Before there was the world's largest automaker, there was Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Founder Sakichi Toyoda was an entrepreneur and inventor--and is considered a seminal figure in the Japanese industrial revolution. Toyota's reputation for quality can be traced directly to concepts pioneered in his textile factories in the 1920s.
Kiichiro Toyoda, son of Sakichi, established the automotive division of the company Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. in 1937, producing the AA sedan and AB cabriolet. Designs for these early cars came directly from other automakers--Chevrolet engines, Ford chassis, Chrysler Airflow bodies--but the intense industrial support in Japan during WWII gave Toyota a boost in confidence and technological competence. Post-war, Toyota began developing automobiles in-house--a marked difference from Nissan, Isuzu, and Hino, who chose to focus on license-built Austins, Hillmans, and Renaults. This gave Toyota an engineering edge that would keep them safely ahead of their Japanese competition for most of the 20th Century.
In 1958, the Toyopet... View more Crown reached American shores. (The quaintly unappealing Toyopet moniker would be gone by 1964.) The smaller Corona arrived in 1967, drawing fresh attention for its small size and distinctly Japanese styling. The Land Cruiser proved a competent off-road machine in the style of the American Jeep and British Land Rover and would become a permanent fixture in the Toyota lineup, along with the sub-compact Corolla, which was released in 1969.
The Toyota brand would get an injection of sportiness with the 2000 GT, available in small numbers from 1967 to 1970. This short-lived sports car garnered enthusiastic review from the automotive press and was immortalized in the Bond film "You Only Live Twice", which was set in Japan. The Celica (released in 1971) would give European sports cars a run for their money.
The 1973 oil crisis gave Americans a sudden, new-found appreciation for smaller, less-thirsty vehicles, and this shift carried Toyota through the 1980s. Motivated by import taxes, Toyota built its first plants in the U.S. around this time, as did Nissan and Honda. The front-wheel-drive Tercel and Camry debuted in 1978 and 1983, respectively.
Toyota launched their luxury brand Lexus in 1989 and aggressively diversified their model lineup through the 1990s and into the 2000s, adding the full-size Avalon (1994), a range of SUVs, including the crossover RAV4 (1994), and the youth-oriented Scion brand (2002). With the Tundra (2000), Toyota would finally gain a toehold in the full-sized pickup market. In 2008, Toyota became the largest automaker in the world, selling more vehicles than General Motors.
And Toyota would of course also be the first company to mass-produce a hybrid vehicle, pairing an internal combustion engine with a battery pack that is recharged during braking. The Prius, released in Japan in 1997, and in the U.S. in 2001, is the world's best-selling hybrid. Toyota now offers their "Hybrid Synergy Drive" technology on the Prius, Camry, and Highlander. The Lexus CT 200h is a new luxury hatchback equipped with "Lexus Hybrid Drive". Toyota has said hybrid technology will be offered on all vehicles by 2020. View less
Toyota's 4Runner has long been one of its best-selling models. A mid-sized sport-utility vehicle with serious off-road capabilities, the 4Runner seats five comfortably and has an optional third-row seat for...
The Toyota Avalon is a premium model, full-size, four-door sedan. It is engineered with one main focus in mind – comfort. Beginning with its quiet roomy interior, the car offers adjustable front seats, with a...
The Toyota Camry is a mid-size, 4-door sedan. Toyota makers designed the Camry with the family in mind. Its spacious interior, roomy trunk, fuel efficiency, safety features, stylish exterior and moderate price...
The Toyota Celica belongs to a class of sport compact cars that has seen quite a bit of changes in its 36 year history. Although the Celica was discontinued in 2006, it still has a large fan base that is...
The Toyota Corolla is a compact/subcompact car that, in 1997, became the world's top-selling nameplate; more than 35 million Toyota Corolla vehicles have been sold over the past 45 years. Featuring a...
A retro-style Sport-Utility Vehicle not originally intended for production, the Toyota FJ Cruiser went on sale in early 2006 due to the high level of consumer response. The two-door, SUV with two rear access...
The Toyota Highlander, also known as the Kluger in Japan and Australia, was introduced in the year 2000 as a midsize crossover SUV. It shares a platform with the popular Toyota Camry. The Highlander features...
The Toyota Land Cruiser, a full-size SUV built for off-road driving, has been in production since 1951. For 60 years, the Land Cruiser has been one of Toyota's best-selling vehicles and part of its...
The Toyota Prius is a mid-sized combined gas/electric hybrid five-door hatchback that is marking its tenth year of worldwide distribution in 2011. It is the de facto standard by which other hybrids are...
The Toyota RAV4 is considered a crossover SUV, which means it combines the features of a sports utility vehicle with those of a family car. The size of the crossover is much smaller than the Toyota 4Runner but...
With its rugged towing capabilities and room for seven to eight passengers, the Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV that can meet a wide range of needs. For more than 10 years, it has been Toyota's largest...
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan sold only with a four-door body style. It has a front engine design combined with either front-wheel or four-wheel drive. Toyota has continued to add trim levels and optional...
The Tacoma, introduced in 1995, is a mid-size pickup truck that is Toyota's answer to the Ford Ranger and Nissan Frontier. By 2004, the Tacoma was ahead of the Frontier and just slightly behind the Ranger in...
In the world of brawny, full-size pickup trucks, the Toyota Tundra has earned a place near the top. For more than ten years, the pickup, which is available in a dizzying array of 44 different configurations,...
The Toyota Venza is a midsize vehicle produced since the 2009 model year. Classified as a five-door crossover wagon model, the Venza has either a four-cylinder or V6 engine located in the front. Consumers can...
The Toyota Yaris is a sub-compact car. It is known for its fuel efficiency, affordable price, and fun appearance. The Yaris is available in a sedan and a 3-door or 5-door hatchback. The most impressive thing...
