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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  2nd RAV4 Purchase - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By Dereck - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Repeat buyer 2nd RAV4 purchase, 1st was a 2003 model. Narrowed down the choices to a Honda CRV, Chevy Equinox, and the RAV4. Quickly eliminated the Chevy because of reported maintenance issue. (note the Chevys interior styling, ride comfort and noise was superior to the Honda and Toyota) RAV4 won out over the Honda because it is a more comfortable, and factory/dealer incentives were very attractive.

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  Finally a fun SUV - 2006 Toyota 4Runner
  By Tom - September 24 - 12:40 am

  Very happy with the vehicle. Great styling, superior handling for a Sport Ute, and power to impress with the V8, even sounds good! No problems so far, didnt expect any either. Very comfortable, quiet interior, AC and heat distribute nicely, great stock sound system. Could not be happier. Plenty of headroom (Im 64") as well. Combined street/Hwy mileage 19.1

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  Great value - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By drcelica - September 23 - 2:58 pm

  Ive own my 2010 Camry LE I4 for 2.5 yrs and have 51K mile on her. This car is perfect for what it is, a comfortable daily commuter thats easy to maintain. Ive taken lots of road trips in the Camry and its perfect for the open roads. Ive got as much as 36 mpg if I keep it at 70 mph but avg around 32 going 80. Neg. reviews about the trans keeps popping up but Ive never had a problem with mine since I drive the car gently to keep the wear and tear down. Reliability so far has been perfect. I havent gone to the dealer once for warranty repair. If you buy a Camry for what it is, a commuter car, youre going to be happy; just dont expect BMW handling.

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  A book by its cover - 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Mike - September 23 - 5:00 am

  The FJ is exactly what it looks like - great fun in a hard-nosed package without extras. Its not a mall crawler, and thats ok with me. Great in bad weather, great off road. designed to be durable, should run forever. If you are an outdoor enthusiast - you owe it to yourself to look at one of these. I camp, hunt and fish, this is perfect for my needs. More HP and torque than an H3 and still gets better mileage. Visibility is no problem if youve driven trucks before.

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  Lexus for the Matrix - Very Happy! - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By MarkZ - September 22 - 11:23 pm

  Traded in my RX300 for the XR and couldnt be happier. My gas gauge doesnt plummet anymore and I can turn on a dime. Not as luxurious (wife misses heated seats) but love the sporty 5spd manual drive (flashback to my 88 Prelude days). Lots of room for my band equipment and baby on the way. Like the RX, the hatch can hold a lot. Just picked up a massage chair - to the surprise of the staff it slipped right in. Way to go Toyota. Matrix joins my Toyota family of a 97 Previa that I love just as much.

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  Best bang for your buck - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By DERRICK ZOCK - September 22 - 6:00 pm

  Very firm footed, great drive, so very smooth. I have owned many cars but I must admit that this one of my best buys ever.

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  My Favorite Car Ever! - 2001 Toyota Echo
  By Clark - September 22 - 2:43 pm

  I bought this car by accident, while waiting for a Nissan 350Z to arrive at the dealer. After driving it for a week, I canceled the order on the Nissan and saved $26,000. This is a reliable, efficient and great looking design. I dread the day it no longer runs.

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  Engine Issues - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By mcgeem1 - September 22 - 12:56 pm

  It is embarassing to drive this car on cold mornings. When it is below 40 degrees out, the motor sounds like there is no oil in it. It taps so loud that people look to see what the clatter is. Toyota corporate claims that this is normal but they will not put it in writing. This vehicle drives like a luxury car. The motor is peppy. The handling is responsive. The moon roof squeaks a lot. the dealer allegedly replaced something but the visible components still had wear marks after the alleged replacement. I think they greased it. it was quiet for about five months. There is also a loud cracking sound from the front end that the dealer has not been able to find (under warranty)

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  Best Vehicle I Have Ever Owned - 2013 Toyota Prius v
  By giantsfan58 - September 22 - 12:11 pm

  After driving a 2nd Gen. Prius for 6 years, I foolishly traded it in for a 2012 Kia Optima EX. After 11 months I came to my senses and traded that in for a 2013 Prius v. The v drives great, is comfortable and can haul a lot of cargo. I cant speak for the other models, but the 5 has everything I would ever want. They say MPG is 44 City and 40 Hwy, but I average 45-47 MPG per tank. You need to drive it a bit differently than a traditional gas engine car, but once you learn the technique it is easy to outpace their estimates. The sound system is fantastic and the bluetooth is crystal clear. The moon roof is a great feature. This vehicle has it all.

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  Tacoma number 4. Second Limited. - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Steve Arnold - September 22 - 4:39 am

  This is the best yet. 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2016. All V6 and the last two being Limited. Wish it had power seats and collision warning. We really love the truck. We re get an easy 24 mpg at highway speeds of less than 80. Towing a 5,500 lb powerboat with a tandem axel trailer and of course brakes is not a problem for this truck. We get about 15mpg but thats to be excepted. Toyota has made another winner with the refreshed Taco. Made the right purchase. Not cheap but we got what we paid for. Having driven the Taco now for 7,000 miles Ive got an update to share. The tranny had a couple of issues that a computer update finally corrected. Constant searching for gears while on the hwy and delay when shifting from reverse to forward. All fixed by the update. Very happy once again.