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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  I LOVE THIS CAR! - 2000 Toyota Avalon
  By Jonathag - April 20 - 3:56 am

  I have had this car for about 5 months now, absolutely love it! Fun to drive, reliable, I step on the gas and the pickup is great, comfortable leather seats, just a joy to drive! I thought I would like the heated seats better than I do, but I dont see what the big deal is really. I drive my car all over the state for my job and it performs flawlessly, unmatched Toyota quality. Mine had around 98k when I bought it but you could tell it had been taken care of. My speaker system is a bit flakey, the rear speaker is blown and two of the front speakers go in and out a lot, other than the speakers the car is great. Buy one and you wont regret it! Mpg is around 29-30 hwy and around 21 or so city.

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  Venza - great job Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By FM - April 20 - 3:20 am

  Car interior is excellent. Love the blue tooth, MP3 ease of use and keyless ignition options. Really enjoy not getting keys out to get in to start the car. Dash layout is good and easy to store things. I have owned the car one week and have never received so many compliments. Barcelona Red color is eye catching. Interior seating is roomy and comfortable. I went in looking at a Highlander and this car caught my eye. It didnt take long to change my mind. Great crossover and enjoyable vehicle.

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  Good Reliable Truck - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By bgr - April 20 - 12:33 am

  I bought this truck brand new over two years ago and I drive it for work every day. The Composite bed is a great feature as well as the power outlet in the bed. I didnt have a generator and it powered some basic items in my house for a couple days after a recent storm. The factory tires ride a little rough but have pretty good reliability. The stereo could be a little better. I love the design on the interior and exterior. Gas mileage is great. I usually average around 21-22 miles per gallon. Towing is ok but my 16 ski boat dogs it down a little. Unfortunately the bed dents easily like my last Tacoma. The front bumper should be chrome instead of plastic as well.

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  Covers the Bases - 2003 Toyota Sienna
  By Good Van - April 19 - 7:26 pm

  We owned a 1999 Dodge Caravan before purchasing the 2003 Toyota Sienna Symphony. The Dodge interior was more comfortable and easier to use, but the Toyota is by far more reliable and much safer. I love Toyota reliability, and their pricing is much more competitive when compared to Honda. The 2004 has fixed most of the faults of this van, but there are a couple that bug me. It is very difficult to get into the third row of seats because the second row does not flip up or move easily to create space. Theres only one car seat latch in the second row, and its attached to the floor of the vehicle. The power door cannot be stopped when its closing. Theres too much body lean in turns.

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  My 2007 Camry XLE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By joe - April 19 - 2:26 pm

  I am a 72 year old white male. After driving this Toyota for 3180 miles, I am more than pleased with handling, economy, fun of driving, ease of parking, quiet ride and excellent vision to the outside. Appx. 2000 miles were on a trip north on I-95 the rest of the mileage was in Daytona Beach, FL and surrounding area. on my 2000 mile trip gas mileage in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina was 32.7, as I edged into the mountains of NC and Virginia, the mileage fell to 30.9. In town driving the mileage has been 20.1. I have used 87 octane fuel. I would still select this automobile knowing what I have now experienced. The new semi manual gear shifting added pleasure in the mountains.

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  Expanding family, so . . . Sienna XLE - 2009 Toyota Sienna
  By Fatguyinalittlecoat - April 19 - 1:20 pm

  We looked at a lot of competitors, 3- row suvs, and felt this gave us the best compromise of function, mileage, features. It is a quiet, nicely put together ride. It came with the features (DVD, leather, power everything) we wanted. If you have kids and take frequent road trips, this is the way to go. We drove the Nissan, Honda (3x), had a Ford (loud), Mazda5, and checked out the Hyundai but felt this was the way to go after researching and testing. I really liked the Mazda5 but with 2 kids and 1 on the way, we decided a "full-size" minivan is what we needed.

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  Unstoppable in the snow! - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Earl - April 19 - 9:40 am

  Got my FJ about a month before a very early snow/ice storm up here which lasted several days. I was able to make it in to work every night without a problem. The first night I was driving through snow up to the front bumper. I dont mean just to get out of the driveway or a few feet but 15 miles! I cant wait for spring so I can pick up some mudders and head to the woods. This truck is everything that Toyota wanted it to be and simply that; a no frills, no heated seats or carpet (give me a break, buy a car girly man), not as smooth as your wifes SUV, “Old School Truck”. Go get it muddy, hose it out and then do it again. "But it might get scratched"..."Yea, what’s your point?"

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  Great Van - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By josh - April 19 - 7:00 am

  The Sienna has been great. We were sold on the Honda Odyssey for a long time, but decided to look at Toyota near the end. My wife and I both loved it. Great van, also an excellent value. We have the XLE with leather.

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  What a great car!!! - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Shai - April 19 - 3:20 am

  All right, Ill get straight to the point: This car in my opinion has by far the best value for the buck! Okay, so its only a 1.8 engine, but it has well enough power to accelerate on the freeway, and once we all reach "65mph" (yea, I mean 75-80-85mph) its all the same no matter what vehicle you drive right?. On the other hand, the Matrix XR has features that even a BMW doesnt. Its got a power outlet (115V) that turned out to be so useful, its versatilty is outstanding. Right front seat can become a table, hard plastic surface on the back of the rear seats can turn the Matrix to a mini SUV, the fuel consumption is great (29mpg combining city and freeway driving), handling is outstanding!

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  Go BUY one - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By YoungJC - April 18 - 4:46 pm

  I am very happy with this purchase and got exactly what I expected in buying a Toyota: Quality. The car is rated for 38 highway and 40 city, and what do I get? I have averaged 40.1 miles per gallon over the last 4100 miles. Toyota really put together a sweet package in the new Camry.