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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  Love my new 2008 RAV4 - 2008 Toyota RAV4
  By Vicki - August 3 - 9:46 pm

  After lots of research, I traded in my Camry SE for the 2008 Limited, 4wd,4 cyl RAV I drove a V6 to compare, and it was fast, a quieter engine, but they didnt have the V6 available in the Limited. However, the 4cyl is peppy enough for me. From a dead stop it takes off with plenty of speed and for my commuting needs the 4cyl is fine. The overall feel of the car is super and spacious. Im up much higher than in my Camry and I like that. I love the interior, the safety features and its a smooth drive. Wind noise is nil. I am very happy I bought this vehicle.

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  Love this Vehicle - 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By face60 - August 3 - 9:43 pm

  The FJ Cruiser is one phenomenal vehicle. The interior space is excellent and exterior just looks down right cool. Plenty of Horsepower, smooth transistion in the gear changes, ride quality better then expected in a SUV. The oversize control buttons make it great to operate in the winter when you are wearing gloves. Easier access to rear seating then expected while providing plenty of leg room. Gas mileage is not bad for a vehicles of this size and engine size. I am currently getting around 23 mpg if I run on 93 octane and 22 on 87 octane. (Manufacturer recommends 93 octane gas.) I did go with the 17" tires but the ride quality was better then the 16" tires.

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  Camry SE 2012 - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By bkcassell - August 3 - 5:06 pm

  Recently bought the new 2012 Camry SE. We love this car! We were looking at 2011 Camry SE mid September when the dealer told us the new redesigned 2012s were coming out in October. I got online and researched them as much as possible and decided to wait for the 2012s to be released and am so glad we waited. The car rides so smoothly and quiet ride. We are averaging 25 mpg in the city. Cant find many negitives on this car. Camry fans will love this new 2012 model. We purchased the car with: the Convenience Pkg, Carpeted Floor Mats, Display Audio with Navigation & Entune Pkg, Leather Pkg, and Power Moonroof Pkg, and Rear Bumper Applique for $28, 395.00 OTD (including taxes, license, etc.)

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  2010 Camry V6 SE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By dixiedoodle - August 3 - 7:23 am

  I just bought a Toyota Camry yesterday. I just love it. White exterior, windows tinted. This is our 3rd Camry. Toyota out did itself once again. I only have one complaint; the head rests are uncomfortable, thrusting my head forward. The V6 is powerful. I prefer the V6 over the 4 cyl, sacrificing a few miles to the gallon to get the smoother and powerful ride. We are a family of Toyotas and we will never buy any other car. This car is fun to drive!!! The radio is excellent.

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  First Impression - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By dandport - August 3 - 2:00 am

  the matrix is a nice car. i got the XRS, automatic. shouldve gone with the 5/6 speed version. The RPM is at 3000 going at 70mph, sucks.. should be less than that if u get the 5/6 speed version. Muffler is kind of noisy.. (this could be a plus or minus depends on you... its the kind of noise u find in a typical fixed civic). The only thing is the RPM @ 70mph is too high... needs lower/higher gear ratios which u should be able to get with a 5/6 speed version, although its a manual

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  Good performance... - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By tiqui2787 - August 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost 3 years, and the results are very satissfactory. The car runs great, and its very reliable, and neat. The only problem I had with this car since I leased was with the alignement, or tires. In other words, the car always pulled to the sides. Bottom line? Before you get your car, and believe me toyotas are very reliable and great cars. Test drive the autmobile "WITH NO RUSH" Check to see if it feels the car drives right. If it doesnt? DO NOT BUY IT. Go to a different dealer and until you find what you like.. oh and remember you arent buying apples....This is an INVESTMENT ;)

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  Fun but noisy - 2003 Toyota Tacoma
  By Mr Cheap - August 3 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the Tacoma for less than a week. Excellent design and quality. I had a Mazada B3000 4x4 V6 for less than 4 weeks, until the dealer could install A/C. No comparison... a rebranded Ford Ranger... The Tacoma is powerful, fun to drive, great traction in 4x4, but noisy. I know Toyota has great NVH engineering (my other car is a Lexus), but not enough was invested in this vehicle.

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  SUV For People who Hate SUVs - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By ets - August 3 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a safer car for my commute and my family (we have to tote a wheelchair.) OTOH, I have always been one of the "SUV-Hater" crowd. I had to take a deep breath and get over my bias when I saw the Highlander. It is a beautiful (dare I say macho?) design and drives wonderfully. I seriously recommend people look at the 4 cylinder. At least with front wheel drive it is plenty zippy, no problem with getting on the highway or going well over the speed limit. I am getting about 20 miles/gallon in family driving. I was getting about 23 in the Ford Focus SE wagon I traded in. Give it a look.

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  My SEV6 - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Tull - August 3 - 2:00 am

  I have not been disappointed with anything. This car has plenty of torgue for the "get up and go" not just who has the most horses. The transmission shifted smoothly in all conditions. I could not agree more about the 16" tires in the snow! I had to buy a set of "ContiExtremeContact" all season tires instead of the 3 season stock tires at Tirerack.com. The Accord V6 has wider and lower profile 17" tires which means that they will be cost a lot of $$ to replace them. I also liked my factory spoiler that wasnt an add on so you didnt see that stupid brake light in the back of the window. The car came fully loaded with everything.

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  2005 Toyota XLS - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By susanne sullivan - August 2 - 7:00 pm

  This is the first Toyota I have owned. I am extremely pleased with the car-the ride is smooth, the engine is quiet yet powerful and without problems. My family is tall, ranging from 510" to 6 6" and everyone has commented on the generous leg room in the back seat without having to sacrifice leg space in the front.