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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  Fix gas pedal lull - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By mjroderick - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Acceleration pedal seems to be disconnected from vehicle. When the vehicle is coming to a rolling stop and then you need to accelerate there is no gas pedal for some distance, give it a little extra and you spin the tires when it catches. The problem is amplified in slick road conditions.

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  My Corolla S - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By My Toyota Corolla - January 6 - 1:50 am

  Ive had my 06 corolla s for about one year now and Im very pleased with it. Before I purchased my car, I was driving a 03 corolla ce. At that time it had 52,000 miles, currently 120,000. I didnt like the BASIC trim with no pwr windows, door locks, cruise, abs, etc. The 03 is in great condition, despite some maintenance thats needed. The 06 s is way better. I love the exterior design with the full body pkg. Rated at 126 hp is not much, but really doesnt feel like 126. Ive taken the liberty and placed a v6 badge on the vehicle, of course I raised a few eyebrows, but hey, why not. Fill the tank with 93oct, and you notice a big difference. Overall Im satisfied with it. Its a great car.

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  Pretty decent ride so far! - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By Erica Lee - January 5 - 6:29 pm

  We got ours at Longo Toyota in Los Angeles. The negotiation process was done through email, so no harassing phone calls from sale reps. With the July 4th rebate, I was able to get the best deal and the color of the car that I wanted. I believe July4th is the best time to get a car because the selection is larger. It has been the 3rd week I have driven the car, so far it is very smooth. I drove 400+ with 1/4 of gas left. I plan on letting it drive for an other week.

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  Very pleased - 2007 Toyota Tundra
  By pleased - January 5 - 5:13 pm

  I picked up my new SR5 CrewMax yesterday. It is a gorgeous vehicle, Silver Sky exterior, with black leather interior. It seems to have very good road manners, tracks very straight and stops very straight. It is fast and very smooth, like a luxury sedan. It is also a big vehicle and you sit quite tall in the saddle. My truck is equipped with a lot of the extras that come standard on the CrewMax Limited, but my truck was $4300 less than a Limited, so I feel like I got a very good value for my money. The fit and finish are fantastic. It is the first vehicle I have ever owned where I can find no blemishes, interior or exterior.

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  4 cylinder is so-so - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Lizli - January 5 - 8:13 am

  I agree with some previous posts about the engine lagging. It is not a smooth ride, at least not what I expected. The 2002 Honda Civic I traded for it was (gasp) a tiny bit smoother and thats saying something. Its gotten to the point that I hate driving it (but love staring at it when I close my garage). Im seriously thinking of getting something else PRONTO, even though I just paid the sales tax and registered it. VERY disappointed, so please dont get mesmerized by its looks.

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  Not So Hot - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By CJ - January 5 - 7:43 am

  This vehicle handles dangerously on the highway. Toyota chose to equip this vehicle with Goodyear Integrity tires, which arguably are some of the worst passenger car tires ever made. Torque steer is way out of line for such a small car. The Corolla gets blown all over the highway in strong winds, and is difficult to control. Persistent problems abound with the fuel system in the Corolla. Including no start conditions after the car sits 30 minutes. Impossible to make factory stereo iPod ready. Cheap, paper cone speakers produce horrid sound. This car simply fails to do anything well.

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  Great Luxury Car at a Reasonable Price - 2006 Toyota Avalon
  By Goldstreak - January 5 - 2:03 am

  My new 2006 XLS drives much smoother and has a great overall feel compared to my prevous 2001 Avalon and all the other competitors that I tested in its class. The 2006 also seems much roomier, especially in the back seats. Gas mileage is exceptional for a car with its size and accelaration.

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  lowest cost of ownership vehicle for me - 2011 Toyota Prius
  By greencar2 - January 4 - 11:32 pm

  Purchase was purely a economic decision for me without much emotion. Extensive economic analysis with detailed spreadsheets yielded the Prius II as the most economic choice for my 70 mile daily commute consisting of 60% city 40% highway. Factored in were resale values which indicate lower depreciation than reported for Gen 3, significant improvements in reliability over 2010 model and long term increase in gasoline price at 10% / year. Also in consideration was the 10 year battery performance check done by Consumer Reports which indicated the NiMH battery showed no measurable degradation in 10 years and 200K. I think newer Li battery technology will take several years to mature and match

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  Gr8 Car - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By LuvCorolla - January 4 - 6:53 pm

  This is a good handling and turning car drives well and quiet. For the money I recommend it.

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  The most reliable car Ive ever owned - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By bdevilla - January 4 - 1:50 pm

  When I bought my Camry, it had 90,000 miles on it. The only thing I ever had to do to this car was routine maintenance that you would expect for a car of this age. When I sold it, it had 174,000 miles and still ran like a dream!! I highly recommend a Camry. I was even rear ended in this car and all it did was chip paint off of the bumper. The Olds that hit me had his hood smashed and the grille laying in the street. Amazing. Im a Toyota owner for life.