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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  Best Car I have ever Driven - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Tommaso - October 8 - 10:00 am

  For me, driving this car is like settling down in a good (but reasonably priced) resort hotel: quieter than I thought possible and as comfortable as a well-designed recliner. Power and handling contribute to a sense of safety. Fuel economy is incredible for a car that is now the size of the older Avalon, and bigger than at least one Lincoln model: 38 mpg on its first highway trip.

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  Nick review - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Nicolas - October 8 - 10:00 am

  This 2004 Sienna is the best Minivan out there right now. They added all the functional/practical things such as, best ground clearance of any minivan, 6+ inches, powered windows on rear sliding doors(no other minivan does this), third row seats hides like the Hondas. This was Hondas major advantage over the Siennas. The second row seat can be for 8 passangers, with the middle seat able to be moved forward for easy access to car seats. Engine is very powerful. Performance is all around good, but cornering induces too much body roll. If you are buying a minivan between now and December of 2003, the Sienna should be your only choice.

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  Toyota Camry, Totally Cool ! - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Kathy McCormick - October 8 - 4:46 am

  My Camry is the most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned, needing only the recommended, standard services during my ownership. Its a vehicle I enthusiastically recommend, by a manufacturer (Toyota) of the highest caliber. The back seats are as comfortable and roomy as in most luxury cars, making for a pleasant passenger experience. I plan to purchase Toyota products from this point forward.

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  Wow - 2002 Toyota Echo
  By Wow - October 8 - 4:40 am

  I have had a great experience with this little car! Great on gas, great on oil! No leaking problems or burning oil at all. This car is quality. I commute nearly 80 miles a day, and this car has had no problems.

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  2005 Camry hits a home run!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By David - October 8 - 12:13 am

  The acceleration and overall performance, comfort and convenience are not available in any other brand for this price.

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  GREAT CAR - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Marc - October 7 - 6:20 pm

  I was leasing a 2002 Honda Accord SE, and my lease is up. I was initially looking at BMW 3 series, Acura and Cadillac. I really didnt want to spend the extra $$$, and decided to give the Camry a test drive. Within the first 5 minutes of the test drive, I knew I was going to buy the Camry.

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  Great Ride, loads of room, and no spare tire - 2014 Toyota Sienna
  By carlryan - October 7 - 6:12 pm

  I am pleased with this car, 15k miles in except for the run flat tires and lack of a spare. the AWD versions of these vans have this serious design flaw, and the run flat tires are twice the price of standard tires, and wear twice as fast. So the buyer can figure on a factor of Four times the expense for keeping rubber on this car. As a lessor, I am disappointed that I will have to buy tires at least once for this car, and the run flats are absolutely awful for AWD traction and performance once they get to 4/32.

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  A lot better than you think - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By joe - October 7 - 6:56 am

  This truck tows my 8500# work trailer so well that I dont even cringe when a stop light turns yellow at the worst time. Mileage is a lot better than I thought it would be. I have had 8.9 towing to 21,1 HWY, driving it like a hypermiler.

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  Best Car Ever - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By Joe F. - October 7 - 5:56 am

  This is the first car Ive ever owned for six years and driven for over 60,000 miles, that I can still say drives just as well as the day I bought it. Ive had no problems from the beginning and can honestly say its the best car Ive owned in my 46 years of driving. I plan to keep it another 10 years and put at least another 100,000 miles on it.

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  Excellent value! - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Bert - October 6 - 12:20 pm

  Just purchased for my college daughter - 150K miles - $4,250. Such a solid car. Very quiet, extra roomy, powerful V-6. As others have noted, it has suspension issues, sounds like a bucket of bolts on rough roads. Going in for suspension overhaul next week, should be set for another 100,000 miles. Little to no rust. Love the car! My wife and I own an 02 Avalon, so I was very happy to find a family-owned used one for my kid.