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 overall large SUV. Hands down winner - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Costa Rica For Me - May 28 - 11:33 am

  Ive been a truck/suv guy all my life. When it became time to "put down" my Chevy Suburban I began diligent research to find its replacement. Without question this is the best large SUV all around for the money. Go ahead and shop Chevy, Ford, Caddy, GMC, M.Benz and most importantly DRIVE THEM. Toyota has them all beat in quality and reliability and performance. While M.Benz has an edge on interior luxury, it lacks in ALL other categories when compared. Sequoia is unbeatable as a family vehicle, especially if you plan to take long trips or tow a boat or camper. What it lacks in the "bling" factor it more than makes up for in the "cha-ching" factor--financially it makes good sense.

• 

  love my mr2 - 2004 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By frogkrazy - May 28 - 10:00 am

  its fun...i get lots of questions about what kind of car it is...its not that common like all the miatas and bmws out there. nothing better than driving down the beach with the sun on your shoulders and the radio blasting u2s "its a beautiful day"! It handles curves better than any other car that Ive been in and with gas at $2 a gallon, 34 miles to one is great

• 

  Luv my Echo - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By alienlady - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my echo since Jan 02 and i have never had a problem! Gas milege is great, even though it looks small it has alot of room inside, the only thing it doesnt really have good pick up speed.

• 

  1999 toyota truck - 1999 Toyota Tacoma
  By ACKKING - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I Injoy Driving this truck more than any other truck Ive Ever owned. styling is great,compfortable todrive, handling is close to perfect as youll find in any small to full size truck.

• 

  Dales 2004 Prius Review - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Dale_W_Howard - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I have nothing bad to say about my car yet. It has better pick-up than my previous all gasoline engine (VW Scirocco). I love it and you cant beat 50 mpg average.

• 

  The best Ive ever owned! - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By JTT - May 28 - 10:00 am

  The ONLY thing that the Sequoia lacks, of which I dont understand why they dont have it already, is the GPS and electronic maps! Other than that, the Sequoia is a 10!

• 

  I love my Toyota! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By mabteach - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I compared all the convertibles in the $22000 to $45000 catagory. I found the Toyota Solara Camry Convertible SE to be the best value for the money. The car has very low noise for a convertible with the top up, great fuel economy, plenty of power and it handles great on wet roads and curves. The car is not easily found. Very few Toyota dealerships have them in stock. There are so few of them on the road, when people see it, they dont know what it is. So far, I love my Solara!

• 

  My Taco - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Greg Sperry - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I really love this truck. It has all the features that I wanted in a vehicle and I know about Toyotas Quality from owing a Camry. If you want something that will last and bring home the bacon so to speak, get yourself a Toyota. I have a friend who had a Tacoma and was involved in a wreck the truck was rearended and rolled she came out of the crash with just some minor injuries if she would have been driving anything other than a Toyota she would not have made it.

• 

  Solid Truck - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By NIKOKIRA11 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Nothing bad to say about my tuck, works as advertised.

• 

  S-Runners Rule - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Taco626 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  If youve never driven one, you are truly missing out