Toyota is known for reliability and longevity, with commuter cars pushing 200K on the odometer even with the “check engine” light on. But not every Toyota is meant to endlessly drive you to and from work. Don’t mistake Toyota for boring. Sure, they’ve mastered practical sedans and fuel-efficient hybrids, but they’ve also built some of the most thrilling, head-turning cars on the road.
From pulse-raising sports cars that rival the best to bold concept vehicles that push boundaries, Toyota proves it knows how to bring excitement to the driver’s seat.
Fifth-Generation Toyota Supra
When Toyota launched the revived Supra in 2019, it received a lukewarm reception due to its ties to BMW and the underpinnings Toyota used for the sports car. It also had a wildly different appearance than the OG, but this curvier Supra has grown on the car community. And more importantly, it has become a regarded performance vehicle and a favorite among enthusiasts worldwide.
Under the hood, various turbocharged engines sit, from the 2.0-liter inline-four to the 3.0-liter inline-six, with the Supra producing up to 382 hp. The Supra’s handling has received a lot of praise, as have its comfort levels and looks, refreshing the Supra for the 21st century. Toyota also finally added a manual to the range in 2022, which gearheads had been screaming out for. Still a BMW, though!
Toyota 2000GT
One of Toyota’s finest products is the gorgeous Toyota 2000GT. The 2000GT is significant as it showed the rest of the world at the time, mainly Europe and America, that Japan could produce cool, sleek, and stylish sports cars, too. It was a significant change from the very capable but tame sedans and saloons that had come before it.
The 2000GT was Toyota’s answer to the British Jaguar E-Type. Under the hood, it had a 2.0-2.3-liter inline-six engine producing up to 148 hp. Its most famous moment came in 1967 when the car appeared in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. The two featured in the movie were the only convertible models ever made, specifically created for the film because Sean Connery was too tall to fit in the 2000GT. Unless you’re built like Connery and 6’2″, you should fit in the 2000GT just fine!
Toyota Mega Cruiser
It might be big, bold, and unnecessary, but the Mega Cruiser is one of the craziest and most excellent Toyotas the Japanese manufacturer has produced. What looks like the Japanese answer to the Humvee is a transporter for the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, which Toyota then modified for civilian use.
The massive vehicle had a 4.1-liter 15B-FTE inline-four turbo-diesel under the hood, producing 153 hp and 282 lb-ft of torque. Toyota sold 133 Mega Cruisers to civilians in Japan at Toyota Store locations, and the Mega Cruiser was never officially sold outside of Japan. The manufacturer produced 3,000 Mega Cruisers; only a few have gone outside Japan as grey imports.
We’re sad this thing never made it to the United States, the land of obnoxiously lifted trucks and the Cybertruck. If Americans are willing to buy that shiny dumpster, they’d buy anything.
Toyota GR Yaris
There is a solid argument to make that the Toyota GR Yaris is the best Toyota of the 21st century. It might share its name with the competent but bland hatchback, but the GR Yaris differs from its sibling.
Built as a rally homologation special before the WRC rules changed, the GR Yaris features a four-wheel drive system, a carbon fiber roof, and a 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine producing 257 hp. An engine that is the most potent production cylinder in the world. It is in the corners where the GR Yaris excels, and the handling is some of the best seen on any performance car in the modern era. Demand has been high for the GR Yaris, such is the quality of the hot hatch.
Okay, I’m curious… Alright, I’m back after watching this video of a Toyota GR Yaris sending it on a rally track. Yep, definitely something special.
Seventh-Generation Toyota Celica
Amidst all the hype for classic examples of the Supra and MR2, it is largely forgotten that Toyota produced the very competent Celica. In particular, we mean the seventh-generation Celica, which Toyota created from 1999 to 2006. Even in 2025, the sports car’s design still looks the part — a Hot Wheels come to life.
Under the hood, you would find two versions of Toyota’s 1.8-liter inline-four engine, the 1ZZ-FED and the 2ZZ-GE, developed jointly with Yamaha. The 1ZZ-FE was the more economical engine with 140 hp, while the 2ZZ-GE, available in Europe and Japan, was more potent with 192 hp. The seventh-gen Celica was a stylish, agile, and fantastic sports car, and it was an excellent way for the Celica to bow out.
Toyota GR86
The Toyota GR86 is the second generation of the GT86, co-developed with Subaru, which created its version with the BRZ. In a world of high-priced, large, and luxurious SUVs, the GR86 is a breath of fresh air. It provides us with a bargain sports car that is fast and usable daily.
Under the hood, you will find a 2.4-liter flat-four with 231 hp, an increase of around 16 percent over the previous GT86. The GR86 also develops its peak torque at a lower rev range of 3,700 rpm versus the earlier 6,400 rpm. Thanks to a stiffer chassis, the GR86 handles better, and an aluminum roof, hood, and front wings lower the center of mass by 1.6mm. I’ve come across some GR86 haters on TikTok, but these are the same guys who won’t accept anything that isn’t a Porsche 911 or Supra.
Toyota Hilux
While it is not currently available in the United States, the Toyota Hilux has been a staple of the Japanese manufacturer’s range for decades. The current range offers plenty of brawny diesel engines, making it feel old-school in a world of hybrids and turbocharging. Diesel not your style? There’s a gas option, too.
Its most famous moments came in Top Gear. In Series 3, the show tested a Hilux to destruction, yet no matter what they did, it always came out and was still running. The Hilux was also the vehicle of choice when Jeremy Clarkson and James May went to the North Pole, racing Richard Hammond on his dog sled. Making the Hilux even more awesome was the fact that it was guzzling jet fuel for this mission, a better option in extremely cold conditions. But no, this won’t make you drive any faster on the highway.
Toyota MR2
Toyota introduced the MR2 in the 1980s, and it soon became one of the best and most enjoyable sports car experiences while not breaking the bank. Under the hood was a 1.6-liter engine, either naturally aspirated or supercharged, and in the second generation, Toyota brought in a 2.0-liter powertrain.
Many have felt the demise of the original, although Toyota filled the gap somewhat with the Supra and the GR86. Rumors have persisted for a couple of years that Toyota might bring the MR2 back. These have ranged from talk of an all-electric version to a new, turbocharged sports car. But none will have those iconic pop-up headlights, unfortunately — that really put a damper on the JDM market’s aesthetic.
Toyota Corolla AE86
Of all of Toyota’s products, the Corolla AE86 is one of the most famous. Also known as the Hachi Roku, it’s a car that defined the Japanese car scene in the 1980s and JDM culture. The Corolla AE86 shot to fame thanks to its role in Initial D, its appearance in the Gran Turismo PlayStation game, and the car of choice for drift king Keiichi Tsuchiya. If you think this wedge-like, dull coupe looks cool at all and not like something you’d drive to an early morning yard sale across town, you’ve been brainwashed by the media.
Thanks to those famous appearances, the prices of the Corolla AE86 keep increasing, but it also has the performance to back up its fame. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter twin-cam 4A-GE. It only produced 112 hp as standard, but tuning and modifications extract even more power from the hatchback. As is, the AE86 feels quite slow, which YouTuber NoriYaro points out over and over again in his infamous video. But there’s definitely potential.
Toyota Land Cruiser
A list of Toyota’s best-ever designs is incomplete without looking at the exceptional Land Cruiser. The original Land Cruiser remains one of the best off-roaders in history, appearing in all sorts of forms and designs. It’s no surprise that Toyota has recently relaunched the Land Cruiser in both the United States and Europe.
The Land Cruiser became famous for its robustness and dependability. It was one of the few vehicles that could go anywhere and get you home after. The Land Cruiser first appeared in 1951 as the BJ and FJ, evolving into the famous J20 in 1955 with a design that would soon become iconic.
Toyota Century
Toyota is no stranger to bougie, especially with its luxury division, Lexus. However, the main parent company knows a thing or two about opulent travel, and nowhere is this more apparent than with the Century sedan. This definitely looks like the type of car you’d see parked outside a funeral home, but the specs of this thing will actually make you feel alive.
Century is a manufacturer’s flagship in Japan, and while it has been in production since 1967, there have only been three generations of the luxury sedan. The best is the G50, which debuted in 1997 with a massive 5.0-liter V12 under the hood. The third generation debuted in 2018, and under the hood now is a 5.0-liter hybrid V8 engine, producing a combined total power output of 425 hp.
Toyota GR Corolla
Not content with its current GR offerings, Toyota introduced the GR Corolla for the 2024 model year. Starting at just $37,195, it is little wonder that, like the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla has taken the enthusiast market by storm.
Under the hood, the G16E-GTS 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine produces 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque across all the trim levels. Like the GR Yaris, it offers superb handling via the GR circuit-tuned suspension, and gearheads will revel in the six-speed manual transmission. All-wheel drive is another bonus with the GR Corolla. I’m currently looking at my 2015 Corolla with 132 hp and weeping.
