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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  Love it! - 2011 Toyota 4Runner
  By rogersglobal - July 12 - 10:42 am

  So far so good! To date this is by far the best SUV Ive owned. Toyota paid close attention to all the details and my 4Runner Trail Edition hasnt disappointed me yet.

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  Saved me - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By wtlonestar - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought it new and drove it about 43 miles per day commuting to work. Roomy,Great MPG,Handling is good also. At just short of 30,000 miles I ran into the back of a Dodge Ram Truck that stopped suddenly in traffic. The Car was totalled. Air bag deployed and saved my life. The steering wheel could be softer. I walk out of it with bad bruising from the seatbelt,Suggest 5 or 4 point harness,10 staples in my knee,broken ribs,busted wrist,one fractured foot bone. Very well built. Going for a bigger SUV this time. Thanks for the safety built in even in the low priced units.

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  FUN TO DRIVE - 1999 Toyota Avalon
  By jerry miles - July 12 - 2:00 am

  i bought this car from a friend four months ago and have been very impressed with it. it is economical but adequately powered to move in and out of traffic when you need to (30 mpg). it is one of the better looking avalon body styles as some arent really striking. its many accessories are well positioned to the driver and easy to understand. with the exception of intermittent driver window operation and water filling wheelwell of trunk after a rain i have been very impressed with build quality. smooth ride!

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  Not Bad but could improve - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By MajorTom - July 12 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is strong, quick and quiet. The feel is very solid. Put in a good stereo system and you will enjoy driving this vehicle even on the long trips. This is a very dependable and quiet truck.

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  great suv - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By jimmney - July 12 - 2:00 am

  i have had my highlander for 1 month now,i just love it . great suv

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  My Consumer Vote - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Driver8 - July 11 - 10:10 pm

  I bought the Prius once they came out with the hatchback. I can carry a 3-person family and camping gear or an entire drumset with no problem. Besidese the great fuel efficency, you have one heck of a practical car as well. I call this my "consumer vote" because this is where Id like to see the auto industry go. Im getting ~46 mpg over the course of a year. Mpg in the 30s seems silly now!

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  Best full size truck hands down!!! - 2017 Toyota Tundra
  By James L. - July 11 - 7:52 pm

  I drove all the full size trucks before I purchased and based my research on customer reviews. I have owned Ford, Dodge, Chevy. I run all three in my fleet, not one has run over a 100k without a transmission problem or a spark plug blown out of the head to new ball joints before 60k you would think a truck would go 150k without a major repair, if regular maintenance is done. several of my friends drive Tundras with well over 150k without these issues. I purchased a 2017 1794 edition the power and towing is impressive and the ride is very comfortable, although it might not have all the gizmos to park and drive itself who cares its a truck you are suppose to drive it. yes, it does not get 20 mpg but 17 mpg is just fine, its a truck with a powerful V8 engine and with the TRD exhaust it sounds like and performs like a powerful truck. Toyota builds an amazing truck, more reliable, better resale value and comfortable to drive........Period.

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  An appliance car with personality - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Stetler - July 11 - 7:00 pm

  I wanted a car that was very reliable and practical, but also had personality and caught the eye. When you say Corolla, you dont think about the XRS model, but this model is great. The 2.4-liter engine has great pickup with the manual transmission, and climbing grades is a lot better than with the 1.8 liter, with extra power on tap for passing. The interior is cheap, like others say, but its a Toyota and 7 years old at that, so I am not expecting much. For a guy in his twenties that wanted something awesome but still practical and reliable, I have to say I am in love with my XRS Corolla. I just bought the car yesterday, but I will update this review when I have had it for some more time.

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  Prius 4 Touring- good and bad - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Marianne McNair - July 11 - 1:44 pm

  We replaced a 8 year old Prius with a 2016 Prius 4 touring. We loved our old Prius and find some of the changes in the new a little quirky. The white console accents- really? White cupholders? i give them another week before they get stained with coffee. Our old prius was noisy, and this new one also has a lot of road noise. The roof peaks over the front seats and they feel wonderfully roomy. The back seats are a bit squishy on head room. The cargo room in the back seems bigger than in the older car. The new safety features- like blind spot monitoring and lane departure are wonderful. The car handles well and feels zippy. The range- 800 or so miles- on a tank of gas is incredible. The screens are easy to read. The navigation system displays on the main console screen, but also can show directional instructions up by the speedometer.

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  the love of my life - 2001 Toyota RAV4
  By LS - July 11 - 9:40 am

  I bought my Rav4 brand new with 15 miles on it. I will reach 100,000 miles within the next week. I fell in love with this little baby the first time I saw it and love it more every day. It is very dependable and I enjoy driving it more than any other vehicle I have ever owned. I will drive this one unitl the wheels fall off. It is tru love.