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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  2004 RAV4 - LOVE IT, JUST LOVE IT!! - 2004 Toyota RAV4
  By RUREADY2DOIT - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is well engineered. It will retain its resale value for years down the road. It is responsive and extremely convenient. Lord dont know if I could handle a V-6 with over 200 horsepower in it if they decided to put one in. Brakes are solid and certain. Sound system is absolutely superb. Turning radius is most acceptable.

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  Why I gave up my Lexus for this - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By JohnDK - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I turned in my Lexus early. Lease was costing too much per mile and the price of gas at 18mpg is now $30 per tank. I was hoping only for great gas milage and got that and more. Driving the Prius is like driving the future. Its 98% smooth, not luxurious. I would have liked all auto windows, power seats, leather, memory on seat position, etc. And they COULD do this and add another few thousand to this car. But just the way it is, is amazing. Thats why there is a 4-6 month wait for these and people are paying $500-$2000 over MSRP. How stupid are we in America.. WE should be building these. Drives fair to good, Dont expect a BMW or Lexus.

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  Prius at 600 miles per week - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By bradhtms - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Quite, rides like a cadillac, 51 MPH at 70 MPH. All systems perfect. This is the high end car.

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  AWESOME - 2004 Toyota Tacoma
  By Coach Larry - September 20 - 10:00 am

  i finally figured it out... after several chevrolets, i found a truck that feels right. i can feel the quality as soon as i open the door & take a seat behind the wheel. i absolutley love the coziness of the cab & the simplicity of the controls (doesnt take long to figure out where & how everything works). the A/C blows snowcones, which is very important in BIG D. great look, great ride, great truck

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  highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Sj - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Awesome ride feels more like a car because its on a camry frame. Smooth ride and drive. Only fault I can find with any Toyota vehicle is that they need to update their interiors....Only choice is the light gray and tan which shows dirt too easy.

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  2004 Toyota Sienna - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By momscar - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Love to drive it. Very comfortable for long rides. The back 60/40 fold is the most important feature for us. It allows us numerous ways to configure when either traveling or just hauling things. With the rear seats up, the cargo space in the back is wonderful, especially for groceries, etc.

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By travmd - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car in June 2004. After researching and test driving many cars in its class I choose the toyota. Ive had the car for several months now and I love it. Ive had NO problems at all, gas mileage has been 38 highway (with air conditioning on) and 30 in the city (also with air on). Its very comfortable, has plenty of head room and a HUGE trunk for its size. The car has enough power for acceleration onto interstates, although its obvious its not a sports car...but then again its not suppose to be. The ride is very smooth with only a little engine noise. The best part about the car is that...its a Toyota so it will last a long time!

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  nice car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By alaine - September 20 - 10:00 am

  nice ride esp compared to my prevous gmc yukon. wish the steering wheel would raise higher, i am tall and find it somewhat tedious to get in and out b/c the steering wheel seems low. otherwise great leg room.

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  Entune NOT fully compatible w/Iphones - 2017 Toyota 4Runner
  By Mark - September 20 - 3:47 am

  The car is brand new but I wanted to bring this to the attention of buyers. I like the truck overall, rides well, looks great, comfortable, no mechanical issues. However, the Entune system is awful. The iphone is NOT fully compatible with the system. You CANNOT return text messages via the ENTUNE system, which to me is unacceptable. You can receive the text message but the outgoing messaging part of the ENTUNE system does NOT work. Major inconvenience on long trips. This info comes directly from Toyota Customer Service. They blame Apple! If you want the ease of sending text messages through computer/voice system, do NOT purchase a Toyota with Entune expecting iphone to work. They said to use Siri, which is a workaround but NOT what I paid for. Also, sales reps are unaware of this or choose not to share. Im very disappointed.

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  Safest Truck on the Road - 2001 Toyota Tundra
  By MDW - September 19 - 11:03 pm

  Great truck, rides nice, and has the safest rating of any full sized truck. Gas milage averages around 15 MPG.