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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  Want my 2003 Acura TL back - 2014 Toyota Avalon
  By CL - January 18 - 6:34 am

  I am so glad I leased this Avalon because I cant wait to get rid of it. It has so many blind spots it is not safe to drive. Cant see the hood because the dashboard sits so high so cant judge where the front of the vehicle is. Front bumper sits too low. Road noise is deafening. With the crappy low profile tires that came on it the ride is very uncomfortable and you feel every bump! Navigation system has no way to just shut it off and no way for a passenger to program it while vehicle is in motion. Not user friendly at all. Sound system is inferior to my Bose system in my Acura. Seats were very uncomfortable on a long road trip and lack of lumbar support in passenger seat was disturbing. Only good thing is leg room in the back and the trunk is spacious but lacks a cargo net which I love in my Acura. With 175,000 miles my Acura rides better, is quieter and has better gas mileage than this Avalon. And to think the Avalon was my dream car turned nightmare!!!

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  build mistakes - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By rmulder - January 18 - 6:09 am

  the tacoma is an awsome truck with a few small but, painfull errors 1: the ABS and traction contol is too overwhelming(its the reason i lost my first truck.)2: the heater motors have issues and why cant the trucks heater and A/C work better, i can drive for 2 hours on full A/C and im still sweating.3: the rear shocks piled up on me on the last cold snap and now my truck is like an old suburban and never stops bouncing and the rear springs squeak everytime my truck moves.4: there is also a nice leak coming out from inbetween the tranny and motor. its all nagging me and getting old!!!! kind of sucky for 22000 KM.

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  Oh, what a feeling - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By kc - January 18 - 3:26 am

  My first Rav4 was a 99 - a fun, economical, dependable car. Was considering a Highlander until the 06 V6 Rav4 came out. Im so glad I waited. Ive only had the vehicle a few weeks, but I love it. The powered drivers seat is outstanding- its so comfortable. It rides like an Avalon. Sound system is excellent. Its so spacious and classy thats its like driving a much more expensive vehicle. The color is Everglade and its gorgeous!

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  New 4Runner - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Jay - January 17 - 6:46 pm

  Recently purchased 2wd SR5 4Runner. What a pleasant surprise! I was about to purchase a Pathfinder until I discovered it required premium fuel. Went to test drive 4Runner and was amazed how smooth, comfortable, practical and good looking this SUV was. Plus the fact that the 4Runner holds it resale value better, made this a great buy for me. Holds a lot of cargo with seats down and my three dogs dig the room they have. They also appreciate the automatic rear window feature. Anyone looking for a midsize SUV... dont overlook this one. Only negative is I wish it got better gas mileage, especially in these times!

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  Love my Yaris - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By loretta - January 17 - 4:43 pm

  Nice low price, drives great holds the road and plenty of room. Easy to park. Good on gas. Very cute!

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  Just buy it - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By newmonk - January 17 - 2:33 pm

  Just bought it 4 days ago, driven for around 250 miles..What can i say. Just buy it. Great fun car, very quite, very smooth and best of all MPG of 48+. Just love it.

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  Everything - 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By clee - January 17 - 11:50 am

  Ive wanted an AWD car that can pull my boat but be a hybrid. Finally it arrived and my expectations have been exceeded. Such comfort, quiet, smoothness, and luxury were not expected and definitely welcome. My other car is a 2003 Forester XS, and it seems like a different era compared to the Highlander.

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  TRD Off-Road - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
  By Richard - January 17 - 8:26 am

  Best bang for your buck in the truck world. The 6-speed transmission is pretty much flawless. TRD Suspension is very compliant for a daily driver. Tires arent the best but that is personal preference. There is a reason the taco is the best selling truck.

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  Nice SUV with some SERIOUS flaws. - 2011 Toyota Sequoia
  By feckman - January 17 - 3:22 am

  We recently purchased a 2011 Toyota Sequoia. It would be a great car but for the fact that many of the most important functions of the navigation system, radio, media system, etc. are *completely inaccessible* while the car is in motion! Clearly this is an issue of liability fears trumping usability or reason. Regardless, we would not have purchased the car had we known how difficult it would be to use. How a car maker thinks it is okay to tell me how to use the functions of an automobile I purchased is beyond me. Letting lawyers run a company is worse than letting inmates run an asylum. Its too bad, because it has all the makings of a great car. Instead its more like a nagging lawyer.

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  5yrs and 35k miles, still loving it - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By goldston - January 17 - 1:03 am

  Great vehicle. My wife loves this year model due to the non-connected shift pod to the console layout. Its been a very reliable vehicle and we see ourselves owning our H/L for another 5yrs at least.