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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  I love my car! - 2003 Toyota Echo
  By Happy owner - February 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 2003 Toyota Echo 4 door manual. (White) So far I love it. I like the look, and the new dark trim on the bottom (makes it look sharp). Im very happy with it. I like the placement of the meters in the center a lot better. (speed, odo, etc.)I think its actually easier on the eyes. I think its a great car for a great price!

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  great car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By kendra - February 28 - 2:00 am

  Not only is this a reliable family car, it is fun to drive and handles well. Liked the Camry more than the Accord.

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  2003 Toyota Camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By scottjay01 - February 28 - 2:00 am

  The 03 Camry is an absolute joy on long drives. The ride is smooth quiet and serene. Acceleration is strong and smooth. Who can top Toyotas reliability. I love to pull up next to a Lexus ES300 ( same platform) and look over thinking "ah ha, I got mine for $12,000 less."

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  Great Truck - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Clay - February 27 - 4:06 pm

  I had owned a Tacoma since 2001 and just traded it in for a new 05 Access Cab TRD Tundra. I was already sold on Toyota quality so it was a no brainer to purchase another Toyota. I just wanted more room, more power and more comfort. The 05 Tundra was everything I was looking for. So far very pleased with the whole experience.

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  Tundra 05 Limited Access - 2005 Toyota Tundra
  By Jonny 5 - February 27 - 3:06 pm

  Very good pulling power for 3.5 klb. boat, barely tell its back there. On Hwy you will get close to 20 mpg. Pulling the boat, it drops down to about 13-14 mpg. Ride is very smooth, and quiet. Handling is like a sports car. Before you buy anything else, test drive one of these puppies.

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  Best Surprise on the Road - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By winband - February 27 - 2:36 pm

  I bought my Prius on the day of hurricane Katrina... had a bad feeling about gas prices since I drove an Chevy Avalanche and had just filled up for $75. I needed room, comfort, economy, and dependability and the Prius has not disappointed me one single bit! This is a MOST surprising car! I suggest you drive one before you think it cant be for real - its absolutly great! Im saving about $250 a month on my gas bill and loving every minute of my driving time!

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  High quality, excellent ride, exceeds my expectati - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Don Rohde - February 27 - 4:44 am

  When I bought my 2009 Prius, I was very pleased with the car and the gas mileage. However, I was disappointed I had to give up certain creature features that I had in my 2005 Prius. However, my 2016 Prius exceeds my expectations as compared to my 2005 Camry. I have the moonroof I gave up with my 2009 Prius. However, I now have all of the features I use to have with my Camry. All of the electronic safety are fantastic. It has an excellent ride and is very quiet on the road. Some minor disappointments. Less internal storage in the car. Lost the above glove compartment storage and storage area under the center console. Also lost the limited storage area located over the spare tire. Oh ya, I got a model 4. The problem is, I no longer have a temp spare tire, but a repair kit and inflator. The is a [non-permissible content removed] moment when I realized that I paid more for a model 4 and didnt get a spare tire. My salesman is trying to get me information on why. We looked at a model 3 and it had the temp spare tire. This may have been an engineer decision where because of the additional safety features in my model 4, they had to balance the overall weight of the vehicle by eliminating the temp spare tire. Come on Toyota, that is not right. Positive, on a recent 30 mile round trip, I averaged 60 MPG with normal driving condition. Love that!

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  Glitches - 2005 Toyota Sienna
  By Alex - February 26 - 7:50 am

  After intense research on model trims and other types of vans I decided to go for the Sienna. The 8 passenger accomodations are good for 2004. Although I was dissapointed that the back window didnt open as with my 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The running board availiability is not good. If you want the running boards you have to order them with the van. Yes you can put them on but for $2000. Just like on the Tacoma but now on a Tacoma they can be put on by a dealer.

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  one versatile truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By joeb - February 25 - 9:06 pm

  Only on my 3rd tank but just love all this truck can do, power to tow my boat, seating, more bed space than the competition, storage everywhere, and pretty good gas mileage. 19.5 mpg first tank, 19.7 the 2nd, combo of city and hwy with even some towing, which used to just kill the mpg on past trucks Ive had. Impressive job Toyota. I use premium as recommended for the V-6, note that if you just get 2 mpg more than regular and drive at least 800 miles/month, premium is actually cheaper to use if it doesnt cost more than about 20 cents extra per gal. Do the math too and youll see, plus much better for the life of this particular engine I bet.

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  Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Tyler - February 25 - 8:43 pm

  This is the greatest car I have ever bought, and at a great price too.