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 love this car! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By macnyc - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I considered the Honda Accord and a pre-owned Acura TL. Im glad we picked the Camry. Its fun to drive, and the four-cylinder is surprisingly peppy. I like that car rides higher than the Accord and the Acura and seems to take bumps and potholes well. Gas mileage is great! Lots of room, front seat and rear.

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  SUV alternative - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By shanqdaddy - July 13 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I were looking for a reliable car for our growing family since we both had 2 door Honda Accords. We looked at the Highlander and was not impressed with the ride, but when we saw the new Sienna at the showroom we loved it from the 1st time we drove it. Drives like a big sedan and after the test drive the dealership sold us the 1st one from their lot. It has lots of horsepower (more than the 03) and cheaper (comp with 03. Weve driven the Honda Odyssey and the old Toyota Previa and Sienna models - This is the ONE to have.

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  Wifes opinion - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By martha scudder - July 12 - 5:33 pm

  As a front seat passenger, I would like less feel of every crack in the road. Leg room, at full stretch, is excellent. Husband loves to drive the Prius. At age 85, he has driven many cars. We are very impressed with speed and pick-up. We often drive to 6500 foot elevation , no problem.

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  An impressive small car - 2013 Toyota Yaris
  By jscion - July 12 - 10:33 am

  I just replaced my Scion xA with a Yaris L 5-door in Classic Silver and I have to say that I really like this car a lot. Im so glad that Toyota did away with the awful center mounted gauges. I had those in my Scion xA and grew to hate the whole setup after a few years. The interior in the Yaris is extremely well designed with easy to use controls, nice materials and very good fit and finish. It feels like a much larger, more expensive car than it actually is and drives great in the city, on the thruway, and even in the snow and ice. Out the door with tax and everything, the Yaris was a very reasonable $17,700. The Yaris is also one on the most reliable cars you can buy.

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  Yaris 2007 4 dr sedan - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By JPR - July 11 - 8:10 pm

  The Toyota Yaris had turned out to be the best car that I have ever purchased. My wife was hesitant at first however she now thinks it is a great car. The mileage is hard to beat. It now has over 30k miles and if it is driven right, I can reach 44 mpg on 1 tank of gas.

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  The Camry Hybrid Is Awesome! - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  By cookeja24 - July 11 - 5:00 am

  I bought the car in Williamsburg VA and drove it 1,000 miles home to FL. I became a huge fan within the first 20 miles. I test drove several in the local area that didnt have the color and options I wanted so traveling to get it wasnt a problem, especially when it got 41 MPG on the highway on its first trip! I couldnt get over how quiet the interior is and how comfortable the car is to drive. There isnt a car on the road that has the quality and the gas mileage of this car. Im hooked on my Toyota and I have my wife hooked too! Buy now!

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  Wow - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By sean20202020 - July 10 - 6:23 am

  After considering CR-V, Tucson, Sportage. I got 4 cyl, AWD, Base, a couple od days ago in Canada. Its so rock solid and precise. Nice quality. Everything is tighten. Big enough for 2 kids and 2 adults. Engine room looks well organized. I can see what quality means. I recommend to anybody who wants this size and quality SUV. If youre a Honda fan, you may wait until all new CR-V come out this summer and see. But I wont regret.

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  Mary Dillons observations.. - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By dillsma@aol.com - July 10 - 4:46 am

  I have owned my Prius for a year. My mileage is satisfactory(41 to 49mpg) and would probably be better if I drove slower however, nothing was mentioned about that when I purchased and was told the milage could be as igh as 60mpg. I dont like the dashboard too much. Id prefer the dashboard that I had in my Camry. The green electronic lighting reflects in the winshield at night which makes night driving more difficult. The info available is nice but... not necessary and just a come-on to those who are looking for "pizazz". Most Prius drivers, especially myself, are interested in the practical aspect of it, both ecologically and economically. The "icing on the cake" is unnecessary.

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  reliable - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By nilu - July 9 - 2:50 am

  Reliable car with excellent interior space. Offers a quite ride with reasonable performance and great mileage

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  1996 and still LOVE my Camry Collector Edition!! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Linda S. - July 8 - 9:57 pm

  I bought this baby in 98 and have loved her ever since! 195,000 miles and still runs and looks great. Trying to find a replacement car as I would like to get better gas milage. Everytime I get gas I check the mpg and in 25/75 (city/hwy) have averaged 21.5 mpg. For the past 3 tanks Ive used premium and averaged 25 mpg. I dont see the newer, comparable cars getting much better. I love that this car has given me no problems. Every car has things needing replacement as they wear out, but I havent been plagued by things going wrong over and over. Only glich is that if you leave the headlights on for 10 minutes the battery goes dead. Its not the battery as it does it with new batteries, too. I can live with this... Excelleration is smooth and so is the ride. I like having lots of power when I need it. 60/40 split back seat is great! Many new cars are not offering this anymore. Because this is the Collector Editon, it comes with the Lexus Pearl White paint with Silver bumpers and it has held up and still looks new! Interior has leather seats, wood grain trim and upgraded stereo, Cassette/Tape player with 6 speakers. Toyota really produced a fantastic car with this one. Was considering a Nissan Altima as a replacement until I heard there are lots of problems with the CVT transmissions! So far, have not found a car that I like well enought to replace this Camry. Will keep her for now...