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 always bought AMERICAN vehicles - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By JOHN C HENE - February 15 - 10:00 am

  In my previous buying habits I only purchased American made vehicles out of loyalty. I wanted an SUV that got good gas milage, was comfortable to drive and was easier for my 82 y/o mother to get in and out of. No American vehicle matched those requirements, but all Japanese models did. I just picked the SUV I prefered and will never go back to just buying by loyaty again.

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  Highlander Comments - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By bdamia - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Love the Highlander.Handles great,big enough and typical Toyota quality. The shortcomings are few....turning radius could be better,driver window has a tendency to go all the way down when lowering (needs to be less sensitive) and shifting seems abrupt in city driving with medium to heavy traffic ,when stopping and going is increased. Overall a very good vehicle.......

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  Great SUV - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Rich48 - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, Fun to Drive, Good gas mileage. We have two in the family. brother has one . enjoyed driving his went out and bought one for myself.

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  2004 Toyota Corrola LE - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By ruler - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Like the gas mileage and power, and quiet highway driving.

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  Great car,but boring! - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By Haasyman - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 2004 Corolla Ce last year.It is better built then even what my beloved Civics were but i have to say that Civics are much more comfortable to drive and stylish,on that note my Corolla gives me much better highway performance as far as accleration goes than my civics ever did.Reliabilty has been the best of any car i ever had and it seems to get better every day.No surprises with this car ,good on highway,but boring,boring ,boring,inside and out.If its looks your after choose a Honda Civic or Mazda 3!

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  I love my van!! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By vf213wife - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This van is so comfortable for everyone in the van. I have 6 kids so all the seats get used. Not all the kids are small anymore so it is nice to have the room that this van offers. I really cant say enough about this van, it is the best vehicle I have ever owned. My only regret is that we didnt get the XLE, now that I know that I love this van so much that we will be buying the XLE in three years.

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  Great Van, Big Fan!! - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By Serialnbagels - February 15 - 10:00 am

  We drove across country with twins one week after we bought this van.. I recommend it to anyone.. In fact, my sister in law bought the same one after seeing mine.. She loves hers too!!

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  MANY DEFECTS and FLAWS - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By zych - February 15 - 10:00 am

  We have had defective:seatbelts, radiator,shock,12Vplug,& brake pads, and a catastrophe with sliding door. The door motor is flawed and allows you to open the door faster than the motor can retract the cable. The slacked cable derails the door. OUR DOOR FELL OFF almost entirely and the rear window glass shattered. Toyota took weeks to fix it, now the door does not always function properly.Toyota refuses to fix it (opens inconsistenly, retracts inconsistently) since they cant "reproduce the problem" in the shop.

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  Best car I have owned - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By msbsdad - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This is the 9th car that I have owned, both foreign and domestic, and this is the best, most comfortable car I have owned. All of my cars have been manual, and this is the slickest tranny that I have driven.

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  $17,288=mini-lexus&32 mpg. - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By abchanf - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned three Toyotas, one of which was a Camry bought new in 1991. All three were driven well over 130,000 miles.All three provided unbelievable comfort, reliability and fuel mileage.The 91 Camry was sold at 201,000 miles with the ONLY repairs to original parts being both front struts after 170,000!! Our 2004 Camry LE 4cyl. has just 5,000 miles on it, but it has no rattles, appears to be even better made, is averaging over 30 mpg. in mixed driving and rides as well or better than previous Lexus, Infinity and Cadillac luxury cars Ive driven. And the build quality, quietness, interior space and cargo area either match or exceed them as well.