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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  somewhat disappointed - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By dan - April 1 - 9:23 am

  Since i purchased my 2007 Yaris in August i immediately fell in love with the gas mileage, average of 35 city and as much as 48 hwy. But i found that on option was unavaible for a keyless remote which i really miss. The 12v outlet in the console needs to be redesigned because the cover will not stay closed. I also found that you cannot roll the windows down in the rear without getting a head splitting noise. When you are used to riding with the rear windows down when it is not hot enough for the air conditioner this is a disappointment. I am a large guy and the interior room is great, seats are good and good leg room.

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  Jack of all trades - 2007 Toyota Matrix
  By Nippon Fan - March 31 - 11:46 pm

  This is such a fun car, considering it can seat four adults in comfort or carry a whole ton of stuff. The back seat is easy to drop flat, yet is a real full-size adult seat when it is up. Despite being a proper little utility vehicle, it also has great handling and a peppy engine - you never want for power yet the fuel economy is great (35+). I do believe you need to choose the manual transmission with the available power here - the automatic is much slower and also harder on gas. And I think its a looker! One of my favorite details is the optitron gauges - I know those are becoming much more common these days, but I like how easy they are to read.

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  Excellent - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Scott - March 31 - 7:10 pm

  If you think you want a 4Runner - You will not be disappointed. For a truck based SUV the 4Runner is EXCELLENT. I could not be happier with its over all quality, look and capabilities. Compared to the domestics, there is no choice, the resale and reliability more than offset those extra rebates and discounts.

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  2005 Prius - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By tim - March 31 - 5:16 pm

  Best car Ive ever driven. Its the best hybrid available, as most other hybrids are not a true hybrid like this. We average 50 MPG in warm weather and 40 MPG in cold weather. Yet it does not lack power. The electric motor and gas motor combine power when you want to accelerate fast. The the gas shuts off as you coast, and the brakes regenerate the battery as you slow down. Its Brilliant!

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  2001 Toyota Prius - 2001 Toyota Prius
  By jmarr - March 31 - 10:00 am

  What first hooked me on this vehicle is when the salesman moved the car forward and backward with no engine sound. The 2nd thing is the cars ability to go up into the mountains on I-70 from Denver to the Eisentower Tunnel while maintaining the speed limit and carrying 4 people. I had one problem, a faulty accelerator sensor. Have had no problems since. Gas mileage is below the quoted amount - Overall mileage averaging @ 41 mph.

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  2000 Toyota ECHO 4dr - 2000 Toyota Echo
  By ECHO owner - March 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new in the summer of 2000. Performance is great for such a small car. However, I am unhappy with the current resale value of my vehicle. Price when I first bought it, was well over $14,000 (got pretty much all the upgrades). I put $4,000 down, financed the rest for 4 years, and now, with a little more than 2 years left on the loan, I am about $100 away from being upside down on the loan! Of course, if youre considering this car used, itll be a great deal for you. Just dont get it new, like I did, because its value drops like a rock (probably because this is one of those love-it-or-hate-it cars).

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  Superb SUV - 1997 Toyota 4Runner
  By lovemytoyotas - March 31 - 10:00 am

  Bought used with every possible option. Just love it. Beautiful to look at; fun to drive. Very comfortable; back never gets tired. Good mileage for SUV; over 22 mpg on long hauls from sea-level to over 8000 and at 80+ mph. with a load. Only problem so far is the sectional antenna stopped working. Extremely reliable. My only complaint is that my wife confiscated it on the way home from the dealership, and claims its HER car!

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  Easy Decision - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
  By KZ - March 31 - 10:00 am

  After attending the 2002 Auto Show here in town and seeing the Sebring and Solara convertibles on the same floor, I realized there was not comparison. For the same money, the Solara ragtop was the only choice. The Sebring seemed "flimsy" by comparison. This is indeed a rare car. When I tell my friends what I bought half of them have no idea what Im talking about.

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  The Best of the Minivans - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By HeatherH. - March 31 - 10:00 am

  After a horrible sales experience, the greatness of our Sienna quickly overpowered it. I think they are the best looking of the minivans out there, although I dont think minivans will ever make parents feel sexy driving them. Not a single problem and love all the cup holders and storage compartments in the back. I like the realibility of the Toyota name but the thing that sold me on it was the crash test ratings. Nothing feels better than knowing that your family is the safest it can be and knowing that youve made an informed decision by checking all your facts first.

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  Great new truck - 2002 Toyota Tundra
  By krumps - March 31 - 10:00 am

  My 6 cyclinder Tundra has way more power than similar Chevy trucks I tested. Load hauling is great, even up hills! Should have bought this truck before I bought my last Chevy.