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 vehicle for me - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By UpState NY - September 17 - 10:00 am

  Over 15,000 miles and not a single problem, and it performs as advertised. The Trail version has been great for off-road, winter driving, and long trips. I tow a 3500 lbs camper, with 2 canoes on roof, easily (about 12 mpg with big hills in ADK), but day-in-day-out driving on hilly Upstate back roads I average around 19 mpg. Longer trips I average from 20 to 21 mpg highway. Kids like the back sets that can recline a bit. Overall I like the functionality of the various standard Trail options/controls.

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  Lexus Rival - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Howard - September 17 - 9:36 am

  Beautiful and rides well. Finish and styling superb for the price. Smart key works well but no ring or hole on the unit so that a valet can hang it up when valet key removed. car cannot be started with valet key. Front seats not comfortable enough, but adequate. transmission "slips" when shifting in certain conditions. Love the small turning radius helpful with a large car. Trunk space has been reduced by the protective lining covering the lid supports. better to remove that and allow longer items to store horizontally such as golf clubs. flat rear floor a gem. Nav. system not too convenient to operate. needs big overhaul, but works very well when finally programmed. Hate the "I agree" thing

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  Couldnt ask for more, especially at 215k miles - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Chris - September 17 - 7:58 am

  I bought this Camry in December of 2014 with 193k miles on it for only $3,000 and 22k miles later all she had needed have been new tires, wiper blades and regular oil changes. This car was a well taken care of 1 owner car before me so I was lucky. She cranks without hesitation every day even in sub- zero winter temps in Michigan and has yet to leave me stranded. The acceleration is still there, handling solid and noises Im sure are comparable to the day it was driven off the lot. The SE model doesnt look as dated as most 13 year old cars and the body has aged well with one minor rust spot the size of a nickle I fixed myself. The funny thing is every time I see another car I consider buying I drive it and read the reviews to find myself loving my Camry more. So heres to another year together, I would recommend this car to anyone and let my daughter drive it if she wasnt 3. Proud to be a Toyota family as we own a 2011 Sienna as well.

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  Very Satisfied - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By Outstanding Auto - September 17 - 6:56 am

  This is a great car from end to end. It drives like a dream, very comfortable interior and user friendly instruments for the driver.Lots of power from the V6! I went from a 10 year owner of a Camray to a Dodge and back to Toyota. I never had a problem with the Camray and I dont expect any with the Avalon. The saftey features on this auto make me feel very safe on interstates. One more thing. Owning this car will attrack attention!

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  GREAT CAR!!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By tell302man1 - September 17 - 4:10 am

  Just purchased a used 2007 Camry. I really believe that most of these negative reviews are lies on this site. My car is smooth and well built and drives like a dream. I am very happy with the first 1000 miles.

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  Uber on! - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Dan Anderson - September 17 - 1:59 am

  Bought this car for Ubering. Lots of rear seat leg room and comfy attractive interior is popular with passengers. Ride quality is good. Acceleration is adequate to the task. Not quick, but doesnt feel dangerously slow. Will get out of its own way so to speak. A little thrashy accelerating from a stop, but smooths out and nicely quiet once cruising speed is achieved, though rough road surface noise is transmitted to the cabin. The radio is great. The touch screen is easy to use and the sound quality is quite good for a car in this price range. It can deal with all 7500 songs on my iPod easily and allows intuitive control from the touch screen. (My Ford Sync radio in my F150 runs out of memory limiting features). Back up camera is nice to have. USB port is nice, allows my iPod to be controlled from the touch screen, but charge rate could not keep up with my Android LG V10 phone running Uber Partner, Sherpa Share and Google Maps. Luckily the 12v socket with a 2.0 charger can, but there is only one. I like the LED headlights, but the high beams are halogen. Fuel economy is as good as advertised, maybe better. Easy to drive, tight turning radius. Being in it for a full day is comfortable too. Overall a great inexpensive competent commuter car with values and features above its pay grade. I am happy with my purchase.

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  Mechanically fantastic and quiet - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By kvm1983 - September 17 - 1:13 am

  The good: Technically, mechanically, this car is fantastic. It has the smoothest transmission, very nice pick up, and very quiet. The not-so-good: The XLE version does not have power seats. Weird. Detail review: I have been researching crossovers since almost a month. I thought about getting a CRV, and I test drove 3 different ones, but all of them were noisy. The engine noise is high, combined that with the road noise was the deal breaker for me. The RAV4 is noiseless. Mechanically, this is a fantastic vehicle. The pick up is great, and it has three modes: eco, regular, sport. Loved the power steering on it too (better than CX-5, IMO).

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  Great Car! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By D - September 16 - 11:03 pm

  I totally recommend this car. I had Lexus few years ago and this car has nothing to envy to Lexus if you talk about comfort and reliability, silent engine. Great to drive, Not a sexy body but a great car. I love my Camry

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  A Great Car - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By avalon - September 16 - 12:00 pm

  This car is finally not for old people, which is good. The new exterior is great. The interior is awesome. The performance is very good. For a car with a 3.5 V6, this has the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder. Like most Japanese cars, this is very reliable. It isnt as fancy as the lexus, but about half the price. There is an unbelievable amount of rear legroom: 40", and up front is 41"! There has not been any issues with it yet, and there probably wont be any. It is much better than our previous car, which was a Lexus RX330. There is not one thing anybody dislikes about this car.

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  Second Sequoia - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By Steve - September 15 - 1:37 pm

  Great vehicle. This is second one for us. We buy them with 60-70k miles. As long as they are local trade ins with clean car fax and documented service history I have no qualms about driving them to 200k miles and expect few repairs. Fuel economy is only downside,