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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  Great car at a fantastic price - 2006 Toyota Matrix
  By Dale - December 22 - 12:46 pm

  We were amazed at how much space there actually is in the Matrix. We used to camp with a pop-up trailer and our Nissan Quest. Since the Matrix isnt really a vehicle for towing weve downsized to camping with a tent. Well, going from a trailer with the room inside the van for packing was something we were worried about. But the Matrix actually has a LOT of room inside. We managed a couple trips so far and its been great! We took it on a trip from NY to KY to WV and back to NY and it performed very well in the mountains and on the highways. We definitely feel we have gotten a good buy for a great price on a fantastic car!

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  Great car - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Peter - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Plain and simple, the new Corolla is a well-built, great looking, comfortable- riding, highly fuel efficient car. My combined city/highway mileage is 36.4. Im a little puzzled by the occasional complains about steering and interior materials quality. My car steers just fine, and I feel like Im in a quality car inside. And the mileage is just about 8 mpg below a Prius. Again, great car.

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  Best Car I ever owned - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By erin, MD - December 22 - 9:23 am

  I just love driving my Highlander. It is such a smooth ride. The air conditioning comes on instantly even on really hot days. The interior is really nice and neatly organized. My only complaint is the gas light comes on early; before it even touches E.

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  Perfect Compromise - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Shiv - December 22 - 3:23 am

  In going from a true fullsize truck, to a big midsize double cab,isnt much of an issue in the new Tacoma. The driving position is perfect to see the road. The TRD Off-Road package makes for relatively uneventful travel over even the roughest roads in the city -- should tame the rugged trails too. The power from the 4.0L V6 is excellent and rivals V8s from just a couple years ago. The truck feels solid, handles well, and looks sharp.

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  Disappointed long time Toyota owner - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By JoesHomeWorkshop - December 21 - 6:13 pm

  The vehicle started out OK with no issues. By the time 70,000 miles rolled around we had unending engine light problems which the dealer kept "fixing" by running "calibration". This held for a few months at a time until the emissions warranty ran out. Then a "surprise" quote to the tune of $1,000 for catalytic converter job! At 104,000 miles the vehicle came to a literal "grinding" halt with a $4,000 transmission repair quote from a dealer. Took it an independent reputable tranny shop that found a pinion gear roll pin that had not been installed right at the factory, had backed out and caused damage to the transmission. Claim to Toyota did nothing. I had better luck with my other Toyotas.

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  Great truck - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By Cedric - December 21 - 2:43 pm

  Ive had my Tacoma now for 3 and a half years and I couldnt be happier. It meets my everyday needs and is very reliable. Ive towed several heaviy loads in excess of 4000 lds several hundred miles without any problems. Highway ride is comfortable and road noise is at a minimum. Off road I havent gotten into anything that I couldnt drive myself out of with the rear locker the comes with TRD package. Wheel travel and groung clerance have never been an issue even with the factory suspension. The only downfall I can think of is the bed size, would like it to be bigger. With a standard size toolbox there is not much bed space left.

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  Poor Mans Lexus - 2005 Toyota Avalon
  By George Hanover - December 21 - 12:10 pm

  This isnt the Avalon we know from prior years. It is really an outstanding car. I cant imagine why anyone would spend the same to buy an ES Lexus as my Avalon Limited cost, nor why anyone would spend $12,000 to $14,000 more for a GS. It is superior to the ES in every way, and except for a couple things (Blue Tooth Tech for one), it is every bit the car the GS is and it has more interior space. All this and finally good looks too.

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  Best Car in the World - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By PennyPincher23 - December 21 - 10:00 am

  This is my wifes car and she doesnt try at all to conserve fuel, and she still gets 45 MPG. Doesnt matte if it is stop and go commute or over the hills to the beach. She loves it and was very happy to have waited 6 months for it in her color (red). The most amazing thing to me is that the engine is cutting in and out constantly and you dont feel any change - smooth as silk. I drove it a little and was able to make a steady 30 mph for about a mile without using the engine AT ALL! Very comfortable, quiet (especially at stop lights!), roomy, expecially in the back. Handles easily, and can accelarate up freeway on ramps as well as a Camry.

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  2004 Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By CDN - December 21 - 10:00 am

  The advancements over the 2001 Prius I owned are numerous. The owners manual is over 350 pages and it covers many features the older Prius did not have. I am loving it.

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  used car - 1999 Toyota Corolla
  By eugenio von elsner - December 21 - 10:00 am

  it is in good conditions , it has air conditioning and heating and good painting