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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  Good, not great; I can live with it for next 5 years - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By lucky57 - November 25 - 4:48 am

  Traded a 2006 Prius after 150,000mi. The V , level 3 drives like any Prius. Already gone 8,000 miles. Gets you there but not exciting. Handling safe but uninspired. A 21st century minivan/wagon. Quieter and much more comfortable than my old one. Improved driver seat. Surprising hauling capacity and greatly improved rear visibility. MPG is 44 no matter how driven. The extra length make it harder to park in tight spots. It is almost as long as my other car, a Camry. Feels safer than old Prius, airbags everywhere. The extra size makes a great difference in long drive comfort. Some tech issues with nav/entune. Gas prices need to stay high to justify the price and bland driving experience.

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  Way too much road noise! - 2007 Toyota Highlander
  By Renee - November 25 - 4:03 am

  Purchased new in Aug 2007 after selling my Avalon. Does the job, and its lack of "flashiness" is fine with me. But the road noise - ugh!! My father-in-laws 2004 Highlander is super quiet. So now I wonder if this noise issue is unique to my vehicle or all 07s. Upgraded to Bridgestone tires but didnt help with the noise. Music and conversation has to be at very loud levels to hear. Plan on asking dealership about it.

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  Waste of money - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Jason - November 24 - 9:30 am

  I bought this car thinking I needed the extra room for my growing family. Ended up being the worst car purchase I have made. A car this expensive should not have the squeaks and rattles that it does and it seems a new one pops up every week. I also hate how the maintenance light comes on every 5000 miles. The paint is also horrible - it chips off the front very easily. I just purchased an Acura TL to replace my Avalon which is what I should have bought to begin with. I will not miss seeing this car in my garage.

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  Unrefined Fast and Cheap - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Markm4 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Ill start with the postitive comments: The thing is fast when you get it in the high rpm range. The suspension is pretty tight for such a high vehicle, and the 17" wheels with firehawks have a-lot of grip. otherwise, at low rpms the thing is a dog. The 1st gear is so tall, it is hard to get it moving without either burning up the clutch or stalling. The interrior is cheap hard plastic. If you must have one, get a good price. On ebay they are going for $15k or less. They are not worth the $20k dealers are charging.

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  Sulfur Smell - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By pauldp79 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Be wary of a sulfuric release inside the car. No one yet knows if this is harmful, but many new 2003 Corolla owners are reporting a "sewage" or "rotten egg" smell that is coming through the ventilation system. This an occur regularly, but there is no definitive pattern. It is beyond annoying.. please search Edmunds corolla message boards for "smell". In these cars, the mileage is also affected by whatever is going on with the engine.

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  Terrible interior, terrible gas mileage - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By mathues - November 21 - 12:29 am

  I bought brand new summer 2000 (as a starving college student). My converter died early and I had terrible gas mileage. My interior has just collapsed. I mean its a cheap car, but really, Toyota cant make an interior headliner that looks nice for at least 5 years?

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  Improve the visibility - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By hybridguy3 - November 10 - 12:31 pm

  I owned my 2010 Prius for just under a year and learned to hate it for the following reasons: Bad bad brakes, hit a bump and lose them for a split second, not dangerous but disconcerting. Visibility to the rear and sides is awful, especially in the winter; the bottom half of the split rear window is impossible to keep clean. My wife, who is 52", refused to drive it because of poor visibility. The dash squeaked in cold weather. Dashboard readouts difficult to read with polarized sunglasses. The handling is not quick and the seats, while okay for a short drive are murder on a long one. Bought a Civic Hybrid because it doesnt have any of the problems listed above.

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  Avalon - a space shutle? - 2001 Toyota Avalon
  By Anton911 - November 10 - 10:00 am

  The test drive felt like I was driving a Camry with bigger body. Very ugly and uncomfortable interior, exterior is not for everyone. Very poor corner handling, although engine is alright. Suspension is camry alike.

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  RAV 4 buyers beware - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By The Pilot 2 - November 10 - 10:00 am

  MY RAV gets 24 MPG on highways while my Pilot gts 21MPG.Why the small difference. Both use premium gas and carry just my bag and lunch bag. Got rip off buying this car, swear will never get a TOYOTA, 6 of my co-workers got their cars from my Pilot dealer while 13 more are in line and gettin their first car. Its a personal crusade of mine to vear out every friend and acquaintance out from Toyota delearships

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  Think I purchased a Lemon! - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Tori - November 3 - 11:03 am

  Since owning my Matrix Ive put over 1k into fixing it! The calliphers went out, my floor is full of water from the sunroof, the gas mileage is appx 24 mpg, my headlights are cracked, this car is nice looking but poorly built (its a corolla I learned) Ive had no luck with this lemon and wish I never sold my CRV!! My interior is also fading (the silver knobs, etc), For a certified car, my old cheaper cars were much better. I will never buy another Toyota. Im having so many problems with this car I will have to sell it back and pay the diffrence, I dont know what else to do. Lesson learned- "never buy a first year car".