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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  2000 Tundra - 2000 Toyota Tundra
  By Dr. D.L.Bercier - January 31 - 2:00 am

  I use it as a farm call truck and it holds up very well, very comfortable ride, and great pulling power. Have pulled trailers, boats, uphill and interstate, very powerful.

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  Great Little Car - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By AndyLG - January 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car for the mileage and style. I got the Radiant Red exterior, and coupled with aluminum wheels and the red gauges it reminds me of my old 1979 Honda CBX motorcycle, only more practical.

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  This is One Tricked Out Pony - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Prosim25 - January 31 - 2:00 am

  This car drives like a high performance vehicle, but is a practicle utility vehicle. Inside it feels like an SUV its so big. I would recommend this car to anyone who is afraid to "grow up" to a mini-van but actually needs the cargo space and head room. And for anyone who lives around Western Massachusetts, I would HIGHLY recommend Toyota of Greenfield. After all the research that I did for this car, I only ended up paying $500 dollars over the invoice price. -Bill

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  Boring but good - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By HuskyMD - January 31 - 2:00 am

  The camry has been a good car--once we got rid of those General tires that slid into corners and replaced them with some Yokohama Aegis touring tires. My main complaint is the low gas mileage (average around 24) and the paint job. The paint is coming off the front grill and the front bumper. It is flaking off all over the place. Not the quality I expected from Toyota. Mechanically I havent had many problems. The wiper motors seem to have gotten messed up by an ice storm though.

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  Just Excellent - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By momcat - January 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought this Highlander last year. It is more than 22000 now. Great Car, easy to drive, comfortable on the road especailly long trip. Great mileage.

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  Good family car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By jagman - January 30 - 7:20 pm

  The car is all the good things people say it is. I prefer the conservative styling to flashier models on the road. My car had two minor defects -- The rubber lining on one door was loose and needed to be pushed back into place by me. The plastic covering on the automatic transmission lever is loose and needs glue. When I drive over a serious pothole there is the slightest hint of the front door flexing. Not quite a rattle, but lets see in a couple years

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  I love my Camry! - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Anita - January 30 - 6:16 pm

  I used to buy a new car every 3-4 years & owned 3 Accords before trying the Camry. I have loved this car ever since - over 11 years. It has never broken down (which is really important to a single lady), it just goes and goes and goes; is smooth as silk, has plenty of power, is really comfortable and quiet. After 93,000 miles and just routine maintenance (I change the oil every 3000 miles), the only "complaints" I have are that the headlights yellowed and were really expensive to replace ($175 each and half a day to figure out how to do it), and the power antenna has gone out twice. Wont think about a new car until this one forces me into one.

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  5 speed Matrix - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By BEADIE - January 30 - 8:30 am

  The Matrix is a Corolla wagon and is very similar to the Dodge Vibe. It has been a fun car to drive. What it lacks in power it makes up for in gas mileage. The interior of the hatch-back trunk is plastic so things can easily slide around. There are nets but we bought a mat that has helped to keep things from sliding around.

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  Very Nice - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By John Quintana - January 30 - 5:36 am

  This is my second Toyota truck, the first one was a 1992 4wd delux extended cab pickup. Yes it drives like a truck, but guess what... its a truck. Great sound system, runs sooo smooth, and sounds awsome (TRD package). The power in the 5.7 V-8 is incredible! I took it the second week I owned it; it did just fine! I am happy with the purchase!

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  One step at a time. - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By joe sosa - January 30 - 5:23 am

  We wanted to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. By going hybrid we are trying to take that first step and wonderful things are taking place. People are talking to us about the idea, logistics, etc. The car seems very well thought out and user friendly. Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it(Gandhi) Hopefully our Prius will lead to many good things. I have to give credit to my wife as she really pushed the idea!