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! - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By Lisa - November 12 - 3:33 am

  This car is outstanding! It is very comfortable, surprisingly roomy, quiet, fun to drive, acceleration is more than adequate when needed, and the gas mileage is unbelieveable. I drive 50 miles each day for work and Im averaging in the mid-50s. Dont listen to people who complain about their gas mileage. If you do not stomp on the gas pedal and drive it fairly conservatively, youll be amazed. Cold weather will affect your average. Mine dropped to about 48 to 49, but in the grand scheme of things, thats still excellent.

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  FJ Rocks - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By JP3 - November 11 - 8:26 pm

  This vehicle is tight, fun to drive, gets lots of thumbs up, and I expect to own it at least 10 years. It was much better at highway speeds than I expected.

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  Love my 4Runner - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By jhlcomp - November 11 - 5:53 pm

  This is my 3rd 4Runner and we are preparing to purchase another one this month. It has good power - an absolute plus. Only downside is that it totally lacks any design/sex appeal. This is truly minor as the drive more than makes up for it. I just wish they would offer more colors and/or send the Salsa Red to south Florida. :-) I Love driving this vehicle.

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  You should want one! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By new_to_toyota - November 11 - 10:43 am

  As soon as I saw it, I loved it. Ive been test driving new vehicles for a few months now and as soon as I drove my new SE I knew it was the one I had to have. It looks awesome, turns like its on rails, has a great sound system, and is just comfortable and fun to drive. The 268 hp V6 is great coupled with the sport manual shifting on the 6 speed automatic. The braking is great. The steering is very responsive. It rides very nice, and with body kit and TRD rims gets a lot of attention. Ive been nit-picking this car since I got it and cant find anything I dont like about it. Everyone whos seen it or ridden in it loves it just as much as I do. Toyota really did a great job on this one!

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  Had a 2001 Sequoia SR5, time to upgrade - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By jd08limited - November 11 - 5:20 am

  Had a 01 Sequoia SR5 and loved it, but wanted to upgrade to the limited. Drove an 07 and then the 08 and that was it, we were sold. The power difference, ride control, steering feel, and did I say power difference was night and day. Once we saw the fold flat 2nd & 3rd row seats, we knew we had to get it as we hated to have to always take out and put back the 3rd row seats from our first Sequoia.

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  Coolest Car EVER!! - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Lisa - November 11 - 4:53 am

  Im from Denver and weve had tons of snow this winter. I have wrung my car thru the ringer to give it a good "test" and it has done every thing Ive asked it to with ease and grace! In addition to the awesome AWD, the ride is smooth, the interior is comfy, and theres tons of horsepower. My low MPG was 22 (85 mph on I-70 in 100 degree heat) and my high was 29 (being a really good girl on the throttle). MPG drops substantially when its very cold out. Best MPG seems to be city highways with heavy traffic. I wouldnt trade this car for anything else on the road - unless of course it was something real expensive so I could sell it and buy 2 Highlander Hybrids.

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  Persona Prius C - 2016 Toyota Prius c
  By Ulyses Villasin - November 11 - 2:08 am

  Great car and reliable for city driving!!!!

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  I Love my Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Meg - November 10 - 11:46 am

  I love my new camry. My one and only complaint is do NOT have a sunroof installed after market. Only buy with a "Toyota" brand sunroof. Toyota installed a sunroof aftermarket for me and they cannot service it. Thats a problem I was not aware of when I bought my car.

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  Living on the Edge - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Allan - November 9 - 11:33 pm

  Over-all a good-looking and good riding car with ample room for a long- legged driver. Enjoying the leather seating and plenty of storage and ample head-room. The color is very pleasing to the eye (aloe green) with many compliments on the color and styling of the car. Rear seat head- rests in the XLE are over-sized (in my opinion) and as such found them to restrict viewing through rear window when backing up.

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  My Toyota - 2001 Toyota 4Runner
  By Darci - November 9 - 11:10 pm

  Great truck! Fun to drive.