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 new what I was buying - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By vtbowman - August 28 - 4:39 am

  I had to write a review after reading a lot of bad one star reviews by folks who did a test drive. First off the "power" issue is what it is. I have owned both the 2nd gen and now a 3rd gen Tacoma and off the line the 3rd gen seems alittle weaker, over all the 3rd will move when you get on the gas. I have averaged 20 mpgs on mine since day one and that is mostly winter time. Driver seat isnt as comfortable as it could be and if you are 63" this truck isnt for you. I also on a Current gen Tundra and it has nice leather seats. I bought the taco because it got better mpg than my tundra and cheaper operational cost. Ride and Handling is impressive. I dont plan on hauling heavy loads, mostly recreational equipment. This is a Mid size truck remember that if you want one. And to the guy who bought one and hates all the technology in it, why did you buy it. A lot of the technology is standard on most trucks today.

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  2009 Prius - 2009 Toyota Prius
  By GrammyB - August 27 - 8:56 pm

  We just had our 5000 mile maintenance check in out 2009 Prius. We test drove a couple cars before buying the Prius. We love our car. It is comfy and of course the gas mileage is great. When we were looking we had 2 cars in mind to compare (one being the Prius) and the other being a Honda Civic hybrid. We thought we would lean towards the Honda as we owned one before, there is no comparison between the 2, the Pruis won hands down.

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  Fun Reliability - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By RoninNC66 - August 27 - 4:06 pm

  Waited over a year to FINALLY locate my RED AWD RAV4. It was sooo worth it. They just dont have any of these in the Southeast US. It drives like a sedan, looks great, handles well,and decent mpg for an SUV. Recently had FOB installed and considering other accessories. Planning to keep for a while. Liked so much bought a black RAV4 for the wife. His-n-Hers Rav4s...very happy couple. Looking forward to winter driving to see how AWD performs. Takes the sting out of giving up my faithful 4Runner. Toyota build quality and resale value make this a real peace-of-mind purchase.

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  no longer afraid of minivans - 2006 Toyota Sienna
  By Chris Nichols - August 27 - 10:10 am

  I enjoy driving the sienna. I was very surprised on just how much it handles like a car. The style and ride of this van makes me wonder why I was afraid of minivans in the first place. I drove a kia previously and can feel, see, and enjoy the difference between the two. Although I have only had had the vehicle for 3 weeks it has surpassed what I was expecting

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  Great Car - 2007 Toyota Avalon
  By John - August 26 - 4:53 am

  Just about everything about this car is great, at the price paid it should be. It does have a few shortcomings, the trunk lid closes like a piece of tin. The dealer said nothing can be done about it and the back bumper where it fits along the side is a poor fit. Overall the car is joy to drive.

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  Better than the movie - 2009 Toyota Matrix
  By Anthony - August 26 - 4:00 am

  The Matrix has a very cool look. The ride feels very smooth as a boat ride. The main reason why I bought the Matrix was to comfort my legs and so far it has done a very good job. Toyota really did a good job augmenting the standard options like the side airbags, trip meters, maintenance indicator, tire pressure indicator. I like that the driver seat can be adjusted vertically. I like that things are very accessible under the hood. I also appreciate the all wheel disc brakes making it easy for me to replace the brake pads when the time comes. I calculated 22 mpg on mostly mostly city streets and 30 mpg on mostly highway driving.

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  Happy with Camry - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By sammie - August 26 - 2:53 am

  I have been very pleased with this car. Highway mileage is 35-37 mpg; city about 25. Have needed very few repairs that were not covered by warranty. They found a few problems I was not aware of while the car was on warranty. Other than those, Ive only needed regular maintenance. I do have a rattle in front right wheel well, but no one has found a problem. Front seat could be a little higher. Some wear on inside door. Other than that, its a great car.

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  Prius Forever - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By DCraig - August 26 - 1:43 am

  I have been a proud Prius owner for two weeks and I can honestly say this is the best car I have ever owned. I love the way you can monitor how your car is utilizing its energy. I still need some work with my city driving since Im "only" getting 42.0 mpg vs 48.0 for mixed/highway. Its also quiet and fun to drive. With gas prices over $4.00 a gallon in CA, I dont understand why anyone would buy any other car. My husband is now shopping around for his own Prius.

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  I love my Prius - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Nancy - August 26 - 12:26 am

  I have owned my 2008 Prius for a year. I sold an E class Mercedes to do this so I was committed to a "greener" car. I like everything about it except that it "slips" going uphill in the rain. I live in the Pacific Northwest so this is not a good thing. I am going to change the tires and see if that helps. I also had it simply shut down in the middle of a freeway and was interested to read that this has happened to others. I thought I was low on fuel but perhaps there is more to it than I initially thought. I am also curious about the fuel consumption ratings I am seeing for the 2009 models being advertised by Toyota Canada of 72 miles/gallon. Is this true?

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  A great car for the enthusiast - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By cmarslett - August 25 - 10:00 am

  In many ways this is just a nice family car, in spite of its novel design. It uses mostly stock components, so maintenance is less of an issue that you would think. On the other hand, it really is a car for the next century -- a hybrid gasoline/electric design that has great accelleration for a 48 mpg car (but not to be compared with a 360 ci V8, of course). After 2 years Im out $0 other than car payments, gasoline and one set of tires.