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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  Love my Prius - 2006 Toyota Prius
  By Selma Lieberman - April 19 - 11:30 pm

  Was surprised at how well it handled and how much room there was inside. It had more power and pickup than I expected. And all my passengers are amazed at the space and comfort of the interior.

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  Prius Pride - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Lane Garrett - April 19 - 9:40 pm

  We are proud to own a Prius since it answers part of the oil supply and the global warming growing crises. The instrumentation and human engineering are supurb and quicky help train a driver for maximum fuel economy. We are now considering a second Prius. I only wish that Toyota would add rack and pinion steering for better wind stability. A larger battery with plug-in capability should be added for the next generation!

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  Awesome!! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By markmine - April 19 - 9:20 pm

  I purchased my Camry XLE with 2.5, 4 cylinder engine about 5 months ago and clocked about 8k miles since. This car is rock solid! I was hesitant about the 4 cylinder but really wanted the gas mileage. After multiple test drives, I couldnt see spending the extra cash for the v6. No regrets, the 2.5 has plenty of power, is very smooth, quiet and I am consistently getting 30.6 MPG combined. I also really like the interior and the JBL sound system. The nav works great, but Im not very happy with entune, its a little buggy with my Samsung s3 phone. I shopped online for the car and paid 27.5k including 100k mile toyota warranty. All this with 0% financing.

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  A Womans Opinion - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By LtH - April 19 - 5:43 pm

  Im very satisfied with the Taco, lives up to the reviews, and would buy it all over again. The visibility is great, and 5 adults fit comfortably. It feels solid, and handles well both on streets & freeways. My goals were to get a vehicle with better than average reliability that rode a little higher off the ground and the Taco fit the bill as a great investment. Im a happy first time Toyota owner & first time truck owner.

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  The best midsize sedan for the $$$ - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By TerryS - April 18 - 9:20 pm

  I purchased an 05 Camry for my daughter in July of 05 and my wife liked it so much we just traded in our 04 Honda Pilot for another one! This is by far the best mid-sized sedan for the money (under $16,500) for the LE version with automatic!

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  Silky Smooth - 2008 Toyota Sequoia
  By hisenberg - April 18 - 5:46 am

  We drove our new Sequoia to Sequoia National Park for our first outing with the new vehicle. During this drive, we experienced driving in city, open freeway, mountain roads and icy roads. The entire drive was very smooth. The 6-speed automatic engine was far better than our previous 4-speed domestic luxury SUV. It handled very well in all conditions. The interior of the car has more "plastic" than I normally like. Needs a little more wood trim and some plastic mouldings are loose. Navigation system was excellent. The ride with the air suspension was very comfortable and the steering wheel was steady over all the bumps.

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  Worth the Money, buy one you wont regre - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Phoenian - April 17 - 10:06 pm

  Super truck on all levels. Design, fit, finish and materials are at luxury car levels. Researched all compareable trucks in detail and the Tacoma excells in every catagory. I dont have many miles on it yet, but the comfort factor along with the driving enjoyment justify the purchase. I love it and it appears that most other motorist do as well.

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  Joes FJ Ride - 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By Joes Ride - April 17 - 4:53 pm

  This is a fun to drive, off road 4X4. Built like a tank however, the ride is good. 20 MPG in city driving, not bad! Have the TRD exhaust and not sure it does anything for the performance? But it sound good! Have been using regular gas and only notice a slight loss of power. Engine on a synthetic diet now that I have 9000 miles on it.

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  A Comfortable Beast - 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser
  By joef5 - April 17 - 1:19 pm

  Well, you only buy one of these if your looking for a all terrain vehicle, this is what it’s for and this is what is does very well. I have done sand dunes, and 2 feet of snow with ease. I am amazed at some of these reviews, Jesus. I am not going to complain about a chevy 4 cyl that’s gets lots of MPG because it cant fit 8 people, and I am not going to complain about a Rubicon 4X4 because its not a luxury ride, there are different cars and trucks for different things. The FJ Cruiser is a all terrain vehicle that’s very capable of normal driving, its quiet, its dependable, I know people with over 100,000 miles without one problem and it will go ANYWHERE you want. You just feel safe in it.

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  Best Car Ever! - 2003 Toyota RAV4
  By juliev - April 17 - 9:56 am

  I have had my Rav for over 4 years, but almost 100,000 miles on it and aside from new brakes, tires and regular maintenance...Ive never needed to do anything to it. I love this car, its perfect for 2 adults and maybe one child and a dog. The only problem I have is the back seat is too small. We have a one year old, with one on they way and we need to upgrade....cant fit 2 car seats in the back unless you want your knees in the glovebox. Aside from back seat, its a great car with room in the trunk for lots of stuff (including a giant stroller) and it drives great. I would recommend it to anyone!