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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  Awesome car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By sd6519 - July 29 - 8:50 am

  This car has 112000 miles and has never failed me once. I recently got a new water pump and timing belt, but thats just regular maintenance for an 11 yr old car. If you want reliability, buy one of these bad boys.

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  Great mileage and reliability - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By happy2own - July 29 - 1:43 am

  The S model is a fun car to drive with great mileage on long trips (up to 41). It gets better mileage than my old 96 with more power. The 5 speed transmission is not the smoothest shifter Ive owned but it makes the car seem more powerful. The exterior looks sporty with the body kit, spoiler, and fog lights. The interior has nice build quality and the trunk size is more than proficient. No mechanical problems at all. Ive never been to the shop since I change my own oil. I would definitely recommend.

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  Smooth - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Phantom - July 29 - 12:16 am

  Ive had this Corolla S for about 3 months now and by far this is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. The ride quality superb, the interior is very spacious and appealing. You cant find a better looking car for under $18000. I was looking into a Scion TC but a TC with the all the options on the Corolla S was close to $22000. To sum it up: Test drive one. period.

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  2005 Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By TOM OMALLEY - July 29 - 12:10 am

  I love my 2005 Prius. The sticker of course says 52-60 mpg, but realistically you can probably expect 47-52 mpg. I live in Colorado and have driven it several times up to the mountains for a day of skiing and the car really moves up the hill with no problems.

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  tacoma sr5 - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By benny - July 28 - 8:10 pm

  i like the rear doors on the new tacoma its like having a full size car. the long bed is great for hauling and moving stuff. i like the new bed design and the tie down system. i purchased the factory running boards and hood deflector and it looks great. thanks toyota

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  My Dream! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Dee - July 28 - 7:56 pm

  I have always wanted a Camry and have not been disappointed with this purchase. We have been on two trips and this car has performed like a dream. I do wish the seat would "rise" somewhat. I am rather short and unfortunately put a big dent in rear door as I didnt see that pole! Does have some "air noise" when freeway driving. Other than that I am very pleased with the features. If it performs and lasts as well as the 91 Corolla sitting in the driveway, still running, I will be thrilled.

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  Bad tires - 2011 Toyota Tundra
  By gobucks4 - July 28 - 10:14 am

  Bought in November 2010, heater did not work, 6 days to repair. January 2011, 2 months old, back bumper was covered with rust, replaced. Tires are flat spotting in 24 hours, Toyota considers this a normal condition as designed. The truck shimmies severely for the first five miles. No Toyota exec would drive this truck on ice with this shimmy.

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  Great car! Original owner - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Stacy - July 28 - 6:00 am

  Great car! original owner...Wish it had 3rd row seats...the newer models do. I am looking at upgrading to a newer model of the same car, so that tell you how great of a car. I probably will not trade in or resale this one though.

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  Fun car. - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By lr_smith - July 28 - 3:13 am

  My first SUV and it feels great, drives like a small sports car. We had a small Toyota Yaris, and it was totaled in an accident, so we needed something bigger even though I loved the Yaris. We only had this car for a couple of weeks but we absolutely love it. It is very ergonomic, all controls are easy to reach, everything is very intuitive.

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  First of many Toyotas to come - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By manderman - July 27 - 8:30 pm

  After I came back from Iraq I knew what I wanted to spend my reenlistment bonus on. I bought my first Toyota truck. I have the 05 Tacoma Sport and am loving it. Its in my opinion the best looking truck out there. With the access cab Im able to pack my fishing gear as well as my buddies quite comfortably. The bed liner and built in storage compartments are sweet. Performance wise Im definitely impressed. Due to high gas prices I was looking at the a V6 instead of the V8 and really havent felt like Ive sacrificed a huge amount of power. The interior is sweet as well. The dash looks race carish and has all the options I was looking for.