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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  First Toyota Purchase - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By First Toyota - May 23 - 10:13 pm

  I leased a 2010 Camry XLE V6 approximately a month ago. (coming off 12 years of GM cars). I test drove the V6 SE (love the sporty look of the car) and the V6 XLE. After test driving both cars, I immediately told the salesman that the XLE was the way I wanted to go. The ride is so smooth, but not soft. The handling is quite responsive and the powerful V6 (268) is extremely impressive. I use the cruise control on the car whenever possible on the highway and find that this cars CC is extremely accurate with no noticeable braking and acceleration on hills. Love the comfortable and well laied out interior. The JBL audio system is fabulous. A truly good car.

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  Sporty Old man - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Rafael - May 23 - 8:50 pm

  I was a Honda fan for the last 10 years, this is my first Toyota and I am excited with the performance in this car The XRS attracted me from the very first time that I saw on TV, especially the new DOHC engine with 170 hp, Honda never offered nothing like this and with any of the cars that I had, the closest one now is Honda the civic Si, which I already made him eat my dust, when I recently encountered one here on the highway. What else can I say!!!

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  Best Van for Grandparents - 2008 Toyota Sienna
  By Dan Trevors - May 23 - 4:36 pm

  I was in the market for a crossover, but found all of them to be too small for the kids and grandkids so we opted for the best minivan on the planet. I have back problems and the cloth seats on the LE are very comfortable. Much better than the leather. Mileage is about as promised. Power is very responsive. I would not go so far as to say it is fun to drive, but the safety systems put my mind at ease. We have two couples that we travel with and they love the room in the second and third seats. Enough cup holders for two armies.

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  First tank mileage - 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By tomnm - May 23 - 3:13 pm

  I do mountain driving to commute to work and get 38+ mpg round trip first tank, very nice.

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  Great Van - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By Alex - May 23 - 11:23 am

  So far I only put 350 miles so cant comment on long term durability. But I drove 06 Odyssey Touring a few times so Ill use Odyssey as benchmark. I like the Sienna ride better (I came from BMW 5 series with sport package. To me, the Sienna is ideal for a family hauler), quieter than Odyssey, ride is not as firm/bouncy, handling is about the same. The transmission shifts smooth. Interior looks modern but lack the quality I expected. I feel the Odyssey interior trim/buttons are well made, Sienna feels cheap, especially compare to BMW and Acura (maybe not a fair comparison but the van cost 30k+). Mileage is good, I got 28 mpg (from MID) for almost all highway driving.

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  I LOVE mine!! - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By chell57 - May 23 - 10:00 am

  I adore my echo! Reliable, alot of head and leg room, gauge placement is so cool!!

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  2003 sle-v6 - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By rfa - May 23 - 10:00 am

  This is the 2nd solara slev6 ive owned (2001+2003).The only reason I traded the 01 was to get the heated front seats. For the money its an exceptional value.Across the US from coast to coast with never a problem and an average of 28 highway/23 city mpg. No maintainance issues.Do regular service and it runs like a Swiss watch.Quality is on a par with my friends Lexus ES300,handling is actually not that much below another friends BMW,at half the price. I will probably buy another

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  Great Truck - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By Buckoff - May 23 - 10:00 am

  This truck has been wonderful. I have been worried when I hear about the O2 sensor or brake problems but havent experienced them. The vehicle will really haul, even with a full load and goes great thru snow and ice. My only problem has been the rear seat area...my kids were little when I bought the truck but have grown since and will soon be too large for that area. I drive a Chevvy Silverado at work...nice truck but the Tundra is a sportscar next to it...and much more fun to drive.

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  Great Replacement for my LS430 - 2004 Toyota Sequoia
  By cypherjeff - May 23 - 10:00 am

  This is a great SUV. I looked all around to find a replacement for my LS430. I found it in the Sequoia. My wife wants this instead of her 2004 Sienna.

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  clutch - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Roz - May 23 - 10:00 am

  needed a new clutch early.