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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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Big Jim CrimeBoss - July 31 - 11:36 am

  After my 93 Grand Am (which had 189,000 miles) was hit buy a drunk motorist, I bought a 96 Camry from my mother, with 130000 miles on it. And I feel spoiled in the Camry! Im sorry but my faithfulness to American cars ended very quickly once behind the wheel of the Toyota! This is one of the cars that could be driven over the bumpest roads without ever spilling a drop of your favorite coffee! The 11 year old V6 still competes very well on the road and can actually "peel out" reaching a top speed of 135 MPH!! The tire grip is outstanding despite the excess body lean (which Im sure got addressed in newer Camrys). The car took some getting used to but I think it was well worth it!

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  Love my Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By OLMESBOB - July 31 - 11:23 am

  A very nice, well built and fun to drive vehicle. Even without the hybrid it would be a nice vehicle. My wife and I enjoy it very much. Gas mileage is at about 50 on average.

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  MPG Like a Hybrid without the batteries. - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By John (Tucson) - July 31 - 9:26 am

  I got 43.5 MPG mixed city/freeway on my first tank after break-in, and this is the 4dr with automatic and running the A/C. Keep the tires properly inflated, drive gently, and youll save a lot on fuel. If only Detroit had the vision to compete with this car, they wouldnt be scambling to dump the huge SUVs. Toyota introduced the Prius eleven years ago, and Detroit is just now realizing that oil is a finite resource.

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  Sequoia - 2003 Toyota Sequoia
  By Nick Natanek - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I think that this is the best car ever!

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  great vehicle!!! - 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser
  By drcjj - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I now have about 54,000 miles on my 2001 landcruiser and I am very pleased with its overall performance. this is my 5th landcruiser and for each new car I have shopped the others out there and then returned to the Landcruiser for my purchase. This car climbs about anything, goes in the snow and mud like it doesnt exist and gets about 14 to 19 mpg to boot. Great family roadtrip car, reasonably quiet at 80mph on highways... nice stereo system too, great sound for a factory installed system, true audio quality, much better clarity and intelligability than those Bose systems hyped to be so hot in other cars.

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  Great little car - 2002 Toyota Prius
  By spock42 - July 31 - 2:00 am

  This car has the smallest turn radius of any car Ive ever driven--smaller even then our miata. Tooling around in electric mode with the continuously variable transmission is a lot of fun. Parking it is a dream as well--reverse gear is all electric and you have such fine control of the acceleration on the electric, not anything like the surge from a gas engine.

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  NICE RIDE - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Dawk Weed - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I have had great success with my 1999 Toyota Solara SLE. I change the oil every 3500 miles and I only deal with Toyota for servicing my vehicle. The car is a dream to drive and it looks sharp too! I have leather power seats, moon roof, side air bags, nice cd player and an excellent resale value on it. Very nice car

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  Love my convertible!!! - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
  By Cmeotalia@aol.com - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I cant find one thing I do not thouroughly enjoy about this car. It is smooth running, heavy feeling, great power and makes me feel good to drive. I always wanted a convertible and am so glad I choose this one.

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  Fabulous car - 2004 Toyota Matrix
  By yankeeddl - July 31 - 2:00 am

  This car is just a joy to drive. Its a mix of suv, car and station wagon. Very distinctive styling.

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  Oh, what a feeling - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By AlnVilma - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Toyota quality comes shining through in fit, finish and function. Everything seems so well thought out. If you are not afraid to be a little different, this car wont disappoint you. After a few miles, everything feels pretty natural. For me, it makes driving fun again w/o the need for raw performance or volume (noise). All the gadgets, "greenness" and fantastic mileage are frosting on the cake.