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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  Delighted with my purchase - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By Eddie Kidd - October 25 - 1:33 pm

  I bought the truck because of Toyotas legendary reliability and my success with previous Toyota trucks. Not one problem so far. This truck is a blast to drive. I drove all brands of trucks before my purchase just to make sure I wasnt being biased. The Tundra simply "fit" me better than any other full-size truck.

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  Great - 2003 Toyota 4Runner
  By Paul - October 25 - 12:56 pm

  We traded an 04 Envoy 4x4 for this because we trailer a dirt bike and atv. As it turns out, we can use this on the 4x4 trails near where we live. The gas mileage leaves a little to be desired, but the V8 wasnt purchased for amazing gas mileage. I get about 15 in the city and 21ish on the highway. With 1100 pounds of trailer in tow, we get about 19. I dont think thats too bad for full-time 4wd.

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  1998 4 Runner 4WD Limited - 1998 Toyota 4Runner
  By gbriden - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Have had to do only regular scheduled maintainence new tires at 50,000 miles,and new battery at 45,000 miles period! No problems at all, and extremely reliable.

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  FIRST ONE ON THE ISLAND - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By MolokaiMatrix - October 25 - 10:00 am

  WAITED 2 MONTHS TO GET A COSMIC BLUE XRS IN HAWAII. HAVE HAD IT 1 WEEK AND JUST LOVE IT. LOOKED AT CAMRY, MAXIMA AND FELL IN LOVE WITH MATRIX AS SOON AS WE SAW IT. WE ARE NOT WHO THIS CAR IS "AIMED" AT (YOUNG ADULTS)BUT IT IS PERFECT FOR US! SPORTY STYLE, LOTS OF ROOM FOR OUR OVER 6FT. TALL FAMILY MEMBERS AND LOTS OF PEP. THIS CAR IS WORTH EVERY PENNY AND WORTH THE WAIT. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE COULD HAVE FOUND THE RIDE,PERFORMANCE AND ROOM IN SUCH A NICE LOOKING CAR.

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  2003 Toyota Corolla 5 speed CE - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Aimee - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Well, Husband wrecked our 1996 Corolla; we loved that car, so why buy anything else but another Corolla. We were going to get either a used 2001 or 02 model but we test drove the 03 Corolla CE first and then an 02 and it couldnt compare. It was love at first drive pretty much. Corny, I know, but it truly is a good buy. Toyota is such a reliable car and I am just loving our White Corolla CE 5 Speed

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  Steady Eddie - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By eessydo - October 25 - 2:30 am

  Many complaints about this vehicle saying it is "sluggish" on a test drive. My guess is that the dealer had the "ECON" button engaged when they pushed the accelerator down. The 270 horse is more than enough to get out of a jam. Comfort is definitely not an issue. It came down to the Ford Escape Hy or this vehicle, and while the ford gets better gas mileage and is a little more "off-road" ready, this car is built much better, and the average commuter will feel less bumps in the road. FYI, you have to be VERY active in your driving style to get the 27 mpg city in this car. It will take a while for you to learn the techniques to maximize fuel economy.

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  very satisfied - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By mark campbell - October 24 - 4:50 am

  All positive. Tightly built, comfortable, all you would expect of Toyota quality.

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  wowww - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
  By dick wheeler - October 23 - 6:24 pm

  great car fun to drive

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  Great car - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By Garry Jordan - October 23 - 6:02 pm

  Great car. Great price.

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  05 Highlander Limited - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Jack - October 23 - 4:06 pm

  Roomy, full of pep on Interstates, many of the same conveniences as a Lexus, allows much better vision of highway and surrounding area than the sedan, and excellent six member family SUV. Best buy of a SUV of six researched and test driven!