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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  Surprised - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Shel - April 5 - 4:50 pm

  Ive just had my 2005 Camry LE for three weeks. My previous car was a Lincoln LS-V8. I was very pleasantly surprised at the standard features on the Camry, how comfortable and quiet it is, and how the performance is very acceptable to me with the 4-cylinder automatic. Cost of driving is about 50% of my LS considering the increased mileage and regular vs. premium gasoline.

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  GREAT Vehicle - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By Duke - April 5 - 10:50 am

  I purchased my Sienna XLE with value package #4. The car handles great and is fun to drive. It does not feel at all like a mini-van, but more like a smooth sedan. The interior is well laid out. NAV/DVD systems are very good, but I would like to see an option of allowing a passenger to operate the NAV system while the car is moving. I also wish Toyota would allow loading of the DVDs in the center stack like the Odyssey, but instead you have to reach in the back to load a new DVD for the little ones. I did a lot of test drives and research between Honda and Toyota. Toyota prevailed and I paid $2000.00 less for a more equipped 2010 Sienna than I did for a less equipped 2009 Odyssey.

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  RELIABLE FAMILY VEHICLE!!! - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By anthonydw6 - April 5 - 9:58 am

  bought this truck used in 2009, i wish i knew how many miles, anyways we always traveled back and forth from Houston to Louisiana, in 10 we got a new battery, in 12 we replaced the alternator. We recently sold her because we got 3 new vehicles and this truck was almost at 200k miles and needed some tlc, we just did not have any money in the budge with 3 other car notes. But this baby was a joy to have and we always felt so safe inside. The day we let her go was just hard to believe, but we do hope she will bring joy to another family or something

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  2010 Corolla LE, Nice car! - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By dozosu - April 5 - 7:33 am

  Having been a loyal Honda Civic owner for many years I made the switch to a Corolla. The Corolla rides better and is quieter, 2 features that Ive grown to appreciate as Ive gotten older. I paid 16,500 for an LE with automatic, remote entry, cruise, 6-CD changer, and heated outside mirrors. To me thats a bargain considering the average price of a new car sold these days. This car does everything very well and spending more seems like a rip-off.

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  Love it ,except... - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Familyman - April 5 - 2:06 am

  Great features not found on previous models. Safety is also upgraded. Interior is stylish and flexible. Toyota quality is why we chose this minivan, however, that quality is not present in their "fly-by-wire" throttle. It turns out that the computer controlled throttle (not cable)often causes hesitation. This is a common problem with Toyota and they have attempted to remedy this via a programming "patch". What they call "Normal Operation" is what we and many other Toyota owners of this newer technology are stuck with.

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  COULD HAVE BEEN , the perfect vehicle for me!!!! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By ranger@columbus.rr.com - April 5 - 1:20 am

  for rear seat passengers it rides worse than my pick up truck. front seats not too bad. the intune radio is not user friendly. if you are a do it yourself person and want to change your own oil you can expect going to the dealer to get the special oil filter wrench. now for the the big one. mechanically its great. the navigation system system is so bad I may shop for a different brand next time. Toyota has bought a navigation system that is very hard to use ands the accuracy is terrible. if you are paying for the nav. system take it out in the country and try it first. the menue actually give you the coverage maps that you can look at (kinda like a cell phone coverage map) look at it before you waste your money. they must have thought the people in the south would buy the car. the navigation system is so bad that I use my OLD garmin instead. my thought is if I buy a $200 gps at a dept. store and dont like it I can return it. if you buy the $1500 Toyota nav system you are stuck with it and can do nothing. I seriously hope they get sued over this one.

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  What I Was Looking For - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Canadian - April 4 - 6:53 pm

  I live in Alberta so the roads are black ice for 8 months of the year and it handles awesome. You have to force it to slide out in 4 wheel drive. I can drive through 2 feet of snow and not even get close to stuck. Ive driven big trucks before so believe me when I say there are no blind spots, just learn to use your mirrors and you can see the whole road, your 6 feet off the ground. Good power, I would like a v8 in it but the v6 doesnt fall far behind. Havent had trouble fitting 5 guys and hockey bags in the back driving for over an hour. Light enough not to get stuck in mud all the time unlike older Toyotas. If you can drive, you will love this SUV, beats a pick up any day.

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  Best Purchase Decision - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Betty - April 4 - 1:40 pm

  The Prius has turned out more than I expected. It is light and swift, and its smooth transitions between electric and fuel motors makes it really fun to drive, and the energy monitor makes it interesting to see how the car works. The mileage it gets is wonderful, with my initial tank at about 48 mpg to my 3rd tank at about 57 mpg, and thats highway/surface street combo driving. With the current gas prices, this car is worth every penny. People complained about the seat, but I havent noticed it. Perhaps on longer trips? So if you are considering a hybrid at all, you wont be disappointed.

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  Sky Blue Toy - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By C Felder - April 3 - 11:50 pm

  Great value car . The 4 cylinder lacks torque. The light blue color is too bright for our taste, we ordered it online, our fault.

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  Love it for what it is - No regrets! - 2012 Toyota Prius
  By boeserkritiker - April 3 - 5:47 pm

  The seat fabric is cheap. Not sure how it will hold up. The clove box seems to rattle a little sometimes. But other than that it seems like a fine built car and a great deal for what you get and being a hybrid. Paid 23k OTD. Average 56.5 miles per computer, calculated 2 miles less. I accelerate and slow down smoothly and stick to speed limit. Its not a sports car but I love it for what it is. It should be cheaper in the long run than another compact car if the hybrid system doesnt cause additional expensive repairs and comes with more features. The off-center gauge cluster doesnt bother me. the speed, etc is actually easier to read being much higher up than standard clusters.