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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  Fun, Safe, Reliable, Sharp! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Chris - October 21 - 8:03 am

  Have owned this rav4 limited 4wd since aug 2006, so heres a real road test. Sticker said: 23-28 9 city/hwy), I average 28 mpg, with a few tanks getting 30-33 mpg. And yes its a 4wd. Only changes made, were those junky Yokohama tires at 29k miles. Everything else is original & still going strong!

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  Great ride! - 2007 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tnblueyes - October 21 - 2:26 am

  Had a 2005 Honda CRV, while it was okay, it rode rough, felt every single bump and crack in the road so I was on a mission to find a more comfortable ride that had enough roof clearance to hold 2 large parrot cages buckled into the back seat and enough space in back for our suitcases and such. I test drove the Mazda suv-rode like the crv did, loved the style of xterra but the ride was lacking also. The 4runner was the best ride! On occasion my dad or our grandson travels with us and the backseat has very limited leg room so cant say I would choose the 4runner if we had a larger family, but for dh & i and our feathered kids, its ideal, after all, parrots dont need leg room!

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  Best valued car for me - 2008 Toyota Corolla
  By SureJuJu - October 20 - 11:06 pm

  Things I wanted in my car: fuel economy, reliability, good price, enough seating room and trunk space for my two teenage daughters. My basic Corolla CE met all my requirements and more. Only additions are an after market alarm/keyless entry system for $260, an Obus Forme seat cushion (for my back), and a free front dashboard cover from my dealer. Everything is great with this car - very satisfied so far. BTW, I still dont understand why people are complaining about the "boring" exterior and interior styling. My Corolla looks like a solid car to me - none of those fancy, weird looking "fun to drive" features inside and out.

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  Satisfied - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By aroth - October 20 - 4:00 pm

  Weve owned the 05 Toyota 4Runner for 7 months and have been quite impressed. Weve owned other SUVs and this one is the smoothest and most comfortable to drive. Surprisingly, for a truck-based SUV, it drives similar to a car. We opted for the V6 to save money and it has plenty of power. Of course we dont tow anything with it and weve heard the V8 is better for towing. On long drives (of 5 hours) it is easy to find a comfortable seating position.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  By Todd - October 20 - 6:46 am

  Cant go wrong with this SUV. Built on the Tundra platform, but rides like a car with the power of a truck!

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  The Yaris is Great!!! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Nicole - October 19 - 2:46 am

  I love my Yaris. I cant believe how much power this car has. It immediately gets up when I drive on the freeway and is truly amazing. This little vehicle has so much power!! It does have a little noise when I drive it, but that is one of the things I love about it. I feel like I am in a race. I nicknamed my Yaris, I call it a "Bullet" because it gets up and shoots out of nowhere. I am glad I purchased it before more people catch on how great this car really is.

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  best car i have ever owned - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Mx2.cky - October 19 - 2:00 am

  best drive compared to any car. goes where you tell it. love it!

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  Greatest little car ever! - 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder
  By Vicki Plummer - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I enjoyed my little Spyder for only 18 months. Unfortunately, I was in a 5 car collision, with my little car being the first one hit, by a big landscape truck with a bucket. I walked away from that accident with a couple of scrapes! I am SOO impressed with how well that car handled an accident of that magnitude and protected me as well. I miss my little car!

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  1997 Corolla - Great Car! - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By ShariB - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Easy to drive, powerful little car that still gets 33-35 mpg. After 122,000 miles, not a single mechanical problem. Ill be drivind this car for a few more years.

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  MY 2003 Toyota Matrix XR is AWESOME ! - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By James C. Byrd - October 19 - 2:00 am

  In the summer of 2003, just after purchasing this car, i made a trip to California from my home in central Florida. The route taken was north I-95 to West I-10 to California. We traveled up the coast to San Francisco and then journied back through the high country of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, and on east to I-75 south, takin us back home to central Florida. The fuel mileage on the trip reached 28 city and 36 highway with less in the high mountain zones out west and in Tennissee, which was to be expected.