trade in.. i love the new body

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Alex - August 21 - 4:40 am

  This is a 4th Camry that I owned. My father still drives my first Camry (160,000 miles on odometer). The handling and reliability of the SE impressed me from the first time a test drove the vehicle. The comfort and the feel of a sports car in a 4 door family sedan. I test drove BMW, SAAB and several other sedans. For the money - cant beat the Camry.

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  New RAV is great - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Joi - August 21 - 12:00 am

  We just purchased our Rav 4, It is great. We needed to get a vehicle with a third seat for our extended family. The third seat option is hard to find, but if you want a base model with it order Now! We had to get the limited to get it but we are very happy with it.The 2.4 has plenty of power and is good on gas. The many other features are just a bonus. Good luck in your toyota search!

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  So Far So Great - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Happy Yaris Owner - August 20 - 9:06 pm

  Granted, I have owned this car for less than a week, but after a decently long trip for the holidays I feel I can give some helpful insight. For me the performance has been very acceptable. For a 1.5 liter engine it is peppy, quiet and smooth. The layout of the interior is not that quirky, but I do admit I like the sedans interior better than the hatchback I tested - seems to be higher quality. The sound system is excellent and this is with the standard single CD AM/FM stereo. I got 40 mpg on my trip and think my opinion of this car will only get better with the miles.

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  30 MONTHS OF RELIABILITY & COMFORT - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By ED GRECO - August 20 - 8:06 pm

  A most reliable, ergonomically designed, just plain comfortable car. Its built on the Camry chassis--so the comfort. The interior design is superb with intuitive buttons and controls. We will trade up to a 2006 since financing is attractive.

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  Quite Impressed - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By mrjohn - August 20 - 2:13 pm

  Was originally looking at Acura TLs and Infiniti G35s, but the extra space and better fuel economy of the Avalon won me over. I am just amazed that Toyota can take a 280 hp engine and still get 31 mpg on 87 octane, whereas Acura cant do that on the TL with premium fuel. Not to mention the Avalon is bigger, and hence, heavier. No complaints so far.

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  Upgrade the speakers - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By mmosso - August 20 - 5:26 am

  Great truck! Im very happy with the look. Everyone looks and points. I would strongly recommend getting the upgraded radio w/sub woofer package if you get the roof racks. The wind noise is deafening.

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  1st Time Toyota owner - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By bh - August 20 - 5:13 am

  Have owned the car for 2 months. Best features are the smooth and quiet ride. I recently rode in a friends new Accord and the Camry is much more quiet and much smoother. The engine is very quiet at idle, and at 70 mph. The handling is not very sporty thanks to the drive-by-wire steering; needs more road feel. The car downshifts too much when going up slight grades at interstate hwy. speeds; otherwise the transmission is very smooth and shifts seamlessly. This is a five- speed and I can only imagine that the new 6-speed would have more of the downshifting problem. Overall I really like the car and believe it is a good value in the midsize category. I dont regret the purchase at all.