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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  Biggest Little Car in Town! - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By fb - February 21 - 2:16 am

  Terrific car. Ive fit sheet rock and lumber, furniture, and my critters (3 dogs and 2 cats) in this car with plenty of room to spare.

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  nice truck! - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By bw05taco - February 21 - 1:40 am

  well I traded in my 04 taco for the 05 and its alot better truck, the better engine with 245 hp is nice better gas mileage than the 3.4L in the 04, everything about this truck is improved from previous not that they where bad but, this is much better ride and comfort

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  Love Our Highlander Sport! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Sally - February 20 - 10:46 pm

  We really enjoy driving our 08 Highlander. We are retired, so dont drive to work or school, & have very low mileage since we bought it after Thanksgiving 2007. It is so quiet you get up to speed fast! Response is great and shifting is very smooth. We got the Sport with 2-row seating, and love the generous cargo space in back with storage compartments below and tonneau cover above. Had no trouble getting a 37" LCD TV box into it with one 2nd row split seat down, and the other seat propping the TV upright for transporting.

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  Great SUV - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By CalgaryMan - February 20 - 10:36 pm

  I hated it first but then fell in love. Now absolutely love. Cannot wait to drive it every day. I have done a great amount of research before purchasing this vehicle. I wanted a Japanese made SUV on a frame for a reasonable price. I did not want to drive a soccer mom SUV. I left me with only one option. It is great on both highway and city. You get used to blind spots after couple days of driving. An extra inch of leg room at the back seat would be helpful. Hey, it is not a family SUV after all. Exhaust is a bit loud. I read that is was done on purpose. FJ has a different exhaust from that of a 4Runner. I would like it more quiet. Overall, you can either love of hate FJ. And I LOVE it.

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  Great Applicance - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Red - February 20 - 7:33 pm

  This car is a great appliance, the lease price was so cheap I could not believe it, 218 per month with nothing down, literally the first time I paid anything was 30 days after I bought it and the price is unbelievable.

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  Ugly car runs well - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Evan - February 20 - 4:23 pm

  The interior of this car is great, the dashboard has improved. The exterior rear light are ugly. The entire exterior rear end is ugly. The sea-glass green looks like a giant insect from the back.

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  Beware before you buy - 2015 Toyota RAV4
  By Frank Cobb - February 20 - 7:42 am

  Bad paint, chips on hood, paint off door jam. No power. Big loss of money on resale value.

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  Reliable car - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By E. Hendres - February 20 - 7:38 am

  Ive had my 2011 RAV4 sport since March 2011 and I have had no major repair but Ive kept it well-maintained. All services, including oil change, filter change, etc. are done on time. I only have 54,125 miles on it. Ive pushed it to its limits when travelling. The only thing with this car is, its noisy. Youre not well protected from the noisy road. Besides that, its been reliable and handles well in snow and rain. I recently changed my 4 tires but that was after 5 1/2 years. So, it is a car that I recommend.

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  LOVE THE CAR!!!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By c.a.meyer - February 20 - 7:26 am

  I love this car. My hubby is a salesman and was always talking about how great it is and he is sooo right. It is still sporty like my mustang (yet better) and I can fit the kids in it without any problems. I love the car and everyone should at least drive it. I also have the option of driving it like a standard. SO, I have a lot of fun. You should try it.

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  From Zoom Zoom to Sip Sip... - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By moondog12 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a 2009 Mazda 6, that I loved, for a 2011 Prius III. It darn near broke my heart to do so, but I did it because of my 70 mile + daily commute into the DC Area. I had a friend with a 2010 Prius and she couldnt recommend it enough, so I finally gave in and started calling dealerships once gas prices hit $3.50 a gallon. I got my Prius as an end of year special and I must say, Im impressed. While it certainly doenst Zoom Zoom like my last car, it has umph in Power Mode! Dont let the ho-hum of the hybrid nature fool you. These cars *can* be zippy. If youre on the fence, go to a dealership and test drive. After 10,000 miles I went from 45 mpg on average to 53! Fantastic!!