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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  GREAT CAR - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
  By ARRA - January 25 - 2:00 am

  EXCELLENT CAR FUN TO DRIVE EXCELLENT MOTOR VERY FAST CAR. GREAT LOOKIN CAR WILL GET UO AND GO.

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  I dont know - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By JS Lee - January 25 - 2:00 am

  Very reliable car, wish get better gas mileage. I dont get the milesge as stated on adverticed window.

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  sienna max - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By m tauber - January 25 - 2:00 am

  I chose a 2wd limited xle,After alot of research I found the Sienna with the best ride and comfort. The gas mileage is better than expected. I had more choice of features and could build one exact to my needs

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  An excellent vehicle. - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By hondoman45 - January 24 - 6:26 pm

  This car replaced a 1993 Sable, so virtually any car would have been an improvement. For over 8 years this car has been without any problems. We just do regular maintenance (we do use synthetic oil and transmission fluid) and weve been rewarded with flawless reliability. It does have some clunking due to the strut mounts but not enough to bother us. It returns about 24 mpg in town and 31 mpg highway. It has a very quiet ride unless the road is extremely rough. It has 126k miles and on start up it does blow out blue smoke which quickly clears up. It might use a couple quarts over a years time just topping it off. I use Amsoil and change the oil and filter once a year. A great car!

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  2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Mike - January 24 - 4:36 pm

  Pound for pound, dollar for dollar there is no better SUV on the market. I consider myself a tough customer and after test driving the Navigator and Escalade, I knew the new Seqouia was best SUV in less than ten seconds. It drives like a dream.

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  Great little commuter car - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Volocty - January 24 - 4:13 pm

  We love this car. It is everything we were looking for in a small commuter car. My wife calls it the Hummingbird, because it requires so little fuel to get around. We chose the "S" and Power package, which gives you all the features you need. My only complaint is that the Turn-signal indicator is too quiet. We choose the Manual 5-spd and have no regrets. Seats are firm, visibility is OK, center-mount dash layout takes a little while to get use to, but is very nice at night, since there is no light distraction directly in front of you. And we love the style and look of the "S" model.

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  Practical but boring - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By Eartha - January 24 - 2:33 pm

  I cant really say anything bad about this car other than I find it really boring. I had a Honda CRX for 21 years before buying the Prius. I loved my CRX but find this car just a nice car. When people ask how I like it all I can say is it gets great mileage and is a nice care. I plan on selling it and buying a Civic, Fit or Yaris. At least I will not be losing any money as I can sell it for at least what I bought if for.

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  Never Again - 1994 Toyota 4Runner
  By Richard Travis - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Dont buy one. Engine went and so did everything else on the vehicle. Very uncomfortable to ride. No acceleration. My worst buy ever.

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  Tacoma Tough Club - 1996 Toyota Tacoma
  By Paul71 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 1996 Tacoma in 1999. First owner really drove the truck hard, but still it is in great mechanical shape. Ive continued to drive the truck hard and have never had any problems with it. I wholeheartedly recommend this vehicle to anyone in the compact pickup market. You cant beat Toyota quality.

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  CE with Cruise - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By 14SC14 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I am not quite sure where people are coming with notion about the CE not having cruise. I have the CE and it came with Cruise standard, along with other features. I love the car so far and would recommend it to anyone that asks.