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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  Bumpy ride - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Nadine - July 31 - 3:33 am

  The highlander is a beautiful SUV to look at but very bumpy to ride in. Would have been my dream SUV but now I hate to drive it because its bumpy like a old 1987 car that need new struts or something. Please test drive it on all kinds of roads before purchasing.

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  Tacoma rating - 2008 Toyota Tacoma
  By chopper - July 29 - 11:00 am

  Although a bit pricey, the Tacoma offers reliability, performance, and is economical to operate for a truck. It pulls a load well, within its capability, although fuel mileage suffers with a loaded trailer. When I trade again, I will opt for the longer bed for convenience. I get over 21 MPG with my Tacoma. Some of the increase might be attributable to having a cab high fiberglass topper and a "cat-back" TRD exhaust system along with a K&N air filter. All in all, its a great truck !

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  The Best Of Several Worlds - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Flash Gordon - July 29 - 12:13 am

  I work & stay 100 miles from home so the car gets a regular dose of highway driving to return home. Performance is excellent! The car does not want to stay at the speed limit and given the opportunity, would be a favorite of state police. I actually forget when I last filled the tank. Gas mileage is excellent. The 4 speed automatic works great and when I kick down to pass, it downshifts at highway speed. This little car will get going! How can they couple such performance with miserly gas consumption? I had economy vehicles in the past that when floored, offered a slight difference in engine noise but no "GO". The days of the "economy" cars (spelled "DOG") have changed forever.

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  My review - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By Edge - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Been satisfied so far. No problems.

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  Buy a Tundra - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By mpesce - July 28 - 2:00 am

  This is a solid truck. Very quiet and smooth. My only concern is the transmission. This is now Jan 2004 and my truck is a 2001. Ive noticed in the recent past that a couple of times I stepped on the accelerator and the engine acted like the truck was in neutral. It then kicked into gear with a thump. Other than that, I couldnt be more happy with my decision to buy a Tundra.

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  nice car - 2004 Toyota Avalon
  By douglass - July 28 - 2:00 am

  the avolon is a nice car but I think the dash board could be made so you can better read the speed that you are going it seems that you are always looking around thw steering wheel to check on speed and gas gauge. perhaps in the future this might be something to look at

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  Easy to live with. - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By rplmer - July 28 - 2:00 am

  This is nearly the perfect car. It is quiet, smooth, well built and inexpensive to drive. Its only draw back is it isnt fancy. Not much for little convience things like the temperature gage you have to push a button and see either the time or temperature. What would it cost to have a seperate display, 50 cents or so. If you want a car that will run and run and be nice to drive without a lot of expense you will be hard pressed to do better than this.

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  Very solid small SUV - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By nickyreviewer - July 27 - 10:00 am

  The RAV4 is a very solid car like all Toyotas, and fun to drive. You can see above the cars in traffic, but parking in the city is a breeze due to its short length. With regular maintenance, Ive had no problems whatsoever with the car. The ride is not car-like however, but it is a truck afterall.

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  Nice SUV, bad in gas - 2002 Toyota Sequoia
  By ikealva - July 27 - 10:00 am

  Cargo area is great, performance is great, very comfortable. Only complaint is that 14 mpg, not even close. Youll get 14 mpg driving 15% on the city and the rest highway. City driving you ll be lucky if you get 12 mpg.

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  2wd 6cyl Toyota Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Neokayak - July 27 - 10:00 am

  We loved this SUV the moment we drove it. I wish we had shopped around a bit. You can get a low end verison of this and add on the accessories for alot cheaper than the dealer will allow.