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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  JUST LOVE THIS VAN - 2011 Toyota Sienna
  By Mike - August 11 - 2:26 am

  Great Van love the way it looks and rides. This is my fourth Toyota and I will keep on buying Toyota. I got a great trade in price for the 07 corolla from Toyota. Toyota did a fine job with the 2011

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  1994 Toyota Camry review - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By Jeremiah - August 11 - 1:40 am

  Ive owned my Camry for four years and have over 217,000 on the odometer, and I believe its an excellent choice for someone with a small budget. Interior design is excellent. The seats are well-shaped and comfortable, and the placement of controls is intuitive. At high speed, road noise is nearly non-existent, like a luxury car. Wind noise is moderately high, but no more than could be expected. Engine performance is mediocre. Noise is high at revs over 3000, and acceleration is adequate at best. Fit and finish inside is terrific, with snug and well-fitting parts, and reliability is good. For the money, youd be hard-pressed to find a better family sedan.

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  Great Value proposition with style. - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Robert Sciba - August 10 - 9:04 pm

  The Highlander is big, it has three rows of seats, however it does not feel like a large car when you are driving. The size does make it comfortable for adults, the 2nd row seats have plenty of room even for larger/taller people. I really enjoy the "shelf" located slightly below the dashboard. It makes a great place to put your phone, glasses, laundry ticket, etc, you get the picture. It also has a large center console for bigger items. The onboard tech is OK, the Toyota Entune system has a couple of OK features including notification of txts and emails - although you cannot read them while driving but you can send a standardized response. You also have apps for Open Table, sports, stocks, movie tickets and a few others. The stereo, although listed as a premium system is not very powerful and the tone/quality is fair at best. The NAV is OK to use, the voice activation commands work best for making bluetooth phone calls but using it to NAV or perform other functions is mediocre. The motor sounds fine at most speeds but I do hear a "whine" or higher pitched tone from time to time that I do not care for. Also, the Homelink function is difficult to program. I have succeeded in getting button 1 programmed but the other buttons are not working. (I have not contacted Toyota yet on this issue) The pros are the nice size, overall styling and functionality, the cons are a couple of extra noises, avg stereo and mediocre grade leather on the seats. My net opinion, I would buy this car again and would recommend it to you!

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  My Bulldog - 2008 Toyota Tundra
  By jake - August 10 - 5:13 pm

  Well it looks like a Bulldog sitting in the drive, just waiting to go off to work! I am very pleased and proud of the whole vehicle. Another fine Toyota! I have a few complaints though. See below.

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  Overall Im pleased with it, but..... - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Corrolla Rolla - August 10 - 2:23 pm

  The suspension on the S feels very sure-footed. The styling is surprisingly sporty. The economy is good. The engine feels solid. The car is an overall good size. Its pretty well insulated. Good sound. Great heat and AC. Feels nice to drive. nice little extras on the S. There are drawbacks though. The exterior paint is not durable at all. The brakes are a bit squishy compared to other new cars. The transmission shifts up if I brake going down hill, but the service shop claims nothing is wrong. The headliner feels hollow. Plastic clips hold interior pieces together instead of screws. Poor water drop management. You can NEVER turn your lights off in the dark...EVER

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  Awesome - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - August 10 - 1:13 pm

  Bought this car last weekend. I love the power the V6 provides. The ride is nice and smooth and the SE sport package really adds to the look of the car. I got it in black with the 17" rims and love the way it looks!

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  V8 vs. 4 CYL - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Joseph Smeltzer - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I recently traded in a 2004 Trailblazer with a V8. It was fun to drive and this small car will take getting use to. But the gas mileage is outstanding, especially when comparing to a big SUV. Although I dont have all the luxury features of an expensive vehicle, this car is real nice for me. The standard features and value make this a great car to save gas and have fun driving. It also handles way better than any SUV. It works for me. Ill just buy a cheap used pick-up truck for all my heavier needs but drive the new car to work. I compared all economy cars in this class, and nothing comes close to gas mileage, price, reliability, standard features, and looks.

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  Buy One - 2005 Toyota Echo
  By Kev - August 10 - 7:40 am

  This has been an interesting car to purchase. After a lot of research we decided on the 4dr Echo with automatic and air. I like the idea of a timing chain instead of the wimpy belt! A nice piece of car that is just as comfortable at -40 celsius as it is in hot weather conditions. It is really reliable as we live in Canada, and you can go for a very long period driving and not see another car or house. A very fuel efficient gem, and with our Canadian gas prices as high as they are, we can get our initial investment in the car, out in gas savings in 3.2 years, compared to what we had. Once you get past its unique look, the car will actually pay you in reliability and few repairs.

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  Toyota Avalon Limited - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Richard Heschke - August 10 - 4:10 am

  Comfortable, quiet car with a few creaks and moans. Didnt expect this from Toyota. Shudders sometimes on slight acceleration uphill. Seems to be going away the more the car is driven. Frankly, Ive driven Toyotas before and expected a bit more from their flagship sedan.

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  Off road v8 four wheel drive full time - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By gkitching - August 9 - 9:56 pm

  Near perfect vehicle. Used it on some tough jeep roads in colorado. Has one flaw - needs overdrive badly.